What Safic Alcan does

Safic-Alcan is a Paris-headquartered global specialty chemicals distributor operating across five regions — Europe, Latin America, Asia Pacific, North America, and Middle East & Africa. The company sources specialty chemicals from manufacturers worldwide and distributes them to industrial customers across multiple verticals, including coatings, plastics, life sciences, personal care, footwear/consumer goods, and construction. Its product portfolio is built both through organic distribution agreements (e.g., Evonik's Protectosil anti-graffiti coatings, Algenesis Labs' Soleic bio-based TPU pellets) and through acquisitions of regional specialty distributors that bring established customer rosters, local warehousing, and technical support capabilities. Notable acquired entities include Colormix Especialidades (Brazil, 1,500+ customers, 1,700+ products) and Anders (Peru, with an attached Technology Center).

The company operates a B2B distribution model, earning margins on the markup between procurement and sales prices as an intermediary between chemical manufacturers and end-use industrial customers. Pricing is negotiated on a per-transaction or contract basis and is not publicly disclosed. Its go-to-market relies on enterprise field sales, regional sales offices, warehousing, and technical support infrastructure rather than direct-to-consumer or self-service channels. Marketing reach is driven by participation in industry trade events such as EUROCOAT in Paris, alongside manufacturer partnerships.

Safic-Alcan is privately held, founded in 1847, employs between 501 and 1,000 people, and is led by CEO Yann Lissillour. The company has pursued an active regional-distributor roll-up strategy in recent years, with acquisitions of Beck Ingredients (2024-05-13), Avees Biocos (2024-11-28), Ingredients Plus (2025-08-27), Anders (2025-10-01), S.A. Ingredients (2026-05-04), and Colormix Especialidades (2026-06-02). It has no disclosed parent company, no funding rounds, and no revenue figures publicly reported.

Name

Safic Alcan

Legal name

Safic-Alcan Group

Website

https://safic-alcan.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1847

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Safic-Alcan is a Paris-headquartered global specialty chemicals distributor serving industrial customers in coatings, plastics, life sciences, personal care, and construction across Europe, Latin America, Asia Pacific, North America, and the Middle East & Africa.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Puteaux

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Specialty Chemicals Distribution: Safic-Alcan generates revenue through distributing specialty chemicals to industrial customers across multiple sectors including coatings, plastics, life sciences, and personal care. The company earns margins on the markup between procurement and sales prices, serving as an intermediary between chemical manufacturers and end-use industrial customers.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

Safic-Alcan is a Paris-headquartered global specialty chemicals distributor that sources specialty chemicals and ingredients from global manufacturers and distributes them to industrial customers across coatings, plastics, life sciences, personal care, construction, footwear, and consumer goods sectors. The company operates through regional sales offices, warehousing, logistics infrastructure, and Technology Centers, providing customers with simplified procurement, technical formulation support, and supply chain efficiency. Its portfolio spans more than 1,700 products through acquired regional distributors and distributed specialty ingredients from manufacturing partners.

Product overview

Safic-Alcan is a Paris-headquartered global specialty chemicals distributor operating across multiple regions (Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, Middle East & Africa, North America). The company distributes specialty chemicals across coatings, plastics, and life sciences sectors, with its product portfolio consisting of acquired regional distributors (Colormix Especialidades in Brazil, Anders in Peru) and distributed specialty ingredients from partners (Evonik's Protectosil building protection products, Algenesis's Soleic bio-based TPU pellets). The company enhances its offerings through Technology Centers that support customer technical requirements.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Soleic Plant-Based TPU Pellets Fully biodegradable thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) pellets developed by Algenesis Labs, made from plant-based materials. Distributed by Safic-Alcan across Europe for footwear, consumer goods, and technical applications as a sustainable alternative to petrochemical-based polymers.
• Protectosil ECO-TRETE ANTIGRAFFITI Silane-based anti-graffiti solution developed by Evonik, positioned as an alternative to PFAS-containing products for the construction industry. Creates a durable chemical bond with building surfaces, enabling residue-free graffiti removal after repeated cleaning cycles. Distributed by Safic-Alcan.
• Specialty Chemicals Distribution Services Core distribution service providing specialty chemicals and ingredients from global manufacturers to industrial customers across coatings, plastics, life sciences, personal care, construction, footwear, and consumer goods sectors. Includes regional warehousing, logistics, technical formulation support, and supply chain management.

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• EvonikcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 20 March 2026Evonik partnered with Safic-Alcan as a distribution partner to present and distribute Protectosil ECO-TRETE® ANTIGRAFFITI, a new silane-based anti-graffiti solution positioned as an alternative to PFAS-containing products for the construction industry. Safic-Alcan serves as the distribution partner for this product launch, reflecting Evonik's focus on regulatory compliance and sustainability-driven chemical solutions.
• Algenesis LabscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 24 February 2026Safic-Alcan formed a strategic distribution partnership with Algenesis Labs to become the primary supplier of Algenesis's Soleic plant-based, fully biodegradable thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) pellets across Europe. The agreement targets footwear, consumer goods, and technical applications sectors, leveraging Safic-Alcan's regional sales network, warehousing, and technical support to accelerate commercial adoption of circular polymer solutions in European markets.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Azelis: Global specialty chemicals and food ingredients distributor; comparable in its life sciences, personal care, and industrial chemicals segments and its similar regional acquisition-led growth model.
• Caldic: Privately-held European specialty ingredients distributor serving life sciences, personal care, and industrial markets; comparable in scale, geographic focus, and end-market mix to Safic-Alcan.
• Brenntag: World's largest chemical distribution company; directly comparable as a global specialty and commodity chemicals distributor serving coatings, plastics, life sciences, and personal care end-markets with multi-region presence and field sales force.
• Barentz International: European specialty ingredients distributor focused on life sciences, personal care, and industrial markets; comparable as a regional specialty distributor pursuing cross-border M&A and value-added formulation services.
• TER Chemicals: European specialty chemicals distributor serving coatings, plastics, adhesives, and personal care; comparable as a regional mid-sized specialty distributor with similar end-market exposure.
• Univar Solutions: North American-headquartered global chemical and ingredients distributor; directly comparable in serving industrial, life sciences, and personal care customers via distribution partnerships and technical support.
• IMCD N.V. European-headquartered specialty chemicals and ingredients distributor; highly comparable as a technical, formulation-focused distributor serving coatings, plastics, personal care, and life sciences with global reach and active M&A strategy.

Regional players

• Manuchar: Belgium-headquartered chemical distribution group with strong presence in Latin America, Africa, and Asia; comparable in its emerging-markets roll-up strategy and distribution of specialty/commodity chemicals.
• Reda Chemicals: Middle East and Africa-focused specialty chemicals distributor serving coatings, plastics, and personal care; comparable in serving emerging-market industrial customers via regional field sales and technical support.

Emerging players

• ICC Chemical: Specialty chemicals distributor serving coatings, plastics, and personal care end-markets; a smaller comparable peer with similar technical distribution positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/saficalcan

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A7 records

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Safic Alcan