AdChem

What AdChem does

AdChem is a privately held, California-domiciled LLC (founded 2013) that manufactures and distributes high-purity hydrocarbon gases, solvents, and dry ice for cannabis and hemp extraction laboratories, commercial agriculture, food service, and industrial customers. The product portfolio spans commodity gases (butane, isobutane, propane, CO2, nitrogen), custom hydrocarbon blends (70/30 dual blends and tri-blends), high-purity solvents (ethanol 200 proof and denatured, heptane, hexane, isopropanol, pentane), dry ice in rice and pellet form, and ancillary media products (Chemtek, Carbon Chemistry, Media Bros). The flagship differentiated offering is PERSEUS™, an ultra-pure butane line subjected to a proprietary triple-refinement process that removes alcohol amines, ketones, and other problematic molecules to a 0.001% threshold, marketed specifically to eliminate the "Medusa stone / fast crash" defect in cannabis extraction. Hydrocarbon purity is verified above 99.8% using in-house Gas Chromatographs across multiple production stages, and AdChem operates a proprietary Interior Cylinder Cleaning Method to prevent cross-contamination.

The business operates a vertically integrated, asset-heavy model: in-house cylinder packaging, dry ice production, company-owned hazmat trucks, and direct sales representatives handle quoting, invoicing, and delivery scheduling. Same-day delivery is available within delivery radius of three owned distribution hubs — East Bay/Richmond CA, Southern California/San Bernardino, and Denver CO — with overnight delivery in extended zones and nationwide reach via freight shipping partnerships. Pricing is predominantly quote-based and transactional (one-time purchase of cylinders, pigs, dewars, drums, and totes), with unit pricing on dry ice ($1.00/unit) and refundable cylinder/bin deposits. The 2024 closure of the Eureka/Pacific Northwest filling center and concentration on California and Colorado indicates an active rationalization of footprint toward the company's highest-density cannabis-legal markets.

Name

AdChem

Legal name

ADCHEM LLC

Website

https://adchemgas.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Short description

AdChem is a California-based distributor of high-purity hydrocarbon gases, solvents, and dry ice, primarily serving cannabis and hemp extraction laboratories in California and Colorado through owned regional distribution hubs with same-day delivery.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Industrial Gas Distribution

NAICS

Industrial Gas Manufacturing (32512), Other Basic Organic Chemical Manufacturing (32519), Petrochemical Manufacturing (32511)

SIC

Industrial Organic Chemicals (2860), Chemicals & Allied Products (2800)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYIMAHAEAI

Industrial Gas & Air Separation Equipment (ASU, PSA, Cryogenic Systems)

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Industrial Machinery & Heavy Equipment/Process & Industrial Plant Equipment

SECONDARYEUALAIAB

Branded Fuels Wholesaling & Jobber Distribution

Energy, Utilities & Environment/Oil & Gas (Upstream, Midstream, Downstream and Refining)/Downstream Fuels Marketing & Retail (Service Stations, Branded Fuels)

SECONDARYIMAEAIAF

Activated Carbon & Carbon Adsorbents

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Chemicals & Industrial Materials/Catalysts & Adsorbents

Keywords

• High-purity hydrocarbon gases
• Extraction solvents supply
• Industrial gas distribution
• Dry ice delivery
• Specialty gas cylinders

Headquarters

HQ city

Berkeley

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Product Sales - Gases: Sale of high-purity hydrocarbon gases including butane, propane, isobutane, nitrogen, CO2, and custom blends (dual and tri-blends). Products sold in cylinders, pigs, and dewars. Revenue is transactional with quotes provided based on volume and customer needs.
2. Product Sales - Solvents: Sale of high-purity solvents including ethanol (200 proof and denatured), heptane, hexane, pentane, isopropanol. Sold by drum or tote quantities.
3. Product Sales - Dry Ice: Sale of dry ice by the pound in bucket or tote form. Each tote holds up to 525lbs. Unit pricing at $1.00 per unit.
4. Delivery Services: Same-day delivery service in California and Colorado from local distribution hubs. Orders must be placed by 2pm for same-day delivery within delivery distance of hubs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

AdChem manufactures, packages, and distributes high-purity hydrocarbon gases (butane, propane, isobutane, dual and tri-blends), specialty solvents (ethanol, heptane, hexane, pentane, isopropanol), carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and dry ice. The company focuses on serving cannabis and hemp extraction labs as its primary customer segment, with secondary customers in agriculture, culinary/food service, and industrial sectors. AdChem differentiates through its proprietary PERSEUS™ ultra-pure butane line and in-house cylinder cleaning process, with same-day delivery from distribution hubs in California and Colorado.

