KISCO

What KISCO does

KISCO (Kyung-In Synthetic Corporation) is a privately held South Korean specialty chemicals developer and manufacturer founded in 1970, headquartered in Seoul with 11 production plants in Korea and one in Turkey. The company operates across four business areas: Dyes (reactive, disperse, acid, CDP dyes and optical brightening agents) for global textile brands; Inks for digital textile printing and UV printing; Organic Materials including photoactive compounds, photoresists, OLED materials, lithography materials, and graphene-based materials for display and semiconductor customers; and Fine Chemicals including saccharin, sulfur products, ionomers, and sulfonated polymers for food, beverage, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, agricultural, and clean-energy applications (batteries, water electrolysis, fuel cells). Its technology base rests on proprietary capabilities in organic synthesis, polymerization, and sulfonation, supported by a dedicated research team in Seoul and custom synthesis services from laboratory through large-scale production.\n\nKISCO serves enterprise customers directly (e.g., HUGO BOSS, adidas, display and semiconductor manufacturers) while distributing to mid-market textile manufacturers through a global network of exclusive regional partners and subsidiaries covering 60+ countries, including KIPL (India), PEXIMP (Pakistan), Daito-KISCO (Japan/Korea), WISECHEM (LCD color filters), and JMC (saccharin and specialty chemicals, acquired in 2004). Revenue is generated primarily through one-time sales of manufactured chemical products under quote-based B2B pricing, complemented by contract manufacturing and custom synthesis engagements. The company's go-to-market is sales-led, executed through global exhibitions (Interdye, Chemspec Europe, CPHI, FESPA), technical seminars, multi-city roadshows, and active participation in industry alliances such as SCTI, ZDHC, and bluesign. Recognized as a Korean Global Top Specialty Company and World Class 300 awardee, KISCO maintains ZDHC MRSL Level 3, bluesign, and GOTS compliance certifications as core commercial qualifications.

Name

KISCO

Legal name

Kyung-In Synthetic Corporation

Website

https://kisco.co

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

KISCO (Kyung-In Synthetic Corporation) is a South Korean specialty chemicals manufacturer founded in 1970 that produces dyes, inks, electronic materials, and fine chemicals for textile, display, semiconductor, food, pharmaceutical, and clean-energy customers across more than 60 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Chemicals

NAICS

Synthetic Dye and Pigment Manufacturing (325130), Chemical Manufacturing (325), Other Chemical Product and Preparation Manufacturing (3259)

SIC

Industrial Organic Chemicals (2860), Chemicals & Allied Products (2800), Miscellaneous Chemical Products (2890)

akta.pro primary industry

Textile, Leather & Paper Specialty Chemicals (IMAEABAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Specialty Surfactants & Performance Additives (IMAEABAL)

Keywords

• Specialty chemicals
• Textile dyes
• Digital printing inks
• Electronic materials
• Fine chemicals

Headquarters

HQ city

Yangchongu

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Chemical Products Sales: KISCO generates revenue through the manufacture and sale of dyes, inks, fine chemicals, organic materials, and electronic materials to customers in textiles, food, agriculture, pharmaceutical, and electronics industries globally.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

KISCO develops and manufactures specialty chemicals organized into four business areas: Dyes (reactive, disperse, acid, CDP, and optical brightening agents for textiles), Inks (digital textile printing and UV printing inks), Organic Materials (display materials, semiconductor photoresists, photoactive compounds, pigments, OLED and graphene-based functional materials), and Fine Chemicals (saccharin, sulfur products, inorganic chemicals, electronic materials, and ionomers for batteries, water electrolysis, and fuel cells). The company sells to industrial customers in textiles, electronics, food/beverage, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and agriculture, and offers custom synthesis services from Seoul-based R&D through 11 Korean and one Turkish production plant.

