Company News
May 13, 2022
Armstrong Files Chapter 11
Armstrong Flooring Files Voluntary Chapter 11 Petitions; Continuing to Pursue Sale of Business Through Chapter 11 Process
Download as PDF May 09, 2022 2:09am EDT
Company to continue fulfilling orders and commitments to stakeholders, providing the highest levels of innovation, quality and service
LANCASTER, Pa., May 09, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Armstrong Flooring, Inc. (NYSE: AFI), a leader in the design and manufacture of innovative flooring solutions (“Armstrong Flooring” or “the Company”), today announced that the Company and certain of its subsidiaries have filed for voluntary protection under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. In a continuation of its ongoing sale process, the Company intends to continue pursuing an efficient and value-maximizing sale of its business through a competitive Chapter 11 sale process. The Company’s businesses in China and Australia will not be included in the Chapter 11 filing, but they are part of the sale process.
In December 2021, Armstrong Flooring retained Houlihan Lokey Capital Inc. to assist with a process for the sale of the Company along with the consideration of other strategic alternatives. The sale process is continuing, and Armstrong Flooring hopes to consummate an orderly sale of the entire business or its core assets as soon as practicable.
“Our business and team members have been working diligently to strengthen our financial foundation in the face of several macroeconomic trends—including supply chain challenges, the current inflationary environment and continued headwinds from the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Michel Vermette, President and Chief Executive Officer. “With the support of our Board of Directors, we have determined that using the Chapter 11 process to effectuate a potential sale is the right next step for our Company. As we have said previously, we firmly believe in the value and potential of Armstrong Flooring—and we are confident that this definitive action puts us in the best possible position to preserve and maximize value for our stakeholders. In the meantime, we are open for business and remain firmly committed to our customers, vendors and employees as we navigate the path forward.”
In order to fund and preserve its operations during the Chapter 11 process, the Company has entered into a credit agreement, subject to Bankruptcy Court approval, providing for $30 million of debtor-in-possession (“DIP”) financing. Upon approval by the Bankruptcy Court, the DIP financing will provide Armstrong Flooring with the necessary liquidity to operate and cover administrative expenses as it pursues a value-maximizing sale.
The Company will file certain motions with the Bankruptcy Court requesting customary relief that will enable Armstrong Flooring to transition into Chapter 11 with as little disruption to its ordinary-course operations as possible, including support for payment of employee wages and certain benefit programs. The Company expects these motions to be approved within the first few days of the case.
For more information about Armstrong Flooring’s Chapter 11 case, please visit http://dm.epiq11.com/ArmstrongFlooring, email ArmstrongFlooringInfo@epiqglobal.com or call (888) 905-0459 for U.S. calls or +1 (503) 597-5611 for international calls.
The Company is represented in this matter by Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP as legal advisor, Houlihan Lokey Capital Inc. as its investment bank, and Riveron RTS, LLC as financial advisor.
About Armstrong Flooring
Armstrong Flooring, Inc. (NYSE: AFI) is a global leader in the design and manufacture of innovative flooring solutions that inspire beauty wherever your life happens. Headquartered in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Armstrong Flooring continually builds on its resilient, 150-year legacy by delivering on its mission to create a stronger future for customers through adaptive and inventive solutions. The company safely and responsibly operates seven manufacturing facilities globally, working to provide the highest levels of service, quality, and innovation to ensure it remains as strong and vital as its 150-year heritage. Learn more at www.armstrongflooring.com.
May 13, 2022
Armstrong Files Chapter 11
Armstrong Flooring Files Voluntary Chapter 11 Petitions; Continuing to Pursue Sale of Business Through Chapter 11 Process
Download as PDF May 09, 2022 2:09am EDT
Company to continue fulfilling orders and commitments to stakeholders, providing the highest levels of innovation, quality and service
LANCASTER, Pa., May 09, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Armstrong Flooring, Inc. (NYSE: AFI), a leader in the design and manufacture of innovative flooring solutions (“Armstrong Flooring” or “the Company”), today announced that the Company and certain of its subsidiaries have filed for voluntary protection under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. In a continuation of its ongoing sale process, the Company intends to continue pursuing an efficient and value-maximizing sale of its business through a competitive Chapter 11 sale process. The Company’s businesses in China and Australia will not be included in the Chapter 11 filing, but they are part of the sale process.
