Israel Chemicals has operations in Israel, Europe, the US, South America and China.

Fertilizer and specialty chemicals company Israel Chemicals Ltd (ICL) announced Monday its acquisition of French fire safety products manufacturer Biogema S.A.

The deal follows Israel Chemicals’ recent purchases of wildfire retardants and fire foams manufacturer Astaris LLC and Canadian wildfire retardants producer Fire-Trol.

Biogema will be integrated into ICL Performance Products’ Fire Safety Business Unit which includes Astaris and Biogema.
 
In a press statement, ICL said the deal “adds a broadened product portfolio and geographic reach to ICL Performance Products’ fire safety business, as well as important European manufacturing, logistics and support capabilities.”

ICL is a world leader in the fertilizer and specialty chemicals market, producing approximately a third of the world’s bromine and approximately 10% of its potash. It is also one of the world’s major suppliers of pure phosphoric and specialty phosphate.

The company employs approximately 9,800 employees worldwide, and comprises three core segments: ICL Fertilizers, ICL Industrial Products and ICL Performance Products.

With major production activities located in Israel, Europe, the US, South America and China, ICL benefits from exclusive concessions to extract minerals from Israel’s Dead
Sea, a vast source of high-quality and low-cost potash, bromine, magnesium
chloride and sodium chloride.

It also mines phosphate rock from Israel’s Negev Desert and potash and salt from its mines in Spain and the UK.

ICL’s revenues for 2006 came in at $3.3 billion (£1.7bn) with an operating income of $536 million (£275m).

By Natasha Piscitelli