Sika has acquired the MBCC Group, a leading global supplier of construction chemicals. With a focus on innovation and sustainability, MBCC Group has been at the forefront of driving positive change in the construction industry. By joining forces, Sika and MBCC Group have created a workforce of 33,000 experts and achieved net sales of more than CHF 12 billion.
To close the transaction and to comply with regulatory requirements, Sika sold MBCC Group’s chemical admixtures assets in the UK, the USA, Canada, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand to the international private equity firm Cinven. Sika acquired all remaining business of MBCC Group and expanded its portfolio of products and solutions for the construction industry, adding a wide range of innovative, sustainable, and digital offerings for different sectors such as buildings, infrastructure, and underground construction, for new construction as well as for renovation. The main office for MBCC is located in Mannheim, Germany.
MBCC’s strong main brands Master Builders Solutions, PCI, Thermotek, Wolman, Fire Protectors, Colorbiotics, Watson Bowman Acme, TPH, and Nautec are well established in the marketplace. Along with Sika, innovations will continue to address sustainability challenges in the industry.
Sika and MBCC: Sustainability and Innovation Champion in Construction Chemicals
Together, Sika and MBCC offer exciting customer value. As powerful innovators in the construction chemicals industry, we complement each other every day. Our ambition is to be the sustainability and innovation champion, defining the cities of the future by applying our leading technologies. Together, we provide stronger and broader solutions, combining the best of both companies, meeting practically all customer needs.
We will be closer to our customers than ever before. New distribution channels will enable a broader reach. In addition, customers will have access to our optimized geographical footprint with more than 400 sites. That means: short distances to our customers and unmatched supply reliability. And last but not least – this will lead to a lower CO2 footprint.
We have highly complementary products and technologies. For example, in the wind energy industry, our combined offering provides one-stop-ordering opportunities to our customers: Sika Power®, for instance, is a range of epoxy-based toughened adhesives to produce extra-long wind turbine rotor blades. MBCC’s unique wind turbine grouts are used in the same segment, for example the family of high-strength, ultra-durable, and fatigue-resistant grouts that specifically meet the demands of on- and offshore wind turbine installations and refurbishments.
Master Builders Solutions*
Our Master Builders Solutions brand stands for our expertise for new construction, maintenance, repair, and renovation of structures. The portfolio encompasses concrete admixtures, waterproofing solutions, concrete repair and protection solutions, performance grouts, and performance flooring solutions.
Positive Change in Construction: Achievements at MBCC Group
Over the past years, MBCC Group has made significant strides in achieving its mission of creating a more sustainable and resilient construction environment. Here are some of the accomplishments:
MBCC is a signatory of the United Nations Global Compact (UN GC) and commits to the 10 principles, including those on human rights, environmental protection, working conditions, and putting an end to corruption. MBCC also contributes to six of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The current Sustainability Strategy is structured around four pillars - Sustainable Products, Climate and Environment, Employees, Business Integrity – and outlines the commitment to reduce environmental and social impact while promoting sustainable practices throughout the construction industry. It is consistent with the current Sika's Sustainability Strategy, and it will be aligned with Sika’s Way to Net Zero, working towards reaching net-zero carbon emissions across all our operations and value chain by 2050. By implementing sustainable practices together, we can make a meaningful contribution to the reduction of carbon emissions in the building sector and pave the way towards a more sustainable future.
We continuously invest in R&D, with a focus on developing new products and solutions that are more sustainable, because they help preserving resources (e.g., recycled materials), enhancing durability, and enabling repairability and healthy construction. The company has also increased its investment in digitalization and automation, allowing it to improve efficiency and reduce waste throughout its operations.
In 2023, MBCC was recognized as an ESG Industry Top Rated Company by Morningstar Sustainalytics, a global leader in providing high-quality, analytical environmental, social, and governance (ESG) ratings.
