Shearman & Sterling is representing the Aditya Birla Group in connection with its agreement to acquire the Atlanta-based Columbian Chemicals Company from One Equity Partners, the merchant banking arm of J. P. Morgan Chase & Co.

Columbian is the world's third-largest manufacturer of carbon black, which is used as a pigment in dyes and paints and for reinforcement in tires. Columbian Chemicals operates 11 plants in 9 countries.

The Aditya Birla Group is a multinational Indian conglomerate valued at approximately $29 billion with operations in 27 countries and 130,600 employees. Its key product segments are aluminum and copper production, viscose staple fiber, insulator production, carbon black, acrylic fiber, and cement. The Aditya Birla Group's Carbon Black business is one of the most cost-efficient manufacturers of Carbon Black. Its operations span four countries, with six manufacturing plants. It caters to the requirements of leading tire manufacturers globally.

The Shearman & Sterling team was led by partner Stephen Besen (New York-Mergers & Acquisitions) and associates Nathan Sawyer (New York-Mergers & Acquisitions), Richard Fischetti (New York-Mergers & Acquisitions), Morgan Dann (New York-Mergers & Acquisitions), Benjamin Brod (New York-Mergers & Acquisitions) and Sheila Jain (New York-Mergers & Acquisitions). Other attorneys advising on the transaction included partners Peter Blessing, (New York-Tax), John Cannon (New York-Executive Compensation & Employee Benefits), Steven Sherman (New York-Finance), Matthew Readings (London/Brussels-Antitrust), James Tallon (New York-Litigation), Philip Urofsky (Washington, DC-Litigation), Samuel Waxman (New York-Intellectual Property Transactions), Tobia Croff (Milan-Capital Markets/Mergers & Acquisitions), and Alfred Kossman (Dusseldorf-Mergers & Acquisitions); counsels Lisl Dunlop (New York-Antitrust) and Jason Pratt (New York-Real Estate/Environmental); associates Sylvia Lee (New York-Finance), Veronica Wissel (New York-Executive Compensation & Employee Benefits), Matt Jennejohn (New York-Antitrust), Amanda Partridge (London-Antitrust), Seth Kerschner (New York-Real Estate/Environmental), Gloria Jung (New York-Intellectual Property Transactions), Tim Franklin (New York-Intellectual Property Transactions), Christopher Fenton (New York-Litigation), Sean Arthurs (Washington, DC-Litigation), Patrick Murdoch (New York-Litigation), Marion Harris (New York-Litigation), Michael Byrne (New York-Real Estate), Ryan Mahoney (New York-Real Estate), Shiu-Kay Hung (New York-Tax), Aliresa Fatemi (Dusseldorf-Mergers & Acquisitions), Emanuele Trucco (Milan-Capital Markets/Mergers & Acquisitions), and Francesco Liberatori (Rome-Capital Markets/Mergers & Acquisitions); and legal assistant Leigh Rorick (New York-Mergers & Acquisitions).