Monday April 5, 9:42 am Eastern Time
Company Press Release
SOURCE: DuPont
DuPont Sells Somos(R) Business to DSM
Desotech
WILMINGTON, Del., April 5 /PRNewswire/ -- DuPont
(NYSE:
DD -
news)
announced today that it has sold its Somos® solid imaging business to DSM
Desotech Inc. DSM Desotech also purchased the remaining worldwide rights
to Somos equipment technology. The Somos business provides
stereolithography liquids and selective laser sintering powders used in
solid imaging to make three-dimensional objects from digital data. These
objects are used to demonstrate form, fit and function, for new design
concepts and products. Specific terms and conditions of the sale were not
disclosed.
The Somos business headquarters will remain in New Castle, Del., and the
existing staff will be maintained and expanded. DuPont will contract
manufacture materials at its plant in Towanda, Pa., until manufacturing
can be transferred to a DSM facility.
DSM Desotech is a world leader in the research and formulation of
UV-curable materials, including adhesives, lacquers, hard-coats, and inks
and coatings for optical fiber. It has been in the solid imaging market
since the 1980s.
Says DSM Desotech president Ken Lawson, ``The addition of the Somos®
business is a perfect fit with our current portfolio. Our UV/EB curable
business has an extensive photopolymer estate. Adding the Somos
technology will allow us to continue formulating innovative materials
with greatly improved material properties.''
DuPont vice president John Hodgson said, ``Although the Somos business
has grown over the last few years, long term it is a better strategic fit
for DSM Desotech. We are pleased for the dedicated Somos employees and
wish them well.''
Dwight Williams, manager of the Somos business, added, ``We see many
advantages resulting from this acquisition by DSM Desotech. Among the
most important are their extensive experience with UV/EB-curable
materials and elastomeric engineering polymers. DSM Desotech has an
established distribution channel to the Asian market through its joint
venture with JSR Corporation. These developments will provide the
industry with some significantly new options worldwide.''
DSM Desotech is a business unit of DSM NV, a highly integrated
international chemicals and materials group headquartered in the
Netherlands. Founded in 1902, DSM has annual sales of approximately NLG
15 billion and employs about 23,000 people at more than 200 sites in
Europe, North and South America, Asia and Australia. DSM's head office is
in Heerlen in The Netherlands.
DSM's activities are grouped in three clusters: life science products,
performance materials, and polymers and industrial chemicals. The
company's principal products are fine chemicals for the pharmaceutical
and foodstuffs industries, plastics, resins, synthetic rubbers, raw
materials for synthetic yarns and fibers, fertilizers and plastic
products.
Founded in 1802, DuPont is a global research and technology-based company
committed to better things for better living. DuPont serves worldwide
markets including food and nutrition; health care; agriculture; fashion
and apparel; home and construction; electronics; and transportation. The
company operates in about 70 countries and has 92,000 employees.
NOTE: The designations UV and EB refer to ultraviolet wavelengths and
electron beam, respectively.
SOURCE: DuPont
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