Tag: Lubrizol

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Lubrizol

Lubrizol Targets Wearable Tech with New TPU Line

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Lubrizol, a maker of specialty chemicals for a wide variety of applications, is launching a new series of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) products, Estane SMART TPU, for smart wearable devices.

The Estane SMART TPU product portfolio is specifically designed to address the rapidly growing wearable device market, particularly for soft touch bands in smartwatches and fitness tracker applications.

The Estane SMART TPU series includes both aromatic and aliphatic TPU grades with hardness levels ranging from 70A to 88A. Depending on OEM requirements, the product portfolio offers the wearable market a solution for soft materials having robust mechanical properties and a good chemical and UV resistance.

Junkers Wang, global market segment manager, Estane Engineered Polymers Industrial Consumer Electronics, says: “The new product series will further strengthen our intimacy with electronics OEMs along with other ongoing elastomer based projects that are already in production. Estane SMART TPU is off to an amazing start as some of the products have been adopted by premium OEMs for wristband applications.”

According to the company, its Estane TPU portfolio bridges the gap between flexible rubber and rigid plastics.

© 2016 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

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Lubrizol

Lubrizol Debuts Products for Stationary Natural Gas Market

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The Lubrizol Corporation, a specialty chemical manufacturer owned by Berkshire Hathaway, has released two products for the growing stationary natural gas market. The products are new advanced 4-stroke low ash technologies: Lubrizol® SG9L01 and Lubrizol® SG9L20.

The World’s Fastest Growing Energy Resource

Lubrizol notes that the Stationary natural gas is one of the world’s fastest growing primary energy resources, accounting for 24% of the global primary energy consumption and anticipated to increase 50% by 2040 according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Among the many market applications for stationary natural gas are: power generation, cogeneration, gas compression, biogas, landfill and more, and these areas have developed increasingly complex requirements for desired operation.

Lubrizol’s stationary natural gas lubricants work to optimize engine performance and provide:

• Extended service life for maximized uptime
• Robust protection against the most severe gasses
• Enhanced reduction in harmful deposits
• Assured emissions compliance

“Over the past decade, Lubrizol has dedicated significant resources and capital to the development of these highly advanced additive packages,” says Al Haas, Lubrizol global product manager, Stationary Natural Gas Engines.

According to the company, Lubrizol SG9L01 delivers enhanced varnish and deposit protection at extreme temperatures, reduced combustion chamber deposits, improved copper corrosion protection and excellent wear protection with Lubrizol Hyper® ZDP Technology. Lubrizol SG9L20 offers these benefits and beyond, delivering breakthrough extended oil life for maximized uptime, improved maintenance interval planning and increased overhaul intervals.

“Lubrizol’s advanced technology resources brought these products to life,” says Paul Nai, Lubrizol global business manager, Large and Small Engines “We’ve put novel chemistry to work in order to deliver higher performance beyond what has been seen before in stationary natural gas additive technology.”

Lubrizol’s investment in stationary natural gas and its development of new additive packages reflect the company’s commitment to this important and growing market.

© 2015 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

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Lubrizol

Lubrizol LifeSciences Makes $15 Million Investment in Vesta

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Berkshire Hathaway’s Lubrizol Corporation is investing $15 million in its LifeSciences’ Vesta business to expand its global manufacturing facilities.

The goal is to better position LifeSciences to serve the growing market for medical device contract manufacturing.

Lubrizol has been investing heavily in LifeSciences, and in August 2015, acquired Particle Sciences, a global leader in complex formulations including drug eluting device product development.

Since 2014, Lubrizol LifeSciences has solidified its presence in the life sciences market by introducing new products and making strategic acquisitions. This capital investment will expand multiple facilities and increase Lubrizol LifeSciences’ in-house engineering capacity for both silicone and thermoplastic products.

“We have significantly enhanced our capabilities through the combination of strong polymer technology, application know-how and world-class component manufacturing,” states Deb Langer, vice president and general manager, Lubrizol LifeSciences. “As healthcare companies look for total solution providers, we continue to invest in the right areas to provide valuable offerings to our customers.”

Vesta, Inc. was acquired by Lubrizol in August of 2014 and is a leading contract manufacturer for the global medical device industry. With the addition of Vesta, Lubrizol LifeSciences now offers disposable and implantable silicone medical components and assemblies across a wide product portfolio, as well as precision thermoplastic extruded tubing.

