Rierden Chemical & Trading

What Rierden Chemical & Trading does

Rierden Chemical & Trading Company is a privately held, family-owned chemical distribution business founded in 1992 by Joe Rierden and headquartered in Libertyville, Illinois. The company operates as a distributor, importer, and trader of commodity and specialty chemicals, with a strategically narrow focus on oleochemicals that represent more than 90% of its business. Its product portfolio centers on glycerine (its largest product category, where the company claims a position as one of the largest marketers in North America), distilled and fractionated fatty acids, fatty alcohols, and specialty chemical intermediates. It serves industrial and consumer product manufacturers across food and flavor, personal care, agriculture, construction and paints and coatings, household/industrial/institutional cleaning, and general chemical processing.

The company's operating model combines global sourcing with local distribution. Rierden sources from both domestic manufacturers and international suppliers, maintaining multiple sourcing relationships and supply redundancies to manage disruption in biodiesel-derived and hydrolysis-grade glycerine markets. It operates 20 strategically positioned stocking locations across the United States and Canada — including dedicated warehouses in Atlanta, Cincinnati, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, and Newark — and provides distribution, trading, logistics, import/export, national warehousing, and custom product sourcing services. Customer service, logistics, and regulatory teams support the sales motion.

Rierden generates revenue through a B2B, quote-based, transaction-fee resale model on commodity and specialty chemicals, with no public pricing. It differentiates through category specialization, an established 30-plus-year track record, sustainability credentials including RSPO certification and consecutive Ecovadis Gold Medals (2025 and 2026), and a small sub-brand called Yummy Fat supplying palm bead fat supplements for pet food production. The company has 11-50 employees, no external institutional funding, no M&A activity, and no public revenue disclosure.

Name

Rierden Chemical & Trading

Legal name

Rierden Chemical & Trading Company

Website

https://rierdenchemical.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Rierden Chemical & Trading is a privately held US-based chemical distributor specializing in oleochemicals, particularly glycerine and fatty acids, serving industrial and consumer product manufacturers across food, personal care, agriculture, construction, and cleaning markets via 20 stocking locations in the US and Canada.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Chemical Distribution

NAICS

Chemical and Allied Products Merchant Wholesalers (4246), Other Chemical and Allied Products Merchant Wholesalers (42469)

SIC

Wholesale-Chemicals & Allied Products (5160)

akta.pro primary industry

Cleaning Chemicals & Disinfectants Distribution (CRAOAGAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Lubricants Distribution & Wholesale (Bulk, Packaged, B2B) (EUALAJAE), Compounding Ingredient & API Distributors (Pharma Supply) (HLAIAJAO)

Keywords

• Oleochemical distribution
• Glycerine supply
• Fatty acid distribution
• Specialty chemical trading
• Chemical warehousing services

Headquarters

HQ city

Libertyville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Chemical Distribution and Trading: Revenue generated through the distribution and trading of commodity and specialty chemicals, primarily oleochemicals including glycerine and fatty acids. The company purchases chemicals from manufacturers and suppliers, then resells and distributes to industrial and consumer customers. Products are manufactured domestically and imported from around the world.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Rierden Chemical & Trading is a distributor, importer, and trader of specialty and commodity chemicals, with its product portfolio strategically centered on oleochemicals (more than 90% of the business) and a strong focus on glycerine and fatty acids. The company sources chemicals both domestically and internationally, then resells and distributes them to industrial and consumer product manufacturers across North America, supported by 20 strategically positioned stocking locations in the US and Canada.

Product overview

Rierden Chemical & Trading is a chemical distribution company offering a diversified portfolio of oleochemicals, fatty acids, alcohols, glycerine products, and specialty chemical intermediates. The product portfolio is organized around core chemical categories including: fatty alcohols (Behenyl, Cetearyl, Cetyl, Lauryl Stearyl, Stearyl, Octanol, Decanol), fatty acids (Behenic, Capric, Caproic, Caprylic, Coconut, Distilled C818H, Isostearic, Lauric, Lauric Myristic, Myristic, Oleic 75%, Palm Beads, Palmitic, Pelargonic, Stearic in multiple grades), glycerine products (99.7% USP, Kosher, Non-GMO, Crude 80%, and Glyceryl Monostearate), and specialty chemical intermediates (Diglyme, Maleic Anhydride, Methyl Oleate, PEG 600/8000, Potassium Carbonate, Potassium Hydroxide Flake, Propylene Glycol mono-Methyl Ether Propionate, Sodium Caprylate, Sodium Nitrite 40%, Soy Methyl Ester, Uracil). The company complements its product distribution with logistics, warehousing, import/export, and custom product sourcing services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Yummy Fat: A line of palm bead fat supplements for dog and cat food production, serving as a concentrated form of energy for pets.

