Julius Hoesch

What Julius Hoesch does

Julius Hoesch GmbH & Co. KG is a German, family-owned chemical distribution and contract manufacturing company founded in 1865 and headquartered in Düren. The company distributes over 5,000 industrial and specialty chemical products across three core categories (Industrial Chemistry, Specialty Chemicals, and Services), serving approximately 6,000 customers in industries including automotive, paper, cosmetics, coatings, water treatment, food/feed, cleaning, and construction chemicals. Revenue exceeds €200M annually, generated through transactional distribution, multi-year contracts, and water- and solvent-based toll manufacturing of detergents, antifreeze, and specialty fuels.

The company operates from an 86,000 m² site featuring 96 tanks for organic and inorganic liquids, 23,000 pallet spaces for solids and pre-packaged materials, and an in-house laboratory equipped with modern analytical instrumentation (gas chromatography, Karl Fischer titration, photometry, etc.). Enterprise resource planning runs on SAP ECC 6.0 with a planned migration to SAP S/4HANA, supporting batch traceability and standardized processes. A wholly-owned logistics subsidiary, Juli.O (founded 2007), handles 250,000 tonnes of annual throughput across Germany and Europe with dangerous-goods-certified staff and own fleet. A B2B online shop, Hoesch Direct, supplements the direct sales motion.

The Hoesch family retains 50% of share capital following a 2002 alliance with Stockmeier and Overlack. The company operates under a GmbH & Co. KG structure with Managing Directors Gisela Braun and Stephan Andreas. Sales coverage is segmented by product category (nine verticals) and geography (Germany plus dedicated contacts for Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Switzerland, Austria, and worldwide). The company maintains certifications across quality (ISO 9001), security (TISAX, AEO-F), sustainability (EcoVadis Silver, RSPO-MB, ISCC PLUS, Responsible Care), and sector-specific standards (SQAS ESAD, WHG). In 2022 the company launched the Hoesch NEXT strategy program targeting Chemistry 4.0 positioning by 2027, and in 2025 selected Zilliant as pricing lifecycle management partner.

Name

Julius Hoesch

Legal name

Julius Hoesch GmbH & Co. KG

Website

https://julius-hoesch.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1865

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Julius Hoesch is a German, family-owned chemical distributor and contract manufacturer founded in 1865, distributing 5,000+ industrial and specialty chemicals to ~6,000 customers across automotive, paper, cosmetics, coatings, and food/feed industries, with €200M+ annual revenue.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Chemical Distribution

NAICS

Chemical and Allied Products Merchant Wholesalers (4246), Other Chemical and Allied Products Merchant Wholesalers (42469), Chemical Manufacturing (325), Soap and Cleaning Compound Manufacturing (32561)

SIC

Wholesale-Chemicals & Allied Products (5160), Chemicals & Allied Products (2800)

akta.pro primary industry

Hazmat Warehousing & Segregated Storage (Bonded/Compliance Facilities) (TLAIAJAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Expedited Hazmat / Dangerous Goods Expediting (TLADANAK), Hazmat & Dangerous Goods Warehousing (Regulated Storage) (TLAIACAE)

Keywords

• Chemical distribution
• Industrial chemicals
• Specialty chemicals
• Contract manufacturing
• Chemical logistics

Headquarters

HQ city

Düren

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Chemical Distribution: Core business distributing industrial chemicals and specialty chemicals. Products include aliphatics, aromatics, esters, alcohols, acids, alkalis, surfactants, complexing agents, phosphonates, preservatives, and more. Over 5,000 products instantly available.
2. Contract Manufacturing: Custom manufacturing services including water-based and solvent-based contract manufacturing. Services for producing detergents, cleaning agents, degreasing agents, and antifreeze products.
3. Logistics and Transportation (Juli.O): In-house forwarding agency providing disposition and distribution of all shipments. Deliveries throughout Germany and Europe using own fleet and chartered vehicles. Staff trained in dangerous goods handling. Subsidiary handles 250,000 tonnes annually.
4. E-commerce (Hoesch Direct): B2B online shop platform enabling customers to directly purchase products and manage accounts online.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Julius Hoesch is a German chemical distributor and contract manufacturer supplying more than 5,000 industrial and specialty chemicals (acids, alkalis, solvents, surfactants, phosphonates, preservatives, cosmetic raw materials) to industrial customers across Europe. The company also provides water-based and solvent-based toll manufacturing, antifreeze and special fuel production, and detergents/cleaning agent blending. Distribution is supported by an 86,000 m² site with 96 storage tanks, an in-house laboratory for quality assurance, and a wholly-owned logistics subsidiary (Juli.O) handling dangerous-goods transport across Germany and Europe.

