2026/1/8 Argaam
In an effort to optimize its portfolio, Saudi Basic Industries Corp. (SABIC) said it is divesting 100% of the shares in SABIC Europe B.V., comprising its European petrochemicals business and assets, to AEQUITA—an established operator in European industrial sector.
SABIC’s ownership in SABIC Europe includes prominent production facilities located in Teesside (UK), Geleen (the Netherlands), Gelsenkirchen (Germany), and Genk (Belgium), the Saudi-listed firm said in a statement to Tadawul.
The petchem major will also give up all associated commercial activities and infrastructure to AEQUITA’s unit, AEQH38 GmBH, (Munich, Germany).
The enterprise value is SAR 1.87 billion, the statement noted.
The consideration will be settled entirely via two perpetual vendor notes repayable based on future cashflows, resulting from synergies between the divested SABIC business and other European olefins and polyolefins assets of AEQUITA.
The anticipated deal closing is Q4 2026, subject to conditions that include separation of SABIC Europe from SABIC and regulatory approvals.
The deal also requires consultations process with applicable employee representatives body, waiver of change of control termination rights in certain material contracts with SABIC’s majority shareholder group and completion of certain agreed capex projects.
SABIC’s European petrochemicals business operates world-scale facilities engaged in the production and marketing of ethylene, propylene, low- and high-density polyethylene (LDPE, HDPE), polypropylene (PP), and value-added polymer compounds.
The business supplies diverse industrial and consumer end markets across Europe.
The asset’s book value stands at SAR 12.49 billion (as of Sep. 30, 2025, standalone in the defined perimeter), the statement added.
SABIC expects the fair valuation of SABIC Europe to result in a non-cash loss of SAR 10.8 billion, to be recorded in SABIC’s Q4 2025, based on the net assets to be transferred. This preliminary estimate will be subject to further substantiation for SABIC’s consolidated financial statements for the full year 2025.
The transaction reasons include strategic portfolio optimization and capital recycling towards growth markets and businesses, improving SABIC’s return on capital by divesting low-return operations and enhancing profit margins and free cash flow.
SABIC will deconsolidate all European petrochemicals assets/operations from its group financials at the time of closing the transaction and SABIC Europe will be treated as discontinued operations in accordance with IFRS 5 in SABIC’s consolidated financials for 2025.
Future proceeds and returns from the transaction will support SABIC’s growth strategy and ultimate value creation for SABIC’s shareholders, the company indicated.
In a separate statement, SABIC also announced the divestment of 100% of its Engineering Thermoplastics (ETP) business in the Americas and Europe to Mutares SE & Co KGaA.
SABIC will divest interest in ETP operations, including major production sites and related activities to Mutares—a publicly-listed operational investor headquartered in Munich, Germany.
The agreed enterprise value for the transaction is SAR 1.68 billion, which includes an upfront cash amount of SAR 210 million. This is in addition to an earn out of 30% of operating cash flows for four years starting from the second anniversary of closing and 30% of net exit proceeds (in case of exit). With a minimum earnout guaranteed of SAR 262.5 million payable at the earlier of four years after the second anniversary or exit.
The assets’ book value stands at SAR 16.66 billion (as of Sept. 30, 2025, standalone in the defined perimeter).
The fair valuation of ETP business in the Americas and Europe is expected to result in a non-cash loss of SAR 7.5 billion in SABIC’s Q4 2025 financials, based on the net assets to be transferred. This preliminary estimate will be subject to substantiation for SABIC’s consolidated financial statements for the full year 2025, the statement noted.
SABIC further anticipated the deal closing to be during Q3 2026 (subject to conditions precedent satisfaction).
The Saudi-listed petrochemical giant additionally clarified the deal terms comprising, completion of separation of SABIC’s ETP operations in the Americas and Europe from the SABIC Group, regulatory approvals in Europe and the Americas and completion of consultations process with applicable employee representatives’ body.
SABIC will deconsolidate all ETP business in the Americas and Europe from its group financials at the time of closing the transaction and will be treated as discontinued operations in accordance with IFRS 5 in SABIC’s consolidated financial statements at year end 2025.
Proceeds and future returns from the transaction will support SABIC’s growth strategy and ultimate value creation for SABIC’s shareholders, SABIC indicated.
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Transactions Details |
||
|
Sold Asset |
Americas & Europe ETP Business |
SABIC Europe B.V. Business |
|
Seller |
Engineering Thermoplastics (ETP) business in the Americas and Europe |
SABIC Europe B.V. |
|
Buyer |
Mutares in Netherlands and Mutares in USA, both units of Mutares SE & Co. KGaA |
AEQUITA’s unit, AEQH38 GmBH
|
|
Total Transaction Value |
SAR 1.687 billion |
SAR 1.875 billion |
|
Asset’s Book Value |
SAR 16.66 billion |
SAR 12.49 billion |
|
Expected Non-Cash Losses |
SAR 7.5 billion |
SAR 10.8 billion |
|
Loss Recognition Period* |
Q4 2025 |
Q4 2025 |
|
Activity |
The production and marketing of engineering thermoplastics for automotive, construction, electronics, healthcare, and other sectors from assets in the Americas (USA, Mexico, and Brazil) and Europe (Spain and Netherlands). |
The
production and marketing of ethylene, propylene, low- and
high-density polyethylene (LDPE, HDPE), |
*As per net assets to be transferred.
