Swiss speciality chemicals firm Clariant has acquired the Organic Pigment business of Jiangsu Multicolor Fine Chemical (JMC) based in Jiangsu Province, China. As part of this acquisition, Clariant will also built a world-scale pigment PV23 plant in Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province.

JMC is a leading supplier of several types of high performance pigments and pigment preparations in China. The business recorded sales of RMB210 million. It manufactures and markets pigments and pigment preparations mainly for customers in coatings, plastics and printing inks in the domestic and export markets.

The bolt-on acquisition and the subsequent investment in a new plant allows Clariant to expand its pigments and pigment preparation activities in China in order to have better access to customers in the region and especially in China. The new plant, together with the other facilities in its manufacturing network, reinforces Clariant's ongoing commitment to fulfil the growing demand of customers in coatings, plastics, printing inks and other applications for high-quality products and solutions.

“The acquisition of the JMC and the investment in a world scale pigment plant in Zhenjiang will consolidate our position as a leader in the pigments industry and it is in line with Clariant’s strategy of taking advantage of growth opportunities in Asia,” says Hariolf Kottmann, CEO of Clariant.

Marco Cenisio, Head of Clariant’s Business Unit Pigments, also said that the acquisition and investment enables the firm to further expand its manufacturing footprint in Asia and “to grow in attractive segments of the pigment markets.”