Graco Inc., a manufacturer of lubricating equipment, has acquired dispenser equipment manufacturers Gusmer Corp. and Gusmer Europe S.L. from affiliates of PMC Global Inc. for $65 million. Gusmer Corp. is based in Lakewood, N.J., Gusmer Europe in Vilanova, Spain. Both make systems used to dispense polyesters, polyurethanes, polyureas and epoxies. Graco, which is based in Minneapolis, supplies equipment that moves, measures, controls and dispenses or sprays lubricants or other fluid materials. Thi...

Goldschmidt Chemical Corp.s Industrial Specialties business raised North American prices for all organic surfactants and organomodified siloxanes effective Thursday. The company, a subsidiary of German chemical maker Degussa, said the markups varied depending on product but ranged as high as 15 percent. It attributed the move to higher costs for raw materials and energy. Located in Hopewell, Va., Goldschmidt supplies a variety of specialty chemicals used in metalworking fluids, including corrosi...

Milacron Inc. reported Monday that operating earnings for its Industrial Fluids business fell 29 percent in 2004, due to increased raw materials costs and higher expenses for pensions and insurance. The Cincinnati, Ohio-based company said the fluids segment had sales revenue of $109 million last year, up from $104 million in 2003. It added that more favorable currency translation accounted for nearly all of the increase. Operating earnings, though, dropped from $15.7 million to $11.1 million. Ea...

Dow Chemical Co. announced last week that it will build an integrated world-class specialty alkanolamine plant in Plaquemine, La., to replace existing facilities in Midland, Mich., and South Charleston, W.Va. The company did not disclose the cost of the new plant, which is scheduled to open in early 2007. Dows specialty alkanolamine business supplies chemicals such as alkyl alkanolamines, ethyeleneamines and ethylonamines used in metalworking fluids and other lubricants as emulsifiers, corrosion...

Ashland Inc. and Marathon Oil Corp. have not given up on their plan for the former to divest its stake in their Marathon Ashland Petroleum joint venture. Ashland said last week that the companies have proposed possible modifications in hopes of finding a way for the deal to receive favorable tax treatment from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service. Just two months ago the companies said they had failed to receive a commitment for favorable treatment to the original proposal, which was announced in M...