Swiss chemicals group Clariant said Monday it bought US-based privately held company Octagon Process for an undisclosed sum.
Octagon supplies de-icers for aircraft and runways.
Clariant, already a major supplier of de-icers in Europe, said the acquisition will allow it to expand its geographic footprint and broaden its supply-chain network.
"The combination of the businesses is expected to expand sales opportunities for increasingly popular 'greener' de-icing technologies," it said. "These types of services will help American airports comply with stricter federal guidelines for the collection of sprayed de-icing fluid being introduced by the US Environmental Protection Agency."
Clariant has been producing de-icers for about 100 European airports since last October.
Last December, the company said it was forced to halt production of vital de-icers during the harsh winter season due to a shortage of raw materials. The production of chemicals used to de-ice aircraft shot up 50% by December from a year ago as a result of the bitterly cold winter, it said.