In December 2021, Armstrong Flooring retained Houlihan Lokey Capital Inc. to assist with a process for the sale of the Company along with the consideration of other strategic alternatives. The sale process is continuing, and Armstrong Flooring hopes to consummate an orderly sale of the entire business or its core assets as soon as practicable.
“Our business and team members have been working diligently to strengthen our financial foundation in the face of several macroeconomic trends—including supply chain challenges, the current inflationary environment and continued headwinds from the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Michel Vermette, President and Chief Executive Officer. “With the support of our Board of Directors, we have determined that using the Chapter 11 process to effectuate a potential sale is the right next step for our Company. As we have said previously, we firmly believe in the value and potential of Armstrong Flooring—and we are confident that this definitive action puts us in the best possible position to preserve and maximize value for our stakeholders. In the meantime, we are open for business and remain firmly committed to our customers, vendors and employees as we navigate the path forward.”
In order to fund and preserve its operations during the Chapter 11 process, the Company has entered into a credit agreement, subject to Bankruptcy Court approval, providing for $30 million of debtor-in-possession (“DIP”) financing. Upon approval by the Bankruptcy Court, the DIP financing will provide Armstrong Flooring with the necessary liquidity to operate and cover administrative expenses as it pursues a value-maximizing sale.
The Company will file certain motions with the Bankruptcy Court requesting customary relief that will enable Armstrong Flooring to transition into Chapter 11 with as little disruption to its ordinary-course operations as possible, including support for payment of employee wages and certain benefit programs. The Company expects these motions to be approved within the first few days of the case.
For more information about Armstrong Flooring’s Chapter 11 case, please visit http://dm.epiq11.com/ArmstrongFlooring, email ArmstrongFlooringInfo@epiqglobal.com or call (888) 905-0459 for U.S. calls or +1 (503) 597-5611 for international calls.
The Company is represented in this matter by Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP as legal advisor, Houlihan Lokey Capital Inc. as its investment bank, and Riveron RTS, LLC as financial advisor.
About Armstrong Flooring
Armstrong Flooring, Inc. (NYSE: AFI) is a global leader in the design and manufacture of innovative flooring solutions that inspire beauty wherever your life happens. Headquartered in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Armstrong Flooring continually builds on its resilient, 150-year legacy by delivering on its mission to create a stronger future for customers through adaptive and inventive solutions. The company safely and responsibly operates seven manufacturing facilities globally, working to provide the highest levels of service, quality, and innovation to ensure it remains as strong and vital as its 150-year heritage. Learn more at www.armstrongflooring.com.
May 13, 2022
Evonik Divestitures
Evonik to Divest Performance Materials Business; Aims to Invest in Sustainable Growth
Published on 2022-05-12. Edited By : SpecialChem
TAGS: Sustainability / Natural Coatings 
Evonik is aligning its portfolio completely to its three growth divisions: Specialty Additives, Nutrition & Care, and Smart Materials. Preparations are already under way for the exit of all three businesses of Performance Materials – Superabsorbents, Functional Solutions and Performance Intermediates. Evonik aims to find new owners or partners for each of these three businesses in the course of 2023.
EUR 3 Bn Investment in Next Generation Solutions
The proceeds from the divestment of the Performance Materials businesses and the operating cash flow in the coming years will be channeled to the green transformation. By 2030, Evonik aims to invest more than €3 billion in Next Generation Solutions – products with superior sustainability benefits.
That is around 80 percent of annual growth investments. In the same period, a further €700 million will be invested in Next Generation Technologies, i.e., the optimization of production processes and infrastructure to avoid CO2 emissions.
“We are greatly increasing our handprint and reducing our footprint at the same time,” said Thomas Wessel, the executive board member responsible for sustainability.
“Translated into KPIs: We will substantially increase the sales share of our Next Generation Solutions from 37 percent at present to over 50 percent by 2030.”
“That includes, for example, drug delivery technologies for controlled release of pharmaceutical active ingredients, gas separation membranes for biogas and hydrogen, as well as natural-based active ingredients for cosmetics. “Our innovations help our customers make their products more sustainable and improve their climate performance,” said Wessel. The dynamic rise in demand for Next Generation Solutions is evidence of their importance and offers Evonik above-average growth potential.
