Specialty chemicals company Altana announced plans Wednesday to acquire the Silberline Group, which is headquartered in the Rush Township village of Hometown.

Lisa Scheller, president and chairwoman of Silberline, believes the sale was needed to help operations continue.

“The decision to sell our family’s business after more than 75 years and three generations was very difficult, but when considering both family and employees, it was a necessary decision to ensure the continuity of the business,” Scheller said Thursday, the day after the announcement from Germany-based Altana.

Silberline makes pigments for automotive coatings, printing inks, plastics and packaged consumer goods. It will become part of Altana’s Eckart division, an international manufacturer of metallic and pearlescent pigments.

“This transaction will bring together the best of both companies and combine our strengths and expertise, enabling us to deliver even more value to our customers. Together we will be even better equipped to meet the changing needs of our customers,” Scheller said. “I truly believe that the future of Silberline, our loyal and dedicated employees, and our communities, here in Pennsylvania are best served by this transaction.”

Silberline employs about 450 people globally. Its sales in 2022 totaled about $80 million. Eckart has approximately 1,775 employees worldwide, and had 2022 sales of 397 million euros, or about $435 million.

The acquisition will expand the Eckert division’s presence into North America and Asia.

Tobias Entrup, an Altana spokesman, said the local research and production capacities of Silberline and Eckart.

“The merger will enhance our ability to respond flexibly to regional customer needs and further optimize our service quality,” he explained. “Furthermore, as one company, we can more intensively drive the development of sustainable product innovations, benefiting both customers and employees. Our clear goal is to grow together.”

Entrup noted that the completion of the acquisition is still subject to customary closing conditions.

“Until then, we will remain competitors and operate independently of each other,” he explained. The integration process will unfold gradually over the coming months.”

Scheller’s grandfather, Ernest Scheller Sr., founded what is now Silberline in Stamford, Connecticut in 1945, according to the Silberline website. It was known as Metals Powder Inc. and moved to Lansford.

In 1974, Silberline began manufacturing in Scotland. It opened its first office in Asia in 1989 and its first office in South America in 1999. In 2006, it opened offices in Mexico and China, and acquired a China-based pigment company in 2008. In 2018, it announced expansion of its Tamaqua production capabilities to produce pigments compatible with waterborne coating systems.

State Sen. Dave Argall, R- Carbon/Schuylkill, commented on the company. “For generations, Silberline has been a key major employer that created many family-sustaining jobs here. The Scheller family has left an inspiring impact on our area through their philanthropic efforts at Hope and Coffee, Lehigh Carbon Community College, and more. I look forward to meeting with the new owners soon to review their local plans for the future.”

The completion of the transaction is still subject to customary closing conditions, and both parties have agreed not to disclose the purchase price.