Jeff Chaapel joins LGG Industrial as Vice President & General Manager, U.S. West Region. Published by LGG Industrial. Pittsburgh, PA - LGG Industrial is pleased to announce the appointment of Jeff Chaapel as Vice President & General Manager, U.S. West Region. Chaapel brings nearly 30 years of progressive leadership experience. Most recently, Chaapel served as Vice President of Energy Solutions at Synthomer, where he spent the past 13 years building and scaling an incubated business into a global market leader. "Jeff's depth of industry knowledge and leadership experience make him an excellent fit for LGG Industrial," said Jeff Crane, Chief Executive Officer of LGG Industrial. "We are very excited to welcome him to the LGG Industrial team." In this role, Jeff will provide strategic leadership for the West Region's sales strategy and growth opportunities. Lewis-Goetz & Co Inc is excited to welcome Jeff Chaapel to LGG Industrial and look forward to the leadership and experience he will bring to its organization. About LGG Industrial LGG Industrial is the go-to partner for industrial companies looking for fluid handling, sealing, and material conveyance solutions. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and supported by Luther King Capital Management, LGG Industrial has decades of experience creating value for the North American industrial market with a passion for customer service that is met with deep technical know-how.

Mutares shares fall 10% YTD despite €2 dividend; technicals bearish. Firm races to close Synthomer

Synthomer divests acrylate monomers business to Mutares. Synthomer has announced the divestment of its acrylate monomers business, marking a strategic move to simplify its portfolio and focus on speciality chemicals. The Czech-based business will transition to Mutares, a private equity firm specialising in company turnarounds. 19 June 2026 Synthomer, a leading global supplier of high-performance polymers, has confirmed the divestment of its acrylate monomers business in the Czech Republic. The business, which operates under Synthomer a.s., will be acquired by Mutares, a Munich-based private equity company with expertise in transforming industrial businesses. This decision is part of Synthomer's strategic shift towards a streamlined portfolio centred on speciality chemicals with higher margins and growth potential. Acrylate Monomers, a key supplier of acrylic acid and related monomers to the European market, employs approximately 300 staff at its Sokolov manufacturing site. The site also contributes to Synthomer's downstream operations by supplying acrylic monomers to Group companies and producing acrylic dispersions. Under the new ownership, these supply arrangements will remain intact. Strategic portfolio simplification The divestment reflects Synthomer's strategy to exit highly cyclical and capital-intensive sectors. Acrylate Monomers was the last remaining upstream business in Synthomer's portfolio and had been designated as non-core following a strategic review in October 2022. Michael Willome, CEO of Synthomer, stated, "This announcement is another important step in delivering our strategy to simplify our business and sharpen our focus on higher-margin, higher-growth speciality chemicals markets where we have strong and sustainable leadership positions." He expressed confidence in Mutares' ability to steer Acrylate Monomers through its next phase of development. Financial dynamics and transaction details In 2025, Acrylate Monomers reported external sales of EUR 68 million but faced an adjusted EBITDA loss of EUR 10 million. Improved trading conditions in early 2026, influenced by short-term market fluctuations and cost reductions, led the business to a break-even point. Synthomer noted that Acrylate Monomers requires approximately EUR 5 million annually in capital expenditure, highlighting its capital-intensive nature. The transaction, expected to close at the end of Q3 2026, includes a cash generation sharing arrangement of up to EUR 12 million over three years, with no initial payment at closing. To ensure operational continuity, the divested company will receive EUR 5 million in cash for working capital requirements.