Having recently acquired Italian company TeMa, the Austrian family-run business Gabriel-Chemie is continuing its expansion into southern Europe. While Gabriel-Chemie previously held a number of key accounts in Italy, the new subsidiary means that the company can now adopt a nationwide approach to market cultivation.

Italy is the third largest market for thermoplastic materials in Europe and, according to official studies, has an annual demand of more than 120,000 tonnes of masterbatches; a figure which is expected to increase by 8% up to 130,000 tonnes a year by 2019.

The international company TeMa, based in Fara Gera d´Adda, in the province of Bergamo (Italy), has been restyled as Gabriel-Chemie Italia and is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Austrian parent company, Gabriel-Chemie. The operational management of the subsidiary remains in the capable hands of the long-standing managing director and founder of TeMa, Afro Palla. Both sides have agreed not to disclose information about the purchase price.

The primary business of the Italian company is the production of colour, additive and combination masterbatches as well as technical compounds. Other areas of specialist expertise include flame protection and stadium seating, which combine to produce excellent synergy with the expertise of the Gabriel-Chemie Group and generate additional growth potential. In addition to masterbatch production, the company also runs a modern laboratory with a strong emphasis on research and development, as well as a marketing organisation.

Managing Director of the Gabriel-Chemie Group, Elisabeth Sommer, is delighted with this new partnership: "Both companies complement each other perfectly, our understanding of strong customer focus and high level of expertise when it comes to finding solutions for complex technical requirements follow the same corporate philosophy".