According to Lubrizol, the recent acquisition of Particle Sciences, Inc. has positioned Lubrizol LifeSciences as one of the most comprehensive drug delivery device solution providers, offering end-to-end solutions in the healthcare market.

“When customers partner with Lubrizol LifeSciences, they benefit from working with us at every stage in their development process,” states Robert Miller, global business director, medical devices. “With a long history of polymer expertise and significant investment, Lubrizol LifeSciences is positioned to offer full-service development for next generation medical and pharmaceutical innovations.”

About Lubrizol

Based in Wickliffe, Ohio, Lubrizol owns and operates manufacturing facilities in 17 countries, as well as sales and technical offices around the world. Founded in 1928, Lubrizol has approximately 7,500 employees worldwide. It sells its specialty chemical products in over 100 countries.

Berkshire Hathaway acquired Lubrizol in 2011 for $9 billion in cash.

© 2015 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

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Lubrizol

Lubrizol Building 66,000 Square-Foot Building in Texas

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Berkshire Hathaway’s wholly-owned specialty chemical company, Lubrizol Specialty Products Inc., is planning to build a 66,000 square-foot building in Bryan, Texas.

Under the terms of the Chapter 380 agreement that was approved earlier this month by the Bryan city council, Lubrizol will receive 100 percent tax abatements in year one, 70 percent in year two, and the tax abatements would then decrease by 10 percent each year, ending at 10 percent in year eight.

Lubrizol will also be reimbursed an amount not to exceed $75,000 for development costs including site plans, platting and permit fees for the new facility. The reimbursement is eligible upon upon the issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy for the facility.

In exchange for the abatements, Lubrizol agrees to construct the 66,000 square-foot building, a minimum of $25 million in real property while maintaining a minimum increase in Brazos Central Appraisal District value of $20 million.

In addition, Lubrizol must hire at least 24 new employees with an increased payroll of $1.5 million.

About Lubrizol

Based in Wickliffe, Ohio, Lubrizol owns and operates manufacturing facilities in 17 countries, as well as sales and technical offices around the world. Founded in 1928, Lubrizol has approximately 7,500 employees worldwide. It sells its specialty chemical products in over 100 countries.

© 2015 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

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Lubrizol

Lubrizol Opens CPVC Manufacturing Facility in Thailand

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The Lubrizol Corporation has opened a chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC) resin manufacturing facility in Rayong, Thailand. The new facility is part of a joint investment with Sekisui Chemical Company, Ltd. Construction on the 25,600-square-meter-site began in April 2014.

The plant opening is the latest in Lubrizol’s efforts to increase global CPVC capacity that it previously announced in 2013.

CPVC resin manufactured at this site will be a key ingredient in Lubrizol’s proprietary Flowguard®, Blazemaster® and Corzan® compounds that are used by its customers to provide quality piping systems for the global building and construction industry.

CPVC is a high heat and corrosion resistant chlorinated polyvinyl chloride material. It can be used up to 180º F, and its excellent corrosion resistance at elevated temperatures makes it well-suited for self-supporting constructions where high temperatures are involved.

“We are dedicated to providing our customers with high quality compounds to support the global building and construction market,” said Eric Schnur, president of Lubrizol Advanced Materials. “This facility is an important part of our expanded global manufacturing and supply infrastructure that enables Lubrizol to be a more valuable supplier to our customers, helping them to achieve their growth targets in new and existing markets and geographies.”

According to Lubrizol, the Thailand facility, combined with its other recent investments in Louisville, Kentucky and Dahej, India, as well as its existing CPVC operations around the globe, better positions the organization to support its future business growth. The resin Lubrizol will ship from the Thailand plant will be further processed at these other Lubrizol facilities using proprietary processes developed through more than 50 years of compounding expertise.

To commemorate the plant opening, Lubrizol and Sekisui hosted an opening ceremony at the plant. Schnur, along with several other members of Lubrizol’s management team, were in Thailand for the opening, as were members of Sekisui’s management team and officials with the Thai government.

About Lubrizol

Based in Wickliffe, Ohio, Lubrizol owns and operates manufacturing facilities in 17 countries, as well as sales and technical offices around the world. Founded in 1928, Lubrizol has approximately 7,500 employees worldwide. It sells its specialty chemical products in over 100 countries.

© 2015 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

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Acquisitions Lubrizol

Lubrizol Acquires Particle Sciences

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Berkshire Hathaway’s wholly-owned Lubrizol Corporation has acquired Particle Sciences, a contract drug development and manufacturing organization with a comprehensive suite of services for the formulation, analysis and production of complex drug delivery solutions.

