Kester

What Kester does

Kester, founded in 1899 as Chicago Solder Company and headquartered in Itasca, Illinois, is a global manufacturer of soldering and soldering-related assembly materials for the electronics assembly, semiconductor packaging, automotive, and photovoltaic end-markets. The company's product portfolio spans solder paste (NP505-HR, NP545), flux-cored solder wire (including 268), liquid solder fluxes (NF372-TB, SELECT-10), tacky solder flux, preforms, bar solder, and the SE-CURE line of advanced materials targeted at semiconductor packaging, supplemented by the ALPHA HiTech sub-brand (SMD adhesives, underfills, edgebond polymers) and a reclaim/recycling service offering. Its technical differentiators center on zero-halogen formulations meeting IEC 61249-2-21, JPCA-ES-01, and IPC-410B specifications, ROL0-classified flux chemistries under IPC J-STD-004B, and high-reliability pastes engineered for harsh damp cycling SIR testing and printing of miniaturized 01005 components.

The firm operates a three-region manufacturing footprint spanning North America (Itasca, IL), Europe (Germany, established 1972), and Asia (Singapore, established 1969), and is vertically integrated across formulation and flux-cored solder production. Revenue is generated through hardware sales of consumable assembly materials, distributed via a global network of channel partners, authorized distributors, and a direct enterprise sales team with worldwide technical support. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed.

Since December 2019, Kester has operated within the Assembly Solutions division of MacDermid Alpha Electronics Solutions, owned by NYSE-listed Element Solutions Inc. The customer base spans electronics manufacturing services providers (including Flex, a 2017 Preferred Supplier Award winner), automotive electronics manufacturers, semiconductor packaging houses, and solar module manufacturers. The company holds ISO-9001 and ISO-14001 certifications across its certified facilities and maintains a portfolio of registered trademarks including SELECT-10, SE-CURE, NF372-TB Flux-Pen, and ALPHA HiTech.

Name

Kester

Legal name

Kester

Website

https://kester.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1899

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Kester is a global manufacturer of soldering materials — including solder paste, flux-cored wire, liquid fluxes, preforms, and bar solder — serving the electronics assembly, semiconductor packaging, automotive, and photovoltaic industries through direct sales, channel partners, and authorized distributors worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Electronic Assembly Materials

NAICS

Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing (3344)

SIC

Electronic Components, Nec (3679)

akta.pro primary industry

Packaging Materials & Chemicals (Underfill/Mold Compound/Die Attach/Solders) (HDAHAGAM)

Keywords

• Solder paste manufacturing
• Flux-cored solder wire
• Electronic assembly materials
• Semiconductor packaging materials
• Photovoltaic soldering materials

Headquarters

HQ city

Itasca

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Solder and Assembly Materials: Kester generates revenue through the sale of soldering materials including solder paste, solder wire, liquid solder flux, tacky solder flux, bar solder, preforms, and rework fluxes to the electronics assembly, semiconductor, and automotive industries.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Kester manufactures and supplies soldering materials and assembly consumables — including solder paste, flux-cored solder wire, liquid and tacky solder flux, preforms, bar solder, and semiconductor packaging materials — for electronics assembly, semiconductor packaging, automotive electronics, and photovoltaic manufacturers worldwide. The company also operates SE-CURE™ Advanced Materials and ALPHA HiTech sub-brand product lines and provides closed-loop reclaim and recycling services for solder materials.

Product overview

Kester is a global supplier of assembly materials for the electronic assembly, semiconductor, and automotive industries. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of soldering attachment materials organized into core product categories including Solder Paste (NP505-HR, NP545), Solder Wire (including 268 Flux-Cored Wire), Liquid Solder Flux (NF372-TB, SELECT-10™), Tacky Solder Flux, Preforms, and Bar Solder. The portfolio also includes the ALPHA HiTech sub-brand offering SMD adhesives, underfills, and edgebond polymers for electronics protection, as well as SE-CURE™ advanced materials for semiconductor packaging. Supporting services include Reclaim & Recycling Services. The products serve applications across electronics assembly, photovoltaic/solar, and automotive sectors, with a focus on zero-halogen and lead-free solutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• NP505-HR Solder Paste High-reliability lead-free solder paste designed for fine-pitch SMT assembly in electronics manufacturing. Used by electronics assembly customers requiring consistent print yield and robust joint reliability.
• NP545 Solder Paste High-reliability solder paste available in tin-lead and lead-free formulations with extended shelf life, targeted at demanding PCB assembly applications. Used by industrial electronics assembly manufacturers.
• 268 Flux-Cored Solder Wire Flux-cored solder wire for hand soldering, robotic soldering, and automated through-hole soldering processes across electronics assembly operations.
• SELECT-10™ Selective Solder Flux Selective soldering flux formulated for selective soldering processes on mixed-technology PCB assemblies. Used by electronics assembly manufacturers operating selective soldering lines.
• NF372-TB Soldering Flux No-clean soldering flux for PCB assembly and touch-up soldering. Used by electronics assembly manufacturers requiring low-residue, no-clean processing.
• RF550 Rework Flux Rework flux formulated for PCB rework and repair operations, including reballing and component replacement. Used by electronics assembly and rework service providers.
• NF372-TB Flux-Pen Pen-style dispensing package of NF372-TB no-clean soldering flux for localized touch-up and rework on PCB assemblies. Used by electronics assembly operators and rework technicians.
• 4662 Flux Thinner Flux thinner used to adjust the viscosity of liquid fluxes for specific application equipment and process requirements. Used by electronics assembly manufacturers operating liquid flux dispensing systems.
• SE-CURE™ Advanced Materials Sub-brand product line of advanced materials, including packaging materials, for semiconductor packaging applications such as die attach and wafer-level packaging. Used by semiconductor IDMs, OSATs, and packaging manufacturers.
• ALPHA HiTech Electronic Materials Sub-brand product line of electronic assembly materials supporting advanced packaging and assembly processes, including SMD adhesives, underfills, and edgebond materials. Used by electronics assembly manufacturers.
• Reclaim and Recycling Services Closed-loop solder reclaim and recycling service that recovers value from solder dross, scrap, and waste streams generated by electronics assembly customers. Used by industrial electronics manufacturers seeking sustainability and metal recovery benefits.

