Avient
Specialized material solutions provider
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Avient Corporation is a United States-based specialty materials company headquartered in Avon Lake, Ohio. The company develops and supplies polymer-based materials and material technologies for manufacturers in multiple industries. Its portfolio includes colorants, advanced composites, functional additives, engineered materials, and other specialty polymer solutions used to modify the appearance, performance, processing characteristics, durability, and sustainability profile of finished products. The business was created in 2000 through the consolidation of The Geon Company and M.A. Hanna Company. Although Avient is a comparatively modern corporate identity, its predecessor businesses brought together much older industrial and polymer histories. M.A. Hanna originated in the nineteenth century as a mining and shipping company before shifting its focus toward polymers in the late twentieth century. Geon traced its technical heritage to vinyl polymer work conducted at BFGoodrich. In the late 1920s, BFGoodrich scientist Waldo Semon developed a usable vinyl polymer, and the Geon name subsequently became associated with vinyl materials and PVC-related products. Geon later became an independently traded company after the separation of BFGoodrich's vinyl plastics activities. The 2000 combination formed PolyOne Corporation, which operated as a diversified polymer materials supplier. During the following decade, PolyOne expanded its specialty-materials orientation while managing and divesting selected businesses. The company was included in the S&P 600 investment index and appeared on the Fortune 1000 list in 2009. In October 2019, PolyOne sold its performance products and solutions business to SK Capital. That business was subsequently renamed GEON Performance Solutions, separating it from PolyOne's remaining portfolio. A major strategic transition occurred in 2020, when PolyOne acquired a division of Clariant. Following that transaction, the company adopted the Avient name. The rebranding signaled a broader emphasis on specialty materials, application development, and solutions for customers rather than a reliance on the historical PolyOne identity. Avient subsequently continued to expand through targeted acquisitions. In 2021, it acquired Magna Colours Ltd., a supplier associated with water-based textile printing solutions, for $48 million. In April 2022, Avient entered into an agreement to purchase Royal DSM's Protective Materials business for a stated purchase price of $1.485 billion, adding a significant protective-materials activity to its portfolio. Avient's business model is based on supplying material formulations, compounds, and technologies that are incorporated into products made by other companies. Its materials can serve applications in areas such as packaging, healthcare, consumer products, transportation, electronics, infrastructure, and industrial manufacturing, although the exact product mix and markets vary by business unit. The company competes through formulation expertise, application engineering, processing knowledge, color and additive technology, composite performance, and the ability to develop materials for demanding technical or regulatory requirements. The Avient brand therefore represents a global business-to-business materials platform rather than a consumer-facing product brand. Its value proposition centers on helping manufacturers improve product performance, appearance, manufacturability, weight, durability, and material efficiency. The company employs approximately 9,000 people worldwide according to the cited reference material. Its continuing identity combines the legacy of Geon and M.A. Hanna with a post-2020 strategy focused on specialty polymer solutions and related advanced materials.