Headquartered in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Particle Sciences specializes in drug eluting device product development as well as sterile and particulate drug products.

This acquisition further expands Lubrizol LifeSciences’ pharmaceutical development capabilities, providing full service drug delivery solutions to the market across a variety of dosage forms.

Founded in 1991, the company is headed Mark Mitchnick, Dr. Mitchnick holds over 20 patents related to drug delivery, diagnostics and physiologic monitoring.

“With the addition of Particle Sciences and the recent acquisition of Vesta, we are now able to offer customers a complete solution that is one of the most comprehensive in the industry,” stated Deb Langer, vice president and general manager, Lubrizol LifeSciences. The combination of Lubrizol’s polymer expertise, Vesta’s quality medical manufacturing and Particle Sciences’ drug formulation development allows LifeSciences to provide end-to-end solutions in the drug delivery market.

Among its recent developments, in April, the company received a patent for its Surface Arrayed Therapeutics™ Drug Delivery Platform, a technology that has utility in applications ranging from oncology to vaccines. 

“Particle Sciences and Lubrizol LifeSciences have worked together for several years providing various elements of an end-to-end solution from polymer supply through formulation and commercial manufacturing,” said Mark Mitchnick, chief executive officer, Particle Sciences. “With this transaction, Lubrizol LifeSciences acquires Particle Sciences’ extensive formulation, analytic and production assets for drug eluting devices, particulate, sterile and other complex drug products established over the last 10 years. We expect that coordinating all of this under one company will greatly benefit our customers.”

Particle Sciences will now be part of Lubrizol Advanced Materials but will retain its company name.

Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

About Lubrizol

Based in Wickliffe, Ohio, Lubrizol owns and operates manufacturing facilities in 17 countries, as well as sales and technical offices around the world. Founded in 1928, Lubrizol has approximately 7,500 employees worldwide. It sells its specialty chemical products in over 100 countries.

Berkshire Hathaway acquired Lubrizol in 2011 for $9 billion in cash.

© 2015 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

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Lubrizol

Lubrizol Strikes Agreement with Daelim for PIBs Technology

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Berkshire Hathaway’s wholly-owned specialty chemical maker Lubrizol has signed a deal with South Korean petrochemical company Daelim Industrial to use Daelim’s polyisobutylenes (PIBs) production technology.

PIBs are used in dispersants manufactured by Lubrizol., and Lubrizol will use Daelim’s technology in its Deer Park facility in Texas.

The U.S. is the largest market for PIBs, with applications as diverse as medicine and solar energy.

One important use of PIB is as a sealing substance for photovoltaic panel systems, and another is in the manufacture of transdermal patches for delivery of medicines. Automobile fluid suppliers also use PIBs for high-performance additives.

Daelim notes that its technology can be used to produce a range of PIBs, from the conventional to the highly reactive (HR-PIB).

“Through this agreement Lubrizol will ensure its access to process technology that offers the company multiple benefits,” states Lubrizol Additives president Dan Sheets. “It provides Lubrizol formulating flexibility to meet the evolving performance needs of the global lubricant and fuel additives markets over time.”

Lubrizol’s agreement with Daelim will enable it to move into the initial engineering phase of the manufacturing project, with commercial production expected in three years.

About Lubrizol

Based in Wickliffe, Ohio, Lubrizol owns and operates manufacturing facilities in 17 countries, as well as sales and technical offices around the world. Founded in 1928, Lubrizol has approximately 7,500 employees worldwide. It sells its specialty chemical products in over 100 countries.

Lubrizol makes a wide-range of lubricant additives for engine oils, driveline and other transportation-related fluids, industrial lubricants, and additives for gasoline and diesel fuel.

© 2015 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

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Berkshire Reveals Major Stake in Phillips 66

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Berkshire Hathaway has revealed that it now owns more than ten-percent of refiner Phillips 66 (PSX).

In early 2014, Berkshire swapped a large portion of its previous Phillips 66 position for the Houston-based company’s chemical business unit, which was added to Berkshire’s specialty chemical maker Lubrizol.

“We were able to do that on a tax-advantage basis. We didn’t trade them because we didn’t like the stock,” Warren Buffett said on CNBC’s Squawk Alley.

“I had always intended on coming back in, assuming that the price was right.”

