MINNEAPOLIS—Cargill Inc. is to buy Arkema S.A.'s epoxides business. The company said the acquisition will give it end-to-end production capabilities in bio-based polyols and plasticizers.
The deal includes a facility in Blooming Prairie, Minnesota, which specializes in epoxidized vegetable oils. The epoxides are key components of Cargill's existing portfolio of bio-based polyols.
Cargill said it expects to offer about 45 Arkema employees roles within its bioindustrial business.
"Industrial customers are increasingly searching for solutions made without petrochemicals, especially in consumer applications where potential concerns around toxicity and sustainability continue to grow," said Kurtis Miller, managing director of Cargill's bioindustrial business, in a Sept. 27 statement.
"Adding this capability will allow us to innovate across the polyol value chain, transforming our vegetable oil into highly functional compounds that bring benefits like flexibility, durability and heat stability to a wide range of industrial products."
