The wood preservation business, which is now known as Koppers Performance Chemicals, is a global leader in developing, manufacturing and marketing wood preservation chemicals and wood treatment technologies.

The business has operations and sales in North and South America, Europe and Australasia.

"Acquiring the two Osmose businesses is an important step in our long-term growth strategy for Koppers," said Walt Turner, president and CEO of Koppers.

"The businesses fit well within our core competencies, expand both our chemicals offering and our existing railroad and utilities products and services platform and provide additional growth opportunities as we gain leading market positions in strategic end markets around the world."

"The synergies from the acquisition are expected to be at least US$12m and we anticipate that the annual run rate will be realisable by the end of 2015.

"I am pleased with the opportunities that we have identified throughout the integration process and I look forward to achieving the benefits that we will provide to our shareholders from the acquisition."

Revenues for the acquired businesses in 2013 were approximately US$390m.