International Chemical Company

What International Chemical Company does

International Chemical Company (Inter-Chem) is a privately held, employee-owned (ESOP since 2008) B2B marketing and distribution services provider headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma, founded in 1976. The company serves agricultural, industrial, and energy-sector clients across North America (United States, Canada, and Mexico) by acting as the intermediary between chemical and energy commodity suppliers and end-users, moving physical products such as sulphur, refined petroleum products (petroleum coke, black oil, diesel, asphalt), fertilizers (nitrogen, phosphate, potash, NPK), and industrial chemicals (ammonium chloride, boric acid, nitric acid, phosphoric acid).

Its core offering combines four product categories (sulphur, refined petroleum, fertilizer, industrial products) with four service modules—Procurement (strategic sourcing and warehousing), Distribution (barge, rail, truck, and terminal logistics), Marketing (trading strategy and risk management), and Safety Data Sheets. Distribution is enabled by partnerships with all Class I North American railroads, a large dedicated railcar fleet, an extensive transload terminal network, and supporting barge and truck capacity. The technology stack is described as standard enterprise systems for supply chain, logistics, and CRM rather than proprietary technology.

Commercially, Inter-Chem earns revenue principally through transaction-based service fees and mark-ups on the physical movement of commodities, with pricing negotiated per transaction based on volume, product type, and market conditions rather than publicly disclosed schedules. The go-to-market is enterprise field sales via direct, consultative relationships rather than self-serve or PLG. Strategic positioning is reinforced by an extended portfolio of Class I railroad safety awards (CN, CP, Union Pacific, CSX, BNSF, and AAR), a 50-year operating track record, and an ESOP governance model that aligns employee effort with company performance. Related entities include Heartland Sulphur (strategic partner for sulphur forming/logistics) and Ozark Steel; no parent company, institutional investors, or fundraising events are disclosed in the input.

Name

International Chemical Company

Legal name

International Chemical Company

Website

https://ictulsa.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

International Chemical Company (Inter-Chem) is an employee-owned B2B marketing and distribution services provider, founded in 1976 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, that procures, distributes, and markets sulphur, refined petroleum, fertilizer, and industrial chemicals across North America through barge, rail, truck, and terminal logistics.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Chemical Distribution and Marketing Services

NAICS

Chemical and Allied Products Merchant Wholesalers (4246)

SIC

Wholesale-Chemicals & Allied Products (5160), Chemicals & Allied Products (2800)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYIMAEAAAG

Sulfur & Sulfuric Derivatives

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Chemicals & Industrial Materials/Basic & Commodity Chemicals

SECONDARYEUALAHAI

Carbon Black & Coker Products Feedstocks (Petroleum Coke, Carbon Black oils)

Energy, Utilities & Environment/Oil & Gas (Upstream, Midstream, Downstream and Refining)/Petrochemicals & Chemical Feedstocks (Ethane/Propane/Naphtha, Aromatics, Olefins)

SECONDARYIMAEAAAA

Inorganic Commodity Chemicals (Acids, Alkalis, Salts)

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Chemicals & Industrial Materials/Basic & Commodity Chemicals

SECONDARYTLAIALAJ

Chemicals & Petrochemicals (Non-Hazmat Specialized Handling)

Transportation & Logistics/Third-Party & Fourth-Party Logistics (3PL/4PL) / Contract Logistics/Industry-Specific Contract Logistics (Automotive, Pharma, Retail, Aerospace, etc.)

Keywords

• Chemical distribution services
• Industrial product marketing
• Fertilizer supply chain
• Petroleum product logistics
• Bulk commodity procurement

Headquarters

HQ city

Tulsa

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Chemical Product Distribution and Marketing Services: Inter-Chem generates revenue through procurement, distribution, and marketing services for sulphur, refined petroleum products, fertilizers, and industrial products. The company acts as an intermediary between suppliers and end-users, providing logistics, storage, risk management, and market expertise. Revenue is derived from service fees and transaction-based pricing on physical product movements across North America.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

International Chemical Company (Inter-Chem) procures, distributes, and markets agricultural and industrial chemical commodities including sulphur, refined petroleum products (petroleum coke, diesel, asphalt), fertilizers (nitrogen, phosphate, potash, NPK), and specialty industrial chemicals. The company acts as an intermediary between producers and end-users, providing strategic sourcing, multi-modal logistics, storage, and risk management services across North America (Canada, U.S., and Mexico).