A Surprise Revealed

In its SEC Form 13F filing on July 31, 2015, Berkshire stated that “confidential information has been omitted from the public Form 13F report and filed separately with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission,” which implied that the company was amassing shares in a company that it would reveal at a later date.

Berkshire, in its SEC Form 3 filing on August 25, stated it had accumulated 54,800,415 shares of Phillips 66 common stock. The position is worth aproximately $4.5 billion, and including shares owned prior to July 31, Berkshire owns 58 million shares.

51,873,456 of the total reported securities are owned by National Indemnity Company, a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway, and no price for those shares was reported.

However, 6,102,000 of the total reported securities are owned by the following pension plans of Berkshire’s subsidiaries: FlightSafety International Inc. Retirement Income Plan (350,000), Fruit of the Loom Pension Trust (921,300), GEICO Corporation Pension Plan Trust (2,499,700), Johns Manville Corporation Master Pension Trust (2,187,000), and General Re Corp. Employee Retirement Trust (144,000). The purchase price of those shares ranged from $71.56-$77.26.

About Phillips 66

Phillips 66 was spun-off of ConocoPhillips in May 2012, and its refining and petrochemical business has been mostly immune to the downward pressure on oil prices, as the demand for refined products, including gasoline, diesel and aviation fuel remains strong. Phillips 66 also transports crude oil, refined products, natural gas and natural gas liquids (NGL). It gathers, processes and markets natural gas and NGL to power businesses, heat homes and provide feedstock to the petrochemical industry.

The company’s 52-week share price high was $87.98, and it currently pays an annual dividend of 56 cents, yielding 2.9%.

Buffett, Combs or Weschler

Berkshire does not normally announce which transactions are the work of Warren Buffett, and which transactions are the work of his two portfolio managers Todd Combs and Ted Weschler. While Warren Buffett has acquired most of Berkshire’s portfolio, Todd Combs and Ted Weschler each manage a portfolio that is roughly $9 billion in assets. The two investment managers are widely assumed to be the future managers of the entire portfolio.

The total portfolio slipped to a market value of $107.182 Billion at the end of second quarter from $110.776 billion at the end of the 1st quarter 2015.

(This article contains updated information from when it was first published.)

© 2015 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

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Acquisitions Lubrizol

Is Axalta Coating Systems in Berkshire’s Crosshairs?

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Could a former DuPont unit be an acquisition target for Berkshire Hathaway’s Lubrizol Corporation?

Berkshire Hathaway has acquired a minority stake in Axalta Coating Systems (AXTA), a leading global coatings company “dedicated solely to the development, manufacture and sale of liquid and powder coatings.”

In a statement released by Axalta, “an affiliate of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (“Berkshire Hathaway”) has entered into a definitive stock purchase agreement with certain affiliates of The Carlyle Group (“Carlyle”) for the purchase of a total of 20 million of Axalta’s common shares for an aggregate purchase price of $560 million, or $28.00 per share. Axalta will not receive proceeds from the sale of the shares. In connection with the purchase, Berkshire Hathaway agreed that it would not dispose of the shares for 90 days following the consummation of the sale. Axalta has agreed to provide Berkshire Hathaway with certain registration rights following the expiration of that 90-day period.”

The $28 share price is substantially below the $31.30 share price that Axalta was trading at after the announcement.

A Leader in Specialty Coatings

Headquartered in Philadelphia, Axalta is a worldwide leader in development and manufacture of specialty coatings.

The company lists the following facts on its website:

• More than 12,000 people who create, manufacture, distribute and support our products and services
• Doing business in 130 countries
• 35 manufacturing plants around the world
• 7 Research & Development centers on four continents
• Over 1,800 patents held or pending
• 45 training centers to support our refinish customers around the globe
• More than 120,000 customers including 4,000 distributors
• 2013 revenues of $4.3 billion

The company was founded in 1866 as Herberts, the original producer of Standox® paint products. Spun off of DuPont Performance Coatings in 2013, it was sold to the Carlyle Group and renamed Axalta Coating Systems. Today the company is a leader in coatings for commercial vehicles.

In Lubrizol’s Crosshairs?

While Berkshire has not formally announced the affiliate that acquired the Axalta stake, it would seem to be good fit for specialty chemicals manufacturer Lubrizol Corporation.

Lubrizol has been on an acquisition spree lately. In December 2013, Lubrizol acquired pipeline chemical maker Phillips 66 from ConocoPhillips. It was rechristened Lubrizol Specialty Products, Inc. In 2014, it acquired Warwick Chemicals, and Engineered Chemistry and Integrity Industries.

