The process of chemical blending involves mixing two or more different chemicals without producing a chemical reaction.
Most chemicals produced globally by blending are cosmetic products like lipsticks, consumer products such as latex paints, and foodstuffs like canned goods.
Read on to discover the top 10 largest chemical blending companies in the world, some of which offer contract manufacturing or chemical manufacturing services for other companies.
In this post:
The Global Chemical Blending Industry 2024
The top six segments of the chemical industry in 2024 are:
- Pharmaceuticals
- Fine and specialty chemicals
- Petrochemicals and derivatives
- Polymers
- Bulk and inorganic chemicals
- Detergents and personal care products
The top three regions in terms of global chemical exports are Europe at US$758.9 billion, Asia-Pacific at US$673.3 billion, and North America at US$217.7 billion.
Meanwhile, the top 10 chemical exporting countries are the USA, China, Germany, Belgium, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Netherlands, Japan, France, and South Korea.
The global chemical market (which includes the chemical blending industry) is projected to grow by 1.14% from 2024 to 2029. This will expand the market to US$900 billion by the year 2029.
There are several factors and trends that drive the growth of the global chemical blending sector, including the increasing demand for custom formulations, carbon footprint issues, and regulatory requirements.
Looking into these in a bit more detail, the demand for custom formulations is coming from various industrial sectors, such as cosmetics and healthcare. These industries require new formulations to increase their competitive edge.
Green chemistry and the global impetus for sustainable chemical manufacturing and blending are also becoming the new paradigm. Consequently, there’s a need for chemical blending companies to change their approach in terms of methods and technology to reduce the carbon footprint and waste products. Government regulations and international standards are also becoming more strict in response to the threats of climate change.
The Top 10 Biggest Chemical Blending Companies
Relatively few large chemical companies are focused on chemical blending and specialty or niched chemicals; many of them also manufacture chemicals.
Here are 10 of the largest chemical blending companies or companies that at least engage in chemical blending as one of their services.
1. L’Oréal
L’Oréal is a French company founded in 1909. It has the lion’s share of the global market in cosmetics products; as of September 2024, it has a market value of US$234.75 billion.
2. Univar Solutions
Univar is a chemical distribution company that can trace its foundation back to 1924. It was acquired by Apollo Global Management in 2024, and posted a total revenue of US$8.265 billion in 2020.
3. Brenntag AG
Brenntag is a German company which was founded in 1874 as an egg wholesale business. It later diversified to selling medicine, and eventually evolved into a chemical distribution company. Brenntag now operates in more than 600 locations in 72 countries. In 2023, it posted a total revenue of €16.8 billion.
4. Economy Polymers & Chemicals
This American company is based in Houston, Texas, and specialises in custom blending services for a wide range of clients in different industrial sectors. It supplies chemical blends to the oil and gas industry, the personal care industry, and the seismic drilling sector.
5. Advanced Blending, Inc.
Advanced Blending specialises in toll blending services and provides private label manufacturing and packaging of liquid and powder chemicals. Some of its products include cleaning solvents, laundry cleaners, and household cleaners. The company is based in Texas, USA.
6. Galderma S.A.
This Swiss pharmaceutical company is a former subsidiary of L’Oréal and Nestlé. Galderma was founded in 1981, and specialises in dermatological products. Its market value as of 2024 is $22.63 billion.
7. Elcan Industries
Elcan has facilities in both New York and North Carolina, and specialises in dry powder processing. It transforms raw ingredients into consistent powder products that can easily be used by the industries it serves.
8. ChemSpec
This Indian company was founded in 1978 by Jayant Vora as a specialty chemical manufacturing company. It now focuses on manufacturing personal care ingredients, such as those used in suncare and haircare products. ChemSpec has a presence in more than 40 countries across North America and South America, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.
9. Henkel AG & Company, KGaA
This German company was founded in 1876. Henkel specialises in the production of laundry and cleaning products, beauty care products, adhesives, and sealants. In 2023, the company posted a total revenue of €21.514 billion.
10. S. C. Johnson & Son, Inc.
This American company was founded in 1886 in Wisconsin. It now operates as a multinational corporation that mainly produces household cleaning supplies and other consumer chemical products. Johnson’s posted a total revenue of US$11.2 billion in 2023.
Applications of Chemicals Blended by The Top Chemical Blending Companies
The top global chemical blending companies mainly produce personal care and household cleaning products.
Although some of them are also engaged in chemical manufacturing and other services, their main focus is blending chemicals like cosmetics and detergents. That means most of the applications of these chemicals are for end-user consumption, such as personal hygiene and laundry cleaning.
Conclusion
Chemical blending is distinct from chemical manufacturing, and involves the mixing of one or two chemicals to produce a product. The top 10 global chemical blending companies mainly produce cosmetics, personal care, detergents, household cleaning products, and other consumer products, such as paints and dyes.