What vanBaerle does

vanBaerle is a Switzerland-based specialty chemicals manufacturer, founded in 1888 and headquartered in Münchenstein, that develops and sells high-grade silicates for finished industrial and consumer products. The company's core product line is high-grade specialty silicates, which serve as functional ingredients in customer formulations across paints & coatings, purification (water, beer, edible oils), construction (green cement), personal care (toothpaste, nutrition), and cleaning applications. vanBaerle historically served industrial customers across Europe, America, Africa, and Asia through direct enterprise sales channels, with revenue generated via hardware sales of chemical products to B2B customers.

The company operates within a mature industrial chemicals paradigm: silicates are manufactured using established thermal and precipitation processes, then sold as performance ingredients that provide functional benefits such as cleaning, whitening, surface modification, and purification to downstream formulators. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is negotiated through direct sales relationships, consistent with the broader B2B specialty chemicals market.

In January 2024, PQ Corp. — a leading global provider of silicates, silicas, and derivative products operating across 13 countries with approximately 1,500 employees — acquired vanBaerle's specialty silicate business. Following the acquisition, vanBaerle operates as a specialty silicate business unit within PQ Corp.'s portfolio, which includes sodium silicates, precipitated silica, silica gel, zeolites, metasilicate, and specialty silicates marketed under established brands including Gasil® and Sorbosil®. The acquisition positions vanBaerle's products within a larger platform pursuing inorganic expansion (Sibelco Sweden specialty silicates, pending BASF Düsseldorf silicates business) and capacity extensions (Pasuruan Indonesia, planned Augusta Georgia furnace). Leadership of the vanBaerle business unit continues under CEO Daniel Schenk, reporting into PQ Corp.'s broader organizational structure.

Name

vanBaerle

Legal name

vanBaerle Group

Website

https://vanbaerle.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1888

Operating status

Acquired

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

vanBaerle is a Switzerland-based specialty silicate manufacturer, founded in 1888, producing high-grade silicates for industrial customers across paints, coatings, purification, construction, personal care, and cleaning applications. The company now operates as a subsidiary of PQ Corp.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Industrial Chemicals

SIC

Industrial Inorganic Chemicals (2810), Chemicals & Allied Products (2800)

akta.pro primary industry

Silica (Quartz, Fumed, Precipitated) (IMAEAFAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Silica, Alumina & Metal Oxide Adsorbents/Desiccants (IMAEAIAG)

Keywords

• Specialty silicate manufacturing
• Industrial chemicals supply
• Performance chemicals ingredients
• Sodium silicate production
• Silicate mineral products

Headquarters

HQ city

Münchenstein

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Chemical Products Manufacturing and Sales: PQ Corp generates revenue through the manufacture and sale of silicates, silicas and derivative products to industrial customers. The company supplies performance chemicals as ingredients in a diverse set of industrial and consumer applications including decorative paints, green cement, drinking water purification, green tires, toothpaste, biofuels and beer.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

vanBaerle develops and manufactures high-grade specialty silicates used as performance ingredients in finished industrial and consumer products. The company's specialty silicates are supplied to industrial customers across Europe, America, Africa, and Asia for applications including decorative paints and surface coatings, drinking water and beverage purification, green cement and construction, personal care and toothpaste, cleaning products, and green tires. Since January 2024, vanBaerle's specialty silicate business has operated as part of PQ Corp.'s global portfolio of silicates, silicas, and derivative products.

Product overview

vanBaerle is a specialty silicate business acquired by PQ Corp in January 2024. Headquartered in Münchenstein, Switzerland, vanBaerle operates as a leading manufacturer of high-grade silicates. The company serves customers across Europe, America, Africa, and Asia. Following the acquisition, vanBaerle's silicate products complement PQ Corp's portfolio of sodium silicate, precipitated silica, silica gel, zeolites, metasilicate, and specialty silicates, with brands including Gasil® and Sorbosil®.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• High-Grade Specialty Silicates High-grade specialty silicates manufactured by vanBaerle for use as performance ingredients in industrial and consumer products, including decorative paints, surface coatings, drinking water and beverage purification, green cement and construction materials, personal care and nutrition products (e.g., toothpaste), cleaning products, green tires, and biofuels. Supplied to enterprise industrial customers across Europe, America, Africa, and Asia. Following PQ Corp.'s acquisition announced on January 10, 2024, these silicates complement PQ's broader portfolio of sodium silicate, precipitated silica, silica gel, zeolites, metasilicate, and specialty silicates.

Named customers1 record

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• BASFcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 May 2026BASF signed an agreement to sell its silicates business, including assets at the Düsseldorf/Holthausen site to PQ Corp. Subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals, the transaction is expected to be completed in H2 2026. Financial details were not disclosed.
• Sibelco GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 January 2025PQ completed acquisition of Sibelco's specialty silicate business operated at the Lödöse plant in Sweden. This acquisition expanded PQ's Nordic presence in the specialty silicates market.
• Sibelco GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 December 2024PQ announced agreement to acquire Sibelco's specialty silicate business in Sweden. Sibelco's silicate business has a long history of success in Sweden.
• PQ CorpcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 January 2024PQ acquired the specialty silicate business of vanBaerle Group. Headquartered in Münchenstein, Switzerland, vanBaerle is a leading manufacturer of high-grade silicates, serving customers across Europe, America, Africa, and Asia.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Imerys: French industrial minerals producer with a silica and functional additives portfolio serving paints, construction, and personal care applications. Comparable to vanBaerle in specialty mineral chemistry for industrial customers.
• Cabot Corporation: US-based specialty chemicals company with a leading specialty silicas and performance chemicals business serving similar industrial and consumer end markets to vanBaerle.
• Evonik Industries: Major global specialty chemicals producer with a significant silica/silicate portfolio serving coatings, personal care, and industrial customers. Closely comparable to vanBaerle in product category and end-market overlap.
• Huber Engineered Materials: J.M. Huber division producing specialty silicas and aluminas for coatings, personal care, and industrial applications. Directly overlaps with vanBaerle's specialty silicate offering.
• Wacker Chemie: German specialty chemicals company producing silicates and silicones for construction, coatings, personal care, and electronics applications. Directly competes with vanBaerle in specialty silicate chemistry.

Others

• PPG Industries: Global coatings major that is a downstream consumer of silica/silicate additives. Not a direct competitor but a key end customer, useful as a demand-side benchmark for vanBaerle's paints & coatings segment.

Broad incumbents

• Nouryon: Dutch global specialty chemicals company with a silica- and surface-chemistry portfolio serving paints, personal care, and industrial customers. Comparable in customer overlap and chemistry scope.
• BASF: Largest global chemicals company and the seller of silicates assets to PQ Corp in 2026. Operates a broad chemicals portfolio that historically included silicates overlapping with vanBaerle's specialty range.
• Solvay: Belgian global chemicals major producing silica, soda ash, and specialty derivatives used across detergents, paints, and industrial applications. Broader portfolio than vanBaerle but overlapping in core silicate chemistry.

Regional players

• Tokuyama Corporation: Japanese chemical manufacturer producing silicates and specialty inorganic chemicals primarily serving Asian industrial markets. Comparable product portfolio to vanBaerle but with a different geographic focus.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

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 vanBaerle