Fundraising: Baton Rouge-based speciality chemical maker Albemarle says it has closed on an offering of notes totaling about 700 million euros, or about $872,140,500. At a 1.875% interest rate, the notes are due in 2021. The company says in a news release that it will use proceeds from the offering, along with borrowings, to finance its previously announced, $6.2 billion acquisition of New Jersey-based Rockwood Holdings Inc. The deal will combine two of the world’s largest specialty chemical companies, which together produce four main types of chemicals: lithium, catalysts, bromine and surface treatment chemicals. The deal is expected to close in the first quarter of next year.
Lakeside: As the Baton Rouge Area Foundation continues to work toward establishing a master plan for the preservation and improvement of the LSU lakes, it will hold a public input meeting at LSU from 6-8 p.m. in the LSU Union Cotillion Ballroom. RSVP to attend. BRAF has commissioned the design team of SWA Group, in association with Jeffrey Carbo and Associates, to create the master plan. BRAF has raised $750,000 for the master plan and preliminary engineering work, and the organization hopes to have a draft plan completed by next spring.
It’s going around: Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne and state health officials have received their annual flu shots as part of an effort by state officials to remind the public to take measures to “Fight the Flu.” The Associated Press reports Dardenne, along with Health and Hospitals Secretary Kathy Kliebert and Public Health Assistant Secretary J.T. Lane, were vaccinated Wednesday at a Baton Rouge health unit. The health department estimates between 450,000 and 900,000 Louisiana residents become infected with the flu each year. Louisiana is one of six states around the country that already is reporting widespread flu activity this season, and Baton Rouge is a leading metro area for reported flu cases in recent weeks.
