For an undisclosed sum, Indorama Ventures (IVL, Bangkok / Thailand; www.indoramaventures.com) is to take over Invista Resins & Fibers (Hattersheim / Germany), a subsidiary of Invista (Wichita, Kansas / USA; www.invista.com). Set to be completed in the first quarter of 2019, the deal also includes the Gersthofen / Germany production plants in the polyester chain.

Invista Resin & Fibers has a workforce of around 140. Total production capacity at the Bavarian site is about 285,000 t/y. Originally part of Hoechst, the plant produces feedstock DMT, PET fibre materials and PET specialities for barrier packaging. Indorama’s main motivation for the deal is to acquire the “Polyshield” and “Oxyclear” barrier material brands. The acquisition cedes all technology and brand rights for these PET specialities to the Thai company, which intends to focus more effectively on the world's growing barrier market.

Though no precise figures are available, it is likely that the PET packaging types account for by far the smallest proportion of production volumes at Gersthofen. In 2010, Invista had in the form of pilot plants retained production at the site as its only involvement in polyester types for packaging – see Plasteurope.com of 27.04.2010. Some facilities from the former PET plant in Offenbach / Germany, which closed at the end of 2009, were relocated to Gersthofen at that time.