Jarden's founder Martin Franklin to buy chemical maker MacDermid for $1.8 bln-WSJ

Oct (KOSDAQ: 039200.KQ - news) 10 (Reuters) - Consumer products (Other OTC: CPSV - news) company Jarden Corp (NYSE: JAH - news) 's founder and chairman, Martin Franklin, is planning to buy privately held specialty chemicals maker MacDermid Inc for $1.8 billion, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter.

The deal is expected to be the first of several purchases of niche chemicals businesses by Franklin, reflecting the British-born businessman's interest in collecting and building businesses unrelated to the company he runs, the Journal said. ()

The deal, expected to close by the end of the year, will be funded through Platform Acquisition Holdings Ltd - a company Franklin founded with billionaire Nicolas Berggruen and took public on the London Stock Exchange (LSE: LSE.L - news) in May, the Journal said.

Platform Acquisition's shareholders include sovereign wealth funds, hedge fund investors and William Ackman's Pershing Square Capital Management, which owns 28 percent of the company's ordinary shares, the Journal said.

After the deal, Platform Acquisition will be renamed Platform Specialty Products Corp, its headquarters will be moved to the United States and its listing to the New York Stock Exchange, the Journal said.

Jarden supplies products ranging from Sunbeam electric blankets and Crock-Pots to Coleman camping gear and Marmot clothing to retailers such as Wal-Mart Stores Inc, Target Corp (NYSE: TGT - news) and Bed, Bath and Beyond.

Denver-based MacDermid was taken private for $1.3 billion in a management-led buyout in 2007. The specialty chemicals company generated about $740 million in revenue for the year to September, the Journal said.

Jarden and MacDermid could not immediately be reached for comment by Reuters outside of regular U.S. business hours.