PQ Announces Acquisition of Specialty Silicates Producer vanBaerle

MALVERN, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--PQ (www.pqcorp.com), a leading global producer of silicates, silicas and derivative products, today announced that it has acquired the specialty silicate business of the vanBaerle Group.

Headquartered in Münchenstein, Switzerland, vanBaerle is a leading manufacturer of high-grade silicates, serving customers across Europe, America, Africa, and Asia. For over 100 years, vanBaerle has delivered specialty technology and products and today, is a partner-of-choice in tailored silicates for industrial welding processes.

“vanBaerle is an important addition to our PQ network,” said Al Beninati, CEO of PQ. “This acquisition allows us to expand our specialty silicate product and service offerings, reach new customers, and accelerate our growth. We are excited to bring vanBaerle’s customized solutions into the PQ silicate network and expect to bring additional value to the combined customer base.”

vanBaerle’s approach of adapting silicates to fit the unique needs of its customers’ processes enables its specialty products to achieve maximum effect across a wide variety of industries and applications. The company’s deep expertise in custom blended solutions will further diversify PQ’s capabilities and offerings across several critical end use segments.

“Over the next year, the vanBaerle team will be working closely with PQ to ensure that our long-term customers continue to be supplied with high-quality silicate products,” said vanBaerle CEO Daniel Schenk. He continued “The sale of the specialty silicate business allows my team to focus on the Organo Mineral Binder, an all-around binder system for completely biocide-free paints and coatings.”

Beninati concluded: “Like PQ, vanBaerle has a long history of innovation, quality, service, and sustainability. We look forward to continuing to deliver on our shared commitment to excellence in this new chapter.”

About vanBaerle

vanBaerle is a Switzerland-based company with a long tradition of developing silicates that are used in a wide variety of areas as additives or finished products. Among other things, the company’s silicates are used as binders for welding electrodes, façade, and interior paints and for various functions in the construction industry. vanBaerle’s products and services are sold in over 50 countries across Europe, America, Africa, and Asia. With its sustainable approach to silicate-based products, vanBaerle is committed to environmental protection.

About PQ

With headquarters in Malvern, Pennsylvania, PQ is a leading global provider of silicates, silicas and derivative products. PQ’s products are used in a wide variety of industrial processes and many customer products, from decorative paints to green cement, from clean drinking water to green tires, and from toothpaste to biofuels and beer. Supported by 1,500 employees across 30 facilities in 13 countries, PQ serves more than 900 customers around the world.