Arkema adds to adhesives arsenal

France’s Arkema has agreed to acquire Den Braven, a Dutch producer of sealants and insulation materials, for about $530 million. Den Braven has annual sales of about $385 million, 1,000 employees, and eight production sites around the world. Arkema plans to combine Den Braven with its Bostik adhesives and sealants business, which it acquired in 2014 for $2.2 billion. The French firm anticipates that synergies resulting from the combination will allow it to save more than $30 million annually within five years. Arkema expects to close the deal by the end of this year.