Unifrax, a leading manufacturer of specialty heat management materials for high-temperature industrial, automotive, and fire protection, recently announced that it will be relocating its headquarters to Dallas. The company will be moving its base from the town of Tonawanda, New York.
The decision for a change in scenery came when Unifrax acquired the company Lydell in October of last year. Lydell is a producer of specialty filtration materials with a global presence. The $1.3 billion acquisition deal expanded Unifrax exponentially. As Unifrax makes high-temperature insulation products, the pursuit of Lydell lines up perfectly with its system.
John Dandolph, the president and chief executive officer of Unifrax, stated that the decision to move its corporate headquarters shows Unifrax’s commitment to growing the company and being a global leader in breakthrough technologies. In addition, the company’s battery division will also be making the move to Dallas. The company’s Thermal Insulation and Emission Control businesses will continue to operate out of Towanda.
Dallas was chosen as the company’s new main headquarters because of its access to international airports, making it easier to fly customers into and out of the area.
Unifrax also announced that it would be changing the name of its company to “Alkegen.” The company stated that the name is an adaptation of two words, “alke” and “gen.” “Alke,” derived from “alchemy,” evokes the idea of achieving breakthroughs in what is possible. “Gen” is a compacted form of “the next generation” and symbolizes the company’s focus on a sustainable future and human health.
Dandolph explained that the new name will help define its global platform and will help customers associate Alkegen as a brand that “helps the planet breathe easier.”
Alkegen has the backing of Clearlake Capital Group, a California-based investment group that bought Unifrax in 2018. Currently, Alkegen has over sixty manufacturing facilities globally and employs over 9,000 workers.