Chemtrade
Chemtrade is a North American industrial chemicals manufacturer operating ~65 facilities, producing sulphuric acid, chlor-alkali products, sodium chlorate, and water treatment coagulants for municipal water utilities, pulp and paper mills, semiconductor fabs, and agricultural customers.
- Company typePublic
- Founded2001
- HeadquartersToronto, Canada
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Chemtrade does
Chemtrade Logistics Income Fund is a Toronto-based, publicly traded income trust (TSX: CHE.UN; OTCQX: CGIFF) that manufactures and distributes industrial chemicals across approximately 65 facilities in North America and Brazil. The company is organized into two business segments: Sulphur & Water Chemicals (SWC), which produces industrial sulphuric acid (including UltraPure grades for semiconductor fabrication), sulphur products, inorganic coagulants for water treatment, and specialty chemicals such as zinc oxide and phosphorus pentasulphide; and Electrochemicals (EC), which produces chlor-alkali products (chlorine, caustic soda, hydrochloric acid) and sodium chlorate for pulp and paper bleaching.
Chemtrade supplies over 40% of Canada's liquid chlorine demand and its products or derivatives are used by 96% of Canadian municipalities for drinking water treatment, making it a critical supplier of essential municipal infrastructure. It also serves pulp and paper manufacturers in Canada and Brazil, semiconductor fabricators (through UltraPure Acid), oil and gas refiners, steel processors, and agricultural customers. The November 2025 acquisition of Polytec, Inc. added a turnkey water treatment solutions platform serving the southeastern United States.
Chemtrade generates revenue primarily through direct industrial product sales to enterprise and government buyers, distributed via rail, truck, and logistics partners from owned manufacturing sites. As an income trust, it pays monthly cash distributions (CAD $0.06 per unit) from operating cash flows. The company has executed a multi-decade acquisition-led growth strategy (SHS Operations, Peak Chemicals, Marsulex, General Chemical, Canexus, Polytec) and continues to invest in semiconductor-grade acid capacity and water chemicals platform expansion under its stated Vision 2030 strategy.
Chemtrade firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Chemtrade
- Legal name
- Chemtrade Logistics Income Fund
- Website
- https://chemtradelogistics.com
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 2001
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- Chemtrade is a North American industrial chemicals manufacturer operating ~65 facilities, producing sulphuric acid, chlor-alkali products, sodium chlorate, and water treatment coagulants for municipal water utilities, pulp and paper mills, semiconductor fabs, and agricultural customers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Chemtrade industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Industrial Chemicals
- NAICS
- Basic Chemical Manufacturing (3251), Chemical Manufacturing (325), Other Basic Inorganic Chemical Manufacturing (325180), Other Chemical Product and Preparation Manufacturing (3259)
- SIC
- Chemicals & Allied Products (2800), Industrial Inorganic Chemicals (2810)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Chlor-Alkali & Derivatives (IMAEAAAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Industrial Wastewater Treatment Chemicals (IMAEAJAC), Water Treatment & Process Specialty Chemicals (IMAEABAN), Catalysts & Adsorbents (IMAEABAB)
Keywords
Where Chemtrade is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Toronto
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices8 records
Markets served
Chemtrade business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Product Sales: Chemtrade generates revenue primarily through the sale of industrial chemical products including sulphuric acid, sodium chlorate, chlor-alkali products, water treatment chemicals, and specialty chemicals to industrial customers across North America and South America.
- Distribution Payments: As an income trust, Chemtrade distributes monthly cash payments to unitholders from operating cash flows. Unitholders receive CAD 0.06 per unit monthly distributions.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Monthly distribution to unitholders |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
Chemtrade product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Chemtrade manufactures and markets industrial chemicals across two business segments: Sulphur & Water Chemicals (SWC) and Electrochemicals (EC). The SWC segment produces industrial, regenerated, and UltraPure sulphuric acid, sulphur products, and inorganic coagulants (aluminum and iron-based) for water treatment. The EC segment produces chlor-alkali products (chlorine, caustic soda, hydrochloric acid) and sodium chlorate for pulp and paper bleaching, supplying municipalities, pulp and paper mills, semiconductor fabricators, and industrial customers from approximately 65 facilities across North America and Brazil.
Product overview
Chemtrade operates a diversified industrial chemicals business organized into two primary segments: Sulphur & Water Chemicals (SWC) and Electrochemicals (EC). The SWC segment encompasses industrial sulphuric acid (merchant, regenerated, and ultrapure grades for semiconductors), various sulphur products, and water treatment coagulants including aluminum-based products (aluminum chloride, aluminum chlorohydrate, aluminum sulphate), iron-based products (ferric sulphate), and polyaluminum formulations. The EC segment produces chlor-alkali products (caustic soda, chlorine, hydrochloric acid) and sodium chlorate for pulp and paper bleaching. Chemtrade also acquired Polytec, Inc. in 2025 to expand its water treatment services platform. The company serves municipal water treatment, pulp & paper, oil & gas, agriculture, and semiconductor industries across North and South America from approximately 65 facilities.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Al+Clear: Poultry litter amendment products including Al+Clear Dry, Al+Clear A7, Al+Clear Xtra, and Al+Clear Advantage
- UltraPure Acid
- Polytec
Products and services
- Merchant Acid Industrial-strength sulphuric acid sold to a range of industrial customers and applications including chemical manufacturing, steel processing, and industrial mineral processing.
