Gaches Chimie
Gaches Chimie is a family-owned French chemical distributor and formulator serving aerospace, industrial, pool, textile and environmental customers across 10+ countries, combining SEVESO-certified logistics, NADCAP/COFRAC labs, and the E-Chemicals SaaS platform with proprietary brands like GARO®TEK.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1948
- HeadquartersToulouse, France
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Gaches Chimie does
Gaches Chimie is a France-based, third-generation family-owned chemical distribution and formulation group founded in 1948 in Toulouse. The company distributes and formulates specialty and commodity chemicals across seven verticals — Aeronautics, Space & Defense (the stated primary segment), Marine & Transport, Environment (water, air, energy), Textile Care & Laundry, Pool, Health & Agrofood, and Chemical Formulation & Painting — serving more than 10,000 customers in roughly 10 countries through wholly-owned subsidiaries in Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Tunisia, Netherlands, Mexico, Canada, Germany, and an upcoming India office. Core revenue lines are chemical product distribution, SEVESO/ICPE-classified logistics (repackaging, kitting, line-side delivery, hazardous waste), NADCAP/COFRAC-accredited laboratory services (including the EXPIRIS joint venture with Satys Group), and proprietary branded products such as the GARO® family (GARO®TEK ozone laundry, GARO®Filtre, GARO®Salt, GARO®Sorb, GARO®Barrière, GARO®Calcaire, GARO®Print, AQUAcouleur) plus active charcoal slurry for industrial treatment. Pricing is quote-based; the E-Chemicals SaaS platform is offered free with purchased products and monetizes through product stickiness rather than standalone subscription.
The company's go-to-market combines direct enterprise sales (with a dedicated aeronautics division led by Caroline Gaches) and a digital layer: the E-Chemicals platform adds SDS management, regulatory surveillance (REACH, Export Control, RoHS, POP, PIC, VLE, ICPE, PFAS), ADR transport document generation, simplified SDS, CLP label creation, and a 12,000+ substance database, with exports into INRS's SEIRICH risk-assessment tool. Operations are anchored by 13 ICPE/SEVESO facilities including a SEVESO upper-tier 45-acre site with -18°C cold storage and certified labs. The business is 100% family-owned under PDG Pierre Gaches, with 251–500 employees, and a stated 94.7% permanent-contract rate. Financial data is sparse; only a €94M 2012 revenue figure is disclosed, with the company having remained privately funded across 76 years and completed two material acquisitions (COPLA/LUSOCOPLA in 2020 and Spectrum Aerospace in 2024) to deepen aerospace formulation and Central European reach.
Gaches Chimie firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Gaches Chimie
- Legal name
- Gaches Chimie
- Website
- https://gaches.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1948
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Gaches Chimie is a family-owned French chemical distributor and formulator serving aerospace, industrial, pool, textile and environmental customers across 10+ countries, combining SEVESO-certified logistics, NADCAP/COFRAC labs, and the E-Chemicals SaaS platform with proprietary brands like GARO®TEK.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Gaches Chimie industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Industrial Chemical Distribution
- NAICS
- Chemical and Allied Products Merchant Wholesalers (4246), Other Chemical and Allied Products Merchant Wholesalers (42469), Other Chemical Product and Preparation Manufacturing (3259)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Chemicals & Allied Products (5160), Industrial Organic Chemicals (2860)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Contract Warehousing, Blending & Distribution for Agrochemicals (bulk handling, IBC/drum management) (AFABAIAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Laboratory Chemicals & Specialty/Reagent Chemical Storage (TLALAHAM), Lubricants, Fluids & Chemical Products Distribution (Oils, Coolants, AdBlue/DEF, Cleaners) (TLAKAOAL), Food & Beverage Process & CIP/Sanitation Chemicals (IMAEAJAK), Water Treatment Adsorbents (GAC/PAC/Media) (IMAEAIAK)
Keywords
Where Gaches Chimie is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Toulouse
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices14 records
Markets served
Gaches Chimie business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Chemical Product Distribution: Distribution of commodities and specialty chemical products including organic/inorganic chemistry, silicones, lubricants, coatings, and treatment products. Sales volume of 94 million euros reported in 2012.
