Tatas acquire General Chemical of US for $1 b

• Tata Chemicals on had signed an agreement to acquire 100 per cent stake in US-based General Chemical Industrial Products Inc for $ 1.005 billion (Rs 4,000 crore).
• Tata is now fifth largest steelmaker and the second largest branded tea bag owner worldwide, the Tata group is now poised to become the second largest soda ash manufacturer in the world.
• GCIL has a capacity of 2.5 million tones of soda ash, while Tata Chemicals is already at number three position globally (at 3 million tonnes) after its acquisition of the UK-based Brunner Mond in 2005. This would clearly pitch Tata Chemicals into the number two position worldwide.