Americhem Group, a Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio-based provider of color, additive and engineered compound solutions for the polymer industry, acquired Vi-Chem Corp., a supplier of specialty engineered compounds used in injection molding, extrusion and blow molding applications. The sale was completed on March 18, and the resulting company will be known as Vi-Chem, an Americhem Group company.

“The Vi-Chem team has built a leadership position in specialty TPE and PVC compounds for the automotive industry,” says Rick Juve, chief executive officer of Americhem. “We look forward to providing further resources to expand the business geographically and also into Americhem's other current vertical markets. This is about bringing continual innovation and broadened solutions to our customers across the globe.”

Vi-Chem, based in Grand Rapids, Mich., employs 85 people, and serves customers in the industrial, building and construction, medical, consumer, electrical, automotive and electronic industries. The company’s 170,000-square-foot headquarters will serve as Americhem Group’s center of excellence for TPE and PVC compound solutions. Vi-Chem also houses research and development laboratories that are certified to the ISO/IEC 17025:2005 standard.

“The consolidation of our companies will create a broad portfolio of products for our customers,” says Bryan Kazmer, vice president and general manager, Vi-Chem. “Our companies focus on technological solutions, deep relationships and customized products for our combined customer base. Together, we’ll give our customers more choices than ever before.”

“The addition of Vi-Chem is strategic and further expands our automotive portfolio of products and services,” says John Deignan, president, Americhem. “The automotive and transportation industry is already one of the pillars of our business, and this move adds capabilities and technological innovations that will benefit Americhem Group’s customers and the industry as a whole.”