Products and services

• Glycerine 99.7% USP Kosher Pharmaceutical-grade glycerine meeting USP specifications, available in palm-based (Non-GMO), soy-based, hydrolysis- and biodiesel-derived forms, offered in packaged and bulk formats from multiple US inventory points; used as a humectant and solvent in personal care, food, and pharmaceutical applications.
• Glycerine Non-GMO Glycerine derived from non-genetically modified sources for use in natural and organic personal care and food applications.
• Crude Glycerine 80% Crude glycerine at 80% concentration, typically sourced from biodiesel production (including biodiesel, splitters, and no-salt grades) for industrial applications.
• Vegetable-Based Fatty Acids A portfolio of Non-GMO vegetable-based fatty acids including Caprylic, Capric, Lauric, Myristic, Palmitic, Stearic, and Oleic acids, used in surfactants, cosmetics, and industrial applications.
• Stearic Acid (70%, 92%, 98%, TPSA) Saturated fatty acids available in multiple purity grades (70%, 92%, 98%, and triple-pressed), used as emulsifiers, thickeners, and industrial intermediates.
• Fatty Alcohols A range of fatty alcohols including Behenyl, Cetearyl (TA1618), Cetyl, Decanol, Lauryl Stearyl (1218), Octanol, and Stearyl alcohols, used as emollients, emulsifiers, and thickening agents in cosmetic, personal care, surfactant, plasticizer, and fragrance applications.
• Industrial Grade Chemicals Industrial-grade chemicals serving agriculture, biodiesel, construction, heat transfer, lubricants, oil & gas, paints & coatings, resins, and water treatment markets.
• Maleic Anhydride Organic compound used in the production of unsaturated polyester resins, coatings, and additives.
• Yummy Fat (Palm Bead Fat Supplement) A sub-brand line of palm bead fat supplements for dog and cat food production, serving as a concentrated form of energy for pets.
• Distribution Services Domestic distribution of commodity and specialty chemicals to industrial and consumer product manufacturers through the company's own logistics network and 20 stocking locations across the US and Canada.
• Trading Services Chemical trading services for oleochemicals and related products, providing market expertise and helping customers navigate supply volatility.
• Logistics Services Logistics support for chemical shipments, including coordinated transportation from sourcing points to customer sites.
• Import Services Importing chemicals from manufacturers around the world to supplement domestic supply for North American customers.
• Export Services Export of chemicals from US-domiciled supply to international customers, leveraging the company's global sourcing relationships.
• National Warehousing Services Warehousing of chemicals at multiple US locations (Atlanta, Cincinnati, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, and Newark) to support prompt delivery and inventory availability for customers.
• Custom Product Sourcing Custom sourcing of chemical products to meet unique customer specifications and requirements that are not met by standard catalog offerings.

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• ICC Chemical: ICC Chemical is a U.S.-based specialty chemical distributor serving industrial and consumer markets with trading, warehousing, and sourcing services similar to Rierden's model. The company has overlapping end markets and direct sales approaches across specialty intermediates.
• Charkit Chemical: Charkit Chemical is a U.S. specialty distributor of personal care, food, and industrial ingredients. It shares Rierden's distribution focus on specialty raw materials serving consumer product manufacturers, though with a broader ingredient portfolio.
• Acme-Hardesty: Acme-Hardesty is a Jacob Stern & Sons-owned specialty chemical distributor focused on oleochemicals, fatty acids, glycerine, and castor derivatives across North America. It is one of the closest direct competitors to Rierden Chemical & Trading, sharing the same product categories, customer base in personal care and food, and distribution-led business model.
• Seidler Chemical: Seidler Chemical is a U.S. chemical distributor serving industrial and institutional markets with warehousing and trading services. It is comparable as a regional specialty chemical distributor with overlapping customer segments in industrial chemicals.
• KIC Chemicals: KIC Chemicals is a U.S.-based chemical distribution and sourcing company serving pharmaceutical, personal care, and industrial manufacturers. It is comparable to Rierden as a mid-size specialty distributor with overlapping customer bases and global sourcing capabilities.
• Parchem Fine & Specialty Chemicals: Parchem is a U.S.-based specialty chemicals distributor and trader focused on personal care, food, and industrial intermediates. It is comparable to Rierden in distribution-led specialty chemical sourcing and trade, with similar customer profiles.

Broad incumbents

• IMCD: IMCD is a leading global specialty chemicals distributor with deep expertise in personal care, food, and industrial specialties. It competes with Rierden in oleochemical distribution and special ingredients for personal care formulations, though IMCD operates at a much larger scale across more geographies.
• Brenntag: Brenntag is the world's largest chemical distributor with a broad specialty chemicals portfolio spanning life science, personal care, and food ingredients. It overlaps with Rierden in oleochemicals and downstream personal care/food customers but operates at vastly greater scale and as a multi-category generalist.
• Univar Solutions: Univar Solutions is a major North American chemical distribution incumbent with broad industrial and specialty chemical portfolios. While not focused specifically on oleochemicals like Rierden, it serves overlapping customer segments and represents the type of scaled buyer most likely to consider an acquisition of Rierden.
• Helm AG: Helm AG is a Hamburg-based global chemical and commodity distribution company serving life sciences, nutrition, and industrial chemicals. It is comparable as a large, diversified chemical marketing and distribution player, though it is internationally focused and broader in scope than Rierden's oleochemical specialization.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Rierden Chemical & Trading