Bulk Analgesics Moving To Handful of Big Players

Chemical Market Reporter, January, 1998 by LERNER, MATHEW

BASF buyout of Celanese in BHC is latest consolidation move. THE US BULK analgesics market is consolidating, and there could be more moves to come. BASF Corporation's acquisition of 100 percent control of ibuprofen venture BHC last month was the latest in a series of deals that has reduced the number of players worldwide.

The consolidations are helping to correct oversupply situations, especially in the acetaminophen (APAP) business, which has run flat for years in the face of too much material. "There is still a moderate amount of oversupply," says a source at one major firm, "but we are seeing an increased tendency toward tightness." The new supply dynamics are in turn helping to facilitate price increases by the three leading US acetaminophen...

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