CCD Partners

Which companies are shaping the future of chemical distribution? 🔍 Our latest Chemical Distribution 2025/26 Watchlist highlights companies making an impact through innovation and strategic growth. One of this year’s Spotlight companies is InterPur Chemicals, a Barcelona-based distributor specialising in polyurethane (PU) and powder coatings. With a focused portfolio and strong partnerships with leading manufacturers, the company operates across five global locations, supplying materials to 27 countries. 📊 @InterPur Chemicals at a Glance: • $60M+ revenue and 23K tonnes in annual sales  • 21 employees across Spain, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, and the UK • Exclusive focus on PU and powder coatings, supplying key raw materials, additives, and intermediates • Several own REACH registrations that enable a well-balanced mix of REACH-compliant suppliers from Europe and Asia, with a particular focus on Thailand and South Korea. 🔹 Markets and Applications: • Powder Coatings – Used in construction, automotive, and industrial applications  • Polyurethanes – Key materials for insulation, footwear, adhesives, and more  • Consulting Services – Support across formulation, product design, and production To read the full report, including all the other companies disrupting the chemical distribution sector, download it here: https://lnkd.in/eDNc2rEk

Mitsubishi Chemical’s Pharma Sell off 🧪    For decades, Japanese chemical companies have maintained a strong presence in the pharmaceutical sector, even as some of their Western counterparts moved away from drug development. But this long-standing model may be shifting, with Mitsubishi Chemical Group’s decision to divest its pharmaceutical subsidiary, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma.   Mitsubishi Chemical is selling Mitsubishi Tanabe to Bain Capital for $3.3 billion, citing a lack of synergy between its core chemical business and pharma operations. The move highlights an emerging trend: Japanese chemical firms are reassessing their diversified structures, which often span petrochemicals, specialty materials, and drug discovery.    While Mitsubishi Chemical is refocusing on green specialty chemicals, other major Japanese firms—such as Sumitomo Chemical and Asahi Kasei—still retain significant pharmaceutical interests. However, they might soon follow Mitsubishi’s lead, as industry analysts argue that chemical and pharma businesses require distinct capital strategies. 🔹 Featured Deal: Mitsubishi Chemical sells Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma to Bain Capital    • Summary: The $3.3 billion sale allows Mitsubishi Chemical to streamline its focus on green specialty chemicals, aligning with its long-term strategy. Meanwhile, Bain Capital strengthens its footprint in Japan’s life sciences sector, leveraging regulatory tailwinds for drug innovation.  • Rationale: Mitsubishi Chemical sees limited strategic alignment between its core chemical business and pharmaceuticals. By exiting pharma, it unlocks capital for investment in sustainability-driven growth areas while also reducing debt.     #Chemicals #MitsubishiChemical #Pharma 

We tracked 11 M&A deals in the fine and specialty chemicals markets this week 📈     Chemical highlights feature our top-five recent global M&A and senior people moves.     Sign up here to receive the full list  ➡️ https://lnkd.in/eqkaV4zS      1. Sika has acquired Elmich Pte Ltd, a Singapore-based supplier of urban greening systems, to enhance its roofing portfolio and specification business in the Asia-Pacific region. The acquisition leverages Elmich’s expertise in green roof solutions to support sustainable urban development and expand Sika’s presence in commercial and residential projects.     2. Air Products has appointed Eduardo Menezes as CEO following the departure of Seifi Ghasemi, leveraging his extensive experience in the industrial gases sector. Menezes, previously an executive vice president at Linde, brings over three decades of global leadership across key industry segments.    3. Clariant has announced that the Lugman Group has withdrawn from the acquisition of the Industrial Park Fechenheim due to the city of Frankfurt exercising its pre-emption rights. The transaction, initially expected to generate EUR 95 million in cash and a CHF 70 million boost in EBITDA for 2025, will not proceed, though Clariant remains committed to divesting the site.    4. CARBOGEN AMCIS has announced the appointment of Stephan Fritschi as CEO following the resignation of Pascal Villemagne. Fritschi, bringing extensive experience in the pharmaceutical and API manufacturing sectors, will oversee the company's continued growth and operational excellence.   5. CTMC - a joint venture between Resilience + MD Anderson Cancer Center, has appointed Duane Avant as Chief Technical Officer and Amy Hay as Chief Business Officer. Their leadership will support CTMC’s strategic growth, strengthening its capabilities in cell therapy development, market expansion, and manufacturing innovation.    #MergersandAcquisitions #CorporateDevelopments #ChemicalIndustry 

