The E.T. Horn Company

What The E.T. Horn Company does

The E.T. Horn Company is a privately held U.S. specialty chemical and ingredient distributor founded in 1961 and headquartered in La Mirada, California. The company operates as an intermediary between best-in-class manufacturers of raw materials, ingredients, and chemicals and finished-product marketers across diverse industries including coatings, elastomers, resins, adhesives, composites, nutraceuticals, cosmetics, functional foods, personal care, and animal wellness. HORN has historically functioned through three divisions (Industrial, Human Nutrition, and Specialties) organized into six distribution business units — Advanced Materials, Coatings and Building Materials, FoodTech, Nutraceuticals, Animal Nutrition, and Care Elements — each staffed by technical sales experts with vertical-specific expertise.

The company represents roughly 30+ named principal manufacturers — including BASF, Covestro, Eastman Chemical, Evonik, Honeywell, Tate & Lyle, Borregaard, Polynt-Reichhold, and Hormel Foods Ingredients — and operates strategically located U.S. distribution centers and warehouses with a Western U.S. emphasis. HORN's Advanced Materials division is certified under ISO 9001 and AS9120 (NQA, USA) as a qualified distributor of specialty raw materials for aviation, space, and defense. Revenue is generated through transactional distribution margins and commissions, supplemented by technical-support and formulation-assistance services (professional-services revenue stream). Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed; go-to-market is enterprise field sales organized regionally (Western, Southwest) and by vertical.

In June 2018, IMCD N.V. — a Dutch public specialty chemical distributor listed on Euronext Amsterdam — announced its acquisition of HORN, completing the transaction in August 2018. Post-acquisition, HORN operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary within IMCD's North American distribution operations. Following the deal, IMCD reported 25% EBITA growth for full-year 2018 and 28% EBITA growth in Q1 2019, and HORN continued adding distribution partnerships and sales hires into adjacent verticals (e.g., oil and gas). The company's revenue is not separately disclosed in available material.

Name

The E.T. Horn Company

Legal name

The E.T. Horn Company

Website

https://ethorn.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1961

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The E.T. Horn Company is a U.S. specialty chemical and ingredient distributor founded in 1961, connecting principal manufacturers with finished-product marketers across coatings, nutrition, personal care, and animal wellness verticals through six business units. Acquired by IMCD N.V. in 2018.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

La Mirada

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Distribution Services: HORN generates revenue as a specialty distributor by representing principal manufacturers of raw materials, ingredients and chemicals. The company earns margins and commissions on products distributed to finished product marketers across coatings, elastomers, resins, adhesives, composites, nutraceuticals, cosmetics, functional foods, personal care and animal wellness industries.
2. Technical Support Services: Provides technical expertise and application knowledge alongside product distribution, adding value through formulation assistance and product development support for customers.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

The E.T. Horn Company is a specialty distributor of raw materials, ingredients, and chemicals, functioning as a bridge connecting best-in-class manufacturers of raw materials with finished product marketers. The company operates through three divisions (Industrial, Human Nutrition, Specialties) containing six distinct distribution business units: Advanced Materials, Coatings and Building Materials, FoodTech, Nutraceuticals, Animal Nutrition, and Care Elements, each staffed by seasoned technical sales experts serving industries including coatings, elastomers, resins, adhesives, composites, nutraceuticals, cosmetics, functional foods, personal care, and animal wellness.

Product overview

HORN Company is a specialty distribution company that serves as an intermediary connecting manufacturers of raw materials, ingredients, and chemicals with finished product marketers. The company operates three divisions (Industrial, Human Nutrition, and Specialties) through six distinct business units: Advanced Materials, Animal Nutrition, Care Elements, Coatings and Building Materials, FoodTech, and Nutraceuticals. Each business unit is staffed with technical sales experts who provide specialized distribution services for their respective industries. The company was acquired by IMCD in 2018 and has been operating since 1961.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Industrial Division: HORN's Industrial Division encompasses Advanced Materials and Coatings and Building Materials business units, serving various industrial sectors.
• Human Nutrition Division
• Specialties Division

