Kemira

What Kemira does

Kemira Oyj is a Finnish specialty chemicals company founded in 1920 and listed on Nasdaq Helsinki (ticker: KEMIRA) that develops, produces, and sells water treatment chemistries, pulp and paper process chemicals, and fiber-based materials for water-intensive industries. The company serves three primary customer segments — municipal water utilities, pulp & paper producers, and industrial users in food and beverage, energy, metals and mining, and healthcare — and reports a workforce of approximately 4,900 employees across 37 countries and 58 production sites, with innovation centers in Espoo, Atlanta, and Shanghai. Its core technology portfolio spans coagulants, polymers, biocides, sizing agents (including AKD), and process chemicals for water and pulp/paper applications; the KemConnect digital services platform overlays these chemicals with process monitoring, optimization (e.g., KemConnect Harmonizer for paper), and chlorine-free disinfection (KemConnect DEX, EPA- and PMRA-registered).

Kemira generates revenue primarily through direct enterprise sales of specialty chemicals on a quote-based B2B model, complemented by recurring KemConnect digital services subscriptions and an expanding water treatment services business built through recent acquisitions. Water Solutions is the largest segment at roughly 45% of revenue, followed by Pulp & Paper and Industrial Solutions, with a strategic push into fiber-based packaging (Fennobio) and bio-based chemistries (Alpha Bio JV with IFF, EUR 130M total investment). Distribution combines field sales and technical application specialists for large accounts, inside sales for mid-market, and regional distributors for smaller customers, while marketing includes thought-leadership content (annual Kemira Water Index research), industry conferences, LinkedIn/YouTube presence, and investor communications. FY2025 revenue was EUR 2.8 billion with a 19.1% operative EBITDA margin, and the company continues an active inorganic growth strategy with four acquisitions completed or announced between October 2025 and June 2026.

Name

Kemira

Legal name

Kemira Oyj

Website

http://www.kemira.com/

Company type

Public

Founded year

1920

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Kemira Oyj is a Finnish specialty chemicals company founded in 1920 that produces water treatment chemicals, pulp and paper process chemicals, and digital services for municipal water utilities, pulp and paper producers, and industrial customers across 37 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Chemicals

NAICS

Chemical Manufacturing (325), Other Chemical Product and Preparation Manufacturing (3259)

SIC

Chemicals & Allied Products (2800), Industrial Inorganic Chemicals (2810), Miscellaneous Chemical Products (2890)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Treatment & Process Specialty Chemicals (IMAEABAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Municipal Wastewater & Sewage Treatment Chemicals (IMAEAJAB), Municipal Drinking Water Treatment Chemicals (IMAEAJAA), Industrial Wastewater Treatment Chemicals (IMAEAJAC), Biocides & Disinfection Chemicals (Non-Agricultural) (IMAEAJAL)

Keywords

• Water treatment chemicals
• Specialty chemicals manufacturing
• Pulp paper chemistry
• Industrial process chemicals
• Water-intensive industry solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Helsinki

HQ country

Finland

HQ region

Europe

Offices14 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Specialty Chemicals - Water Solutions: Sale of specialty chemicals including coagulants, polymers, biocides, and process chemicals for municipal and industrial water treatment. Represents approximately 45% of total company revenue.
2. Specialty Chemicals - Pulp & Paper: Complete pulp chemistry portfolio including sizing agents (AKD), sodium chlorate, and process chemicals for pulp, paper, board, and tissue production.
3. Digital Services: Digital services for process optimization including KemConnect platform offerings for water treatment and paper production monitoring and control.
4. Water Treatment Services: Industrial water treatment services provided through acquisitions including Water Engineering, AquaBlue, and Clear Water Technologies. Expanding service offerings in North American industrial water treatment sector.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Kemira manufactures and supplies specialty chemicals for water treatment (coagulants, polymers, biocides, activated carbon), pulp and paper production chemistry (pulp, paper, board, tissue), and industrial process chemicals for water-intensive industries including food & beverage, energy, and metals & mining. The chemical portfolio is complemented by KemConnect digital services that deliver real-time monitoring and process optimization for water treatment and paper manufacturing operations.

