What ACS International does

ACS International (legal entity: Aroma Chemical Services International GmbH, headquartered in Holzminden, Germany) is a privately held specialty chemicals group that manufactures and trades high-value aroma chemicals for the global Flavor & Fragrance (F&F) industry. The group is organized across three European entities: ACS International GmbH in Germany acts as the supply chain and logistics hub; ACS International S.A. in Geneva, Switzerland houses Global Sales and Innovation; and Aroma Rise in Onesti, Romania is the production center of excellence, operating since 1991 and specializing in peroxidation, pyrolysis, catalytic hydrogenation and dehydrogenation processes.

The product portfolio comprises more than 147 SKUs spanning natural, synthetic and nature-identical aroma chemicals across olfactive families including musk, floral, spicy, fruity, green, woody and aromatic. Core proprietary franchises include the biotech-produced macrocyclic musks Ambrettolide HC, Ambrettolide HC Suprême and Onestolide, the MVP (2-methoxy-4-vinylphenol) line for flavor and fragrance applications, the lactone series (Milk Lactone, Decalactone variants, Dodecalactone delta) and specialty fragrance ingredients such as Gessalone, Heptyl Cyclopentanone-2, Romanone, Dimusk and Elenone. The biotech musk platform was developed in partnership with REG Life Sciences and represents the group's highest-differentiation offering, featuring 100% renewable carbon content and ready biodegradability. EcoVadis Gold Medal (70/100, 2021), BRC Global Standard for Food Safety and Sedex certifications support sustainability and food-safety positioning.

ACS International operates a B2B sales-led and event-driven go-to-market model. Customers are flavor and fragrance houses serving personal care, home care, fine fragrance, cosmetics, soaps, detergents and shampoo end-markets, reached through a direct sales team and a network of regional agents and distributors across more than 30 countries on five continents (Italy, India, Brazil, South Korea, China, Russia, Japan, France, UK, Singapore, USA). Revenue is generated through one-time sales of aroma chemicals (both proprietary manufactured molecules and complementary traded ingredients) with pricing handled via direct sales inquiry rather than public disclosure. Group leadership comprises Managing Director Michel Specklin, CEO Dan Hirlea and Senior Perfumer Serge Oldenbourg.

Name

ACS International

Legal name

Aroma Chemical Services International GmbH

Website

https://acsint.biz

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

ACS International is a privately held, Germany-headquartered specialty chemicals group that manufactures and globally trades high-value aroma chemicals — including biotech-produced macrocyclic musks, lactones and specialty fragrance ingredients — for flavor and fragrance houses serving personal care, home care, fine fragrance and cosmetics end-markets across more than 30 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aroma Chemicals / Flavor & Fragrance Ingredients

NAICS

Chemical Manufacturing (325), Flavoring Syrup and Concentrate Manufacturing (31193), Surface Active Agent Manufacturing (325613), Chemical and Allied Products Merchant Wholesalers (4246)

SIC

Chemicals & Allied Products (2800), Perfumes, Cosmetics & Other Toilet Preparations (2844), Industrial Organic Chemicals (2860), Wholesale-Chemicals & Allied Products (5160)

akta.pro primary industry

Flavors, Fragrances & Aroma Chemicals (IMAEABAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Flavor Houses & Compound Flavor Manufacturing (AFAJADAA), Aroma Chemicals & Synthetic Flavor Ingredients (e.g., Vanillin, Esters, Aldehydes) (AFAJADAC), Personal Care & Cosmetic Ingredients (IMAEABAJ)

Keywords

• Aroma chemicals manufacturing
• Flavor and fragrance ingredients
• Macrocyclic musks
• Biotech fragrance molecules
• Specialty fine chemicals

Headquarters

HQ city

Holzminden

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Aroma Chemical Sales: ACS International generates revenue through the manufacturing and sale of high-value aroma chemicals for both flavor and fragrance applications. The company produces proprietary products at their Romania facility while also trading complementary F&F ingredients sourced globally.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

ACS International combines EU-based manufacturing of high-value aroma chemicals at its Aroma Rise facility in Romania with global trading of complementary Flavor & Fragrance ingredients sourced worldwide. Its portfolio of 147+ products spans macrocyclic musks (Ambrettolide HC, Ambrettolide HC Suprême, Onestolide), lactones (Milk Lactone, Decalactone epsilon, Dodecalactone delta), specialty ketones (Gessalone, Heptyl Cyclopentanone-2, MVP variants), and musk blends (Romanone, Elenone, Dimusk) for flavor and fragrance applications.

