Chemical titan DuPont de Nemours announced on Wednesday it’s no longer splitting off its water business and is aiming to separate its electronics business by Nov. 1.
When DuPont initially announced separation plans in May 2024, the chemical maker planned to split into three independent public companies: materials science, electronics and water. The move was expected to take up to two years.
Now, the company will instead retain the water portfolio, which DuPont said will strengthen its capacity to improve after the electronics portfolio splits off. The water business focuses on filtration and purification technologies, serving customers in industrial water and energy, life sciences and other markets, according to DuPont’s website.
“The decision for Water to remain with DuPont provides the new organization with greater strategic flexibility over time and another high growth business alongside Healthcare,” DuPont CEO Lori Koch said in a statement. “We continue to have conviction in the attractive outlook for Water and expect 2025 to be a strong year for the business.”
The electronics segment will break from DuPont’s material science business, which focuses on safety and protection brands such as Tyvek, Kevlar and Nomex. DuPont will remain the owner of the publicly traded business.
The material science segment will stay with the core business and continue producing medical devices, packaging and biopharma consumables for the healthcare industry, Koch told investors on a call in May. Moreover, DuPont will work on developing technologies within the automotive and aerospace industries including electric vehicle batteries, coatings and parts.
“We remain confident in the opportunity to create significant shareholder value through the separation of the Electronics business,” DuPont Executive Chairman Ed Breen said in a statement. “Achieving an independent Electronics company as soon as possible is the right decision for our shareholders.”
The company expects to announce the executive leadership appointments and board members for the electronics company by the end of Q1, Breen said in a November earnings call.
