WEST CALDWELL, NJ – According to the consulting firm Kusumgar, Nerlfi & Growney, Dow Chemical’s recently announced acquisition of Rohm and Haas, and Ashland’s of Hercules, will further concentrate the supplier structure of coating additives in Asia. These two acquisitions follow the purchase of Deuchem (Taiwan) earlier in the year by Elementis. Last year, the Asian coating industry consumed $1.25 billion of specialty additives.

Dow Chemical and Rohm and Haas had combined Asian coating additive sales of $75 million in 2007 with 70 percent being rheology modifiers. Dow is the second-largest supplier of cellulosic rheology modifiers for coatings in Asia, and Rohm and Haas is the largest supplier of water-based synthetic types. Rohm and Haas is among the top-three suppliers of coating biocides, while Dow is a minor player. Rohm and Haas is also a large supplier of acrylic dispersants for water-based house paints in Asia.

Ashland and Hercules had combined coating additive sales of $55 million in Asia. Hercules is the largest supplier of cellulosic thickeners for coatings with global sales of some $140 million. Hercules captures 40-45 percent of the market for cellulosic rheology modifiers for coatings in Asia.