Aim to Reduce CO2 Footprint
Evonik aims to reduce its footprint by significantly cutting both direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions from production and processing. With the support of Next Generation Technologies, Evonik will reduce its scope 1 and 2 emissions by 25 percent, from 6.5 million metric tons at present to 4.9 million metric tons by 2030.
This goal is fully consistent with the requirements of the Science Based Targets (SBTi) initiative, which Evonik is committed to. At the same time, the investments in sustainability are profitable: By investing €700 million in Next Generation Technologies, Evonik will cut its operating costs by more than €100 million a year up to 2030.
The repositioned Research, Development & Innovation unit is also fully integrating sustainability into the management of Evonik’s innovation activities. “Our RD&I targets are right on track to generate additional sales of more than €1 billion with our innovation growth fields by 2030,” said Harald Schwager, the executive board member responsible for innovation. “Our innovative capability is a key factor in leveraging green and profitable growth.”
Evonik’s aspirations are supported by its venture capital activities. A new Sustainability Tech Fund with a total investment volume of €150 million will strengthen the sustainability targets by investing into innovative technologies and business models. The focus is on new technologies that will reduce emissions as well as on innovations that have a high technological fit with the Next Generation Solutions.
As part of its strategic transformation, Evonik has also reviewed its mid-term financial targets. “Despite the current challenging environment, we are confirming our core targets: an adjusted EBITDA margin of between 18 and 20 percent, a cash conversion rate of over 40 percent, and ROCE of around 11 percent,” said Evonik’s chief financial officer, Ute Wolf.
In line with the full alignment to high-growth, less cyclical specialty chemicals, Evonik now aims to achieve an organic sales CAGR of over 4 percent. Up to now, the target was volume growth of over 3 percent. The annual capex budget increases successively from the current level of around €900 million to a level between €900 million and €1 billion over the next years – as a result of investments in Next Generation Technologies to save CO2 emissions.
In addition to these ambitious financial targets, the updated sustainability targets for Evonik’s handprint and footprint will be integrated into the executive board’s long-term compensation scheme from next year.
Source: Evonik
May 13, 2022
Evonik Divestitures
Evonik to Divest Performance Materials Business; Aims to Invest in Sustainable Growth
Published on 2022-05-12. Edited By : SpecialChem
TAGS: Sustainability / Natural Coatings
Evonik is aligning its portfolio completely to its three growth divisions: Specialty Additives, Nutrition & Care, and Smart Materials. Preparations are already under way for the exit of all three businesses of Performance Materials – Superabsorbents, Functional Solutions and Performance Intermediates. Evonik aims to find new owners or partners for each of these three businesses in the course of 2023.
EUR 3 Bn Investment in Next Generation Solutions
The proceeds from the divestment of the Performance Materials businesses and the operating cash flow in the coming years will be channeled to the green transformation. By 2030, Evonik aims to invest more than €3 billion in Next Generation Solutions – products with superior sustainability benefits.
That is around 80 percent of annual growth investments. In the same period, a further €700 million will be invested in Next Generation Technologies, i.e., the optimization of production processes and infrastructure to avoid CO2 emissions.
“We are greatly increasing our handprint and reducing our footprint at the same time,” said Thomas Wessel, the executive board member responsible for sustainability.
“Translated into KPIs: We will substantially increase the sales share of our Next Generation Solutions from 37 percent at present to over 50 percent by 2030.”
“That includes, for example, drug delivery technologies for controlled release of pharmaceutical active ingredients, gas separation membranes for biogas and hydrogen, as well as natural-based active ingredients for cosmetics. “Our innovations help our customers make their products more sustainable and improve their climate performance,” said Wessel. The dynamic rise in demand for Next Generation Solutions is evidence of their importance and offers Evonik above-average growth potential.
Aim to Reduce CO2 Footprint
Evonik aims to reduce its footprint by significantly cutting both direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions from production and processing. With the support of Next Generation Technologies, Evonik will reduce its scope 1 and 2 emissions by 25 percent, from 6.5 million metric tons at present to 4.9 million metric tons by 2030.
This goal is fully consistent with the requirements of the Science Based Targets (SBTi) initiative, which Evonik is committed to. At the same time, the investments in sustainability are profitable: By investing €700 million in Next Generation Technologies, Evonik will cut its operating costs by more than €100 million a year up to 2030.
