November 2004 – Celanese announces plans to purchase Vinamul Polymers, the emulsion polymer business of the ICI subsidiary National Starch and Chemical Company (NSC), for $208 million. The acquisition diversifies Celanese’s product offering with higher-value chemicals that are customized for end-use applications.
November 2004 - Blackstone Crystal Holdings Capital Partners (Cayman) IV Ltd. (the controlling legal entity of Celanese subsequent to the successful takeover of Celanese AG by Blackstone) changes its name to Celanese Corporation. Celanese Corp. is headquartered in Dallas, Texas, and is the parent company of Celanese’s North American operations and Celanese AG. Henceforth Celanese AG is the holding company for Celanese’s European operations and most of its Asian activities.
October 2004 – Blackstone signs an agreement for the takeover of Acetex Corporation in a transaction valued at almost USD$ 500 million and states its intention is to operate Acetex as part of Celanese’s global chemicals business. Acetex is a Canadian corporation which produces a variety of chemicals including acetic acid, polyvinyl alcohol, vinyl acetate monomer and technical polymers.
October 2004 - Plans announced to implement a strategic restructuring of the Acetate business. As part of the restructuring, acetate filament production is to be discontinued by mid-2005 and acetate flake and tow operations are to be consolidated at three locations, instead of five.
2004 – A total of 84.32% of shares are tendered and all conditions for the successful conclusion of the takeover by Blackstone are satisfied. In July, Celanese AG shares are delisted from the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). Following an extraordinary shareholders’ meeting, a domination and profit loss transfer agreement between Celanese AG and Blackstone is entered into the Commercial Register and becomes effective on October 1.
December 2003 – Blackstone Capital Partners announces intention to launch a voluntary public offer to acquire all of the outstanding shares of Celanese AG.
2003 – Agreement to sell acrylates business to Dow Chemical. Joint venture of oxo businesses with Degussa AG completed. Preparations to build a world-scale 600,000 metric ton acetic acid plant in China begin. Agreement with China National Tobacco Corporation to double capacities of three acetate tow joint ventures announced. Groundbreaking with Asian partners for new 60,000 metric ton polyacetal plant in China. Agreement to source methanol from Southern Chemical Corporation to reduce overall exposure to U.S. Gulf Coast natural gas volatility.
2002 – Acquisition of European emulsions and global emulsion powders business from Clariant AG. Divestiture of Trespaphan oriented polyproplyene film business. Formation of a 50/50 joint venture with Hatco Corporation for the production and marketing of neopolyol esters. Celanese celebrates 75th anniversary of Ruhrchemie site in Oberhausen, Germany.
2001 – Significant technological progress lead to process improvements in acetic acid and vinyl acetate monomer: Construction begins on a new and expanded Ticona plant to produce GUR ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene.
2000 – Acquisition of polyvinyl alcohol business from Air Products strengthens acetyl chain. Start-up of 500,000 metric ton acetic acid plant in Singapore and a plant for the newly engineered COC cycloolefin copolymer in Germany.
1999 – Celanese receives gross proceeds of more than €1 billion from the sale of non-core businesses. Acquires the outstanding 44% of Celanese Canada and a 50% share in Korea Engineering Plastics.
October 25, 1999 – Celanese AG becomes a publicly traded stock corporation, listed on the New York (NYSE: CZ) and Frankfurt (CZZ) stock exchanges.
July 15-16, 1999 – At an extraordinary General Meeting of Hoechst AG, shareholders approve the demerger of Celanese AG into an independent company. The demerger is part of Hoechst's strategy of focussing on its life science businesses.
1998 – At its autumn press conference, Hoechst announces plans to demerge most of its chemical activities to the new Celanese AG. On December 1, Hoechst and Rhône-Poulenc S.A. announce their plans to merge their life science businesses into the new company Aventis S.A., based in Strasbourg.
1997 – As a result of the strategic realignment of Hoechst AG, the various businesses are transferred to independent companies. The global basic chemical, cellulose acetate, phosphorous and chlorine businesses become part of Celanese. The independent company Ticona - market leader in the field of polyacetals - runs the technical polymers business.
In May, the Annual General Meeting approves the realignment of the Group. On July 1, Hoechst AG becomes a Strategic Management Holding company.
1994 – "Transition '94" begins the realignment of the Group and the introduction of a new organizational structure.
1987 – Hoechst AG acquires Celanese Corporation for $2.85 billion. After the approval of the friendly takeover by U.S. regulators on February 20, 1987, Celanese and American Hoechst Corporation join forces to form Hoechst Celanese Corporation in the U.S. Celanese strengthens Hoechst's fiber, organic chemical and specialty chemical businesses.
1967 – Clear Lake plant commences production.
1964 – Celanese Corporation of America and Daicel Ltd. form Polyplastics Co., Ltd., a joint venture in Japan to produce and market acetal copolymer under Celanese licensing in Japan and the Far East. Bay City plant commences production.
1961 – Celanese Corporation of America and Hoechst AG set up the Ticona Polymerwerke joint venture in Kelsterbach, Germany. The production of Hostaform, a high-performance plastic for technical applications, begins in 1963.
