Global alternative investment firm H.I.G. Capital (H.I.G) announced that its portfolio company, USALCO has acquired Al Chem Specialties (AlChem) and CalChem.

USALCO is a leading provider of specialty chemicals used primarily in the water and wastewater treatment processes and for the manufacturing of refinery catalysts.

Operating as a unified business under common leadership, AlChem / CalCHEM is a leading manufacturer of high-quality specialty chemicals for municipal water treatment and industrial applications and operates premier manufacturing plants in Mentor, Ohio and Modesto, California.

AlChem / CalCHEM was founded in 2004 and has grown significantly under the leadership of Founder and CEO Scott Williams over the past two decadesWilliams will join the USALCO leadership team following the acquisition.

“The acquisition of AlChem / CalCHEM is an important step in our strategy to expand geographically andadd high-value products to our portfolio of offerings,” said Peter Askew, Co-chairman, USALCO.

“AlChem / CalCHEM builds our presence in the Midwest and establishes a base of operations on the West Coast,” Ken Gayer, CEO, USALCO, said. “The combined business is a leading manufacturer of aluminum chemicals used in water and wastewater treatment, refinery catalysts and other industrial applications with the ability to serve customers anywhere in the continental U.S.”

Scott Williams, Founder and CEO of AlChem / CalCHEM, noted the synergistic benefit of joining USALCO. “We see tremendous commercial opportunity in the combined platform given our complementary product set and go-to-market strategy,” he said.

“We are pleased to partner with Scott and the AlChem / CalCHEM team,” said Keval Patel, Managing Director at H.I.G. “The transaction fits squarely into our strategy of further expanding our geographic reach within the U.S. and acquiring best-in-class companies that produce significant value creation opportunities.”