Nov 9 2010
W. R. Grace & Co. (NYSE: GRA) today announced the purchase of the business and assets of Wuhan Meilixin New Building Materials Co., Ltd. (Meilixin), a manufacturer of waterproofing products located in China. The financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Meilixin has manufacturing facilities for the production of customizable, fit-for-use waterproofing membranes, materials and compounds, as well as administrative offices and warehousing operations in Wuhan, the modern capital of the Hubei province located in Central China. There are around 50 employees at the facilities.
Meilixin’s products include multilayer macromolecule compound membranes, self-adhesive rubber membranes, cementitious capillary crystalline waterproofing materials and macromolecule compound coatings. The products help protect structures from the damaging effects of water. In addition to being sold in China, the products have been exported to Southeast Asia, America, Europe and other regions of the world.
“This acquisition continues the series of strategic investments we have made in international markets that positions us to capitalize on emerging economies and global infrastructure spending growth,” remarked Andrew Bonham, President, Grace Construction Products. “We are excited to welcome Meilixin to Grace, and we will continue to identify similar opportunities to expand our footprint and elevate our brand recognition.”
Philip Krichilsky, Vice President and General Manager, Grace Construction Products - Asia Pacific, commented, “By acquiring Meilixin, we expand our manufacturing capabilities and gain an established distribution network to meet the needs of construction customers in the fast growing Chinese market, as well as other emerging markets.”
Meilixin has obtained internationally recognized certifications for its quality management (ISO 9001:2000) and environmental management (ISO 14000:2004) systems that provide the framework for the company to maintain product quality and sustainability.
Meilixin Founder and General Manager Yu Nianxu said, “The Grace Construction Products name is synonymous with high-quality and we are excited to begin working with our new colleagues to produce innovative products for increasingly demanding projects.” Mr. Yu has joined Grace in the newly created position of General Manager, China Waterproofing.
The Meilixin business will be integrated into Grace Construction Products’ Specialty Building Materials product group and operate through Grace’s Chinese subsidiary, Grace China Ltd.
Source: http://www.grace.com/