Kemira has agreed to divest its oil and gas chemicals portfolio to Sterling Specialty Chemicals, a US subsidiary of India’s Artek Group for €260 million subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals. The company said that this will enable it “to focus on its core businesses and accelerate its profitable growth strategy”. The two parties expect to complete by the end of Q1 2024.

Packaging giant Cascades has chosen Kemira as the primary chemical supplier for the Bear Island mill in Virginia, which it is converting to produce lightweight 100% recycled linerboard and medium grades. This is due to be completed by the end of 2022 and to have 465,00 tonnes/year of capacity when in full operation.

Finland’s Kemira has announced the completion of the first of a two-step capacity expansion in its water treatment chemicals production in the UK. The output of the aluminium-based product line in Ellesmere Port, near Liverpool, will be increased by more than 30,000 tonnes/year.

A second investment at Goole is currently under way and by September the firm expects to raise production of ferric-based water treatment chemicals by 100,000 tonnes/year. In all, Kemira makes over 350,000 tonnes/year of water treatment chemicals at these and two other UK sites at Bradford and Teesport.