The US company will retain the cable compounds business at Melle

The US company will retain the cable compounds business at Melle

PolyOne has sold its Melos rubber granulates business, based at Melle in Germany, to the management team backed by a group of European banks and investors for an undisclosed sum.

The business, acquired in 1998, turns over $35m (E29m) and is a leading supplier of EPDM granulate to the artificial surfacing market including running tracks, playgrounds and safety flooring systems.

PolyOne will retain the cable compounds business, which it has established at the Melle facility, after the Melos acquisition. “We have enjoyed our short partnership with the Melos team but now we can focus all of our attention on our core plastic compounding and colour additives businesses,” said Bernard Baert, vp and general manager of PolyOne International Compounds and Colours.

PolyOne will take an $8m (E6.6m) non cash charge in the second quarter of 2004 as a result of the transaction.