Finland-based chemicals firm Kemira bought the New-Jersey based business to expand on its position as one of the world's leading suppliers of titanium dioxide products for the cosmetics industry.
The name change was completed to communicate the company's integration to customers and help it target the cosmetics industry beyond US borders
"Changing the company name to Kemira Specialty will help both to bring the companies operations together and to present a unified image to our customers," said Kemira Specialty executive Reno DelDotto.
Specialty Kermira will be bought further into the Kermira fold and share www.kemira.com/cosmetics internet address, which covers the parent company's complete global cosmetics offering.
Kemira's specialty division is particularly noted for its UV-Titan products, a nanotechnology-based product that is now widely used in sunscreens for a variety of personal care products.
The Kemira group is a global chemicals giant with three other divisions besides the specialties business - coatings, pulp and paper and water treatment. In 2006 it had a turnover of approximately €2.5bn and around 9,000 staff on its payroll.
