Houston-based Solvay American Inc., has acquired complete ownership of soda ash producer American Soda LP, settling the debate that has engaged the soda ash industry all year. A 60% stake in Colorado-based American Soda, the world's only soda ash operation based on the sodium bicarbonate mineral nahcolite, was put for sale in the first quarter of 2003 by its majority owner, the energy group Williams Co. It was previously thought that the other stakeholder in American Soda, American Alkali, might acquire the remaining stake, but when Solvay reached a settlement with American Alkali earlier in the year, attention turned to Solvay as the likely buyer for the outstanding 60% stake. Solvay American is the US holding company for most of the North American subsidiaries of Brussels-based chemical and pharmaceutical group Solvay SA.
