What PROTEX INTERNATIONAL does

PROTEX INTERNATIONAL is an independent, privately held French industrial group founded in 1932 (originally as a producer of textile auxiliaries) that develops, manufactures, and markets specialty chemical additives. Operating from its headquarters in Levallois-Perret, France, the group runs a portfolio of roughly 30+ distinct additive functionalities (fire retardants, water repellents, defoamers, sequestrants, adhesion promoters, conductive adhesives, chelates, VOC scavengers, etc.) organized under brands such as SYNTHRO®, MODAREZ®, PROX®, PROTE®, MASQUOL®, PROTAVIC®, MOUSSEX®, URASEAL®, INDICIA®, and BIO-STERIL®, serving end-markets including paper, textile and leather, coatings and printing inks, construction, composites, electronics, agriculture, commodities, biotech/microbiology, telecommunications cabling, and railway maintenance.

The group's business model is a sales-led B2B specialty chemicals operation. Revenue is generated through one-time sales of formulated additives and consumables, plus hardware sales (DALISTICK® selective electrochemical metal plating stations in three models) and ancillary services including R&D formulation, equipment repair, training, and contract manufacturing of sterile microbiological media. Go-to-market combines direct sales via ~30 wholly-owned subsidiaries across Europe, the Americas, and Asia with a distributor network that extends the group into 60+ countries; 80% of sales are generated outside France. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. The group invests 6% of turnover into R&D, operates production and R&D sites in France, the United States, China, and South Korea, and holds a broad set of sector-specific regulatory approvals (ISO 9001, FDA 175-300, UL Listed, AFNOR, ITAR-free, SNCF railway validation, Ecolabel, Blue Angel, organic-agriculture authorization). Recent strategic activity is concentrated on bolt-on diversification (DALIC in 2018, INDICIA/BIO-STERIL in 2019) and a 2025 product launch slate targeting eco-responsible flame retardants, sustainable barrier additives, silicone-free textile softeners, and a photovoltaic cell interconnect adhesive.

Name

PROTEX INTERNATIONAL

Legal name

PROTEX INTERNATIONAL

Website

https://protex-international.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1932

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

PROTEX INTERNATIONAL is a privately held French specialty chemical additives group founded in 1932 that develops, manufactures, and markets functional additives (flame retardants, water repellents, defoamers, chelates, conductive adhesives) for paper, textile, coatings, construction, electronics, agriculture, biotech, and railway customers in 60+ countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Chemicals

NAICS

Chemical Manufacturing (325), Custom Compounding of Purchased Resins (325991), Adhesive Manufacturing (325520)

SIC

Miscellaneous Chemical Products (2890), Industrial Organic Chemicals (2860), Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836)

akta.pro primary industry

Medical & Food-Contact Specialty Compounds (IMANABAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Biodegradable Additives & Masterbatches (pro-oxidant-free, bio-based modifiers) (IMAEAOAD), Preservatives & Antimicrobials (Sorbates, Benzoates, Natamycin, Cultured Dextrose) (CRADAOAF)

Keywords

• Specialty chemical additives
• Industrial chemical formulations
• Selective metal plating equipment
• Microbiological culture media
• Electronic encapsulation resins

Headquarters

HQ city

Levallois

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices13 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Specialty Chemical Additives: Development, manufacturing, and marketing of specialty chemical additives for multiple sectors including specialty chemicals, construction, composites, electronics, coatings, printing inks, varnishes, textile, leather, paper, agriculture, commodities, and more. Products include VOC scavengers, leveling agents, defoamers, air release agents, sequestrants, water repellents, fire retardants, resins, and chelating agents.
2. Selective Electrochemical Metal Plating: Services and equipment for selective electrochemical metal plating through subsidiary DALIC. Includes sale of equipment/machines, electrolytes, training services, repair services, and R&D services for industrial projects.
3. Metal Plating Equipment (DALISTICK® Stations): Sale of DALISTICK® stations for selective electrochemical metal plating. Three models available: D.1000, D.2000, and D.2020.
4. Ready-to-Use Microbiological Media: Production and sale of ready-to-use microbiological media for industrial microbiological control, including a range of 400 references. Through subsidiaries INDICIA and BIO-STERIL.
5. Logistics Services: Full range of logistics solutions through subsidiary LOGI-INDUSTRIE, from specification development to client order shipping, with access to more than 300 carriers for shipping throughout France and abroad.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