Great to see Stephen J. Mothersole, our Head of Talent being featured in this report. Stephen shares insights into the industry’s biggest hiring challenges, the changing dynamics of leadership, and how his firm is redefining talent acquisition in this complex field.

Like many chemical markets, the performance additives sector is undergoing consolidation, with large companies acquiring smaller firms. However, inorganic growth isn’t limited to major players—lower-midsized companies are also actively pursuing acquisitions, often behind closed doors. These deals are typically driven by product synergies or market expansion needs rather than simply increasing revenue or scale. Following this trend, two companies from our Performance Additives Watchlist have recently announced an acquisition. TIB Chemicals AG has acquired REAXIS Inc., a US-based manufacturer of tin catalysts and metal-based specialty additives. The transaction is set to close on 31 January 2025. 🔹 Summary: This acquisition expands TIB Chemicals’ North American footprint while strengthening its position in the tin chemicals market, particularly in tin catalysts. By integrating REAXIS into its global operations, TIB enhances its capabilities in specialty additives. 🔹 Rationale: TIB Chemicals gains direct access to the North American market while reinforcing its leadership in tin catalysts and metal-based specialty additives. Stay tuned for weekly updates on deals and talent moves in the chemical and life sciences sectors here: https://lnkd.in/eqkaV4zS and download our Performance Additives Watchlist here: https://lnkd.in/eDNc2rEk

What impact will new regulations have on the North American chemical industry?    In the near future, the North American chemical industry could be facing a complex and uncertain regulatory landscape. There are conflicting views regarding the future of harmful chemicals – some are advocating for stricter controls, while others push for deregulation and agency restructuring. This has the potential for a confusing and challenging environment for businesses.     Key developments could include: • Potential legislation which could deregulate the use of selected toxic chemicals in the North American manufacturing sector  • Restructuring of agencies like the Envrionmental Protection Agency, impacting enforcement. There is a potential for these challenges to affect M&A deals, especially when it comes to negotiating over envrionmental liabilities.     How do you see these changes affecting the chemical sector, and more specifically, the dealflow? Will deregulation drive growth, or will uncertainty create more challenges?     #Chemicals #Regulation #Business 

We tracked 10 M&A deals in the fine and specialty chemicals markets this week 📈     Chemical highlights feature our top-five recent global M&A and senior people moves.     Sign up here to receive the full list  ➡️ https://lnkd.in/eqkaV4zS      1. Lantheus has signed an agreement to acquire Evergreen Theragnostics in an all-cash transaction worth $250 million, with up to $752.5 million in potential milestone payments. The acquisition enhances Lantheus’ radiopharmaceutical manufacturing capabilities, expands its oncology diagnostic pipeline, and strengthens its position as a fully integrated radiopharmaceutical company.     2.  LAVOLLEE, SIPA A.Ch., and Firmalis, key players in the distribution of specialty ingredients, have partnered with Waterland Private Equity to form SIDG (Specialty Ingredients Distribution Group). The investment supports SIDG’s growth strategy while maintaining its family business model and leveraging Waterland Private Equity’s expertise to strengthen its market position in food, nutrition, health, cosmetics, pharma, and industrial applications.     3. Eigenmann & Veronelli Group (EV), a specialty chemicals and food ingredients distributor and manufacturer, has acquired a minority stake in Cornelius Group plc, a distributor of specialty additives and ingredients for life sciences and performance chemicals. The partnership strengthens both businesses by leveraging shared technical expertise and complementary strengths. It expands EV Group’s presence in the UK and Poland while providing Cornelius with a broader product range across manufacturing and distribution.    4. Sumitomo Chemical has agreed to acquire Kenogard, its Spanish crop protection sales subsidiary, as part of its strategy to integrate operations with Philagro under Sumitomo Chemical Agro Europe. Originally acquired in 1992 by Japanese firms, including Sumitomo Chemical, Kenogard operates as a joint venture with Nissan Chemical. This move strengthens Sumitomo’s presence in key agricultural markets in France and Spain.    5. Simon Bloem has been appointed chief operations officer of Kemira’s newly centralised operations unit, effective 1 May 2025. He joins from Envalior and brings over 25 years of experience from Royal DSM, where he held leadership roles in engineering, safety, manufacturing, and operations. At Envalior he’s been VP global manufacturing materials since 2023.    #MergersandAcquisitions #CorporateDevelopments #ChemicalIndustry 

