Chemsolv

What Chemsolv does

Chemsolv, Inc. is a Virginia-based specialty chemical distributor founded in November 1979 in Roanoke by Glenn Austin and currently led by his son Jamie Austin. The company distributes industrial and specialty chemicals — including aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbons, isoparaffin solvents, chlorinated hydrocarbons, alcohols, ketones, esters, glycol ethers, polyols, surfactants, plasticizers, amines, chelating agents, transformer oils, silicones, and acids/alkalis — sourced from over 100 manufacturers and sold to more than 1,400 customers across the Mid-Atlantic region. Chemsolv complements distribution with value-added services including custom blending, toll manufacturing, distillation, hot-room and white-room handling, custom fill weights and packaging, and 24-hour delivery via a company-owned fleet out of four facilities in Roanoke VA (headquarters), Colonial Heights VA, Piney Flats TN, and Rock Hill SC.

Chemsolv operates as a subsidiary of Integrity Partners Group (IPG), a holding company formed in 2023 with private equity backing from OpenGate Capital to consolidate Chemsolv and Chemisphere (a Midwest chemical distributor based in St. Louis, MO). In April 2026, Colonial Chemical Solutions (a division of Colonial Group Inc.) acquired IPG. The company is a member of the Alliance for Chemical Distribution (ACD) since 1982 and enforces the Responsible Distribution Process standard adopted in 1991, which functions as a regulatory and safety differentiator in chemical distribution.

Revenue is generated through markup on distributed chemicals plus fees from blending, tolling, distillation, packaging, and delivery services. Branded offerings are concentrated in the Ultra™ family (diesel exhaust fluid, UltraChill heat transfer fluid including a marine variant, and UltraChill WS windshield wash) sold via the IPG platform, plus specialized products such as embalming fluid (sold to funeral homes, universities, municipalities, and medical labs) and naphthenic and inhibited transformer oils (sold to utilities, solar and wind operators, and data centers). Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, and the go-to-market motion is sales-led, account-based, and relationship-driven rather than self-serve.

Name

Chemsolv

Legal name

Chemsolv, Inc.

Website

https://chemsolv.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Chemsolv is a Virginia-based specialty chemical distributor selling industrial chemicals, solvents, transformer oils, embalming fluid, and Ultra™ branded performance products to over 1,400 customers in the Mid-Atlantic region from four distribution facilities in VA, TN, and SC, with value-added blending, tolling, and 24-hour delivery services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Roanoke

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Chemical Distribution & Sales: Chemsolv generates revenue through the distribution and sale of industrial and specialty chemicals, including solvents, lubricants, metalworking fluids, silicones, and other specialty products. Revenue is derived from the markup on products sourced from over 100 manufacturers and sold to over 1,400 customers. Additional revenue is generated through value-added services including blending, tolling, distillation, custom packaging, and delivery services.
2. Blending, Tolling & Value-Added Services: Revenue from custom blending, toll manufacturing, and distillation services where Chemsolv processes customer-owned materials or formulates products to specification. This adds margin on top of standard distribution through service fees and processing charges.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Chemsolv is a Virginia-based industrial and specialty chemical distributor that sources products from over 100 manufacturers and sells to more than 1,400 customers across the Mid-Atlantic US. The company distributes hydrocarbons, solvents, alcohols, ketones, esters, plasticizers, surfactants, transformer oils, embalming fluid, and the Ultra™ brand family of performance products, while providing value-added services including blending, tolling, distillation, custom packaging, and 24-hour delivery.

