OMNOVA Solutions Completes Acquisition of ELIOKEM from AXA Private Equity
FAIRLAWN, Ohio, Dec. 9, 2010
o The acquisition creates larger, more diverse global specialty chemical
and functional surfaces company with sales over US$1 billion and
Adjusted EBITDA of approximately US$129 million, based on last twelve
months through August 2010.
o Significantly expands Performance Chemicals segment's global
capabilities with particular emphasis on the high growth, developing
markets in Asia.
o Diversifies Performance Chemicals segment's opportunities for growth by
adding new, but related products, markets and technologies, and
broadening its applications capability.
o Expected to be accretive to earnings in 2012.
OMNOVA Solutions (NYSE: OMN) today announced that it has completed its acquisition of specialty chemicals manufacturer Eliokem International ("ELIOKEM") from AXA Private Equity. OMNOVA paid 227.5 million euros for ELIOKEM, or approximately US$302 million at current exchange rates, before subtracting ELIOKEM's net debt and subject to working capital and capital expenditure adjustments. The Company expects the transaction to be neutral to slightly dilutive to earnings in 2011, but accretive in 2012.
In connection with the acquisition, the Company issued US$250 million in senior notes due 2018, replaced its existing US$150 million term loan with a new US$200 million term loan, and amended and extended its existing revolving credit facility.
"This combination creates a significantly enhanced, more diversified Performance Chemicals business that is well positioned to serve customers on a global basis," said Kevin McMullen, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of OMNOVA Solutions. "It contributes to all three of our Company's strategic objectives by providing entry into several new higher growth markets, expanding our portfolio of value-added technology solutions and significantly broadening our global manufacturing footprint. Additionally, synergies are expected to provide savings in manufacturing, logistics, purchasing and SG&A by leveraging the resources of an integrated global team.
"Together, with our Decorative Products functional surfaces business, OMNOVA Solutions will be a US$1.1 billion company, based on last twelve months sales through August," McMullen said. "Over 40% of those sales will be outside the United States."
While 75% of ELIOKEM's sales are in product markets that OMNOVA has not previously served, ELIOKEM's business model - including manufacturing process, key raw materials and go-to-market approach - is very similar to OMNOVA's. Focusing on the same basic emulsion polymerization process, the acquisition adds a number of new acrylic, styrene butadiene and nitrile chemistries and applications, including coating resins, elastomeric modifiers, antioxidants, specialty rubbers and reinforcing resins, as well as complementary products for oil field and specialty latex applications.
OMNOVA Solutions' Performance Chemicals business has been primarily a producer of styrene butadiene, acrylic and other latices and specialty chemicals used in coatings for high-end paper and packaging, carpet, durable and consumable nonwovens, tape and release coatings, floor polishes, construction, oil field,textile finishes, digital printing, graphic arts and other specialty applications.
Both chemical businesses have achieved solid growth in 2010, with combined last twelve months sales and Adjusted EBITDA through August of approximately US$788 million and US$122 million, respectively.
In addition to OMNOVA's five chemical production facilities in North America which provide products and services worldwide, the acquisition adds global manufacturing capability to serve Europe and the high growth, developing markets in Asia with one plant in France (Le Havre), two plants in China (Ningbo and Caojing) and one in India (Valia). In addition, the ELIOKEM plant in Akron, Ohio, will provide OMNOVA with important new processing capabilities.
Both OMNOVA and ELIOKEM have strong polymer development capabilities and a talented team of scientists and technical service specialists which, in combination, will accelerate development of a broader range of solutions for new and existing customers. The combined Company will have R&D capabilities on three continents.
"Our Performance Chemicals business will remain headquartered in Fairlawn, Ohio, with global manufacturing and product line management structured regionally around (1) North America, (2) Europe, India and the Middle East, and (3) Asia," said Jim Hohman, President of OMNOVA's Performance Chemicals segment. "This structure will assure an aligned business strategy focused on providing value-added solutions to our customers on a global basis and achieving profitable sales growth."
Non-GAAP Financial Measures - This press release includes EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA which are Non-GAAP financial measures as defined by the Securities and Exchange Commission.
OMNOVA's EBITDA is calculated as income (loss) from continuing operations less interest expense, amortization of deferred financing costs, income taxes and depreciation and amortization expense. OMNOVA's Adjusted EBITDA is calculated as OMNOVA's EBITDA less restructuring and severance expenses, asset impairments, non-cash stock compensation and other items. Segment EBITDA is calculated as segment operating income (loss) less interest expense, amortization of deferred financing costs, income taxes and depreciation and amortization expense. Segment Adjusted EBITDA is calculated as Segment EBITDA less restructuring and severance expenses, asset impairments, non-cash stock compensation and other items.
ELIOKEM's EBITDA is calculated as net income less interest expense, amortization of deferred financing costs, income taxes and depreciation and amortization expense. ELIOKEM's Adjusted EBITDA is calculated as ELIOKEM's EBITDA less restructuring and severance expenses, and other items.
EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are not measures of financial performance under GAAP. EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are not calculated in the same manner by all companies and, accordingly, are not necessarily comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies and may not be appropriate measures for comparing performance relative to other companies. EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA should not be construed as indicators of the Company's operating performance or liquidity and should not be considered in isolation from or as a substitute for net income (loss), cash flows from operations or cash flow data, which are all prepared in accordance with GAAP. EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are not intended to represent, and should not be considered more meaningful than or as an alternative to, measures of operating performance as determined in accordance with GAAP. Management believes that presenting this information is useful to investors because these measures are commonly used as analytical indicators to evaluate performance and by management to allocate resources. Set forth below are the reconciliations of these non-GAAP measures to their most directly comparable GAAP financial measure.
OMNOVA Solutions Inc. is a technology-based company with - excluding the ELIOKEM acquisition - last twelve months sales through August 2010 of US$827 million and a workforce of approximately 2,300 employees worldwide. The acquisition will add approximately 600 ELIOKEM employees. OMNOVA, which has served the styrene butadiene latex industry since the 1950s, is an innovator of emulsion polymers, specialty chemicals, and decorative and functional surfaces for a variety of commercial, industrial and residential end-uses. Visit OMNOVA Solutions on the internet at www.omnova.com.
SOURCE OMNOVA Solutions Inc.
CONTACT:Sandi Noah,Communications,U.S., +1-330-869-4292,sandi.noah@omnova.com;
Liliane Perez,Communications,Europe, +33 1 69 29 27 87,liliane_perez@eliokem.com;
Michael Hicks,Investor Relations,+1-330-869-4411
Web Site: www.omnova.com
