Basell sells catalyst assets

Basell has sold an Edison, N.J., custom catalyst plant and its catalyst components business to W.R. Grace. The plant manufactures custom polyethylene catalyst systems, while the business prepares titanium- and vanadium-based compounds and titanates. Basell will retain a supported-catalyst plant that it is using to make Avant brand Ziegler-Natta, chromium, and metallocene catalysts for polyethylene and polypropylene production. It will also retain ownership of the site infrastructure that both catalyst plants share. Basell is selling assets that it bought from Akzo Nobel earlier this year as part of an effort to secure its supply of Avant catalysts. Grace says the purchase expands its polyolefin catalyst business.