Time to order the Cristal?

TODAY'S news that Millennium Chemicals is to be sold has been greeted with positivity on the south bank.
The huge plant at Stallingborough is a beacon in the portfolio, which includes sites in Australia, Brazil, France and the States.
Already, before the deal is completed, serious consideration is being given to how the Humber plant can benefit, which is great.
Often in these circumstances there is a period of review, or analysis, but it appears here that Stallingborough is seen as a leading light by the Saudi buyers. Site director Leon Zaal spoke with confidence and enthusiasm about the future as part of Cristal, and with more products and new markets on the horizon for the titanium dioxide that is produced, the future is clearly seen as a prosperous one.
This great plant has stood the test of time, with manufacturing going through the tough times of the Eighties and the increasingly competitive arena it is now in.
It looks to me as if it will now be really valued by a company dedicated to the product. Lyondell was a cross-spectrum operation and there appears to have been an increased focus on the oil side of the business in America.
The strategic review that I reported on in October followed an oil refinery acquisition, and was clearly an anxious time for the management and indeed the staff. No matter how good your operation or how in demand the product, that change and that feeling of not being wanted by your owner - even if you are valued at £612-million - is difficult, more so perhaps when you know you are on to a good thing. But businesses are assets, and how they are managed depends on how the assets are rated at the top.
This comes back to the business you specialise in. Cristal's full title - the National Titanium Dioxide Company Ltd - is a Ronseal moment. It does exactly what it says on the tin, and reports suggest it is very, very good at it. Joining the Millennium creates a major force. The transition period can often be cautious, but the abounding optimism should be reason for motivation and opportunity.
Let's hope that we see the major development that has been indicated and that the east coast appeals to the Middle East.