The chemical company Alkimia informed its shareholders and the public that the Board of Directors of its subsidiary, Alkimia-Packaging, meeting on December 4, 2025, decided to launch a national and international consultation for the sale of its glass microbead manufacturing unit in Gabes to a strategic or financial investor.
The sale will allow the company to focus on its core business of chemical product packaging.
According to Alkimia’s CEO, the sale of the packaging subsidiary is driven by the parent company’s financial difficulties, which prevent it from reimbursing a TND 23 million invoice to the subsidiary, which itself needs the sale to strengthen its finances.
Alkimia has reportedly mandated CAP Bank, led by Habib Karaouli, to manage the asset sale of the microbeads unit through a structured M&A process, including NDA signing, pre-selection dossiers, site visits, and non-binding offers due March 27, 2026, at 5:00 PM.
A reminder: the German group Weissker had originally built the unit in Tunisia with announced investments of around TND 70 million.
Market sources recall that the unit’s takeover was heavily discounted (approximately TND 20 million). Experts note that such a gap reflects the real risk when a unit has not demonstrated a solid industrial trajectory.
According to Tunisian professionals, there are 5 potential buyers or partners, otherwise, it will be game over. Potters Industries (IMCD): Recognized as a global leader, supplying glass microbeads for plastics and construction.
And there is SWARCO: A global specialist in drop-on glass beads for road safety and nighttime visibility. Jackwin is a leading manufacturer and supplier, particularly for road marking in China. Airblast: A leader in the supply of glass beads for blasting and anti-corrosion. Kuhmichel Abrasiv GmbH is a specialized supplier of abrasives, including glass beads. And the sale is expected to come down to the first two.
