US private equity firm Advent International (Boston, Massachusetts; www.adventinternational.com) has reached a conditional agreement with compatriot finance investment group Goldman Sachs Asset Management (New York, New York; www.goldmansachs.com) to acquire Caldic (Rotterdam / The Netherlands; www.caldic.com), a speciality chemicals distributor and producer focussing on the chemicals, food products and technical materials markets.

The transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2022, subject to customary conditions and regulatory approvals. Terms of the agreement have not been disclosed. Caldic employs approximately 1,200 people across 35 locations in Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific. It reported sales of EUR 1 bn in 2020.

Advent plans to merge Caldic with its portfolio company Grupo Transmerquim (GTM, Managua / Nicaragua; www.gtmchemicals.com) – one of two chemical distribution companies with a full Latin American footprint, claims Advent. According to Stephan Neis, managing director of Caldic Germany in Düsseldorf, the consolidated turnover of the two companies is EUR 1.7 bn. Advent will add significant expertise in chemicals, resources and capital to the consolidated Caldic and GTM businesses, which will operate under the Caldic brand.