Product overview

Julius Hoesch GmbH & Co. KG is a German chemical distributor founded in 1865, offering a comprehensive portfolio of industrial chemicals, specialty chemicals, and toll manufacturing services. The company operates as a medium-sized full-service provider with over 5,000 instantly available products across three main categories: Industriechemie (Industrial Chemistry) covering acids, alkalis, solvents, solids, and specialty fuels; Spezialchemie (Specialty Chemicals) including surfactants, complexing agents, phosphonates, preservatives, and cosmetic raw materials; and Dienstleistungen (Services) encompassing contract manufacturing, antifreeze production, and toll manufacturing. The company also operates Juli.O, its own forwarding agency for logistics, and Hoesch direct, its B2B e-commerce platform. Key industrial sectors served include automotive, construction chemicals, cosmetics, detergents, food and pharma, paper, surface technology, and coatings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Juli.O: In-house forwarding agency founded in 2007, handling logistics and distribution throughout Germany and Europe with 125 employees and 4,000 m² operating area
• Hoesch direct
• Hoesch RSPO Portfolio

Products and services

• Industriechemie (Industrial Chemistry) Industrial chemical product portfolio covering aliphatics, aromatics, esters, ketones, glycol ethers, glycol esters, pentanes, other solvents, solids (feststoffe), alkalis (laugen), acids (säuren), hydrogen peroxide, water chemicals, other inorganics, amines, cooling brines, and plasticizers. Supplied to industrial customers across manufacturing, automotive, construction chemicals, water treatment, paper, and related sectors.
• Spezialchemie (Specialty Chemicals) Specialty chemicals portfolio including amphoteric, anionic, cationic, and non-ionic surfactants, surfactant mixtures, hydrotropes, biocidal active ingredients, complexing agents, phosphonates, corrosion inhibitors, technical preservatives, defoamers, adhesion promoters, emulsifiers, cosmetic raw materials, Expancel microspheres, fatty amines, dyes, silicone oils/emulsions/fluids, adhesives, and release agents. Targeted at cleaning/detergent, cosmetics, CASE, water treatment, and industrial cleaning customers.
• Dienstleistungen (Contract Manufacturing Services) Contract and toll manufacturing services including antifreeze production, special fuels, water-based contract manufacturing, solvent-based contract manufacturing, and production of detergents, cleaning agents, and degreasing agents. Available to industrial customers requiring custom blending, formulation, and filling under their own or Hoesch specifications.
• Juli.O Logistics & Forwarding In-house forwarding agency providing disposition and distribution of chemical shipments throughout Germany and Europe using own fleet and chartered vehicles. Staff trained in dangerous-goods handling. Handles approximately 250,000 tonnes annually with 22 million EUR turnover, operating from a 4,000 m² facility.
• Hoesch Direct B2B Online Shop Self-service B2B online shop for existing business customers to directly order chemical products, manage accounts, and conduct re-ordering without sales representative intermediation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Top 15% in EcoVadis sustainability assessment among 100,000+ companies worldwide
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

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 and minor.

• Nouryon Chemicals B.V.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership spanning decades with Netherlands-based specialty chemicals company. Julius Hoesch provides supply reliability, warehouse capabilities, and technical service for customers in Home Care and I&I cleaning formulations. Company involvement includes inclusion in development of new surfactants at early project stages.
• Vink Chemicals GmbH & Co. KGcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSuccessful and trustworthy cooperation with German specialty chemicals company. Shared customer-centric philosophy. Technical and sales collaboration at eye level enabled offering all-in-one service and expanding presence in target markets.
• Salco Import-Export AGminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDecades-long partnership centered on ethanol for diverse applications. Daily market analysis collaboration. Julius Hoesch described as reliable partner that never abandons customers.
• ROWE MINERALÖLWERK GMBHminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFair partnership at eye level spanning many years. Both companies share deep understanding of product and process requirements. Collaborative problem-solving results in mutually satisfactory outcomes.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Biesterfeld: Hamburg-based specialty chemical distributor with overlapping portfolio in CASE, cosmetics, plastics, and industrial chemicals. Comparable DACH focus and family-influenced governance structure make it a close comparable.
• Brenntag: World's largest chemical distributor (€16B+ revenue) with similar industrial and specialty chemical product portfolio. Direct competitor for DACH-based industrial customers and pan-European key accounts, though at materially greater scale and global reach.
• Ter Hell & Co. Hamburg-based German chemical distributor offering comparable specialty and industrial chemical products across CASE, cosmetics, and industrial cleaning segments. Similar mid-market positioning in DACH.
• Häffner & Co. German family-owned chemical distribution and manufacturing group with overlapping product portfolio in industrial and specialty chemicals. Comparable mid-sized DACH distributor profile.
• Overlack: Mönchengladbach-based chemical distributor and 2002 joint venture partner of Julius Hoesch. Comparable family-owned specialty and industrial chemical distribution business serving DACH industrial customers.
• Stockmeier Chemie: Bielefeld-based family-owned chemical distributor and 2002 joint venture partner of Julius Hoesch. Highly comparable mid-sized German chemical distribution business with similar product breadth and customer segments.
• Helm AG: Hamburg-headquartered global chemical distribution and marketing company with comparable specialty and industrial chemical portfolio. Similar mid-sized family-controlled governance and DACH origins.

Broad incumbents

• Caldic: European specialty chemical and ingredient distributor with comparable portfolio in personal care, food, and industrial chemicals. Broader geographic footprint but similar specialty chemicals focus.
• Univar Solutions: Major North American-headquartered global chemical distributor with much broader geographic reach and scale. Competes for the same European key accounts from a position of materially greater scale.
• Azelis: Belgian-headquartered global specialty chemical and food ingredient distributor with pan-European operations. Direct overlap in specialty surfactants, preservatives, and personal care ingredients.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xxing.com/pages/juliushoeschgmbh-co-kg
• Facebookfacebook.com/JuliusHoeschGmbHundCo.KG
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/julius-hoesch

Compliance9 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries1 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 Julius Hoesch