History
Avient's corporate history combines the origins of The Geon Company and M.A. Hanna Company. M.A. Hanna was established in 1885 as a privately held mining and shipping enterprise. It became publicly held in 1927 and, beginning in the mid-1980s, divested its traditional mining and shipping operations to concentrate increasingly on polymers. Hanna purchased its first polymer company in 1986, establishing the foundation for its later role in the plastics and specialty-materials sector. Geon's technical heritage came from BFGoodrich. In the late 1920s, BFGoodrich scientist Waldo Semon developed a usable vinyl polymer that was marketed under the Geon trade name. Semon received a United States patent for PVC in 1933. BFGoodrich created a vinyl plastics division in 1948, and that activity was eventually separated through a public offering in 1993, creating Geon as an independently traded company. On August 31, 2000, The Geon Company and M.A. Hanna Company were consolidated to form PolyOne Corporation. The new company combined Geon's vinyl and polymer heritage with Hanna's broader industrial and polymer experience. PolyOne subsequently operated as a diversified materials supplier, developing and marketing polymer compounds, colorants, additives, composites, and other engineered solutions. In 2009, it was ranked number 731 on the Fortune 1000 list and was included in the S&P 600 investment index. PolyOne later sharpened its portfolio through divestiture. In October 2019, it sold its performance products and solutions business to SK Capital. The divested operation was renamed GEON Performance Solutions, leaving PolyOne more concentrated on its remaining specialty-materials activities. In 2020, PolyOne acquired a division of Clariant. The transaction was accompanied by a corporate rebranding: PolyOne became Avient Corporation. The new name reflected the company's effort to present itself as a global materials-solutions provider with a focus on specialty applications, technical collaboration, and engineered performance. Avient continued its acquisition program in 2021 by purchasing Magna Colours Ltd. for $48 million. Magna Colours expanded the company's activities in water-based textile printing materials. In April 2022, Avient entered into an agreement with Royal DSM to purchase the DSM Protective Materials business for $1.485 billion. The proposed transaction represented a substantial expansion into protective materials and reinforced Avient's strategy of adding differentiated, technically specialized businesses. Today, Avient is headquartered in Avon Lake, Ohio, and operates internationally with approximately 9,000 employees worldwide according to the cited reference. Its portfolio includes colorants, advanced composites, functional additives, engineered materials, and related polymer solutions. The company's history is therefore best understood as a progression from legacy vinyl and industrial polymer businesses toward a more focused global platform for specialty materials and application-specific engineering.
- 2022
Agreement to acquire DSM Protective Materials
[1]Avient entered into an agreement to purchase Royal DSM's Protective Materials business for $1.485 billion.
- 2021
Magna Colours is acquired
[1]Avient acquired Magna Colours Ltd. for $48 million.
- 2020
PolyOne becomes Avient
[1]After acquiring a division of Clariant, PolyOne adopted the Avient corporate name.
- 2019
Performance products business is divested
[1]PolyOne sold its performance products and solutions business to SK Capital; the business was renamed GEON Performance Solutions.
- 2009
PolyOne appears on the Fortune 1000
[1]PolyOne was ranked number 731 on the Fortune 1000 list and included in the S&P 600 investment index.
- 2000
PolyOne Corporation is formed
[1]The Geon Company and M.A. Hanna Company were consolidated on August 31, 2000, creating PolyOne Corporation.
- 1993
Geon becomes a separate publicly held company
[1]BFGoodrich's vinyl plastics activities were spun off through a public offering, creating Geon as an independent publicly held company.
- 1986
Hanna enters polymer acquisitions
[1]M.A. Hanna purchased its first polymer company as it shifted its strategic focus toward polymers.
- 1948
BFGoodrich creates a vinyl plastics division
[1]BFGoodrich established a vinyl plastics division that ultimately contributed to the formation of Geon as a separate company.
- 1933
PVC patent granted to Waldo Semon
[1]Waldo Semon was granted a United States patent associated with PVC, an important part of the technical heritage later connected with Geon.
Products and positioning
A global business-to-business specialty materials and polymer solutions provider focused on formulation expertise, application engineering, colorants, additives, composites, engineered materials, and protective technologies.
Polymer colorants
Colorants and masterbatches
Avient supplies colorant and masterbatch technologies that allow manufacturers to add consistent colors, visual effects, and other aesthetic properties to polymer products. These materials are formulated for integration into customer manufacturing processes and can be adapted to different resin systems and end-use requirements.
Polymer additives
Functional additives
Functional additives are used to alter or improve selected properties of polymer products, including processing behavior, durability, appearance, and resistance characteristics. Avient's additive portfolio forms part of its broader specialty-materials offering for application-specific manufacturing needs.
Composite materials
Advanced composites
Avient's advanced composites are engineered material systems intended to deliver combinations of performance attributes such as strength, stiffness, reduced weight, and durability. They are supplied to manufacturers seeking alternatives or enhancements to conventional material designs.
Engineered polymers
Engineered materials
Engineered materials include compounded and formulated polymer solutions developed around particular processing and end-use specifications. Avient works with customers to adjust material characteristics for industrial, consumer, transportation, healthcare, packaging, and other applications.
Protective materials · 2022
Protective Materials
Protective Materials became a strategic area of expansion through Avient's 2022 agreement to acquire Royal DSM's Protective Materials business. The business added specialized materials intended for protective applications to Avient's broader advanced-materials portfolio.
