Kao Chemicals

What Kao Chemicals does

Kao Chemicals Europe, S.L.U. (operating as Kao Chemicals) is the European specialty-chemicals subsidiary of Japan's Kao Corporation, headquartered in Barberà del Vallès (Barcelona), Spain. The company manufactures and distributes oleochemicals, surfactants, high-performance polymers, fragrances, emollients, and emulsifiers for B2B industrial customers across more than a dozen verticals including personal care, home care, asphalt & construction, coatings & paints, fertilizers, fragrance, industrial fluids & lubricants, laundry & cleaning, mineral flotation, oleochemicals, and printing. Its product catalog spans emollients (COCONAD RK, EXCEPARL LM-LC, EXCEPARL IS-CE-A), silicone alternatives (KAO SOFCARE GP-1), conditioning surfactants (AMIDET APA-22, TETRANYL CO-40, QUARTAMIN series), bio-based surfactants (EMANON EV-E BIO), and newer launches such as the NERASOFT S10 fabric-softener ingredient and URBAN Scent bitumen-odor neutralization system.

The business is a horizontal B2B specialty-chemicals supplier, not a finished consumer-products company. Revenue is generated through direct sales of ingredients to manufacturers, supported by a registered distributor's portal providing technical documentation, formulation tools, and safety data. Go-to-market is enterprise field sales combined with industry-event presence (notably In-Cosmetics 2026 in Paris) and digital content marketing. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Differentiation rests on proprietary ingredient technologies, a multi-certification sustainability portfolio (COSMOS, NATRUE, EU Ecolabel, Nordic Swan, Ecocert, RSPO/MB), and cross-domain expertise spanning fragrance and industrial chemistry — evidenced by the URBAN Scent product that fuses perfumery with bitumen technology. The company employs between 1,001 and 5,000 people and operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Kao Corporation, with no public listing, no disclosed funding rounds, and no M&A activity in the available data.

Name

Kao Chemicals

Legal name

Kao Chemicals Europe, S.L.U.

Website

https://kaochemicals-eu.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1887

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Kao Chemicals Europe is the European specialty-chemicals subsidiary of Japan's Kao Corporation, manufacturing and distributing oleochemicals, surfactants, polymers, fragrances, emollients, and emulsifiers to B2B manufacturers across personal care, home care, construction, and industrial verticals from Barcelona, Spain.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Chemicals

NAICS

Chemical Manufacturing (325), Other Chemical Product and Preparation Manufacturing (3259)

SIC

Miscellaneous Chemical Products (2890), Chemicals & Allied Products (2800)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty Surfactants & Performance Additives (IMAEABAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Personal Care & Cosmetic Ingredients (IMAEABAJ), Flavors, Fragrances & Aroma Chemicals (IMAEABAE)

Keywords

• Specialty chemical manufacturing
• Oleochemical derivatives
• Personal care ingredients
• Industrial surfactants
• Fragrance technology

Headquarters

HQ city

Barcelona

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Specialty Chemical Products: B2B sales of specialty chemicals including surfactants, oleochemicals, polymers, fragrances, emollients, and emulsifiers to manufacturers in personal care, home care, and industrial sectors. Revenue generated through direct product sales with technical formulation support.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Kao Chemicals Europe manufactures and distributes specialty chemical ingredients — including oleochemicals and derivatives, surfactants, high-performance polymers, fragrances, emollients, and emulsifiers — to industrial and consumer-goods manufacturers across personal care, home care, laundry, asphalt, construction, coatings, fertilizers, industrial fluids, mineral flotation, and printing sectors. The business pairs product sales with technical formulation support through a registered online distributor portal.

