Celanese (Dallas, Texas / USA; www.celanese.com) has completed its acquisition of independent thermoplastic compounder SO.F.TER. (Forli / Italy; www.softergroup.com). Financial details of the deal, first announced in October (see Plasteurope.com of 19.10.2016), were not disclosed.

The US group now owns SO.F.TER.’s entire engineering thermoplastics and thermoplastic elastomers slate as well as all customer agreements, and all manufacturing, technology and commercial facilities. As a result of the purchase, Celanese said it has almost doubled its global engineered materials product portfolio – grouped under its engineered materials business.

Commenting on the transaction’s closure, Scott Sutton, executive vice president at Celanese and the head of its Materials Solutions unit, said SO.F.TER.’s production facilities and portfolio will “provide a vehicle for additional growth, investment and synergies.” The Italian company operates eight manufacturing facilities in Italy, Mexico, Brazil and the US and has a total workforce of about 550 employees.