Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania-Air Products and Chemicals Inc. has sold its MDI (methylene diphenyl diisocyanate) prepolymer systems business to ITWC Inc.-a Malcom, Iowa-based supplier of prepolymers, TPUs, additives and mixing/metering equipment to the PU industry. The firms did not disclose terms of the deal, which follows an eight-year-old arrangement under which ITWC manufactured MDI systems for Air Products. The sale includes Air Products' customer base for the products, which are typically used in industrial wheels, bowling balls, golf ball covers, and mechanical goods.ITWC's sales organisation has developed to a stage where the firm can now deal directly with all its MDI customers, according to Roger Smith, sales vice president, at the Iowa firm. "Air Products has helped us grow over the years, and we have a good relationship that I am sure will continue," he said in a 26 Jan press statement.The sale is in-line with Air Products' portfolio management strategy, added Curtis Junge, global business manager for the Lehigh Valley-based group's Polyurethane Specialty Products unit. "As we reviewed this product area, we decided for this process sensitive market that ITWC and its direct support would benefit [Air Products] customers," commented Junge."
