HOUSTON — The KRATON™ Polymers Business, a leading manufacturer and supplier of styrenic block copolymers, has become the official owner of SBS production facilities in Wesseling, Germany. The move follows transfer of ownership from Elenac, the polyethylene joint-venture company operated by Shell and BASF.

The acquisition marks the official launch of KRATON Polymers GmbH, which is the latest step in the establishment of an independent global structure for the KRATON Polymers Business.

Wesseling is the largest dedicated plant for KRATON D polymers in Europe. The high-performance raw materials are key ingredients used by manufacturers to improve the quality, performance and processing of a range of products. The polymers offer benefits including improved performance at hot and cold temperatures, and good adhesion and strong grip to applications as diverse as shoes, adhesive labels, and polymer-modified bitumen for road and roofing materials. The KRATON™ Polymers Business has become the official owner of SBS production facilities in Wesseling, Germany.