Chemtrade

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.

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

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

• Industrial chemicals
• Sulphuric acid production
• Water treatment chemicals
• Chlor-alkali products
• Sodium chlorate manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. 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.
2. 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

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core 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

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Polytec, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 November 2025Acquired 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

Direct 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

• Facebookfacebook.com/chemtrade
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/chemtrade-logistics

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Subsidiaries7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds4 records

Investors1 record

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

M&A4 records

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Chemtrade