Product overview

International Chemical Company (Inter-Chem) is a supply chain solutions provider for the agricultural, industrial, and energy sectors, operating since 1976. The company offers a unified platform combining four core product categories—Sulphur, Refined Petroleum, Fertilizer, and Industrial Products—with four integrated service modules: Procurement (strategic sourcing and warehousing), Distribution (barge, rail, truck, and terminal logistics), Marketing (trade strategies and risk management), and Safety Data Sheets. Inter-Chem functions as a critical link between suppliers and users, providing end-to-end supply chain solutions including procurement, transportation, warehousing, and market consultation. The company serves customers across North America (Canada, U.S., and Mexico) with a focus on chemical commodity logistics and distribution.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sulphur
• Refined Petroleum
• Fertilizer
• Industrial Products
• Procurement Services
• Distribution Services
• Marketing Services

Quantifiable outcome

• Nationally recognized safety track record with multiple industry safety awards from major railroads and logistics partners

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 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 and minor.

• Heartland SulphurcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHeartland Sulphur is Inter-Chem's partner company that provides sulphur forming and logistics services to producers, allowing them to reach world markets. This partnership enables Inter-Chem to offer integrated sulphur solutions including production forming capabilities and expanded distribution reach.
• Ozark SteelminorOthersOzark Steel is referenced as an associated company in the footer navigation, suggesting a business relationship or shared corporate affiliation.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Emerging players

• Azelis: Specialty chemicals and food ingredients distributor operating globally with significant North American activity following the Umicore and major U.S. acquisitions. Comparable as a chemicals intermediary serving industrial customers, with an emphasis on specialty formulations rather than bulk commodities.

Direct peers

• Univar Solutions: Major North American-focused chemical distributor serving industrial, agricultural, and energy end markets with specialty and commodity product portfolios. Direct competitor in the same geography and channels as Inter-Chem, with overlapping customer base and similar product categories including acids and industrial chemicals.
• Tricon Energy: Global trader and distributor of petrochemicals, refined products, and feedstock oils with substantial North American logistics operations. Comparable in the refined petroleum and petroleum coke distribution segments where Inter-Chem operates, with similar logistics intensity and trading expertise.

Broad incumbents

• Brenntag: Global market leader in chemical distribution (full-line and specialty) with multi-modal logistics across the Americas, Europe, and Asia-Pacific. Brenntag is the closest comparable in business model — sourcing, distributing, and providing technical service for industrial and specialty chemicals — though at vastly greater scale.
• CHS Inc. U.S. farmer-owned cooperative distributing fertilizer, crop inputs, energy products, and grain across North America. Highly comparable in the agricultural/fertilizer leg of Inter-Chem's portfolio, with multi-modal logistics and a similar rural/U.S. footprint, though also vertically integrated into grain and food production.
• IMCD: Global specialty chemicals distribution and formulation company with strong North American presence. Comparable as a value-added chemicals intermediary supplying industrial customers, though with a heavier specialty/formulation tilt than Inter-Chem's commodity-sulphur-and-petroleum focus.
• World Kinect (World Fuel Services): Global energy and commodities distribution business marketing refined petroleum products, lubricants, and specialty chemicals. Comparable on the energy/refined petroleum distribution leg of Inter-Chem's business, with similar logistics coordination across modes and geographies.
• Helm AG: Germany-based global distribution company for chemicals, crop protection, fertilizers, and raw materials, with extensive North American logistics. Comparable in cross-commodity distribution (fertilizers, industrial chemicals) and focus on multi-modal bulk handling in world markets.

Others

• NAGASE: Japan-based chemicals and specialty materials distributor with strong North American trading activity in industrial chemicals and petrochemical intermediates. Comparable as a global chemicals intermediary, though with a heavier specialty and trading tilt versus Inter-Chem's sulphur and fertilizer focus.

Regional players

• Quadra Chemicals: Canadian-headquartered chemical distributor serving industrial and food ingredient customers across North America. Direct comparison in geography and product portfolio (acids, specialty and commodity chemicals), though with a Canadian anchor customer base versus Inter-Chem's Tulsa/U.S. heartland focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/inter-chem
• Facebookfacebook.com/208574599182515

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 International Chemical Company