- Logistics Services: ICPE/SEVESO storage facilities, repackaging, labeling, delivery to site, kitting, sourcing, and dangerous waste management services.
- E-Chemicals SaaS Platform: Digital chemical data management platform with modules for SDS management, labeling, substance database, transport documents, and ICPE reporting. Free for products purchased from Gaches Chimie.
- Laboratory Analysis Services: NADCAP and COFRAC accredited laboratories for surface treatment analysis, bath analysis, and anti-corrosion testing.
- Formulation and Manufacturing: Chemical formulation capabilities through COPLA/LUSOCOPLA acquisitions including aqueous/solvent dissolutions, silicone elastomers, emulsions, coating and dispersion manufacturing.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Custom enterprise pricing |
Go-to-market motion4 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Gaches Chimie product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Gaches Chimie distributes and formulates commodity and specialty chemicals for industrial customers, with deep focus on aerospace, defense, and industrial sectors. The company operates a vertically integrated supply chain including 13 ICPE/SEVESO-certified storage facilities with -18°C cold storage, NADCAP/COFRAC-accredited laboratories, hazardous waste management, and the proprietary E-Chemicals SaaS platform for chemical data management and regulatory surveillance across REACH, Export Control, RoHS, ICPE, and related frameworks.
Product overview
Gaches Chimie operates a diversified chemical distribution and solutions business organized around a platform-plus-modules architecture. The core E-Chemicals SaaS platform provides chemical data management (SDS management, regulatory surveillance for REACH, Export Control, RoHS, POP, PIC, VLE, ICPE, PFAS, obsolescence monitoring) with add-on modules including Simplified Safety Data Sheets, CLP Labels, Substances Database (12,000+ substances), ADR Transport Documents, ICPE Section reporting, SEIRICH data export, and Database Export. The company also develops proprietary branded product lines: GARO® pool and water treatment products (GARO®TEK ozone laundry, GARO®Filtre filtration media, GARO®Salt electrolyzer, GARO®SORB activated carbon, GARO®Barrière chemical barrier, GARO®Calcaire limestone reducer, AQUAcouleur pool dye, Stabilizer Reducer); active charcoal slurry for industrial treatment; and 3D printable silicone (GARO®Print). Core chemical product categories span organic/inorganic chemistry, food ingredients, structural adhesives, textile care, lubricants, composite materials, aeronautical coatings, silicones, surface treatment, and water/environment treatment. Services include ICPE/SEVESO logistics with cold storage, NADCAP/COFRAC qualified laboratories (EXPIRIS), hazardous waste solutions, global sourcing, and application restocking automation.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- E-Chemicals Data Management Platform SaaS platform providing centralized Safety Data Sheet (SDS) management, regulatory surveillance (REACH, Export Control, RoHS, POP, PIC, VLE, ICPE, PFAS), obsolescence monitoring, order tracking, and access to a database of 12,000+ substances. Available with add-on modules for CLP labels, ADR transport documents, ICPE reporting, simplified safety data sheets, and SEIRICH data export. Free for all products purchased from Gaches Chimie.
- GARO®TEK Ozone Laundry System Ozone-based cold-water laundry washing system for commercial and healthcare laundries, demonstrating 85% energy savings and 43% water reduction versus traditional thermal washing. Targets commercial laundries, healthcare facilities, and hotels.
- GARO® Pool Innovation Product Line Proprietary branded product line for swimming pool water treatment including GARO®Filtre (filtration media), GARO®Salt (salt electrolyzer), GARO®SORB (activated carbon), GARO®Barrière (incompatible mixture prevention), GARO®Calcaire (limestone reducer), AQUAcouleur (ephemeral pool dye), and Stabilizer Reducer.
- Pool Water Recycling Skid Mobile water treatment skid using ultrafiltration and reverse osmosis for recycling pool backwash water for return to swimming pools, reducing fresh water consumption and heating costs. Compatible with all filtration media (sand, anthracite, glass, diatomite).
- Active Charcoal Slurry (Barbotine de charbon actif) Aqueous suspension of powdered activated charcoal with bio-polymer binder preventing sedimentation, used for industrial water treatment, incinerator flue gas treatment (dioxins, furans, mercury), polluted soil treatment, and biogas purification.