We estimate almost 20 thousand people work in the >350 smaller independent chemical distributors across Europe and North America. Let us know if your employer should be highlighted in the next edition!

📢 Introducing the 2025 Chemical Distribution Watchlist    Our Watchlist celebrates innovative chemical and ingredient distributors headquartered across Europe and North America. 🌍     The report focuses on lower-midsized and independent businesses, which often fly under the radar but are working tirelessly to build the corporate platforms required to drive progress. Download here: https://lnkd.in/eDNc2rEk    🔍 What’s inside?  Analysis of the lower-midsized chemical distribution market  Company profiles on a selected 10 innovators shaping the industry  Interviews with the owners/management teams  Information about CCD Partners, our advisors, and our Watchlists    We hope our report serves as a useful resource for manufacturers, distributors, investors, and industry professionals seeking insights into the evolving chemical distribution landscape!    A special thank you to this year’s featured companies, whose participation made this Watchlist possible:   InterPur Chemicals  Adina | B Corp ™ Rebain International  BCH  Socosur Chem. National Adhesive  Kasakrom Chemicals  Savendor   XATICO  Th. Geyer Ingredients GmbH & Co. KG   A final thanks to our panel of experts for their time, insights, and invaluable contributions to our report! Peter Dixon, Ian Anderson, Peter Snaith, and Matt Dixon    #ChemicalDistribution #Innovation #Distribution #ChemicalIndustry

We tracked 10 M&A deals in the fine and specialty chemicals markets this week 📈     Chemical highlights feature our top-five recent global M&A and senior people moves.     Sign up here to receive the full list  ➡️ https://lnkd.in/eqkaV4zS      1. Evonik has merged its Silica and Silanes business lines to form Smart Effects, effective 1 January 2025, to enhance customer solutions and strengthen sustainability. The new business line will streamline operations for improved efficiency and support markets such as automotive, electronics, and consumer health, while advancing sustainability and circularity in key sectors.     2. Lindus Health has raised $55M in Series B funding, led by Balderton Capital, to accelerate its AI-driven clinical trial platform. The funding will enhance Lindus Health’s proprietary eClinical platform, Citrus™, enabling faster trial execution, automated biostatistics, and the hiring of key talent to revolutionise the traditional CRO model.    3. Brenntag SE has appointed Thomas Reisten as Chief Financial Officer, effective 1 April 2025, succeeding Dr Kristin Neumann. Thomas Reisten, who brings decades of financial and operational expertise from his tenure at Vantage Towers AG and Vodafone Group, will lead key financial and strategic operations to support Brenntag’s transformation and future growth initiatives.  4. Grupa Azoty S.A. has signed an agreement with ORLEN S.A. for the potential sale of its Polyolefins PDH/PP plant. The deal includes terms for due diligence and negotiations, which will continue through March 2025 as part of Grupa Azoty's recovery programme to establish a new business model for the group. 5. Cormica, a global life sciences testing and consulting company, has completed the acquisition of Zwisler Laboratorium GmbH, a provider of laboratory services. This acquisition marks Cormica's entry into the German market. It aligns with Cormica's strategy to expand its presence in high-growth European markets and enhance its service offerings for life sciences. #MergersandAcquisitions #CorporateDevelopments #ChemicalIndustry