Kao purchase
This article was originally published in The Rose Sheet
Executive Summary
Cognis Fragrances & Specialties chemicals business to be acquired by Kao for $38.1 mil. (€1=$1.06), Tokyo-based consumer products marketer states March 17. Expected to close in April, deal includes goodwill, technologies and intellectual property of German firm's aroma chemicals and fragrance compounds. Acquisition will give Kao Cognis' ambroxan, a naturally derived fragrance material widely used in products such as soap and shampoo, company says. Purchase is in line with Kao's focus on positioning chemicals as a core unit, along with consumer products and cosmetics, firm adds. Including the acquisition, Kao's net sales will amount to $124.9 mil. (¥1= $.01); Cognis business unit generated sales of about $31.8 mil. in 2001. Kao's recent acquisition of John Frieda marked the company's entry in U.S. hair care market (1"The Rose Sheet" Jan. 13, 2003, p. 4)...