- GARO®Print 3D-Printable Silicone Additive manufacturing silicone product line for 3D printing applications, developed through partnership with Lynxter (3D printing technology) and Silinov for industrial silicone part fabrication.
- BLUESIL Silicones Distribution Exclusive distribution of Bluestar Silicones elastomers under BLUESIL brand including RTV-2 two-component silicone rubber, RT-FOAM two-component silicone foam, and CAF one-component functional elastomers for aerospace, automotive, electronics, photovoltaics, nuclear, and food industry applications.
- Application Restocking Digital application for automating and securing chemical replenishment ordering, enabling customers to manage stock levels and trigger automated reorders of chemical products.
- Logistics Services (ICPE/SEVESO) Integrated logistics services utilizing 13 ICPE/SEVESO classified storage facilities including upper-tier SEVESO site at Escalquens (45 acres) and -18°C cold storage. Services include repackaging, labeling, line-side delivery (bord-de-chaîne), kitting, sourcing, and dangerous goods handling.
- NADCAP & COFRAC Qualified Laboratory Services Chemical analysis laboratories (Toulouse site and EXPIRIS Marignane) accredited under EN 9100 and NADCAP for aerospace quality standards, providing surface treatment bath analysis, coating/paint expertise, and anti-corrosion testing for aerospace and industrial customers.
- Hazardous Waste Solutions Collection and management services for hazardous chemical waste, supporting customer compliance with environmental regulations and end-of-life product handling.
- Global Chemical Solutions (Global Sourcing) International chemical sourcing services from product qualification assistance to waste collection, regulatory intelligence, and supply chain management across multiple geographies including France, Spain, Morocco, Tunisia, Netherlands, Mexico, Canada, India, and Germany.
Quantifiable outcome
- 85.07% reduction in electrical consumption and CO2 emissions with GARO®TEK
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Gaches Chimie
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments7 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Gaches Chimie technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Feature6 records
Gaches Chimie partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered community, key account, supporting, innovation, core and project.
- Le Cœur des EntreprisescommunityGaches Chimie as founding member of endowment fund uniting companies for action against precarity, social fragility, and disability through SOCOEUR futsal tournament.
- LinkeecommunityAssociation partnership for collection of light equipment and food distribution to students in precarious situations; collaborated during SOCOEUR tournament.
- Ratier Figeac Maroc (RFM) / Collins Aerospacekey accountCertificate for Supplier partnership with MOU between Collins Aerospace and Moroccan Ministry of Industry. Gaches Chimie provides surface treatment laboratory, E-Chemicals platform, and shared storage with consolidated shipments reducing costs and carbon footprint.
- VINCI Constructionkey accountE-Chemicals platform deployment for centralized SDS management, regulatory surveillance, and chemical risk evaluation across VINCI Construction sites serving 4,000-6,000+ product references.
- BoostAeroSpacesupportingCybersecurity maturity evaluation through AirCyber program, founded by specialists from Airbus, Dassault Aviation, Safran, and Thales.
- Thaleskey accountPartnership commitment to act for a low-carbon future, supporting aerospace and defense sectors.
- Lynxter and SilinovinnovationPartnership for additive manufacturing with printable silicone (GARO®Print) combining Gaches Chimie materials with Lynxter 3D printing technology and Silinov expertise.
- Bluestar SiliconescoreExclusive distributor of Bluestar Silicones elastomers under BLUESIL brand (formerly Rhodorsil) for French market including RTV-2, RT-FOAM, and CAF product lines.
- SAERTEXcoreNamed exclusive distributor of SAERTEX composite materials in France.
- Hexcel and SF CompositesprojectCombined expertise to improve GUNBOAT 68 sailing vessel using composite materials.
- Satys GroupcoreJoint venture creating EXPIRIS laboratory specializing in anti-corrosion and coating/paint solutions, born from Airbus Helicopters outsourcing initiative.
