(Reuters) - Speciality chemicals maker Alent Plc (ALNT.L) said on Thursday that its chief executive Steve Corbett would step down immediately, and named Rick Ertmann, president of its Assembly Materials division, as interim CEO.

Corbett took over as CEO of Alent when the company was spun out of Cookson Group Plc in December 2012.

The company did not mention a reason for Corbett's departure, but said the board would undertake a recruitment process to find a permanent CEO.

Alent supplies fluxes, adhesives and electroplating chemicals via its two units, Assembly Materials and Surface Chemistries, to the electronic and automotive industries respectively.

Shares in the FTSE-250 company closed at 351 pence on Wednesday on the London Stock Exchange.

(Reporting by Roshni Menon in Bangalore; Editing by Gopakumar Warrier)