K.M. Birla: Chairman, AB Group
The Aditya Birla Group will acquire a 100 per cent stake in Columbian Chemicals, an Atlanta-based carbon black producer, from One Equity Partners for Rs 4,006.6 crore ($875 million). The deal will put the AB Group on the list of leading carbon black players globally, with its production reaching two million tonne per annum. Carbon black is a key raw material for making tyres. Columbian Chemicals will complement AB Group's business with its R&D team, which will focus on process, technology and innovative product development. This is AB Group's second-largest outbound acquisition after the $6-billion acquisition of the Canada-based aluminium company Novelis in 2007.
