Rhodia Ends Talks with Clariant; DSM May Acquire Stake. (briefs).(Brief Article)

Chemical Week, December, 2001

Rhodia has confirmed that it has held merger negotiations with Clariant, but it says that those talks came to an end last month (CW, Nov. 7, p. 6). The companies failed to agree on how to restructure the merged entity, sources say. Rhodia may seek another partner, says CEO Jean-Pierre Tirouflet.

DSM previously confirmed that it had made a preliminary approach to Aventis with a view to buying Aventis's 25% stake in Rhodia. Analysts say that DSM will be better equipped financially to make a bid for Rhodia once DSM completes the planned [euro]1.2-billion ($1 billion) sale of its stake in gas company Energie Beheer Nederland to the Dutch government. Further details of that deal, which is scheduled for completion on December 28, were not disclosed. DSM is also...

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