Product overview

ACS International operates a modern EU-based manufacturing platform producing high-value aroma chemicals for the Flavor & Fragrance (F&F) industry. The company combines state-of-the-art manufacturing capabilities with operational flexibility, trading a complementary range of F&F ingredients sourced globally. The portfolio includes: (1) Ambrettolide HC and Ambrettolide HC Suprême - biotech-produced macrocyclic musks with high renewable carbon content; (2) MVP line (MVP, MVP 10%/50% in MPG, MVP 50% in TEC) - spicy-smoky 2-methoxy-4-vinylphenol compounds for flavor and fragrance use; (3) Lactone series including Milk Lactone, Decalactone variants (delta, epsilon, gamma), Dodecalactone delta, and others offering fruity, creamy, milky characteristics for dairy and fruit flavors; (4) Specialty fragrance materials including Gessalone (jasmine-floral), Heptyl Cyclopentanone-2 (fruity-floral), Onestolide (delicate musky-floral), Romanone variants, Dimusk, and Elenone (musk blends). Products serve flavor applications in food, beverage, and savory categories, as well as fragrance applications in fine fragrances, personal care, and home care. The company emphasizes sustainability with products featuring renewable carbon content and biodegradability properties.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ambrettolide HC High-impact macrocyclic musk produced via biotechnology, featuring musky, floral, clean, white, soft, powdery, warm and slightly soapy character. 100% renewable carbon, readily biodegradable, and used in personal and home care applications as a natural, less synthetic scent ingredient.
• Ambrettolide HC Suprême Bio-technological macrocyclic musk (cis-isomer minimum 95%) with high impact, great diffusion and tenacity, reminiscent of Ambrette seed oil. Readily biodegradable and developed in partnership with REG Life Sciences using renewable sugars.
• Onestolide Dihydroambrettolide produced via biotechnology with a delicate, musky, floral, slightly balsamic character. 100% renewable carbon, readily biodegradable, harmonizes with amber, vanilla and floral notes, and is used in fine fragrances, cosmetics and body care.
• MVP 50% in TEC 2-methoxy-4-vinylphenol blend at 50% in TEC (triethyl citrate) with spicy, smoky and clove bud character. Used in brown cocoa, coffee, vanilla and strawberry flavors, in whiskey and rum flavorings, and in perfumery as a replacement for Eugenol at lower dosages.
• MVP 2-methoxy-4-vinylphenol (Vinyl Guaiacol) with spicy, smoky, clove bud and dry character. Used in brown cocoa, coffee, vanilla, strawberry, meat and smoke flavors, as well as in alcoholic flavorings such as whiskey and rum, and in perfumery as a Eugenol replacement.
• MVP 50% in MPG 2-methoxy-4-vinylphenol blend at 50% in MPG (propylene glycol) with spicy, smoky, clove bud character for flavor and fragrance applications.
• MVP 10% in MPG 2-methoxy-4-vinylphenol blend at 10% in MPG (propylene glycol) with spicy, smoky, clove bud character for flavor and fragrance applications.
• Milk Lactone Dec-6-enoic acid with floral, creamy, green and milky olfactive profile. Used in dairy flavors (milk, cream, butter, cheese), baked goods, dairy products and desserts, and in perfumery adds a fresh, watery note to floral bouquets, especially rose accords.
• Decalactone epsilon 7-butyloxepan-2-one with spicy, herbal, celery and fenugreek character. Used in milk, chocolate and coffee aromas, and in perfumery pairs well with herbal and fresh notes and harmonizes with basil or citrus notes.
• Dodecalactone delta Dodecan-5-olide with fruity, peach and creamy profile. Used in dairy products, fruit flavors (peach, apricot) and red fruit flavors, and in perfumes softens harsh metallic notes and brings milky effects. Readily biodegradable.
• Gessalone 2-hexylcyclopentan-1-one with floral, jasmin and fruity character. Versatile fragrance material that excels in floral accords and blends seamlessly with musky notes, ionones and methylionones. Readily biodegradable.
• Heptyl Cyclopentanone-2 2-heptylcyclopentanone with fruity, floral, herbal, peach and jasmin profile. Versatile fragrance ingredient bringing floral notes to various formulas, stable for use in cosmetics, soaps, detergents and shampoos. Readily biodegradable.
• Romanone Flakes Cyclopentadecanone with musk, powdery, nitro-musk effect and animal character. Highly versatile for the fine fragrance industry and body-care applications, enhances woody and ambery top notes, lends body to floral accords, and boosts dry-out radiance with three-month tenacity on blotter.
• Elenone Blend of Cyclopentadecanone, Cyclohexadecanolide and Isopropylmyristate with musk, powdery, floral and animalic character. Broadly used in various fragrances and applications, with dosage up to 15% in fragrances.
• Dimusk Musk blend with powdery and animalic character, used in a broad variety of fragrances and applications with three-month tenacity on blotter.

