3M was the highest-ranked company related to window film on the list, making the list at 193. Saint-Gobain, manufacturer of Solar Gard, followed closely behind at 260. Eastman Chemical Co., maker of LLumar Window Film, was ranked 982 while PPF manufacturer Avery Dennison held strong at 1,698.

According to Scott DeCarlo, Forbes staff, the Global 2000 contains “the biggest, most powerful listed companies in the world … Our ranking of the world’s biggest companies departs from lopsided lists based on a single metric, like sales. Instead we use an equal weighting of sales, profits, assets and market value to rank companies according to size.”

Chinese banking companies dominated the top of the list, though other major names, such as Exxon Mobil and General Electric helped round out the top five.

One night this week my husband and I were watching ESPN and he turned to me and asked, “What do you think is going to happen to Peyton?”

In the spirit of confident denial I simply said, “He’ll play.”

Well I’m getting nervous, folks (and dreading that I am wrong in front of my husband). I’m now crossing my fingers that we haven’t seen the last of my favorite athlete. You can only be in denial so long before the ugly truth forces you to face the music.

We certainly know a thing or two about change here in the window film industry. Only so many acquisitions can happen before it really sinks in that the industry is shrinking. Just last Friday we broke the news that Solutia had been acquired by Eastman. Another major window film manufacturer is being brought under another company’s wings. In 2011, we saw Solar Gard Specialty Films move to Saint-Gobain and we saw Solutia acquire Southwall Technologies. I wonder if the manufacturers’ acquisitions and mergers mean something to window film dealers. Does it concern you? Are you more concerned with increasing business in-house than what the film suppliers are doing?

 However, the wonderful part about our industry is that we have a product with a lot of value. While the industry may go through bouts of shrinking and growing, there is a demand for our product and the future certainly looks bright for energy conservation products. We are forever changing and adapting and that is one thing that I know I am not in denial about.

Share your thoughts on the recent acquisition by emailing me at komara@glass.com.

Officials at Eastman Chemical Co. of Kingsport, Tenn., and Solutia Inc. of St. Louis, have entered into a definitive agreement, under which Eastman will acquire Solutia. Under the terms of the agreement, Solutia stockholders will receive $22 in cash and 0.12 shares of Eastman common stock for each share of Solutia common stock.

“Solutia board of directors has agreed to a merger with Eastman Chemicals for an enterprise value of approximately $4.7 billion,” says Melissa H. Zona, director of corporate communications at Solutia. “Eastman’s offer represents a substantial premium for our shareholders. The agreement calls for the merger of the companies, which Solutia’s board of directors unanimously recommends be adopted by its shareholders.”

The merger creates a company with combined revenues of about $9.3 billion, Zona says. 

“The merger is financially compelling for Solutia’s shareholders, delivering immediate value and enabling investors to benefit over the long term from the combined company’s growth,” Zona adds. Solutia shareholders will receive cash and stock valued at $27.65 per Solutia common share, representing a premium of 42 percent and a total transaction value of approximately $4.7 billion, including the assumption of Solutia’s debt, she says.

“The acquisition of Solutia is a significant step in our growth strategy and one that I am confident will strengthen Eastman as a top-tier specialty chemical company with strong, stable margins,” says Jim Rogers, chairman and CEO of Eastman, in a company release. “The addition of Solutia will broaden our geographic reach into emerging geographies, particularly Asia Pacific, establish a powerful combined platform with extensive organic growth opportunities, and expand our portfolio of sustainable products, all of which are consistent with our growth strategy.

“This transaction is also expected to deliver immediate value to our stockholders in the form of accretion and strong cash generation, as well as create potential upside through the combination of two leading global chemical companies,” Rogers says in the release.

“This complementary transaction will accelerate the growth of our businesses around the world,” says Jeffry N. Quinn, chairman, president and CEO of Solutia, in the release. “This transaction provides Solutia’s shareholders with immediate value and an attractive premium, as well as the opportunity to benefit from the future prospects of a leading global chemicals producer with the financial strength, a diversified mix of premium products, and the geographic footprint to capitalize on long-term growth opportunities.”

In 1999 Solutia purchased CP Films.

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