Olin Corporation, the St. Louis-based chemicals maker, is packing its corporate bags. The company announced Tuesday that it will combine with Huntsman Corporation in an all-stock merger of equals to create a new entity called OlinHuntsman. The combined company plans to plant its corporate headquarters in The Woodlands, Texas, with the transaction expected to close in the first half of 2027, pending regulatory and shareholder approval. For the St. Louis region, it is a potential shakeup of one of its better-known corporate names.
Deal Details And Scale
In a joint press release, the companies said the combined business would generate roughly $12.5 billion in pro forma 2025 revenue, and management has identified more than $400 million in cost synergies and integration benefits. The announcement also tapped Ken Lane as chief executive officer and Peter Huntsman as non-executive chairman of the new company. According to PR Newswire, Olin's Winchester ammunition business will stay in the combined portfolio, giving the new company a mix of industrial chemicals and a well-known ammo brand under one roof.
Terms, Ownership And Approvals
The transaction is structured as an all-stock deal. Huntsman shareholders will receive 0.5476 Olin shares for each Huntsman share, a split that would leave Olin shareholders owning about 54.5% of the combined company and Huntsman shareholders holding roughly 45.5%. Both boards signed off unanimously, but the companies are clear that closing still depends on the usual conditions, including regulatory reviews and shareholder votes. The mechanics and fine print are laid out in company filings, including a Form 8-K highlighted on StockTitan.
What This Means For St. Louis
Olin currently lists its corporate offices in Clayton and reported about 7,849 employees worldwide as of December 31, 2025, in its most recent annual filing. It has been a recent member of the Fortune 500, a point of local pride in a region that watches its corporate roster closely. Moving the combined headquarters to The Woodlands could shift where top executives and certain corporate functions sit, but the filings and merger announcement stop short of spelling out exactly which roles or teams might move. That leaves local officials, employees and investors waiting for more concrete guidance on what the deal means on the ground in the St. Louis area.
Next Steps And Risks
The companies say they will prepare a registration statement on Form S-4 and will schedule shareholder votes once that registration is declared effective, keeping them on track for a targeted close in the first half of 2027 if regulators and stockholders sign off. Management has already named a chief integration officer and set up a 10-member board with equal representation from both sides to steer the merger and chase those promised savings. Investors and antitrust watchers, according to the SEC disclosures, are expected to keep a close eye on how smoothly the integration unfolds and whether regulators attach any conditions as the review moves forward.
Local Reporting And Company Response
Local outlet FOX 2 reports it reached out to Olin for comment and had not received a response as of its initial story. The companies have scheduled an investor call and webcast for June 16, 2026, where executives are expected to field questions on everything from timing to integration plans and, likely, what this all means for Olin's historic presence in the St. Louis region.