Product overview

Chemsolv is a Virginia-based chemical distributor operating as part of Integrity Partners Group (IPG), offering a portfolio of chemical distribution and related services. The core offerings include distributed specialty chemicals (aromatic hydrocarbons, aliphatic hydrocarbons, isoparaffin solvents, chlorinated hydrocarbons, alcohols, ketones, esters, glycol ethers, polyols, polyethylene glycols, surfactants, plasticizers, amines, chelating agents, silicones, and acids/alkalis) from over 100 manufacturers. Branded product lines include the Ultra™ brand family (DEF, heat transfer fluids, windshield wash) and specialized products such as embalming fluid, transformer oils (naphthenic and inhibited types), industrial ethanol, and specialty denatured alcohols. Services include chemical distribution, blending, tolling, distillation, hot rooms, white room, custom packaging, and 24-hour delivery across the Mid-Atlantic region.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Ultra™ Brands: Family of performance products including diesel exhaust fluid, heat transfer fluid, and windshield wash, offered through Integrity Partners Group (IPG) for fleet operators, HVAC providers, and other industries

Products and services

• Ultra™ DEF (Diesel Exhaust Fluid)

Quantifiable outcome

• Serves over 1,400 customers in the Mid-Atlantic region
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Alliance for Chemical Distribution (ACD)coreOthers · 1 January 1982Chemsolv has been a member of the Alliance for Chemical Distribution (ACD) since 1982 and is aggressively implementing and enforcing the Responsible Distribution Process policy adopted by ACD in 1991. ACD membership provides industry standards, regulatory guidance, and credibility for safety and environmental compliance in chemical distribution. Chemsolv is committed to environmentally sound management of chemical materials at its facilities and customer locations, with involvement in customer training programs.
• Colonial Chemical Solutions (CCS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn April 2026, Colonial Chemical Solutions, a division of Colonial Group Inc., acquired Integrity Partners Group (IPG) — the parent platform that includes Chemsolv and Chemisphere. The acquisition expands CCS's geographic footprint in the U.S. Southeast chemical distribution market and adds complementary assets, capabilities, and expertise. All existing facilities remain active and operations continue as usual. Financial details were not disclosed.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Hydrite Chemical Co. US-based specialty chemical manufacturer and distributor offering blending, formulation, and distribution services. Comparable in combining chemical distribution with custom blending and toll manufacturing for industrial customers.
• Hawkins, Inc. US-focused specialty chemical distributor and blender serving water treatment, industrial, and food/health end-markets. Closely comparable mid-sized chemical distribution and blending business model with similar customer diversification across industrial verticals.
• Harcros Chemicals: Privately held US chemical distributor of industrial and specialty chemicals, surfactants, and intermediates. Similar product breadth (hydrocarbons, alcohols, surfactants) and similar distribution-plus-value-added service model as Chemsolv.
• TER Group: Specialty chemical distributor with a presence across the Americas, Europe, and Asia serving industrial customers with similar product categories (solvents, specialty intermediates). Comparable business model focused on specialty chemical distribution and value-added services.
• SolvChem Custom Packaging: Mid-sized US chemical distributor and custom packager offering solvents, specialty chemicals, and contract packaging services. Highly comparable in scale, regional focus, and emphasis on blending/packaging value-added services.
• Chemisphere Corporation: St. Louis, Missouri-based chemical distributor that was consolidated with Chemsolv under Integrity Partners Group in 2023 with OpenGate Capital sponsorship. Operates the same industrial and specialty chemical distribution model with similar manufacturer and customer profiles, serving as the closest like-for-like peer.
• Colonial Chemical Solutions: Division of Colonial Group Inc. and the acquirer of IPG/Chemsolv in April 2026. A Southeast US-focused chemical distributor with overlapping product categories (solvents, specialty chemicals) and customer base, making it both a former peer and now Chemsolv's corporate parent.

Broad incumbents

• Univar Solutions: One of the largest North American chemical distributors, offering a comparable portfolio of industrial and specialty chemicals, solvents, and lubricants across multiple end-markets. Operates at substantially greater scale and national footprint than Chemsolv.
• Brenntag: Global market leader in chemical distribution with a broad specialty and industrial chemicals portfolio. Comparable business model (distribution of third-party-produced chemicals with value-added services) but at a materially larger, multi-region scale.
• Barentz: Global specialty ingredients distributor serving food, personal care, and industrial markets. Comparable specialty chemical distribution model with similar emphasis on technical sales and supplier representation, though broader in geographic and end-market scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Chemsolv
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/chemsolv-inc.

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Chemsolv