Barlo Plastics Acquired Slovakian PMMA Extruder

Barlo Plastics Europe has acquired all of the production and sales activities of PCHZ-Akryl a.s. through PSC s.r.o. The business will become part of Barlo Plastics Europe, as Barlo Plastics Slovakia.

PCHZ-Akryl is engaged in the production of PMMA resins and PMMA extruded sheets, with an extended range of dimensions and colors. The current Managing Director, of the business, Elo Striezenec, will join Barlo Plastics' management team.

"This acquisition transaction will provide Barlo Plastics with a significant advantage in today's eastern European market. It will strengthen our position for our other plastic sheet in this emerging market", said Andre De Smet, Managing Director of Barlo Plastics Europe.

Barlo Plastics is Europe’s foremost supplier of transparent plastic sheet. Key products are: BARLO XT (extruded PMMA), BARLO CAST (cast PMMA), BARLO PC (Polycarbonate), BARLO PS (Polystyrene), BARLO VECTAN (PETG), BARLO SAN (styrene Acryto Nitrile) and BARLO SPC (structured multiwall Polycarbonate).

Separately, Barlo Plastics Europe, announced the take-over of the Irish company, Athlone Extrusions plc. Athlone, whose core business activity is the extrusion of polystyrene sheet and film, and ABS sheet (including acrylic capped ABS) has its shares listed on both the London and Irish Stock Exchanges. Its expertise in the production of colored plastic sheets and the extensive range of colors it offers (over 7,000) illustrates the company's commercial strength.

"The acquisition of Athlone enables Barlo Plastics to significantly expand its market presence in the European sheet plastics industry. Athlone's strength in this area combined with Barlo Plastics' European distribution network are the key benefits of this acquisition", added Smet.

Jack Hayes, non-executive Chairman of Athlone said: " We believe this take-over serves the best interests of everyone concerned with Athlone. The business case for working as part of a wider pan-European company is overwhelming."

For more information, contact Nancy van Heesewijk, The European Marketing Group, Lelyweg 6, 4612 PS Bergen op Zoom, The Netherlands, + 31 -164- 317 018, Fax: + 31 - 164 - 317 039, E-mail: nvanheesewijk@emg.nl.