The specialty chemicals group ALTANA has acquired the operating assets of the Paul N. Gardner Company Inc. of Pompano Beach FL, USA. Within the ALTANA Group, the business will be integrated into the Instruments Business Line of the BYK Division (BYK-Gardner), and will continue to operate as Paul N. Gardner.
The Paul N. Gardner Company, as well as BYK-Gardner, have a common origin in the Henry A. Gardner Laboratory, founded in 1935 in Bethesda MD. Both companies are worldwide leaders in the production and sale of physical testing instrumentation and supplies for the paints, coatings, and related markets. These devices effectively assess the quality of color and gloss as well as the physical properties of coated surfaces.
“I can’t think of a better business combination for our customers than ALTANA,” said Paul N. Gardner Jr., President and CEO of Paul N. Gardner Company Inc. (Gardco). “I’m confident that this is the best avenue for our customers as well as our employees to take Gardco and BYK to the next level of growth.”
“We are extremely fortunate and happy to be able to utilize the combined strengths of BYK Instruments and Paul N. Gardner Co. Inc. to continue to provide new and innovative solutions and increased value to our combined customer base,” said BYK Instruments CEO Frank Wagner.
Terms of the sale were not disclosed.
BYK is one of the world’s leading suppliers in the field of additives and measuring instruments. Additives are chemical substances which, when used in small quantities, improve product properties such as scratch resistance or surface gloss. Manufacturing processes are also optimized by the addition of additives.
The coatings, inks, and plastics industries are among the main consumers of BYK additives. Yet with the production of oil and gas, the manufacture of care products, the production of adhesives and sealants, and construction chemistry, too, BYK additives improve the product characteristics and production processes. Testing and measuring instruments from BYK can effectively evaluate the quality of color, gloss, and appearance as well as the physical properties of paint, plastic, and paper products and are an important part of quality control.
As a globally operating specialty chemicals company, BYK has production sites in Germany (Wesel, Kempen, Moosburg, Schkopau and Geretsried), in the Netherlands (Deventer, Njiverdal and Denekamp), in Great Britain (Widnes), in the US (Wallingford, Chester, Gonzales, Louisville and Earth City) and in China (Tongling).
Today the company employs more than 2,300 people worldwide and forms part of the ALTANA Group.
ALTANA is a global leader in true specialty chemicals. The Group offers innovative, environmentally compatible solutions for coating manufacturers, paint and plastics processors, the printing and packaging industries, the cosmetics sector and the electrical and electronics industry. The product range includes additives, special coatings and adhesives, effect pigments, sealants and compounds, impregnating resins and varnishes, and testing and measuring instruments. ALTANA's four divisions, BYK, ECKART, ELANTAS, and ACTEGA, all occupy a leading position in their target markets with respect to quality, product solution expertise, innovation and service.
Headquartered in Wesel, Germany, the ALTANA Group has 47 production facilities and 60 service and research laboratories worldwide. Throughout the Group about 6,400 people work to ensure the worldwide success of ALTANA. In 2018, ALTANA achieved sales of €2.3 billion. About 7 percent of sales are invested in research and development every year. Its high earning power and high growth rate make ALTANA one of the most innovative, fastest growing, and profitable chemical companies in the world.
