ICI could offload another of its Teesside businesses as it continues to streamline its operations.
Eutech, the engineering and troubleshooting team, based at Belasis Business Park, Billingham, is believed to have been sold to German company ABB.
A spokesman for ICI refused to comment on the speculation last night.
Eutech was established in 1993 to help manufacturing and engineering projects for ICI. It tackles engineering problems in the chemical, paint, pharmaceutical, agrochemical and explosives industries.
Now, more than half its work comes from outside of the chemical giant, providing consultation services to 150 countries worldwide.
The company employs about 500 staff, split between its Teesside site and its headquarters at Northwich, Cheshire.
Over the past three years, ICI has been repositioning itself in the industrial market, from a high-volume bulk chemicals business to a speciality products and paints business.
The restructuring was prompted by ICI's acquisition of Unilever's speciality chemicals business in 1997.
In December last year, ICI agreed the sale of its industrial chemical operations for £325m. The businesses , Chlor-Chemicals, Klea and Crosfield, were sold to privately-owned chemicals group Ineos
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