Swiss polymer suppliers Rehau, MB Barter merging into $2.5 billion business

Rehau, a family-owned supplier of polymer-based solutions to the construction and automotive industries headquartered in Muri, Switzerland, has announced plans to acquire polymer distributor MB Barter & Trading AG, also of Switzerland, for an undisclosed amount.

The deal, which is expected to close before the end of this year, will create a new, independent company with a volume of US$2.5 billion, Rehau said in a statement. The transaction includes Rehau GmbH in Muri bei Bern, Switzerland, as well as the worldwide subsidiaries of the MB Barter & Trading Group.

At contract signing: Jobst Wagner, future Chairman of the Board of Directors (second from right), Thomas Endres, future member of the Board of Directors (second from left), Dr. Stefan Girschik, and future CEO (right), and Philipp Endres, future Deputy CEO (left).

MB Barter is a global distributor of commodity polymers, PET, and rubber globally. The company has 30 offices worldwide.

“Decades of Rehau’s experience in materials, processes and applications [will combine] with the relevant trading and distribution expertise of MB Barter & Trading, with 30 locations worldwide, its reputation as a highly reliable full-service provider and its established relationships with suppliers and customers,” Rehau said in its statement.

The name of the new company has not yet been announced.