Biesterfeld, Celanese expand collaboration for polymer distribution globally

Hamburg, Germany – Biesterfeld and Celanese are expanding an existing collaboration, with an agreement to enhance their joint portfolio and develop new markets in 2024.

Under the deal, Biesterfeld will continue to hold exclusive distribution rights in most of the EMEA region for Santoprene thermoplastic vulcanisates (TPVs) and various plastics brands.

The cooperation between the two partners will be “significantly strengthened” in Finland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, the UK, Ireland and the Baltic states, the partners added 3 Jan.

In these regions, Biesterfeld  said it will distribute the Celanese materials non-exclusively for the first time, “with the exception of Santoprene TPV" in Finland, Norway, Sweden and Denmark.”

"Biesterfeld does not have distribution rights for Santoprene in these [countries]," a  spokesman for the company.

Biesterfeld, he added, has exclusive distribution rights for Santoprene in the rest of Europe, except in the UK, Ireland and the Baltic states where it has non-exclusive distribution rights.

Elsewhere, the same arrangement with Celanese will apply for markets in the Middle East, while a mutually exclusive partnership has been agreed in South Africa.

Furthermore, the companies aim to grow their partnership in the ASEAN region.

For this purpose, Biesterfeld said a "new, exclusive agreement" has been reached for the Santoprene TPV product family.

In Brazil, the current distribution rights will be expanded to cover "complementary product ranges".

"We have great opportunities for shared growth in the years ahead, not just in the EMEA region but also in Brazil and, above all, in south east Asia,” said Martin Rathke, business manager engineering polymers, Biesterfeld Plastic.