Ferro Investing In Plasticizers

Ferro Corp. plans to build a dibenzoates plant at its Antwerp, Belgium, facility. The project will add 28,000 metric tons of annual capacity for the nonphthalate plasticizer when it comes onstream in the second half of next year. The company says that the dibenzoate products will complement its existing line of benzyl phthalate plasticizers. A benzoic acid plant that the company plans to erect on the site will be integrated with the dibenzoates plant. Under pressure from shareholders Quinpario Partners and FrontFour Capital Group, and from an unsolicited takeover bid by A. Schulman Inc., Ferro has been pursuing what it considers high-growth-potential investments.