| Sold Assets | |||
| Location |
Country |
Products |
Production
Capacity |
|
ETP Business in the Americas and Europe |
|||
| Bergen op Zoom |
Netherlands |
PC resin |
220 * |
|
PC + PC/PBT Compounds |
191 * |
||
| Ottawa |
USA |
ABS resin |
60 |
|
ABS + ABS/PC Compounds |
123 |
||
| Mount Vernon |
USA |
PC, PBT resin |
249 |
|
PC + PC/PBT Compounds |
225 |
||
| Birkeville |
USA |
ABS resin |
124 |
|
ABS compound |
2 |
||
| Saint Louis Bay |
USA |
PC resin |
257 |
|
PC Compounds |
117 |
||
| Cartagena |
Spain |
PC resin |
136 * |
|
PC/ABS Compounds |
62 * |
||
| Campinas |
Brazil |
PC, ABS, PBT Compounds |
25 |
| Tampico |
Mexico |
ABS resin |
37 |
|
ABS/PC Compound |
38 |
||
|
Petrochemical Business in Europe/Production Capacity (Metric Tons/Year) |
|||
| Gelsenkirchen |
Germany |
HDPE |
220 |
|
LLDPE |
300 |
||
|
Polypropylene |
320 |
||
| Genk/Polypropylene Compound Plant |
Belgium |
Polypropylene compounds |
180 |
| Teesside/ LDPE Plant |
UK |
LDPE |
415 |
| Geleen/Naphtha Cracker Unit and Plants |
Netherlands |
Chemicals |
BD: 120, BZ: 170, MTBE: 16 |
|
Ethylene |
690 |
||
|
Propylene |
405 |
||
|
HDPE |
150 |
||
|
LDPE |
375 |
||
|
Polypropylene |
550 |
||
*Metric ton/year.
AEQUITA はドイツ・ミュンヘンを拠点とするファミリーオフィス兼プライベート・エクイティ投資会社(非上場) です。
「特別な機会(special situations)」への投資を主眼に、 企業のカーブアウト(事業分離)、事業継承、再構築(リストラクチャリング)案件 を対象としています。
財務資本だけでなく、経営支援や事業運営への深い関与 を通じて、投資企業の長期的価値向上を目指す戦略です。LinkedIn
AEQUITA は単なる資産買収ではなく、 投資先企業の経営改善や成長支援を伴う投資を行うことが特徴 です。これには次のような方針があります:
✅ カーブアウト投資
大手企業から分離された事業部門の買収を通じて、独立した事業として再成長を図る案件を得意としています。LinkedIn
✅ 再構築・再生案件
経営が難しくなっている事業や成長機会を活かせていない事業への投資により、 生産性改善・収益再構築を図る ことを狙います。LinkedIn
AEQUITA はこれまでに複数の戦略的買収・投資を行っており、戦略が明確に反映されています:
2022 年に IFA グループを買収し、 生産設備の近代化や再構築を進めた後、2025 年に売却しています。
この投資は 企業価値向上を目的とした典型的なプライベート・エクイティ戦略 の例です。Investing.com Nigeria
自動車産業向け事業を獲得し、 既存の産業ポートフォリオに戦略的な深みを加える動き を見せています。LinkedIn
事業分離案件として、 Fujitsu のドイツにおけるクラウド部門を買収 して独立事業として再構築した例もあります。sustainabletechpartner.com
2026 年初頭、SABIC は化学事業のポートフォリオ再編の一環として、 欧州と米州のエンジニアリング・サーモプラスチック(ETP)事業を売却 しています。
このうち AEQUITA は欧州ペトロケミカル事業(EP)ではなく、主に ETP 事業側を買収している と報じられています。ICIS Explore
AEQUITA がこのような事業を買収する背景としては:
事業再構築の機会
化学業界では、エネルギーコストの高騰や構造変化により成長性が低い領域があるため、
そうした事業を
競争力を維持しながら再構築・収益改善する機会として捉えている可能性がある。
産業ポートフォリオの多角化
既存の製造・産業セクター投資(自動車部品・機械系)に加えて、化学材関連事業もサプライチェーンの拡充につながる投資先 となります。
中長期的な価値創造
単なる資産取得ではなく、経営のプロと資本を活かして企業価値を高め、将来的には売却やIPOなどの出口戦略につなげる という一般的な PE 戦略のフレームが想定されます。
現時点での AEQUITA の 詳細な出資者・持分比率などの公開情報はない ものの:
創業者・経営陣(例:Christoph Himmel 氏 など)が主要出資者であり、
ファミリーオフィスとして 既存の資本基盤を元に投資を展開している というのが公表されている形です(LinkedIn やプレス情報などより)。LinkedIn
| 項目 | 内容 |
|---|---|
| 投資スタイル | 戦略的カーブアウト・再構築中心(PE型) |
| 目標 | 投資先の事業価値向上と長期的収益創出 |
| 組織形態 | ミュンヘン拠点のファミリーオフィス |
| 投資実例 | 自動車部品、クラウド事業、NRB事業など |
| SABIC 買収との関係 | 事業再構築を狙った戦略的投資の一環 |