The repositioned Research, Development & Innovation unit is also fully integrating sustainability into the management of Evonik’s innovation activities. “Our RD&I targets are right on track to generate additional sales of more than €1 billion with our innovation growth fields by 2030,” said Harald Schwager, the executive board member responsible for innovation. “Our innovative capability is a key factor in leveraging green and profitable growth.”
Evonik’s aspirations are supported by its venture capital activities. A new Sustainability Tech Fund with a total investment volume of €150 million will strengthen the sustainability targets by investing into innovative technologies and business models. The focus is on new technologies that will reduce emissions as well as on innovations that have a high technological fit with the Next Generation Solutions.
As part of its strategic transformation, Evonik has also reviewed its mid-term financial targets. “Despite the current challenging environment, we are confirming our core targets: an adjusted EBITDA margin of between 18 and 20 percent, a cash conversion rate of over 40 percent, and ROCE of around 11 percent,” said Evonik’s chief financial officer, Ute Wolf.
In line with the full alignment to high-growth, less cyclical specialty chemicals, Evonik now aims to achieve an organic sales CAGR of over 4 percent. Up to now, the target was volume growth of over 3 percent. The annual capex budget increases successively from the current level of around €900 million to a level between €900 million and €1 billion over the next years – as a result of investments in Next Generation Technologies to save CO2 emissions.
In addition to these ambitious financial targets, the updated sustainability targets for Evonik’s handprint and footprint will be integrated into the executive board’s long-term compensation scheme from next year.
Source: Evonik
May 5, 2022
IMCD Names Kaufmann Americas President
Nicolas Kaufmann is appointed Americas President for IMCD
Rotterdam, The Netherlands(5 May 2022) –IMCD Group, a leading distributor of speciality chemicals and ingredients, today announces the appointment of Nicolas Kaufmann as Americas President for IMCD effective 1 July 2022.
“I am confident that in his new role as Americas President, Nicolas will continue to bring his passion and enthusiasm that empowers employees to thrive with an entrepreneurial spirit that not only embodies IMCD Values but opens a world of opportunity for our supplier partners, customers and the communities in which we serve,” said Marcus Jordan, Chief Operating Officer (COO) and current Americas President at IMCD.
This announcement follows the approval of Marcus’ newly appointed role as COO and member of IMCD’s Management Board.
With nearly 20 years of international business and management experience in the business-to-business world, Nicolas’ multicultural career includes the development of new markets in the Americas, successful mergers and acquisitions, business optimization and a vast network of global business partners through his work experiences in Germany, Mexico and Brazil. He joined IMCD Brasil as Managing Director in 2019. As president of IMCD’s Americas region, Nicolas is responsible for all operating companies within the Americas, with afocus on stimulating growth through the development of supplier partnerships, market expansion (organic and acquisition), optimizing operational excellence and driving forward the region’sdigitization and sustainability goals.
“I am honored for the opportunity to lead the next chapter of IMCD’s growth story in the Americas region as president,” said Nicolas Kaufmann. “A sincere thanks goes to Marcus for building the foundation in the Americas, which propelled our rapid growth as a speciality distributor and anindustry leader. Our team is highlymotivated to continue our growth trajectory and I am looking forward to facilitating the materialization of the potential we have in developing all of our core markets throughout the region.”
A native of Argentina, Nicolas will be based in the Miami metropolitan area of the U.S. upon transitioning into his new role. IMCD operates in nearly 30 countries throughout the Americas region and has offices in Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Peru, Puerto Rico and United States.
About IMCD Group
The IMCD Group, based in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, is a global market leader in the marketing, sales, and distribution of speciality chemicals and ingredients. Its result-driven professionals provide market-focused solutions to suppliers and customers across EMEA, Americas and Asia-Pacific, offering comprehensive product portfolios ranging from home, industrial and institutional care, beauty and personal care, food and nutrition and pharmaceuticals to lubricants and energy, coatings and construction, advanced materials, and synthesis.
The IMCD Group realised revenues of EUR 3,435 million in 2021 with more than 3,700 employees in over 50 countries. IMCD’s dedicated team of technical and commercial experts work in close partnership to tailor best-in-class solutions and provide value through expertise for around 56,000 customers and a diverse range of world class suppliers. IMCD shares are traded at Euronext, Amsterdam (IMCD).
For further information, please visit www.imcdgroup.com.
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