Quantifiable outcome

• 70/100 EcoVadis score, top 5% of suppliers in industry segment
• +1 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• REG Life SciencescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 June 2018Partnership for development of Ambrettolide HC Suprême. REG Life Sciences, based in South San Francisco, CA, contributed biotechnology expertise for producing the novel macrocyclic musk through microbial fermentation and sustainable downstream processing.
• Amitalia SRLminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional agent in Italy
• Arpan AromaticsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional agent in India (Ahmedabad)
• Ashapura Aromas Pvt Ltd.minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional agent in India (Mumbai)
• COMERCIAL INTER-LINKminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional agent in Brazil (Jandira, SP)
• Hangoal CompanyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional agent in South Korea (Seoul)
• Jiangsu HollyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional agent in China (Nanjing)
• LEKO STYLEminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional agent in Russia (St. Petersburg)
• SEIKODO IshidaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional agent in Japan (Tokyo)
• Sipa A.Ch. BerthierminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional agent in France (Grasse)
• Stort Chemicals LtdminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional agent in UK (Bishops Stortford)
• TaytonnminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional agent in Singapore
• The John D Walsh CompanyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional agent in USA (Ringwood, NJ)

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Mane: Privately held French F&F manufacturer producing aroma chemicals, flavors, and fragrances. Mid-sized like ACS, with comparable specialty ingredient focus and global sales reach.
• Robertet: France-based F&F group producing natural and synthetic aroma ingredients, flavors, and fragrances. Comparable to ACS as a privately held, specialty-focused mid-tier player.
• Lucta: Spanish specialty F&F manufacturer producing aroma chemicals, fragrances, and flavors. Comparable mid-sized European peer with similar specialty ingredient positioning.
• Privi Specialty Chemicals: Indian producer of aroma chemicals and intermediates (e.g., musks, specialty ketones). Comparable to ACS in scale and product category focus, though serving primarily Asian and emerging markets.
• Symrise: Global F&F manufacturer headquartered in Holzminden, Germany (the same city as ACS). Directly comparable in producing aroma chemicals and specialty ingredients for flavors and fragrances, with significantly larger scale and a broader portfolio.
• Vigon International: US-based distributor and formulator of F&F ingredients, including aroma chemicals sourced globally. Comparable to ACS's trading and distribution arm, though Vigon is more distributor-led.

Broad incumbents

• Givaudan: World's largest F&F company, based in Switzerland. Produces and trades aroma chemicals, flavors, and fragrances at massive scale. Overlaps with ACS across macrocyclic musks, lactones, and specialty aroma ingredients.
• DSM-Firmenich: Merged giant combining DSM's ingredient capabilities with Firmenich's F&F heritage. Competes with ACS across specialty aroma chemicals, biotech ingredients, and fragrance compounds.
• International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF): Major US-listed F&F producer with deep aroma chemical capabilities. Competes with ACS across specialty fragrance ingredients and flavor compounds for global brand customers.
• BASF (Care Chemicals / Aroma Ingredients): Diversified chemical giant with a significant aroma ingredients and personal care specialty chemicals portfolio. Competes with ACS on commodity and specialty aroma chemicals from a much larger platform.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

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Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries2 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 ACS International