Products and services

• Advanced Materials

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

34 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Polynt-ReichholdcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 October 2018Polynt announced strategic coating resins distribution partnership with HORN. HORN distributes Polynt's coating resin products across their Coatings and Building Materials business unit covering Western and Southwest U.S. regions.
• ISC GumscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 September 2018HORN secured distribution agreement with ISC Gums for Western U.S. territory, expanding their food ingredients portfolio within the Human Nutrition division.
• BorregaardcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 April 2018Borregaard partners with HORN to distribute Exilva® microfibrillated cellulose. HORN serves as distribution partner for Borregaard's Exilva product line covering coatings, adhesives, and construction applications.
• Tate & LylecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 March 2018Tate & Lyle named HORN as its U.S. distributor for the nutrition industry. HORN distributes Tate & Lyle's functional ingredients and nutrition solutions through their FoodTech business unit.
• Hormel Foods Ingredients DivisioncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2018HORN Animal Nutrition was selected by Hormel Foods Ingredients Division as U.S. distributor for the pet food industry, representing Hormel's specialty ingredients for companion animal nutrition applications.
• NanovetoresminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2018Nanovetores' active ingredients for personal care and cosmetics were added to HORN's portfolio through their Care Elements business unit, expanding their specialty ingredients offerings.
• AlbemarleminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAlbemarle is one of HORN's principal suppliers whose specialty chemical products are distributed through HORN's Coatings and Building Materials business unit.
• AshlandminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAshland is a principal supplier represented by HORN for specialty ingredients distributed across coatings, construction, and related applications.
• BASFminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBASF is a major principal supplier whose chemical products are distributed by HORN through their Industrial Division business units.
• CovestrocoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCovestro is a key principal supplier for HORN's Coatings and Building Materials and Advanced Materials divisions. Covestro recognized HORN with their Distributor Challenge Award.
• Eastman ChemicalminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEastman is a principal supplier whose coalescent and specialty chemical products are distributed through HORN's Coatings and Building Materials division.
• EvonikminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEvonik is a principal supplier represented by HORN for specialty ingredients in coatings and construction applications.
• H.B. FullerminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorH.B. Fuller is a principal supplier of adhesives and related specialty chemicals distributed by HORN in North America.
• HoneywellminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHoneywell is a principal supplier whose performance chemical additives are distributed through HORN's coatings and construction product lines.
• KratonminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKraton is a principal supplier of styrenic block copolymers and specialty polymers distributed by HORN for industrial applications.
• OlinminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOlin is a principal epoxy resins supplier represented by HORN for coatings, adhesives, and composite applications.
• Imerys TalcminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorImerys Talc is a principal supplier of mineral additives distributed through HORN's Coatings and Building Materials division.
• ICL GroupminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorICL Group is a principal supplier of specialty minerals and performance chemicals distributed by HORN.
• HuberminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHuber is a principal supplier of specialty materials distributed through HORN's coatings and construction applications.
• King IndustriesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKing Industries is a principal supplier of specialty chemical intermediates distributed by HORN.
• Applied MineralsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorApplied Minerals is a principal supplier of mineral-based materials distributed through HORN's Advanced Materials division.
• Troy CorporationminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTroy Corporation is a principal supplier of specialty additives distributed by HORN for coatings and related applications.
• VertellusminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVertellus is a principal supplier of specialty chemicals distributed by HORN for various industrial applications.
• CoviaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCovia is a principal supplier of mineral-based materials distributed through HORN's Coatings and Building Materials division.
• Georgia-PacificminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGeorgia-Pacific is a principal supplier of phenol-formaldehyde novolac products distributed by HORN.
• ZeeospheresminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorZeeospheres is a principal supplier of ceramic microsphere materials distributed by HORN for coatings applications.
• UOPminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUOP is a Honeywell company providing process technology and catalysts distributed through HORN's Advanced Materials division.
• COIM GroupminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCOIM Group is a principal supplier of specialty chemical products distributed through HORN's Advanced Materials division.
• Gabriel Performance ProductsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGabriel Performance Products is a principal supplier distributed through HORN's Advanced Materials division.
• NYCOminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNYCO is a specialty chemicals supplier under Sandland Brand distributed through HORN's Advanced Materials division.
• Lindau ChemicalsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLindau Chemicals is a principal supplier distributed by HORN for specialty chemical applications.
• REPIminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorREPI is a principal supplier distributed through HORN's Advanced Materials division.
• Inhance ProductsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInhance Products is a principal supplier distributed through HORN's Advanced Materials division.
• HK ResearchminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorHK Research is a principal supplier distributed through HORN's Advanced Materials division for specialty chemical applications.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Azelis: Azelis is a global specialty distributor of food ingredients, personal care, pharma, and specialty industrial chemicals with strong EMEA and Americas presence. Its vertical market specialization mirrors HORN's six-business-unit vertical segmentation.
• Hawkins, Inc. Hawkins is a U.S. specialty chemical distributor and formulator serving industrial, water treatment, and food ingredient markets. Its blend of value-added chemical distribution and blending services aligns with HORN's specialty industrial distribution model.
• Brenntag: Brenntag is the world's largest chemical distributor with significant North American operations across specialty and industrial chemicals, food ingredients, and personal care — directly comparable to HORN's diversified six-business-unit structure.
• Univar Solutions: Univar Solutions is one of the largest North American specialty chemical and ingredient distributors, serving industrial, food, personal care, and pharmaceutical end markets with a value-added distribution model closely paralleling HORN's structure.
• Nagase & Co. Nagase is a Japanese specialty chemical and ingredient distributor with growing North American operations across coatings, plastics, food ingredients, and personal care — comparable to HORN's specialty distribution breadth and principal-supplier model.
• Helm AG: Helm AG is a Hamburg-based global specialty chemicals distributor with subsidiaries serving crop protection, nutrition, and industrial chemicals — comparable to HORN in business model, though primarily serving European geographies.
• Caldic (formerly ICC Chemical): Caldic is a global specialty distributor of ingredients and chemicals for food, personal care, pharma, and industrial markets. Its vertical specialization and value-added distribution services closely resemble HORN's structure.
• Barentz: Barentz is a global specialty ingredient distributor focused on food, nutrition, personal care, and animal nutrition — directly overlapping with HORN's Human Nutrition and Specialties Divisions, including the pet food/animal wellness segment.

Emerging players

• Charkit Chemical Company: Charkit Chemical is a U.S.-focused specialty ingredient and chemical distributor serving personal care, food, nutraceutical, and industrial markets. As a smaller, more focused peer, it overlaps directly with several of HORN's business units.

Broad incumbents

• IMCD N.V. IMCD N.V. is the parent company of HORN and a global leader in sales, marketing, and distribution of specialty chemicals, food ingredients, and pharmaceutical ingredients. As HORN's strategic owner since 2018, IMCD is the most directly comparable platform peer, operating the same specialty distribution model at global scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/et-horn

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 The E.T. Horn Company