All Posts from January 8, 2013

Ford West to retire from TFI in December 2013

Ford B. West, president of The Fertilizer Institute, announced on Jan. 7 that he will retire from his position effective December 2013. West joined TFI on Nov. 1, 1979, and has served as its president since Sept. 6, 2005.

In a memo to TFI members, West said it’s been “an honor to represent the fertilizer industry over the past 33 years,” and a pleasure to work with “many great people” to inform government institutions, the media, and the general public of the vital role that fertilizer plays in world food production.
West rose through the ranks at TFI, first serving as director of member services before being promoted to assistant vice president in 1982, vice president of government relations in 1984, and senior vice president in 1999. When he became TFI president in 2006, West succeeded Kraig Naasz.

“I thank those who took the time to mentor me and help me to appreciate the difference between ‘dirt and soil,’ to understand the science involved in the production and use of fertilizer and to appreciate the historical role and contribution of fertilizer to the food chain,” West said. “Fertilizer touches many hands before it arrives in farm fields and TFI provides a forum where fertilizer producers, importers, wholesalers, and retailers can share their perspectives on common problems and develop approaches to meet these challenges. I am very proud to have been a part of that process.”

West also expressed gratitude to the staff at TFI and the Nutrients for Life Foundation. “Any success I have had as president is due to a combined effort of these association professionals working together for the good of the industry,” he said.

TFI’s board of directors has established a presidential search committee comprised of five executive committee members who will operate under the leadership of TFI Board Chairman Jim Prokopanko. The committee held its first meeting in late December in Chicago. Spencer Stuart, one of the world’s leading executive search consulting firms, has been retained to assist the search committee in the candidate selection process.

Golden Gate acquires ArrMaz

Golden Gate Capital has announced that it has completed the acquisition of ArrMaz Custom Chemicals, a leading provider of process chemicals and functional additives for the fertilizer, industrial minerals and asphalt industries. ArrMaz will remain headquartered in Mulberry, Fla., led by the current management team, who will remain significant investors in the company. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

“We were attracted to ArrMaz as an investment due to its unique market leadership position, significant competitive advantages and long term growth potential,” said Rajeev Amara, a managing director of Golden Gate Capital. “We are committed to further investing in the Company to expand its global footprint and potentially leverage its highly specialized knowledge of surfactants into other end markets.”

“We are excited to work with Golden Gate Capital to accelerate our growth,” said Hank Waters, CEO of ArrMaz. “Golden Gate Capital’s investment validates the strength of ArrMaz’s value proposition, which is built on world-class products and exceptional customer service delivered by our talented employees. Golden Gate Capital’s substantial financial resources and long term outlook will enable ArrMaz to capitalize on an array of opportunities across the globe both organically and through acquisitions.”

GE Capital and Ares Capital provided financing to support the transaction. Lazard Middle Market advised ArrMaz. The Valence Group and Kirkland & Ellis advised Golden Gate Capital.

Founded in 1967, ArrMaz is a producer of a wide variety of process chemicals, which are generally custom formulated to meet customer specifications. ArrMaz is the leading producer of functional additives and process aids to the fertilizer and asphalt industries and is a significant provider of chemical products to related minerals mining industries. ArrMaz distributes its products in over 70 countries, with production facilities in key locations worldwide. For more information, visit www.am-cc.com.

Golden Gate Capital is a San Francisco-based private equity investment firm with approximately $12 billion of capital under management. The firm targets investments where there is a demonstrable opportunity to significantly enhance a company’s value. Other notable industrial investments sponsored by Golden Gate Capital include US Silica, EP Minerals and Atrium Windows.