Effective July 13, 2010, Vantage Specialty Chemicals, a leading producer of specialty chemicals merged with Lipo Chemicals and its affiliates, including Ruger Chemical, Lipo Technologies, and Lipo’s affiliate companies that are incorporated in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, France, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, South Africa, and Venezuela.
Lipo is a leading provider of ingredients and ingredient technologies to the personal care industry and is one of the world’s leaders in delivery system technologies. Ruger Chemical is a cGMP distributor of pharmaceutical and cosmetic ingredients.
Vantage Specialty Chemicals includes Vantage Oleochemicals (Chicago, IL), a fatty acid and glycerin manufacturer, and Lambent Technologies (Gurnee, IL), a premier North American oleochemical derivatives supplier, specialising in non-ionic surfactants.
Lipo Chemicals (and affiliates) will now operate as a division of Vantage Specialty Chemicals. Lipo will continue to be headquartered in New Jersey. The current management of Lipo, which includes members of the Frischling family, will remain with the business.
The combination will leverage the global personal care brand presence of Lipo allowing the combined company to achieve accelerated growth by expanding existing business relationships in North America, and creating new channels to market in Europe, Africa, Asia and Latin America. The companies will maintain and grow the Lipo brand in the personal care market.
“Lipo’s excellent reputation for service and innovation in the personal care market and its global reach are strategic assets of the company and provide a strong platform for growth,” says Julian Steinberg, chief executive officer of Vantage Specialty Chemicals.
Craig Frischling, president of Lipo Chemicals and Ruger Chemical added: “We are very excited to partner with Vantage. Lipo’s customers will benefit from the added resources of the combined company while maintaining Lipo’s focus and strength in the personal care market.”
This merger creates a diversified US based specialty chemicals company with sales approaching $500 million, 17 locations across 13 countries and over 550 employees.