PROTEX INTERNATIONAL develops, manufactures and markets specialty chemical additives (fire retardants, water repellents, defoamers, sequestrants, adhesion promoters, chelates, resins, etc.) for industrial customers across paper, textile, leather, agriculture, construction, composites, electronics, coatings and commodities sectors. Through its subsidiaries it also supplies DALISTICK® selective electrochemical metal plating equipment and services, URASEAL® cable connection protection kits, INDICIA microbiological culture media, BIO-STERIL sterile medical devices, and chemical logistics via LOGI-INDUSTRIE.

Product overview

PROTEX INTERNATIONAL is an independent French industrial group founded in 1932 that develops, manufactures and markets specialty chemical additives. The company offers a highly diverse range of products organized around multiple brand families (SYNTHRO®, PROX®, MODAREZ®, PROTE®, PROTAVIC®, MASQUOL®, MOUSSEX®, URASEAL®) that provide approximately 30 distinct functionalities including fire retardants, water repellents, defoamers, sequestrants, dispersants, adhesion promoters, rheology modifiers, VOC scavengers, and chelates. The product portfolio serves diverse sectors including Specialty Chemicals, Construction, Composites, Electronics, Coatings/Printing Inks/Varnishes, Textile & Leather, Paper, Agriculture, Commodities, Selective Electro-chemical Metal Plating, Bio-industry, Superior Connection Protection, and Logistics. Recent product launches include the eco-responsible SYNTHRO®-Nyl PN 2116 S flameproof additive, PROTAVIC® ACE 10720 conductive adhesive for solar panels, SYNTHRO®-PEL FB 494 barrier additive for renewable papers, and various new chelates for agriculture. The company also operates subsidiaries in logistics (LOGI-INDUSTRIE), bio-industry (INDICIA, BIO-STERIL), selective electroplating (DALIC), and connection protection (URASEAL Inc.).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SYNTHRON: Brand for water-based and conventional additives, including SYNTHRO-NYL fire retardants, SYNTHRO-PEL barrier additives, SYNTHRO-SPERS, SYNTHRO-BOND adhesion promoters, SYNTHRO-PON wetting agents
• MODAREZ
• PROX
• PROTE
• MASQUOL
• DALIC
• MOUSSEX
• PROTAVIC
• URASEAL
• CHARTWELL
• CHARTSIL
• INDICIA
• BIO-STERIL
• DRYOL
• REXAMINE
• SURFARON
• ACTIRON
• MASQUODOR