Product overview

Kemira offers a unified portfolio of specialty chemicals and digital services for water-intensive industries. The core offering spans three business areas: Water Solutions (coagulants, polymers, biocides, activated carbon for municipal and industrial water treatment), Pulp & Paper (pulp chemistry, paper and board chemicals, tissue chemicals), and Industrial Solutions (process chemicals for food, energy, metals & mining). The KemConnect digital services platform overlays the chemical portfolio with real-time monitoring, process optimization, and automation capabilities. Key product lines include KemConnect DEX (chlorine-free disinfection), KemConnect Harmonizer (paper production optimization), and Fennobio (bio-based packaging). The company operates 58 production sites across 37 countries with three innovation centers in Shanghai, Atlanta, and Espoo.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• KemConnect DEX: Chlorine-free performic acid-based antibacterial technology for waste and process water treatment. EPA-registered and now also PMRA registered in Canada for wastewater treatment applications.
• Fennobio
• Alpha Bio
• Kemira Water Index

Products and services

• Water Treatment Chemicals Coagulants, polymers, process chemicals, and biocides used by municipal water utilities and industrial customers for raw water, drinking water, wastewater, and sludge treatment.
• Activated Carbon Activated carbon solutions for water treatment applications, with a new reactivation and production facility being developed in Helsingborg, Sweden (expected operational by H2 2027) to meet rising demand for sustainable water treatment.
• Pulp Chemistry

Quantifiable outcome

• 43.1% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions since 2018 baseline
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability2 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlpha Bio joint venture to produce bio-based alpha-glucans using IFF's proprietary DEB technology platform. Total investment of approximately EUR 130 million. Manufacturing site relocated to Hanko, Finland with commercial production expected 2029. Kemira retains global exclusivity for Paper, Board, and Water Treatment markets.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Solenis: Privately held US-based specialty chemicals producer serving pulp & paper and water-intensive industries with a comparable portfolio of process chemicals, functional additives, and water treatment chemistries. Direct competitor to Kemira in pulp/paper and industrial water markets globally.
• SNF Floerger: World's largest producer of polyacrylamide flocculants and coagulants used in municipal and industrial water treatment. Closely comparable to Kemira's polymer and coagulant portfolio and competes head-to-head in raw water and wastewater applications.
• Kurita Water Industries: Japanese specialty chemicals and services company focused on industrial water treatment, boiler/cooling water, and ultrapure water for semiconductor and pharmaceutical customers. Directly comparable to Kemira's Industrial Solutions and water treatment chemicals segments, especially in Asia-Pacific.
• Buckman: Privately held specialty chemicals supplier focused on pulp & paper, water treatment, and leather. Direct competitor in pulp chemistry, paper process chemicals, and industrial water treatment with similar customer overlap in North America and Europe.

Broad incumbents

• Ecolab: US-based global leader in water, hygiene, and infection prevention solutions serving industrial, food service, and healthcare customers. Overlaps with Kemira's water and pulp/paper chemistries as part of a much broader portfolio including cleaning, sanitization, and food safety.
• Veolia Environnement: French multinational providing water and wastewater management services, including chemical treatment and municipal utility operations. Comparable to Kemira's expansion into water treatment services via Clear Water Technologies and SIDRA Wasserchemie acquisitions.
• Suez (Suez Water Technologies & Solutions): French water services and technology provider offering water treatment chemicals, equipment, and operations to municipal and industrial customers. Comparable to Kemira's water treatment chemicals and growing services portfolio in Europe and globally.
• Solvay: Belgian specialty chemicals producer serving consumer goods, advanced materials, and industrial markets including soda ash used in pulp processing. Comparable as a broad European specialty chemicals peer with overlap in water and pulp/paper inputs.

Emerging players

• Xylem: US-based water technology company focused on pumps, filtration, and treatment equipment for municipal and industrial water applications. Comparable to Kemira's water solutions offering, particularly as both companies expand into integrated digital and services offerings.
• Pentair: US water solutions company offering residential, commercial, and industrial water treatment equipment and services. Comparable to Kemira's industrial water treatment footprint, though focused more on equipment and filtration than chemical dosing.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/KemiraGroup
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/7400
• Xx.com/kemiragroup
• Facebookfacebook.com/storaenso

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors3 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A10 records

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kemira