(January 26, 2007) BRUSSELS, Belgium — The EU approved a bid by Advent International and the Carlyle Group to purchase Goslar, Germany-based H.C. Starck, a MaterialScience Group subsidiary of the Bayer Group. H.C. Starck, which specializes in high-purity refractory metals and ceramics in powder and engineered parts, will likely make an initial public offering (IPO) in 3 to 5 years.