| Industry | Chemicals |
|---|---|
| Fate | Acquired |
| Successor | Degussa AG |
| Founded | 1888 |
| Defunct | 2000 |
| Headquarters | Luton, UK |
| Key people | Jim Leng (CEO) |
Laporte plc was a leading British chemicals business. It was listed on the London Stock Exchange and was a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index.
The Company was founded by Bernard Laporte, a German Chemist, in 1888 as a supplier of peroxide to bleach straw boating hats.[1] It subsequently diversified into other aspects of bleaching and commercial laundry chemicals.[1]
In the 1980s it disposed of its manufacturing operations.[2]
In 1993 it acquired Evode Group plc, suppliers of adhesives and specialties.[3] It went on to buy Aztec Peroxides Inc., a US peroxides business, in 1994[4] and Inspec Group plc, suppliers of specialty chemicals, in 1998.[5]
It sold its major divisions, some 55% of the business by revenue, to Kohlberg Kravis Roberts in 2000. These divisions (Pigments and Additives, Formulated Products & Compounds and Computers & Electronics) subsequently became known as Rockwood Holdings Inc.[6]
In December 2000 Degussa SKW, a joint venture between Degussa AG and SKW Trostberg, acquired the remainder of the business.[7] The performance chemicals business was subsequently sold on by Degussa to Cognis.[8]
The Company had the following divisions:[9]