J.M. Huber Corporation acquires ILSA SpA

(Arzignano, Vicenza. Italy). On November 2, J.M. Huber Corporation (Huber) acquired the Biolchim Group, which includes Ilsa SpA (Ilsa). Ilsa is a Vicenza-based company founded in 1956 specializing in biotechnology, 60% of which was acquired by the Biolchim Group in February 2017.

Huber, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, was founded in 1883 by German immigrant Joseph Maria Huber and now has more than 4,000 employees and annual revenue of more than 3 billion dollars. Huber is one of the most successful family-owned companies in the United States and provides innovative, speciality engineered products to the agriculture, chemical, food and beverage, automotive, forestry and construction industries from its locations around the world.

"Our goal with the acquisition of the Biolchim Group is to become the leading provider of specialty products, particularly biostimulants, for the agriculture industry globally in general ", said Daniel Krawczyk, president of Huber Engineered Materials, in -a meeting with the whole Ilsa company. The meeting took place on November 4th in Arzignano, where Ilsa has its headquarters and research center, in the heart of the Veneto Leather District. The biotechnologies developed over the years by Ilsa will be strategic to achieve this goal.

Paolo Girelli, president of Ilsa stated: "The fact that Huber has invested directly in our company is very important for the future development of Ilsa and for the Vicenza area. We plan to enhance research activity with the expansion of our laboratories and the recruitment of new researchers and also the already important collaboration with Veneto universities will accelerate. The competence of our staff, the quality of the studies carried out, and the technological excellence achieved in terms of industrial processes and products made, have positively influenced the choice of Huber to invest in us. "

The immediate positive impacts for Ilsa include both the opportunity to sell into North America and the plan for acceleration of the construction of new industrial plants in various countries around the world. We are looking at further opportunities for growth in areas such as the Middle East and Brazil.

"The closing on November 2 represents the pinnacle of a demanding and extraordinary year" - added Girelli - "Despite the scarcity of raw materials, the high energy costs, and the non-negligible problems created by the pandemic, the company continued to profitability grow. This result was made possible thanks to the diversification of raw materials, the development of new hydrolysis and extraction technologies, and the opportunity for the opening of new geographies (e.g. - Ilsa currently sells its products in 57 countries). All these activities were carried out with a concerted focus on environmental, economic, and social sustainability ".

Ilsa has now entered a new phase and is ready to compete globally. In recent years Ilsa has industrialized products obtained from alfalfa, soybeans, rice husks, and many other raw materials of plant origin which have been added to the traditional raw materials from tanneries. Processes unique to the industry have been improved, with the integration of white biotechnology and supercritical carbon dioxide extraction. Ilsa biostimulants have been registered in dozens of countries over several continents. The Arzignano-based company has always been involved in research projects in collaboration with major universities: Padua, Milan, Verona, Bologna, Bolzano, Melbourne, Santiago, to name but a few.

"The strength of the Huber group - Girelli concludes - will allow us to enhance production capacity and bring products to farms all over the world, favoring the development of a modern agriculture industry compatible with the economic and environmental needs of farmers and consumers ".

ILSA S.p.A The green Evolution Since 1956, ILSA has provided farmers all around the world with products to improve crop yields. It produces and markets biostimulants and products with a specific action, organic and organo-mineral fertilizers, solids and liquids. It has a full range of products, split over multiple lines, both for conventional and organic farming. Its mission is to meet the needs of an increasingly specialized agriculture and increasingly attention to the environmental sustainability. C.R.A. (Corporate Research Center), which has been active since 1976, in collaboration with the main Universities, confirms the will for continuous improvement and enables ILSA to remain at the top of the biotechnology industry for nutrition and biostimulation of plants.

J.M. Huber Corporation
https://www.huber.com/about/

Combining imagination, inspiration and innovation, we enhance the performance of thousands of consumer and industrial products around the world. Over nearly 140 years we have grown and evolved to continually meet the changing needs of our customers, with a focus on the long term. Our portfolio of companies create products used in a broad range of applications including personal care, food and beverage, agricultural nutrients and adjuvants, building materials, flame retardants and smoke suppressants, as well as sustainable forestry services (CP Kelco, Huber Engineered Materials, Huber Engineered Woods, Huber Resources Corp). With over 4,000 employees in 20 countries and $3 billion in annual revenue, Huber has remained family-owned since our founding by Joseph Maria Huber in 1883.Now entering our sixth generation of family ownership, Huber businesses continue to play a leading role in the industries they serve, always guided by the Huber Principles: Environmental, Health & Safety Sustainability, Ethical Behavior, Respect for People and Excellence.