NORWALK, CT, Dec. 10, 2004 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Arch Chemicals' Water Treatment Products has completed a transaction under which it will assume responsibility from Arkema S.A. (formerly Atofina Colombia S.A.) for distribution of HTH® and other Arch swimming pool, spa and water treatment products in Colombia. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
Arkema's HTH sales manager and an additional salesperson have become employees of the new Arch business, which is named Arch Quimica Colombia, S.A., located in Bogota, Colombia. In addition, Arch Quimica Colombia S.A. is the headquarters for Arch Water Treatment Products in the Andean Pact countries of Venezuela, Peru and Ecuador. The new business is being managed by Arnaldo Machado, Vice President, Planning and Development, Latin America, and by Carlos Aguero, HTH water products' regional manager.
"The Andean Pact market is an attractive one for water products in South America, second only to Brazil," explains Paolo Vodopivic, General Manager, HTH Water Products - International. "By selling directly to customers in this region, Arch intends to substantially grow our business and market share. We'll also be exploring opportunities to expand sales of other Arch Treatment products in this region, such as industrial biocides and personal care ingredients."
Arch earlier in 2004 entered into a marketing alliance with Clorotec S.A. under which Arch is distributing swimming pool and spa treatment products and accessories in Argentina. In addition, Arch Chemicals is a partner with the Votorantim Group in the Nordesclor calcium hypochlorite joint venture in Brazil and operates a Water Products manufacturing facility in Salto, close to Sao Paulo, Brazil.
A business within the company's Treatment Products business segment, Arch HTH Water Products offers a full range of swimming pool, spa and water treatment chemicals and accessories. In addition to the HTH® line, its major brands include Pace®, Baquacil®, BaquaSpa®, Hypocal®, Sock It®, Pulsar® Fi Clor(TM) and POOLIFE®. For more information, visit www.hthpools.com.
Based in Norwalk, Conn., Arch Chemicals Inc. (www.archchemicals.com) is a global specialty chemicals company with more than $1 billion in annual sales. Arch and its subsidiaries have leadership positions in Treatment and Performance Products, and they serve leading customers in these markets with forward-looking solutions to meet their chemical needs. Together with its subsidiaries, Arch has about 3,000 employees and manufacturing and customer-support facilities in North and South America, Europe, Asia and Africa.
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