Textile printing materials · 2021
Magna Colours materials
Magna Colours' portfolio expanded Avient's activities in water-based textile printing materials. The acquisition added a specialized materials business serving textile-printing applications.
Brand decisions
2022
Agreement to acquire DSM Protective MaterialsM&ABackground
Avient pursued a major expansion into protective materials through a transaction with Royal DSM.
Action taken
Avient entered into an agreement to purchase Royal DSM's Protective Materials business.
Aftermath
The agreement was expected to add protective-materials capabilities to Avient's specialty and advanced-materials portfolio; the cited material does not provide further completion details.
Agreed purchase price. $1.485 billion (April 2022 agreement)
2021
Acquisition of Magna ColoursM&ABackground
Avient sought to broaden its specialty-materials portfolio with a business serving textile-printing applications.
Action taken
Avient acquired Magna Colours Ltd. for $48 million.
Aftermath
The acquisition expanded Avient's presence in water-based textile printing materials.
Purchase price. $48 million (2021 acquisition)
2020
Acquisition of a Clariant division and corporate rebrandingM&ABackground
PolyOne pursued expansion in specialty materials through the acquisition of a division of Clariant.
Action taken
Following the acquisition, the company changed its name from PolyOne Corporation to Avient Corporation.
Aftermath
The Avient identity became the platform for presenting the company as a global materials-solutions provider.
2019
Divestiture of performance products and solutionsM&ABackground
PolyOne reviewed its portfolio and separated its performance products and solutions business from the remaining company.
Action taken
The business was sold to SK Capital in October 2019 and subsequently renamed GEON Performance Solutions.
Aftermath
The transaction reduced PolyOne's portfolio of businesses and preceded its later rebranding and specialty-materials repositioning.
Recent events
Reported
Avient elects Richard H. Fearon as Non-Executive Chairman of the Board[3]
In connection with Mike Frank's appointment as CEO, Avient Corporation's Board of Directors elected Lead Independent Director Richard H. Fearon as Non-Executive Chairman of the Board.
Reported
Avient appoints Mike Frank as President and CEO[3]
Avient Corporation announced that its Board of Directors appointed Mike Frank as President and Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately, succeeding Dr. Ashish K. Khandpur, who has stepped down from the role and will remain in an advisory capacity through December 31, 2026 to help facilitate a seamless transition.
- Unconfirmed
Reported
Avient appoints Mike Frank as Chief Executive Officer[4]
Avient announced the appointment of Mike Frank as its Chief Executive Officer, per a PR Newswire release.
Reported
PolyOne changes its name to Avient[5]
PolyOne announced that it had changed its name and would now be called Avient, effective July 1, 2020.
Reported
PolyOne announces pricing of public share offering[6]
PolyOne announced the pricing of an underwritten public offering of 13,333,333 common shares at $33.75 per share. The offering was expected to close on February 4, 2020, subject to customary closing conditions.
Reported
PolyOne introduces reSound OM TPE[7]
PolyOne announced the introduction of reSound OM overmolding thermoplastic elastomer, a new addition to its sustainable solutions product range. The product uses 40%–50% bio-renewable content derived from sugarcane.
Sources11 sources
- 1Avient Corporationen.wikipedia.org
- 2Avient official websiteavient.com
- 3Avient选举Richard H. Fearon为董事会非执行主席prnewswire.com
- 4Avient任命Mike Frank为首席执行官news.google.com
- 5PolyOne更名为Avientprnewswire.com
- 6PolyOne宣布公开发行普通股定价prnewswire.com
- 7普立万推出reSound OM热塑性弹性体finance.sina.com.cn
- 8Avient Appoints Mike Frank as Chief Executive Officer - PR Newswirenews.google.com
- 9Avient appoints Mike Frank president and CEOcanplastics.com
- 10Material Supplier Avient Appoints Cathy Dodd To President Of Distribution - Canadian Plasticscanplastics.com
- 11PolyOne rebrands and completes Clariant Masterbatch acquisitioncompositesworld.com
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