As these accomplishments demonstrate that through innovation, investment in research and development, and a focus on sustainability, MBCC, as a part of Sika, is at the edge of driving positive change in the construction industry.
MBCC's Technology Highlights in Construction Chemicals
MBCC Group has been actively embracing technology to improve its operations, products, and services. Some of the most relevant technology highlights include:
Concrete Admixtures: Enabling a Global Building Icon
Customers around the globe trust us to provide the latest technology. By using cutting-edge technologies and adjusting them to local conditions, we sometimes make the impossible possible. With the Burj Khalifa, we hold the world record in the tallest building in the world. To reach this world record, the structure of the building had to comply with strict design and durability criteria. One unique challenge was ensuring the concrete mix design for the structural core of the tower was capable of being pumped to formidable heights in extreme climatic conditions (temperatures of between 10°C and 50°C). Our high range water reducing admixtures were able to meet this challenge, making it possible to pump the concrete, without any interruption, to a height of up to 600 meters. The Burj Khalifa has redefined what is possible in the design and engineering of supertall buildings. Today, the building serves as a global icon that is a model for future urban centers and the global movement towards compact, livable urban areas.
Xolutec™: Durability by Design
Xolutec™ is the result of our development work on advancing complementary chemistries. The technology was developed by our experts around the globe to solve the problems of reinforced concrete structures in challenging environments. In particular, Xolutec™ enables a new dimension in durability and is resistant against biogenic sulfuric acid. The two-component crack-bridging membrane based on Xolutec™ technology, for instance, provides seamless waterproofing for the inflow and outflow areas of water purification plants, sewage pipelines, biogas plants, and secondary containments (reservoirs). The coating can be used on a range of surfaces both dry or wet: on horizontal and vertical surfaces, on reinforced concrete, against chemical attack, corrosion, and carbonation. Long maintenance cycles and lower life cycle costs significantly reduce the total cost of ownership. Xolutec’s extreme versatility and capacity to formulate a wide variety of solutions for specific requirements create a new dimension in material technology for the construction industry.
MasterEmaco OneMix™: Concrete Repair With Built-In Convenience
MasterEmaco OneMix™ is a revolutionary, customizable, and environmentally friendly concrete repair system designed to increase versatility, efficiency, and ease of use. MasterEmaco OneMix™ is the industry’s first-of-its-kind to use one universal bag of base material and enhanced Power Paks™ to create concrete repair materials for multiple project types. Thinking outside of the box was the key to developing a new sustainable, modular solution. With this base product, we can now ship OneMix™ from different plants, if necessary, without compromising the superior product performance. The OneMix™ system has also made a significant impact on sustainability and CO2 reduction by reducing transportation and waste material.
PCI Nanorapid: The World’s First Flexible Tile Adhesive Using CSA Technology
With PCI Nanorapid, we present the world’s first tile adhesive on the market that is produced using the new calcium sulfoaluminate (CSA) technology. Thanks to the patent-protected technology, PCI Nanorapid offers craftspeople on the construction site completely new possibilities: long processing and correction times with simultaneous fast setting times. Construction projects can thus be optimally planned, work processes can be accelerated, and application convenience increased.
In addition, PCI Nanorapid makes a major contribution to healthy and sustainable living. The fast-setting adhesive, which is certified as very low-emission according to GEV-EMICODE EC 1 PLUS, is dust-reduced, i.e. virtually no dust is generated during opening, mixing and pouring. Thanks to CSA technology, significantly less energy is consumed in the manufacturing process than with conventional products using Portland cement. The CO2 footprint is thus significantly reduced.
Career Opportunities
In today’s world, it’s all about openness, cooperation, and interaction. Networks pave the way for innovative ideas, new markets, and a new understanding of collaboration. Specialists will not be the only generators of new ideas in future. Success and a fulfilling working culture emerge from a lively exchange between people on every level of the organization. We value connectedness and inclusion of expertise across all disciplines. Our people are our key success factor.