Deal Timeline

Plotted by close date where disclosed, otherwise announcement. Select any marker to jump to the deal entry.

The Acquisition Playbook.

Three patterns run through Element Solutions's acquisitions — what it looks for, how it pays, and how it folds in what it buys.

01
Acquisition criteria
Two distinct eras under one CIK: as Platform Specialty Products (2013-2018) the ...
Two distinct eras under one CIK: as Platform Specialty Products (2013-2018) the company pursued large, debt-funded transformational platforms - MacDermid, a ~$4.9B agrochemicals roll-up (CAS, Agriphar, Arysta) and the ~$2.1B Alent electronics deal - before divesting the entire Agricultural Solutions segment to UPL for ~$4.2B in January 2019 and rebranding as Element Solutions.
MacDermid, IncorporatedPercival S.A. (Agriphar)Chemtura AgroSolutions (CAS)Arysta LifeScience LimitedAlent plc
02
Capital deployment
After the rename, Element Solutions shifted decisively to small, cash-funded bol...
After the rename, Element Solutions shifted decisively to small, cash-funded bolt-ons (Kester, DMP, HKW, Coventya, HSO, Kuprion) that deepen existing franchises rather than transformational, leverage-heavy M&A.
MacDermid, IncorporatedPercival S.A. (Agriphar)Chemtura AgroSolutions (CAS)Arysta LifeScience LimitedAlent plc
03
Integration approach
Deals concentrate in two core end-markets: electronics and semiconductor assembl...
Deals concentrate in two core end-markets: electronics and semiconductor assembly materials (Alent, Kester, HKW, Kuprion) and surface finishing / industrial specialty chemicals (Coventya, HSO, DMP).
MacDermid, IncorporatedPercival S.A. (Agriphar)Chemtura AgroSolutions (CAS)Arysta LifeScience LimitedAlent plc

The Full Deal Book

11 acquisitions — each with the deal value, financing structure, target revenue, and executive commentary where disclosed.

01 MacDermid, Incorporated $1.80B
Announced Oct 2013 Closed Oct 2013

Founding acquisition by the UK-listed SPAC Platform Acquisition Holdings, which became Platform Specialty Products; MacDermid, a global producer of high-technology specialty chemicals and technical services, became the operating platform for all future deals. ~$1.80 billion (incl. ~$756M assumed debt).

the MacDermid Acquisition and the Exchange Agreement was approximately $1.80 billion (including the assumption of approximately $756 million of indebtedness)
02 Percival S.A. (Agriphar) $300M
Announced Oct 2014 Closed Oct 2014

Acquired a European crop-protection group (herbicides, fungicides, insecticides with in-house formulation) to build out Platform's new agrochemical segment; funded with term loans, cash and 711,551 shares. ~EUR300 million (~$370 million).

we completed the Agriphar Acquisition for a purchase price of approximately EUR300 million ($370 million), consisting of $350 million in cash
03 Chemtura AgroSolutions (CAS) $1.00B
Announced Nov 2014 Closed Nov 2014

Bought the agrochemicals business of Chemtura Corporation to expand the agricultural solutions platform, consideration of ~$950M cash plus 2,000,000 Platform shares and assumed liabilities.

Platform acquired CAS for approximately $1.00 billion, consisting of $950 million in cash, subject to certain post-closing working capital and other adjustments, 2,000,000 shares of Platform's common stock and the assumption of certain liabilities
04 Arysta LifeScience Limited $3.51B
Announced Feb 2015 Closed Feb 2015

Largest deal in company history; acquired a leading global crop-solutions provider (agrochemical and biological products) as the cornerstone of the Agricultural Solutions segment. The Arysta/Agricultural Solutions business was later divested to UPL in January 2019.

Platform completed the previously announced acquisition of Arysta LifeScience Limited ... for approximately $3.51 billion, consisting of $2.91 billion in cash ... and $600 million of new Series B convertible preferred stock
05 Alent plc $1,351M
Announced Dec 2015 Closed Dec 2015

UK scheme-of-arrangement takeover of specialty electronic-chemicals maker Alent (Alpha assembly/solder materials and Enthone surface chemistries), significantly expanding Platform's electronics and performance-materials franchise; paid ~$1.9B cash plus 18.4M Platform shares. ~GBP1,351 million (~$2.1 billion equity value).

The Offer values Alent's entire issued and to be issued share capital at approximately GBP1,351 million ($2,096 million
06 Kester (from Illinois Tool Works Inc.) $63.9M
Announced Dec 2019 Closed Dec 2019

First bolt-on after the rename to Element Solutions; bought the Kester business, a global supplier of advanced assembly materials for electronics assembly and semiconductor applications, from ITW to strengthen its electronics assembly and semiconductor portfolio. $63.9 million (net of cash).

On December 2, 2019, we completed the Kester Acquisition for $63.9 million net of cash, working capital and other closing adjustments, from Illinois Tool Works Inc.
07 DMP (Industrial Water Treatment Solutions Corporation) Not disclosed
Announced Jul 2020 Closed Jul 2020

Acquired a provider of turnkey wastewater treatment and recycle-and-reuse solutions from IWTS, LLC; used to launch MacDermid Envio Solutions, a sustainable-solutions platform within the Industrial & Specialty segment. Purchase price not disclosed (deemed not material).

On July 1, 2020, we completed the DMP Acquisition. The DMP business provides turnkey wastewater treatment and recycle and reuse solutions across multiple manufacturing industries.
08 HKW (H.K. Wentworth Limited) $50.9M
Announced May 2021 Closed May 2021

Added conformal coatings, encapsulation resins, thermal interface materials, contact lubricants and cleaning chemistry to the Electronics segment, with strong overlap with Element's semiconductor technologies. $50.9 million (net of cash).

On May 5, 2021, we completed the HKW Acquisition for $50.9 million, net of cash.
09 Coventya Holding SAS $420M
Announced Sep 2021 Closed Sep 2021

Largest post-rename deal; acquired a global provider of specialty chemicals for the surface-finishing industry to expand the Industrial Solutions business line within the Industrial & Specialty segment; funded with $400M add-on term loans and cash. ~EUR420 million (~$486 million, net of cash).

we completed the Coventya Acquisition for $486 million, net of cash. Coventya is a global provider of specialty chemicals for the surface finishing industry which complements our industrial portfolio.
10 HSO (Herbert Schmidt group) $23M
Announced Jan 2022 Closed Jan 2022

Added a multinational developer of technology and chemistry for decorative and functional surface finishing, with a focus on environmentally sustainable plating-on-plastics, to the Industrial Solutions business line. ~$23 million (net of cash).

we completed the HSO Acquisition for approximately $23 million, net of cash. HSO is a multi-national developer of technology and chemistry for decorative and functional surface finishing
11 Kuprion, Inc. $15.9M
Announced May 2023 Closed May 2023

Acquired a developer of next-generation nano-copper technology for the semiconductor, circuit-board and electronics-assembly markets; structured with contingent milestone payments not to exceed $259 million through 2030. $15.9 million (net of cash) + up to $259M milestones.

On May 19, 2023, we completed the Kuprion Acquisition for $15.9 million, net of cash with potential additional payments in various installments, which are not to exceed $259 million in aggregate

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