Quantifiable outcome

• NP505-HR provides reliable residues in harsh damp cycling SIR testing
• +4 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

Feature10 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Wawasan Dengkil Sdn BhdminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 January 2026Kester Sdn Bhd (a different entity - Malaysian renewable energy company) signed MOU with Wawasan Dengkil to explore collaboration on renewable energy projects in Kedah, Malaysia. Under the agreement, Kester acts as the state's facilitator for renewable and green energy investments covering solar, wind, hydro, biomass, geothermal, marine, and hydrogen energy projects.
• MacDermid Alpha Electronics SolutionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKester was acquired by Element Solutions Inc. in December 2019 and joins the Assembly Solutions division of ESI's MacDermid Alpha Electronics Solutions business unit. Kester remains committed to being an innovator in semiconductor, electronics assembly and solar applications as part of this business unit.
• Element Solutions InccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent company of MacDermid Alpha Electronics Solutions. Element Solutions Inc is a publicly traded company (NYSE: ESI) that acquired Kester in December 2019.
• KMC GrupminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistributor for Turkey showcasing MacDermid Alpha's solutions for photovoltaic applications at the Energy is Future Expo in Turkey.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Indium Corporation: Privately held US-based specialty materials manufacturer with leading positions in solder paste, wire, preforms, and fluxes for electronics assembly and semiconductor packaging. Most direct head-to-head competitor to Kester in zero-halogen and high-reliability solder formulations.
• Heraeus Electronics: Germany-based division of the Heraeus precious metals group, manufacturing solder pastes, powders, and bonding wire for electronics assembly and semiconductor packaging. Comparable global footprint and customer base to Kester, with strong position in high-reliability segments.
• Senju Metal Industry Co. Japanese manufacturer of solder materials (paste, wire, bar, flux, preforms) and bonding wire for electronics assembly, semiconductor, and automotive applications. Long-standing direct competitor with global manufacturing and comparable product portfolio to Kester.
• AIM Solder: Privately held global manufacturer of solder paste, wire, bar solder, and fluxes for electronics assembly. Direct competitor to Kester across mainstream and specialty chemistries, with comparable customer base in EMS and OEM segments.
• Nihon Superior Co., Ltd. Japanese manufacturer of solder products including the SN100C lead-free alloy line, solders pastes, and fluxes. Direct competitor in lead-free and high-reliability solder chemistries, particularly strong in Asia-Pacific electronics assembly markets.
• Tamura Corporation: Japanese specialty materials manufacturer offering solder paste, flux, and electronic chemicals for PCB assembly and semiconductor packaging. Comparable product mix to Kester with focus on Japanese and broader Asian electronics manufacturers.

Broad incumbents

• Resonac Holdings (formerly Showa Denko): Large Japanese chemicals and electronic materials conglomerate producing solder materials, semiconductor packaging materials, and a wide portfolio of adjacent electronic chemicals. Comparable to Kester in solder and packaging chemistries but operates at significantly larger scale across diversified end markets.
• Henkel AG & Co. KGaA: Global adhesives and specialty chemicals major whose electronics materials business produces solder pastes, fluxes, underfills, and SMD adhesives overlapping with Kester's core portfolio. Wider portfolio and significantly larger scale than Kester, with strong position in automotive electronics.
• Panasonic Industry Co., Ltd. Japanese electronics components and materials manufacturer producing solder materials, passive components, and factory automation equipment. Overlaps with Kester in solder products but operates much more broadly across electronic components and industrial systems.

Others

• MacDermid Alpha Electronics Solutions: Parent division of Kester within Element Solutions Inc, encompassing sister brands such as Alpha Assembly Solutions. Not an independent competitor, but operates highly overlapping solder and electronics chemistry product lines under shared corporate strategy and channel infrastructure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/MacDermidAlpha
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kester

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Kester