Homburger advised Clariant AG in the completion of the approx. USD 1.6 bn sale of its masterbatches business to PolyOne Corporation

On July 1, 2020, Clariant AG (Clariant) (SIX: CLN) announced that it has completed the sale of its entire masterbatches business to PolyOne Corporation (NYSE: POL). Concurrently with the announcement of the transaction, PolyOne also announced that it has changed its name and will now be called Avient Corporation. Clariant’s masterbatches business offers color and additive concentrates and performance solutions for plastics and includes 46 manufacturing operations and technology centers in 29 countries and approx. 3,600 employees.

The enterprise value of the sale, which consists of separate transactions for Clariant’s global masterbatches business and its masterbatches business in India, amounts to approximately USD 1,560 m which is equivalent to c. 12.2 times the last twelve months reported EBITDA (ending September 2019).

Homburger acted as global lead legal advisor to Clariant in connection with the transactions and the global separation of the masterbatches business in a stand-alone organization. The Homburger team was led by partner Frank Gerhard and included partner Daniel Hasler, associates Mario Wälti, Marc Schamaun, Nicola Togni and Carlo Sulser, junior associates Luzius Kaufmann, Urs Stürmer, Severin Egloff and Tobias Scheiwiler (all Corporate / M&A), partners Marcel Dietrich and Richard Stäuber, counsel Andreas Burger, associates Allegra Arnold and Jonas Krull (all Competition), partner Reto Heuberger, as well as associates Céline Martin and Marc Vogelsang (all Tax), partners Gregor Bühler and Luca Dal Molin, associates Philippe Baumann, Katrina Frame and Corina Noventa, as well as junior associate Oriana Schöni (all IP / IT).