Business Roundup

Lanxess has acquired Verichem, a Pittsburgh-based supplier of biocides for industrial markets. Verichem has 20 employees and posted sales last year of about $10 million. Lanxess recently acquired another U.S. company, Greensboro,N.C.- based Unitex, a maker of phthalate-free plasticizers with $30 million in 2010 sales.

Air Products & Chemicals has sold its Goar, Allison & Associates subsidiary to the engineering firm Fluor. Goar, Allison provides sulfur-related technologies for natural gas plants, refineries, and gasification facilities.

Mitsubishi Chemical has bought out A. Schulman in their Sunprene polyvinyl chloride compounds joint venture. Formed in 1988, the venture supplies vinyl compounds made with Mitsubishi technology to automotive and other companies.

Solvay has created a spin-off company called eSpheres that will offer health,safety, environment, and sustainability information management and consulting services. Powered by SAP software, the new firm will offer regulatory content as well as reporting and analytical tools.

Switchable Solutions has completed a $3.2 million initial equity offering. Shareholders of the Canadian firm, which is developing a green solvent for oil sands extraction and plastics recycling, now include GreenCentre Canada, Pressure Chemicals, and NexCycle Plastics.

Young & Partners and Virtus BR Partners, both investment banking firms, have joined forces to advise Brazilian companies on chemical and life sciences deals involving firms based outside of Brazil. They will also advise non-Brazilian companies that may be undertaking similar transactions in Brazil.

Albany Molecular Research Inc. will supply the British firm Revolymer with Rev7, AGC, and other polymers found in the company’s Rev7 degradable chewing gum. AMRI will make the polymers at its facility in Wales using Revolymer technology.

NanoString Technologies has raised $20 million from investors that include GE’s Healthymagination Fund, BioMed Ventures, and former Genzyme CEO Henri A. Termeer. The company will use the money to expand its life sciences tools business and develop a molecular diagnostic product for breast cancer.