Products and services

• Specialty chemical additives portfolio (SYNTHRO®, PROX®, MODAREZ®, PROTE®, MASQUOL®, MOUSSEX®, DRYOL®, REXAMINE®, SURFARON®, ACTIRON®, MASQUODOR®, CHARTSIL®, CHARTWELL®) Manufactured specialty chemical additives providing approximately 30 functionalities — fire retardants, water repellents, defoamers, air release agents, sequestrants, leveling agents, adhesion promoters, dispersants, rheology modifiers, VOC scavengers, chelates, resins, softeners, odor masking agents and surfactants — sold to industrial customers across paper, textile, leather, agriculture, construction, composites, electronics, coatings, printing inks, varnishes and commodities sectors.
• DALISTICK® selective electrochemical metal plating stations (D.1000, D.2000, D.2020) Selective electrochemical metal plating equipment and associated electrolytes, training, repair and R&D services, used by surface treatment shops, railway maintenance operators and industrial maintenance teams for localized plating and surface replenishment with maximum operator safety.
• INDICIA ready-to-use microbiological culture media and rapid detection kits A 400+ reference range of ready-to-use microbiological culture media together with flow cytometry-based rapid microbiological detection solutions for agro-food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industrial quality control laboratories.
• BIO-STERIL sterile medical devices and pharmaceutical excipients Sterile medical devices (including dermal fillers) and sterile pharmaceutical excipients together with filling, syringing and sterilization services supplied to the health industry.
• URASEAL® connection protection kits (splice protection, cable repair, cable boots, closures, fiber optic sealing) Polyurethane resin-based sealing, encapsulation, splicing and repair systems for telecommunications and electrical cable connections, including UL Listed ES200S electrical splice kits, CK200BSV buried service wire kits and FOD-40 fiber optic drop splice kits.
• PROTAVIC® electronic adhesives, conductive materials and encapsulation resins Adhesive and resin formulations for electronics manufacturing, including ITAR-free electrically conductive adhesives for smart cards, RFID, photovoltaic cell interconnection, Dam & Fill encapsulation resins, and silver nanowire conductive coatings.
• LOGI-INDUSTRIE chemical logistics and warehousing services Chemical warehousing and logistics services for third-party clients, from specification development to order shipping, with ICPE-classified, Seveso Low-Threshold storage facilities in France and access to more than 300 carriers for domestic and international distribution.

Segments10 records

Ideal customer profiles8 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Archroma: Swiss-headquartered specialty chemicals producer serving paper, textile, coatings, and adhesives with a comparable portfolio of eco-responsible additives (fluorine-free repellents, halogen-free flame retardants, defoamers). Closest direct peer in terms of end-market mix, customer base, and emphasis on sustainable chemistries.
• Synthomer: UK-listed specialty polymers and additives manufacturer with overlapping presence in coatings, paper, construction, and electronics adhesives. Comparable business model combining specialty resins, dispersants, and additives across industrial verticals.
• Münzing Chemie: German privately-held specialty additives manufacturer focused on defoamers, deaerators, dispersants, and wetting agents for paints, coatings, paper, and construction—directly overlapping PROTEX's MOUSSEX, SURFARON, and SYNTHRO product lines.

Broad incumbents

• Element Solutions Inc: US-listed specialty chemicals platform owning MacDermid Enthone and other electronics, industrial, and assembly solutions brands. Broader and larger, but directly comparable in electronics adhesives, electroplating chemistry (DALIC overlap), and specialty formulations.
• IMCD Group: Dutch specialty chemicals and food ingredients distributor with strong formulation and technical service capabilities. Comparable to PROTEX's distribution arm (PROX-CHEM entities) and customer overlap in coatings, plastics, and personal care.
• Stepan Company: US-listed specialty intermediates manufacturer with surfactant and polymer product lines serving construction, agriculture, and personal care. Similar mid-cap specialty chemicals profile with multi-vertical customer base.
• Clariant: Swiss specialty chemicals major with broader portfolio but directly overlaps in flame retardants, additives for coatings, paper, and personal care. Much larger, but serves as the benchmark incumbent PROTEX competes against for specialty formulation share.
• Perstorp: Swedish specialty chemicals company (acquired by PETRONAS Chemicals) producing additives, resins, and intermediates for coatings, plastics, and construction. Comparable product mix and European industrial customer base to PROTEX.

Others

• Brenntag: Global specialty chemicals distributor with extensive European and Asian network. Relevant as a channel alternative/comparator to PROTEX's own distribution arm (PROX-CHEM, PROXASIA entities) and indicative of the addressable specialty distribution market.

Emerging players

• Bio-Rad Laboratories: Life sciences company with microbiology product lines including flow cytometry-based rapid detection—overlapping with PROTEX's INDICIA/BIO-STERIL microbiological media and rapid testing offerings for food and cosmetic QC.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/groupe-protex-international

Compliance11 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries31 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 PROTEX INTERNATIONAL