PERSTORP, Sweden - Industri Kapital and the French private equity company PAI partners have signed an agreement to buy Sydsvenska Kemi, the parent company of the leading specialty chemicals group Perstorp AB.

The Swedish-based Perstorp Group holds leading positions in specialty chemicals and materials technology markets, mainly for customers in the coatings and plastics-processing industries. Perstorp has approximately 1,700 employees and manufacturing units in eight countries in Europe, North America and Asia. Sales in 2004 totaled SEK 6.5 billion.