FAIRLAWN, OH -- OMNOVA Solutions Inc. has announced that the Federal Trade Commission has granted its approval for the acquisition by OMNOVA of The Dow Chemical Co.'s hollow-sphere plastic pigment (HPP) product line. The transaction is expected to close within the next few days. Hollow-sphere plastic pigments are used primarily in paper coatings to provide gloss and opacity.
 
Concurrent with the HPP closing, the companies will also terminate the RohmNova joint venture (JV). This is a sales, marketing and technical service alliance that has served the coated paper and paperboard market since 2002. Following the termination of the joint venture, OMNOVA will market, sell and service its products directly to customers. The termination was necessitated by Dow Chemical's acquisition of the JV partner, Rohm and Haas Co.
 
Robin McCann, Business Director, will continue to lead OMNOVA's paper chemicals team. McCann has served as General Manager of RohmNova since May 2006. Previously, she was Marketing Director for the JV. She has more than 20 years of experience serving the paper industry.