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With Centauri acquisition, specialty chemicals firm Vertellus rebrands as Aurorium

| By Mary Bailey

Aurorium (Indianapolis; formerly Vertellus) announced the acquisition of Centauri Technologies. The addition of Centauri’s complementary specialty material product portfolio and advanced manufacturing capabilities expands Aurorium’s offering and extends its reach in high-growth end markets.

In addition to the acquisition, the Company announced that it has changed its official name from Vertellus to Aurorium. Aurorium’s refreshed brand identity better represents the Company’s growth and evolution as a global materials innovation partner with a diversified portfolio of specialty ingredients and performance-enhancing materials.

Centauri is a technology driven manufacturer of specialty materials, serving a global customer base in high-growth personal care, coatings, and transportation markets from its state-of-the-art production facility in Pasadena, Texas. CENTAURI’s specific expertise in hydroformylation and hydrogenation processes, including high pressure, high melt, and other complex capabilities, is highly complementary to Aurorium’s strategy and strengthens its position as a provider of specialty ingredients and performance-enhancing materials. CENTAURI is the sixth acquisition Aurorium has completed since 2019, following Bercen Chemicals, Chemtrade Life Sciences, IM Chemical, Jarchem Innovative Ingredients, and Polyscope Polymers.

Said John Van Hulle, Aurorium CEO, “CENTAURI is an exciting addition to Aurorium as we continue to expand our presence in specialty ingredients and materials. CENTAURI adds a complementary portfolio of high-quality solutions, differentiated manufacturing capabilities, and an impressive track record of innovation and growth. With CENTAURI’s customer-focused approach and exceptional engineering capabilities joining our platform, Aurorium is well-positioned to capitalize on growth across our end markets.”

Kyle Killebrew, CENTAURI CEO, commented, “We believe that Aurorium is the ideal strategic partner for the next phase of CENTAURI’s growth. We will be able to leverage Aurorium’s global resources to enhance our product offering, expand into new geographies and end markets, and grow our manufacturing capacity so that we can continue to deliver superior service and capabilities for our customers.”

Thomas Chadwick, Principal at Pritzker Private Capital, added, “This acquisition is an excellent strategic fit with Aurorium’s rebranding and continued focus on specialty products. We look forward to continuing to support the Aurorium and CENTAURI teams as they serve customers with innovative, high-quality products and services.”

Based in Indianapolis, with 1,400+ employees located across North America, Europe, and Asia, Aurorium produces specialty ingredients and performance-enhancing materials designed to enhance quality of life, support health and wellness, and deliver value-add solutions. The company serves an expanding portfolio of customers globally across the personal & home care, coatings & adhesives, energy & electronics, healthcare, food & beverages, agriculture, transportation, and paper & packaging end markets.

As part of its refreshed brand identity, Aurorium identified five fundamental principles that underpin the company’s culture, values, and commitment to its customers, colleagues, and communities:

  • Differentiation: Helping companies prosper in their marketplaces, enhance their products, and achieve optimal performance
  • Expertise: Bringing deep industry knowledge and technical experience, adding value to our customers
  • Innovation: Unique solutions and specialty formulations fostered by creative, dynamic, and collaborative partnerships
  • Presence: Global reach with a deep, diverse portfolio, coupled with a focus on sustainability and safety
  • Customer Experience: Through flexibility, integrity, and a can-do attitude, Aurorium brings unparalleled levels of service, reliability, and trust to customers

“Our new name and identity, Aurorium, better represents the strength of our platform and growth opportunity for our business,” said Faye Freeman, President of Aurorium. “As Aurorium, we are well-positioned to expand our products and markets, and more effectively serve our customers with a wide range of solutions that are essential to their businesses. Aurorium is committed to delivering a best-in-class customer experience, innovative solutions, and dynamic partnerships to help our customers thrive in an increasingly competitive global marketplace.”