- Regen Acid Regenerated sulphuric acid produced from petroleum industry spent acid processing services, providing a circular supply of sulphuric acid for industrial buyers.
- UltraPure Acid High-purity sulphuric acid specifically formulated for electronics and semiconductor manufacturing, used in wafer cleaning and etching processes.
- Emulsified Sulphur Sulphur product in emulsified form for industrial applications including agriculture and chemical manufacturing.
- Molten Sulphur Sulphur in molten liquid form for industrial processing and chemical manufacturing.
- Prilled Sulphur Sulphur in pellet/prilled form for ease of handling and application in various industrial processes.
- Ammonium Sulphate Sulphur-based nitrogen fertilizer and industrial chemical compound sold to agriculture and industrial customers.
- Liquid Sulphur Dioxide (SO2) Sulphur dioxide in liquid form used as a reducing agent and preservative in various industrial applications.
- Sodium Hydrosulphite (SHS)
Quantifiable outcome
- Supplies over 40% of Canada's liquid chlorine for drinking water treatment
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Chemtrade
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Chemtrade technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Chemtrade partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Polytec, Inc.coreAcquired for US$150 million, expanding Chemtrade's water chemicals platform and adding turnkey water treatment solutions. Polytec provides specialized chemicals, equipment, and services primarily to agricultural customers in the southeastern United States.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Chemtrade competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Kemira Oyj: Specialty chemicals company focused on water treatment coagulants and pulp & paper process chemicals, with a product portfolio and end markets that closely mirror Chemtrade's water chemicals and SWC segments.
- Westlake Corporation: Vertically integrated chlor-alkali and PVC producer with significant North American chlorine and caustic soda capacity, directly competing with Chemtrade's Electrochemicals segment in industrial and water treatment channels.
- Olin Corporation: Major North American chlor-alkali producer (chlorine, caustic soda, hydrochloric acid) with overlapping EC segment products, similar industrial customer base, and direct competition in chlor-alkali derivatives for water treatment and pulp/paper.
- Nouryon (ERCO Worldwide): Global leader in sodium chlorate and chlor-alkali products serving the pulp and paper industry; directly competes with Chemtrade's Canexus-derived sodium chlorate franchise in North and South America.
- Hawkins, Inc. U.S. specialty chemical distributor and formulator focused on water treatment chemicals (coagulants, corrosion inhibitors) for municipal and industrial customers; overlaps directly with Chemtrade's water treatment coagulants business and Polytec-style service model.
- Solenis: Specialty chemicals supplier to water-intensive industries including pulp & paper and municipal water treatment; competes with Chemtrade in process chemicals, biocides, and water treatment formulations.
Broad incumbents
- Ashland Inc. Global specialty chemicals company with positions in water treatment, coatings, and industrial intermediates; broader portfolio but overlapping with Chemtrade's specialty chemicals and water chemistry offerings.
- Cabot Corporation: Specialty chemicals and performance materials producer (carbon black, specialty fluids) serving industrial and infrastructure customers with a comparable diversified specialty chemicals operating model.
- Tronox Holdings: Vertically integrated inorganic chemicals producer (titanium dioxide, electrolytic chemicals, zircon) with comparable inorganic chemistry footprint and similar industrial customer profile.
Regional players
- Stepan Company: Specialty intermediates and surfactants manufacturer with adjacent specialty chemicals exposure to water treatment, agricultural, and industrial cleaning end markets served by Chemtrade.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Chemtrade social profiles
Digital presenceChemtrade compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Chemtrade financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Chemtrade leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles14 records
Chemtrade subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries7 records
Chemtrade funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds4 records
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Chemtrade M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A4 records
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Chemtrade
What does Chemtrade do?
Chemtrade manufactures and markets industrial chemicals across two business segments: Sulphur & Water Chemicals (SWC) and Electrochemicals (EC). The SWC segment produces industrial, regenerated, and UltraPure sulphuric acid, sulphur products, and inorganic coagulants (aluminum and iron-based) for water treatment. The EC segment produces chlor-alkali products (chlorine, caustic soda, hydrochloric acid) and sodium chlorate for pulp and paper bleaching, supplying municipalities, pulp and paper mills, semiconductor fabricators, and industrial customers from approximately 65 facilities across North America and Brazil.
Is Chemtrade a public or private company?
Chemtrade is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was Chemtrade founded?
Chemtrade was founded in 2001. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Chemtrade based?
Chemtrade is headquartered in Toronto, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Chemtrade make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are distribution Payments.
Who are Chemtrade's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Kemira Oyj, Westlake Corporation, Olin Corporation, Nouryon (ERCO Worldwide), Hawkins, Inc. and Solenis. Broad incumbents are Ashland Inc., Cabot Corporation and Tronox Holdings. Stepan Company is listed as a regional player.
Does Chemtrade have an API?
No public API is recorded for Chemtrade.
What industry is Chemtrade in?
Chemtrade's product category is Industrial Chemicals. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAEAAAC, Chlor-Alkali & Derivatives, with a secondary code of IMAEAJAC, Industrial Wastewater Treatment Chemicals. Its NAICS code is 3251 and its SIC code is 2800.