Huntsman Corp. Expands Footprint with Acquisition of Gabriel Performance Products

Audax Private Equity (Audax, Boston, Mass., U.S.) announced on Jan. 19 that it has completed the sale of Gabriel Performance Products (Akron, Ohio, U.S.) to chemical manufacturing company Huntsman Corp. (The Woodlands, Texas, U.S.).

Gabriel is a manufacturer of specialty chemicals, including specialty additives and epoxy curing agents for the coatings, adhesives and composites end markets. The company manufactures high-performance, complex chemistries under the Gabepro/Capcure, Phenoxy, RoyOxy, Ranbar, Versamid and Versacure brands. Gabriel operates three manufacturing facilities in the U.S. and partners with customers in more than 40 countries. Since Audax’ investment in Gabriel in October 2014, the company has completed six acquisitions, expanded its proprietary product portfolio and developed a direct sales model to partner more effectively with its customers.

“Audax has been a valuable partner in helping us grow Gabriel into a leading specialty chemicals manufacturer that delivers state-of-the-art, scalable, ready-made and customized chemical solutions with exceptional customer service,” says Seth Tomasch, CEO of Gabriel. “We look forward to continuing to execute on our growth strategy in partnership with the Huntsman team.”

Kirkland and Ellis LLP and Fredrikson and Byron, P.A. served as legal advisors, and Evercore and Grace Matthews served as financial advisors to Gabriel.