BASF has concluded the sale of its manufacturing site in Kankakee, Illinois, to an affiliate of One Rock Capital Partners, LLC, a U.S.-based private equity firm. 

The agreement also includes the associated businesses of vegetable-oil-based raw material sterols and natural vitamin E, anionic surfactants and esters produced at the Kankakee site. All relevant authorities have approved the transaction. 

Branded as Kensing, the newly formed company has around 190 employees. Both parties agreed not to disclose financial details of the agreement. 

“We are confident that new opportunities will be created for Kensing and its employees as a standalone business,” said Anup Kothari, President of BASF’s Nutrition & Health division. 

BASF retains its sterol ester food ingredient business based in Illertissen, Germany, and continues to focus on creating food ingredients and formulations. 

“With this step, we optimize the global manufacturing footprint of our division. At the same time, we remain fully committed to the industries we serve and continue to produce anionic surfactants for the home care, personal care and industrial formulators market at our other sites worldwide,” said Ralph Schweens, President of BASF’s Care Chemicals division. 

“In working closely with our Operating Partners and BASF, we have been impressed by the talented team in Kankakee and are eager to build on the company’s well-deserved reputation for high-purity manufacturing and customer service under the Kensing brand,” said Tony W. Lee, Managing Partner, One Rock Capital Partners. 

“Kensing will maintain the longstanding commitment to quality and reliability for which the organization at Kankakee is well-known, and we look forward to bringing renewed focus and resources to the company to drive continued growth across the core end markets it serves,” added R. Scott Spielvogel, Managing Partner, One Rock Capital Partners.