Product overview

KISCO (Kyung-In Synthetic Corporation) is a chemical developer and manufacturer offering a diversified portfolio of products organized into four main business areas: Dyes (Reactive, Disperse, Acid, CDP Dyes, and OBA), Inks (Digital Textile Printing, UV Printing, and Dyes for Inks), Organic Materials (Displays, Semiconductors, Photo Active Compounds, Pigments, Functional Materials, and Custom Synthesis), and Fine Chemicals (Saccharin, Sulfur Products, Inorganic Chemicals, Electronic Materials, and Ionomers). The company also operates subsidiaries including JMC for saccharin and specialty chemicals, DKC for photoactive materials, and WISECHEM for LCD color filter materials. Key product lines include NaturePlus sustainable dyes, PAPIJET brand inks, and high-performance functional materials for electronics. KISCO serves textiles, food, agriculture, pharmaceuticals, and electronics industries with custom synthesis capabilities spanning research in Seoul through 11 production plants in Korea and one in Turkey.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• NaturePlus: Sustainable dye products designed to eliminate PCA-related risks and reduce environmental impact in textile manufacturing.
• PAPIJET
• SYNOZOL
• SYNOLON
• SYNO WHITE
• WiseChem
• JMC
• DKC

Products and services

• Dyes KISCO manufactures reactive dyes for cotton and cellulosic fibers, disperse dyes (including SYNOLON EXW-SP and EXWN series for spandex), acid dyes, CDP (Carrier Disperse Padding) dyes, and optical brightening agents (SYNO WHITE) for global textile manufacturers and brands requiring sustainable, compliant chemistry.
• Inks KISCO produces inks for digital textile printing, inks for UV printing (including PAPIJET BLACK LTI INK and pigment inks under the PAPIJET brand), and dye formulations used as raw materials for ink production, sold to printing and textile customers worldwide.
• Organic Materials KISCO supplies functional materials for displays, semiconductor photoresists and lithography materials, photoactive compounds (produced via DKC joint venture), pigments for LCD color filters (via WISECHEM joint venture), OLED materials, graphene-based materials, and other specialty functional materials for electronics manufacturers.
• Fine Chemicals KISCO produces saccharin (via JMC subsidiary) for food, beverage, oral care, and pharmaceutical applications; sulfur-based chemicals for cosmetics and agriculture; inorganic chemical products; sulfonated small molecules and polymers for electronics applications; and ionomers for batteries, water electrolysis, and fuel cells.
• Custom Synthesis Services KISCO provides custom synthesis services spanning a dedicated Seoul-based research team through to large-scale production facilities, offering CMO and CDMO capabilities for customers requiring specialized or proprietary chemical molecules.

Quantifiable outcome

• 99% reduction in some emissions through thermal oxidizer installation; ~50% saving in heating costs
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 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

Feature5 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered strategic, core and minor.

• ColorostrategicGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Global collaboration announced at Intertextile Shanghai 2025. Coloro is a global innovator on color systems and workflows partnering with KISCO for global market expansion.
• Boron MolecularstrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 July 2020KISCO invested as minority shareholder in Australian chemical company. New research and production partnership involving KISCO, CSIRO, and Boron Molecular to take new chemical products and technologies to global market.
• CSIROstrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 July 2020Australian Government Research agency partnering with KISCO and Boron Molecular. Invested in Boron Molecular and facilitating scale-up of production processes for new chemical products.
• SCTI (Sustainable Chemistry for the Textile Industry)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Alliance of seven world's leading chemical companies including Archroma, CHT Group, Huntsman, Pulcra Chemicals, Rudolf Group, Tanatex Chemicals, and KISCO. Committed to collaboration, innovation, and transformational change for sustainable textile and leather industries.
• KOTRAminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2020Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency supporting KISCO's international partnerships and market expansion activities.
• Korea University (Professors Suhng Wook Kim and Un chul Shin)strategicTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2020Joint research partnership with Korea University's School of Health and Environmental Science for developing saccharin-based materials for cancer detection.
• JMC (Jeil Moolsan Company)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2004JMC was acquired by KISCO group in 2004. Originally established in 1953, JMC is a world leader in saccharin and sulfur-based fine chemicals. Operates as part of KISCO group with Ulsan facilities producing graphene materials and environmental initiatives.
• Daito KISCO (DKC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint venture with Daito Chemix Corporation of Japan. DKC produces materials for photo-etching of high-precision electronics including display circuits, laptops, tablets, and mobile devices. Located in Iksan, Jeollabuk-do, Korea.
• WISECHEMcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint venture between KISCO and Korea Alcohol Industrial Co. Ltd. Produces high-quality millbase and dyestuff materials for color filters in Liquid Crystal Displays (LCDs).
• ZDHCcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerKISCO is a ZDHC contributor and bluesign partner. Active participant in ZDHC Roadmap to Zero Programme and ZDHC East Asia Summit. Recognized as one of most engaged dye manufacturers in Asia.
• bluesigncoreGTM or Marketing PartnerKISCO is a bluesign partner. Partnered with SCTI on Sustainable Chemistry Index methodology donation to ZDHC.
• PEXIMP (Pakistan)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive partner of KISCO in Pakistan market. CEO Mohd Farvez leads successful partnership with joint roadshows and customer engagement.
• KIPL (India)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIndia subsidiary/partner for KISCO. Co-hosts annual conferences in Thailand and participates in Bharat Tex exhibitions. India market achieved 40% YoY sales growth.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Atul Ltd: India-based diversified chemical manufacturer with a sizeable dyes and intermediates business serving textiles and other industries. Comparable in textile dye product breadth and emerging-market scale, and a relevant peer as KISCO expands in South Asia.
• CHT Group: Germany-based specialty chemicals company focused on textile auxiliaries, dyes, and silicone specialties. Fellow SCTI alliance member with comparable focus on sustainable textile chemistry and similar customer profiles in fashion and technical textiles.
• Archroma: Swiss-based specialty chemicals company producing dyes and chemicals for textiles, paper, and coatings. Fellow SCTI alliance founding member with overlapping sustainable chemistry positioning and similar customer base in global textile brands.
• Bodal Chemicals: India-based dye and dye intermediates producer with significant reactive and acid dye capacity. Comparable scale and product overlap with KISCO's textile dyes business, particularly relevant as both companies compete in South Asian and global textile markets.
• Tanatex Chemicals: Netherlands-based textile chemical solutions provider offering dyes, auxiliaries, and finishing chemicals. Fellow SCTI founding member with highly overlapping textile dye product lines and a comparable emphasis on sustainability and ZDHC compliance.
• Rudolf Group: Germany-based textile chemical specialist offering dyeing auxiliaries, finishes, and functional chemicals. Fellow SCTI alliance member with overlapping textile dye chemistry portfolio and shared focus on sustainable and high-performance textile solutions.
• Pulcra Chemicals: Germany-based specialty chemical company serving textile, leather, and fiber industries with auxiliaries and dyes. SCTI founding member competing head-to-head in textile chemistry with similar sustainability positioning and global customer base.
• Kiri Industries: India-based manufacturer of reactive dyes, acid dyes, and dye intermediates primarily for textile applications. Directly comparable in textile dye chemistry, with similar end-customers in textile mills across Asia and global export channels.

Broad incumbents

• JSR Corporation: Japan-based specialty chemical and materials company with a leading position in photoresists and electronic materials for semiconductors and displays. Highly relevant peer for KISCO's DKC photoresist business, representing both a benchmark and a competitor in the same semiconductor materials category.
• Huntsman Corporation: US-listed specialty chemical manufacturer with a significant Textile Effects division producing dyes and digital printing inks. Direct overlap in textile dyes plus broader portfolio in polyurethanes and performance products, and a fellow SCTI alliance founding member.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/KISCOChem
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCcJAx1objw5MbsGatCvBO0g
• Facebookfacebook.com/KISCOchem
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kiscochem
• Instagraminstagram.com/kiscochem

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries4 records

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 KISCO