Counsel to East Africa focused private equity fund Catalyst Principal Partners in its investment in Orbit Chemical Industries Limited. Orbit Chemical Industries Limited was incorporated in 1972 as a trading organization. It has trading divisions trading in industrial chemicals and fertilizers, and manufacturing divisions manufacturing soaps and detergents, sulphonation, plastic packaging and agrochemicals. Although the value of the transaction is confidential, Catalyst’s typical investment ranges between $5 million and $20 million, either through equity, debt or a mixture of both. The transaction is expected to enable Orbit Chemical to realise its expansion plans by increasing capacity of its existing lines, extending its product range into new synergistic categories and by regionalising its manufacturing capability. This is expected to achieve stronger growth of existing and new customers in Africa. Orbit Chemicals, originally a chemicals trader, is now a state-of-the-art outsourced manufacturer with vertical integration producing high quality finished products within a diversified portfolio.