Scale indicators11 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights7 records
Gaches Chimie competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Henkel: Global leader in adhesives, sealants and surface treatment technologies, including aerospace applications. Overlaps with Gaches Chimie's adhesives, surface treatment and coatings categories, and is also an existing partner through Henkel's European Distribution Event recognition.
- Chemetall (BASF): BASF's surface treatment specialty chemicals division serving aerospace, automotive and industrial customers globally. Directly comparable to Gaches Chimie's EXPIRIS/NADCAP surface treatment laboratory capabilities and aerospace coatings offering, but operating within a much larger parent.
Direct peers
- Brenntag: World's largest chemical distribution company with comprehensive specialty and commodity chemical portfolios serving industrial and life science customers globally. Directly comparable to Gaches Chimie in chemical distribution, formulation services, and supply chain integration, but at significantly larger scale.
- Univar Solutions: Major North American-headquartered chemical and ingredients distributor serving industrial, pharmaceutical and food customers. Overlaps with Gaches Chimie in commodity and specialty distribution plus regulated end-market service, though with a different geographic core.
- Caldic: Dutch specialty chemicals and food ingredients distributor with global presence and formulation capabilities. Comparable to Gaches Chimie's multi-vertical distribution model across life sciences, industrial and consumer chemicals.
- Azelis: Belgian-headquartered specialty chemicals and food ingredients distributor with strong European presence. Highly comparable to Gaches Chimie's specialty distribution model and verticals including life sciences, industrial chemicals, and coatings.
- Biesterfeld: Hamburg-based chemical distributor with specialty plastics, rubber, and industrial chemicals divisions. Comparable mid-market European chemical distributor with similar industrial customer base and additive/formulation services.
- IMCD: Global specialty chemicals and food ingredients distributor with strong formulation focus and value-added technical services. Comparable to Gaches Chimie's specialty distribution model across silicones, coatings, composites and food ingredients, with similar emphasis on application support and customer co-development.
- TER Chemicals: German specialty chemicals distributor focused on additives, coatings, plastics and rubber performance chemicals. Comparable to Gaches Chimie's specialty distribution and formulation capabilities, particularly in performance additives for industrial customers.
- Häffner & Co: German specialty chemicals distributor with broad portfolio across industrial, life science and consumer chemicals. Comparable European mid-market chemical distributor with similar industrial customer focus.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Gaches Chimie social profiles
Digital presenceGaches Chimie compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance10 records
Gaches Chimie financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Gaches Chimie leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Gaches Chimie subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries10 records
Gaches Chimie funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Gaches Chimie M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Gaches Chimie
What does Gaches Chimie do?
Gaches Chimie distributes and formulates commodity and specialty chemicals for industrial customers, with deep focus on aerospace, defense, and industrial sectors. The company operates a vertically integrated supply chain including 13 ICPE/SEVESO-certified storage facilities with -18°C cold storage, NADCAP/COFRAC-accredited laboratories, hazardous waste management, and the proprietary E-Chemicals SaaS platform for chemical data management and regulatory surveillance across REACH, Export Control, RoHS, ICPE, and related frameworks.
Is Gaches Chimie a public or private company?
Gaches Chimie is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Gaches Chimie founded?
Gaches Chimie was founded in 1948. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Gaches Chimie based?
Gaches Chimie is headquartered in Toulouse, France, in the Europe region.
How does Gaches Chimie make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Chemical Product Distribution is the primary driver. The others are logistics Services, E-Chemicals SaaS Platform, laboratory Analysis Services and formulation and Manufacturing.
Who are Gaches Chimie's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Henkel and Chemetall (BASF). Direct peers are Brenntag, Univar Solutions, Caldic, Azelis, Biesterfeld, IMCD, TER Chemicals and Häffner & Co.
Does Gaches Chimie have an API?
No public API is recorded for Gaches Chimie.
What industry is Gaches Chimie in?
Gaches Chimie's product category is Industrial Chemical Distribution. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFABAIAL, Contract Warehousing, Blending & Distribution for Agrochemicals (bulk handling, IBC/drum management), with a secondary code of TLALAHAM, Laboratory Chemicals & Specialty/Reagent Chemical Storage. Its NAICS code is 4246 and its SIC code is 5160.