REINACH, Germany — July 1, 2015 — Archroma, a global leader in specialty chemicals for the textile, paper and emulsions sectors, announced today that it entered into a senior secured credit agreement that provides for credit facilities totaling approximately $515 million.
The credit facilities are comprised of a $75 million multi-currency revolving credit facility, a $220 million senior secured term loan and a 200 million euro senior secured term loan.
Bank of America Merrill Lynch International Ltd. and HSBC Bank Plc acted as global coordinators, bookrunners and mandated lead arrangers for the senior secured credit agreement. ICICI Bank UK Plc acted as bookrunner and mandated lead arranger. Credit Suisse AG and UBS Switzerland AG acted as mandated lead arrangers and Mizuho Bank Ltd. and Itau BBA International Plc acted as lead arrangers.
The new credit facilities will be used to refinance Archroma’s existing debt, as well as to support the acquisition of BASF’s textile chemicals business announced on July 1, 2015.
Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s have published their respective ratings for the Archroma group and its new credit facilities.
In a report issued on June 15, 2015, Moody’s, the investor service agency, assigned a B2 corporate family rating to SK Spice Holding Sarl, the ultimate parent company of the Archroma group. Moody’s also assigned a B2 rating to the loan and credit package. The outlook on all ratings by Moody’s is stable. In its report, Moody’s comments that the stable outlook reflects its expectation that Archroma will maintain adequate liquidity, smoothly integrate the BASF textile chemicals business after the intended acquisition closes, and execute on its current rationalization and cost efficiency programs.
Standard & Poor’s announced on June 18, 2015 that it had assigned a preliminary “B” long-term rating, with stable outlook, to SK Spice Holding Sarl (Archroma) and a “3” recovery rating to the term loans.
“The successful refinancing and ratings issued by Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s are consistent with Archroma’s current size, revenue and profitability,” said Roland Waibel, CFO, Archroma. “Archroma continues to move forward on its path to becoming the preferred chemicals and dyes supplier in our industries through organic growth and acquisitions,” Waibel added. “We wanted to show an objective rating from leading agencies to allow our financial partners, as well as our customers and suppliers, to share our confidence in Archroma and its ability to deliver on its ambitions.”
Posted July 7, 2015
Source: Archroma