The Carlyle Group remains Axalta’s largest shareholder, with 150.3 million shares, and the question has to be whether the Berkshire stake is a prelude to Berkshire’s acquisition of Axalta as a subsidiary of Lubrizol?

© 2015 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

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Acquisitions Berkadia Berkshire Hathaway Automotive Berkshire Hathaway Energy Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance BH Media Lubrizol Marmon Group

2014 Berkshire Hathaway Acquisitions You Didn’t Hear About

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2014 was a busy year for Berkshire Hathaway, with over $5 billion in acquisitions both directly by Berkshire Hathaway and through its companies. I’m sure you heard about the purchase of Procter & Gamble’s Duracell battery division, but did you know that other acquisitions made Berkshire the leader in beverage dispensing, and got Berkshire into automobile retailing for the first time? Here is a list of some of the other lesser-known acquisitions. Did you miss any of them?

Marmon Retail & End User Technologies Acquires Cornelius, Inc.
Date: January 2014
What it is: Cornelius, Inc. is the world’s leading supplier of beverage dispensing and cooling equipment. They manufacture and market a broad line of beverage dispense solutions for soft drink, beer, ice, juice, tea, and frozen as well as a complete line of accessories.

Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance Acquires MyAssist, Inc. from Noel Group
Date: January 2014
What it is: MyAssist is a technology-driven, cloud-based personal assistance solution that leverages advanced technologies to give customers a customized, personal experience. MyAssist provides Mercedes-Benz and Ford with live-agent personal-assistance and telematics service using “location-aware technology” from Verizon Communications Inc.

MiTek Acquires Ellis & Watts Global Industries
Date: April 2014
What it is: Ellis & Watts is the recognized leader in the engineering, design, and fabrication of highly customized HVAC and other products sold into the nuclear, military, and other industrial end markets.

EXSIF Worldwide, Inc. Buy’s OCS
Date: April 2014
What it is: OCS Limited is a tank rental and chemical supply company based in Aberdeen, United Kingdom. OCS operates in the offshore oil and gas sector, serving clients in the North Sea.

Berkshire Hathaway Acquires Van Tuyl Group
Date: April 2014
What it is: Van Tuyl Group is the nation’s largest privately-owned auto dealership group, which ranks fifth among all U.S. auto dealership groups.

Berkshire Hathaway Energy Acquires AltaLink
Date: May 2014
What it is: AltaLink owns 12,000 kilometers of transmission lines and 280 substations that bring electricity to 3 million customers in Alberta, Canada.

Berkadia Acquires Keystone Commercial Capital
Date: May 2014
What it is: Keystone Capital is a full-service commercial mortgage banking company headquartered in Phoenix that services more than $2 billion in commercial real estate loans.

BH Media Acquires Catamaran Group
Date: September 2014
What it is: Catamaran Group publishes 12 weekly papers, with circulations ranging from 7,000 up to 15,000, serving the southern New Jersey shore area. While the individual circulations are small, the combined circulations exceed 111,000.

Lubrizol Acquires Warwick Chemicals
Date: November 2014
What it is: Warwick Chemicals is a leading global developer, producer and supplier of stain removal technology with hygiene benefits. Headquartered in Mostyn, North Wales, Warwick Chemicals has strong positions with global and regional detergent producers. Their products are an essential element in laundry detergent powders and automatic dishwashing products used across five continents and in more than 50 countries.

Lubrizol Acquires Engineered Chemistry and Integrity Industries
Date: December 2014
What it is: Engineered Chemistry supplies additives and fluids for a range of oilfield activities, including cementing, drilling, flow assurance and fracturing. It offers chemistry expertise to solve problems throughout the oil and gas drilling process. The business consists of a core manufacturing and research organization which supports a global field distribution network. Engineered Chemistry was built through a series of acquisitions over the past 12 years and is headquartered in Houston, TX. It operates 10 sites located predominantly in North America. Integrity Industries manufactures drilling fluid systems, including diesel, mineral oil and synthetic oil based fluids. The company supplies these drilling fluid systems to retail drilling fluid companies along with technical support.

Berkshire Hathaway Acquires Charter Brokerage
Date: December 2014
What it is: Charter Brokerage is a leading global trade services company providing complete customs, import, export, drawback and related services.

There you have it!

Bolt-On Acquisitions Continue to Power Berkshire’s Growth

© 2015 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.