VALLEY FORGE, PA, Dec. 17, 2004 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- PQ Corporation, a privately-held chemicals and engineered glass materials company, announced today it has signed a definitive agreement to be acquired by JPMorgan Partners, the private equity arm of JPMorgan Chase & Co.
The acquisition is subject to approval by PQ's shareholders and the satisfaction of customary conditions. It is anticipated that the transaction will close in the first quarter of 2005.
"We are fortunate to have found a purchaser who values our commitment to customer service and who will support our outstanding reputation for excellence, high quality and responsiveness to our markets," said Stanley W. Silverman, president and CEO. "We are confident that the sale of the company to a partner like JPMorgan Partners will allow us to take PQ to the next level of growth."
"We are excited about the opportunity to participate in the future growth of PQ, which has a long track record of success as a leader within its markets," said Stephen McKenna, a principal partner at JPMorgan Partners.
Credit Suisse First Boston LLC acted as financial advisor to PQ Corporation, and Harris Nesbitt Corporation provided a fairness opinion to the board of directors in connection with this transaction. UBS Securities LLC and J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. acted as financial advisors to JPMorgan Partners.
About PQ Corp.
PQ Corp. is a privately-held global enterprise operating in 19 countries on five continents. PQ is a leading producer of silicate, zeolite, and other performance materials serving the detergent, pulp and paper, chemical, petroleum, catalyst, water treatment, construction, and beverage markets. Potters Industries, PQ's wholly-owned subsidiary, is a leading producer of engineered glass materials serving the highway safety, polymer additive, metal finishing, and conductive particle markets.
About JPMorgan Partners
JPMorgan Partners is a global partnership with approximately $13 billion in capital under management as of Sept. 30. It's a leading provider of private equity and has closed over 1,300 individual transactions since its inception in 1984. JPMorgan Partners has approximately 120 investment professionals in nine principal offices throughout the world. JPMorgan Partners is the private equity arm of JPMorgan Chase & Co., one of the largest financial institutions in the United States.
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