Ashland Global Holdings Inc. today announced it has completed the previously announced sale of its Composites business (excluding the Maleic business) and butanediol manufacturing facility in Marl, Germany to INEOS Enterprises in a transaction valued at $1.015 billion.
Net proceeds from the sale are approximately $930 million. Over $400 million of debt has been retired and an additional $500 million is expected to be retired by the end of the week.
“The sale of our Composites and Marl businesses allows Ashland to focus on our vision of becoming the premier specialty chemicals company,” said Bill Wulfsohn, Ashland chairman and chief executive officer. “We believe this transaction, when combined with our cost reduction program, will help better position Ashland to deliver sustained earnings growth and significant value for shareholders.”
Citi acted as financial advisor to Ashland, and Squire Patton Boggs LLP acted as legal advisor.
Source: Ashland
France has launched an offshore green hydrogen production platform at the country’s Port of Saint-Nazaire this week, along with its first offshore wind farm. The hydrogen plant, which its operators say is the world’s first facility of its type, coincides with the launch of another “first of its kind” facility in Sweden dedicated to storing hydrogen in an underground lined rock cavern (LRC).
The project sets up the Hydrogen Valley in Rome, the first industrial-scale technological hub for the development of the national supply chain for the production, transport, storage and use of hydrogen for the decarbonization of industrial processes and for sustainable mobility.
At first glance, hydrogen seems to be the perfect solution to our energy needs. It doesn’t produce any carbon dioxide when used. It can store energy for long periods of time. It doesn’t leave behind hazardous waste materials, like nuclear does. And it doesn’t require large swathes of land to be flooded, like hydroelectricity. Seems too good to be true. So…what’s the catch?