Product overview

Kao Chemicals Europe, the chemical division of Kao Corporation, offers an array of chemical products including oleo chemicals and derivatives, surfactants, high-performance polymers, fragrances, and specialty ingredients. The product portfolio centers around personal care ingredients with multiple product lines: emollients (COCONAD RK, EXCEPARL LM-LC, EXCEPARL IS-CE-A), silicone alternatives (KAO SOFCARE GP-1), co-surfactants (LEVENOL H&B, LEVENOL C-201B), conditioning agents (AMIDET APA-22, TETRANYL CO-40, QUARTAMIN series), and bio-based solutions (EMANON EV-E BIO). Recent innovations include NERASOFT S10 for sustainable fabric softeners and URBAN Scent for asphalt odor control. Products serve industries including skin care, hair care, color cosmetics, sun care, home care, and industrial applications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• COCONAD RK (Tricaprylin) 100% natural emollient (tricaprylin) with good spreadability and pleasant skin feel for cosmetic manufacturers; offers high polarity for dispersing UV filters and pigments in color cosmetics. COSMOS certified.
• KAO SOFCARE GP-1 (PPG-3 Caprylyl Ether) Vegetable-derived alternative to silicones delivering velvety-soft skin feel and shine with low oily residue; also used as foam booster and viscosity modifier. Nordic Ecolabel approved.
• EXCEPARL LM-LC (Lauryl Lactate) 100% natural, biodegradable emollient and thickener for sulfate-free and EO-free formulations with viscosity stability across pH and temperature ranges and UV-filter solubilization capability. NATRUE-certified.
• LEVENOL H&B (Glycereth-2 Cocoate) Multifunctional vegetable-origin co-surfactant providing emollience, thickening, and foam boosting with a mild eco-toxicological profile; cold processable.
• EXCEPARL IS-CE-A (Cholesteryl Isostearate) Cholesterol ester biomimetic skin active mimicking intercellular lipid structure to improve water-retention and skin compatibility; used as a high-performance moisturizing agent with non-greasy feel.
• AMIDET APA-22 (Behenamidopropyl Dimethylamine) Non-ionic surfactant with anti-static and conditioning effect for hair care formulations, including color-protection shampoos; compatible with EU Ecolabel and Nordic Swan certifications.
• TETRANYL CO-40 Cold-processable cationic surfactant with anti-static and conditioning effect, used as a hydrophobic agent in hair and skin care formulations.
• QUARTAMIN 60W25 (Cetrimonium Chloride) Cationic surfactant with anti-static and thickening effect for home care, hair care, and skin care applications.
• EMANON EV-E BIO 100% bio-based non-ionic surfactant based on natural ethoxylated glycerine esters with 33% lower carbon footprint than the standard version; RSPO Mass Balance certified, preservative-free, suitable for Ecolabel formulations.
• DANOX HC-30 Proprietary blend of Behenamidopropyl Dimethylamine, Dipalmitoylethyl Hydroxyethylmonium Methosulfate, and Cetyl Alcohol designed for one-step hair conditioning processes.
• NERASOFT S10 Innovative sustainable fabric softener ingredient with rapid water dispersion and excellent stability at low temperatures, enabling waterless softener formats and outstanding softening performance; targeted at laundry care manufacturers.
• URBAN Scent (DANOX MSK / DANOX FRG) Bitumen odor neutralization system for the asphalt industry combining fragrance and asphalt technology; includes DANOX MSK for odor neutralization and DANOX FRG for fragrance provision during asphalt production, laying, and compaction.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Kao CorporationcoreOthersKao Chemicals Europe is a subsidiary of Kao Corporation, the Japanese parent company. Kao Corporation is a major global specialty chemical company providing the strategic framework, brand, and resources for Kao Chemicals Europe's operations across EMEA.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Croda International: UK-listed specialty chemicals company focused on personal care, life sciences, and performance technologies. Croda is one of the closest direct peers to Kao Chemicals Europe, offering a comparable portfolio of surfactants, emollients, and bio-based specialty ingredients for personal care and home care manufacturers.
• Stepan Company: US-headquartered specialty surfactant manufacturer serving personal care, cleaning, and agricultural chemical markets. Stepan is a direct competitor in cationic surfactants (analogous to QUARTAMIN/TETRANYL) and personal care surfactants globally.
• Clariant: Swiss specialty chemicals producer with strong positioning in personal care, home care, and industrial specialties. Clariant's Care Chemicals and Natural Ingredients overlap directly with Kao Chemicals Europe's certified-natural emollients and surfactants.
• Symrise: German-based global supplier of fragrances, flavorings, and cosmetic active ingredients. Symrise's Diana and Scent & Care divisions are direct competitors to Kao Chemicals' fragrance, aroma chemicals, and personal care specialty offerings.
• Givaudan: World's largest fragrance and flavor house with a significant Active Beauty ingredients business. Givaudan competes with Kao Chemicals Europe in fragrances and aroma chemicals as well as select cosmetic active ingredients.
• Innospec: US-listed specialty chemicals company with Performance Chemicals and Personal Care segments supplying surfactants and active ingredients to CPG formulators. Innospec is a comparable mid-sized competitor focused on specialty ingredient niches.
• Lubrizol (Berkshire Hathaway): Specialty chemicals company with a strong Life Science division serving personal care, home care, and beauty markets with polymers, surfactants, and emollients. Lubrizol competes with Kao Chemicals across performance polymers and conditioning ingredients.

Broad incumbents

• BASF Personal Care / Care Chemicals: Global chemicals major with a Care Chemicals division that supplies surfactants, emollients, polymers, and UV filters to personal care and home care formulators. Competes head-to-head with Kao Chemicals Europe across most major product lines while offering a much broader portfolio.
• Evonik Industries: German specialty chemicals company with strong positions in surfactants, silicones alternatives, and personal care ingredients. Evonik's Care Solutions and Interface & Performance divisions overlap meaningfully with Kao Chemicals Europe's specialty additives portfolio.
• Solvay: Belgian specialty chemicals group with historical positions in surfactants, specialty polymers, and consumer care ingredients. Solvay's portfolio intersects with Kao Chemicals Europe's specialty additives and oleochemical derivative lines.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCT7mBtN495CDvnWDfDfFqDQ
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kao-eu-inc

Compliance7 records

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 Kao Chemicals