Austria-based polyolefins/chemical supplier Borealis has sold its proprietary melamine high pressure process technology and its newly developed super-high pressure process technology and all related intellectual property rights to Urea Casale SA of Switzerland. But Borealis will continue to produce melamine at two sites in Linz, Austria, and Piesteritz, Germany. These sites will be not affected by the sale. Terms were not disclosed.

“The divestment follows an earlier strategic decision by the company to focus on the melamine business and production, and to exit the melamine licensing activity,” says Markku Korvenranta, Executive Vice President Base Chemicals Borealis. “Engineering and technology providers in the nitrogen industry can leverage their business activities by adding this leading technology into their portfolio.”

Urea Casale is a global leader in the design and refurbishment of urea plants and belongs to the Casale Group, founded in 1921 as Ammonia Casale, which is also undertakes design and refurbishment of ammonia and methanol plants and has developed over 500 reference projects around the world. The Group’s main focus is on developing and licensing its proprietary technologies, but it also undertakes turnkey projects and supplies after-sales assistance.

According to Giuseppe Guarino, CEO of Casale Group, the company was impressed by the “excellent performance of the Borealis technology and by its simplicity, which leads to lower capital investment, high operational reliability, and, in combination with the exceptional efficiency of the process, to lower production costs.”

In 2009, Borealis sold its melamine business and operations in Castellanza, Italy, to Borgo Olona, a group of investors. At that time, the firm said its intention was to focus on its base chemicals portfolio of core products, namely melamine, plant nutrients, phenol and olefins from its European cracker operations.