Product overview

AdChem is a distributor specializing in high-purity gases, solvents, and dry ice for cannabis extraction labs, agriculture, culinary, and industrial applications. The company operates a portfolio of core gas products including Butane, Isobutane, Propane, Dual Blends, Tri-Blends, Carbon Dioxide, and Nitrogen, alongside high-purity solvents such as Ethanol (200 Proof and Denatured), Heptanes, Hexane, Isopropanol Full, and Pentane. AdChem differentiates through its specialty PERSEUS™ ultra-pure butane line engineered to eliminate the 'Medusa stone/fast crash' extraction defect. The product range includes media products (Chemtek, Carbon Chemistry, Media Bros) and dry ice in rice and pellet forms. Products are distributed through strategically located hubs in California (East Bay, Southern California) and Colorado (Denver) with same-day delivery capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PERSEUS: Ultra-pure butane gas line specifically designed to combat the 'Medusa stone/fast crash' phenomenon in cannabis extraction labs. Features triple refinement process removing alcohol amines, ketones, and other problematic molecules down to 0.001%.

Products and services

• Butane High-purity hydrocarbon gas used primarily for cannabis and hemp extraction, available in 120lb cylinders and 500lb pigs with CGA 510 or 555 valves.
• Isobutane Colorless, odorless isomer of butane used as propellant for aerosols and refrigerant in refrigerators and freezers, available in 116lb cylinders and 480lb pigs.
• Propane Colorless, flammable liquefied hydrocarbon gas used as fuel and as an extraction solvent, available in 100lb cylinders and 400lb pigs.
• Dual Blends 70% butane / 30% propane blend popular in the extraction industry, available in 114lb cylinders and 450lb pigs.
• Tri-Blends Multi-component hydrocarbon blend for extraction applications, available in 110-118lb cylinders and 400-475lb pigs.
• Carbon Dioxide (CO2) High-purity CO2 gas sold in compressed cylinders and dewars for indoor agriculture supplementation, restaurant carbonation, and industrial use.
• Nitrogen Nitrogen gas available in dewars and cylinders for various industrial applications.
• Dry Ice Solid carbon dioxide formed in rice or pellet form, available by the bucket or 525lb insulated tote/bin for culinary, medical, and industrial use including industrial cleaning, extraction, and quick-freezing.
• Ethanol (200 Proof) Food-grade ethanol (undenatured) available in 55-gallon drums and 270-gallon totes for food production, alcoholic beverages, and CBD/cannabis extraction.
• Ethanol (Denatured) Denatured ethanol available in 55-gallon drums and 270-gallon totes for industrial cleaning, cosmetics, and as a general solvent.
• Heptanes Petroleum-derived hydrocarbon solvent used as an industrial degreaser, in fingerprint processing, laboratory applications, and as fuel for outdoor stoves.
• Hexane Alkane hydrocarbon solvent made from crude oil, used in food industry for oil extraction from seeds and vegetables, and in adhesives and construction products.
• Isopropanol (99% IPA) Isopropyl alcohol (99% IPA) used as solvent in CBD/hemp extraction and industrial applications, available in 55-gallon drums and 270-gallon totes.
• Pentane Hydrocarbon solvent available by the 55-gallon drum for industrial and extraction applications.
• PERSEUS™ Ultra-Pure Butane Revolutionary ultra-pure butane gas line specifically engineered to eliminate the 'Medusa stone/fast crash' phenomenon in cannabis extraction labs. Features triple refinement removing alcohol amines, ketones, and other problematic molecules down to 0.001%, sourced from a cleaner shale deposit with minimal additives at the wellhead, and tested using in-house Gas Chromatographs (GCs) at multiple production stages.

Quantifiable outcome

• Hydrocarbons are over 99.8% pure
• +4 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• nexAir: Specialty industrial gas distributor with expertise in packaged gases, custom blends, and gases for niche applications. nexAir competes directly with AdChem in the broader packaged hydrocarbon and industrial gas distribution space and serves similar industrial and laboratory customers.
• Applied Gas Inc. Industrial and specialty gas distributor offering packaged hydrocarbons, calibration gases, and high-purity gases to laboratories and industrial customers. Comparable in scale, regional distribution model, and product breadth to AdChem.
• Convex: Specialty hydrocarbon and industrial gas distributor serving the cannabis extraction industry with a similar product portfolio (hydrocarbons, solvents, gases) and consultative sales approach. Convex is one of the most direct competitors to AdChem in the same niche customer segment.
• Baker Gas Products: Independent regional industrial and specialty gas distributor with packaged hydrocarbons, welding gases, and dry ice offerings. Comparable in size, regional focus, and product mix to AdChem, particularly for industrial and laboratory customers.

Broad incumbents

• Matheson Tri-Gas (Nippon Sanso): Major U.S. industrial and specialty gas distributor with extensive packaged gas catalog and high-purity product offerings. Matheson overlaps with AdChem in laboratory, hydrocarbon, and specialty gas categories at national scale.
• Airgas (Air Liquide): Largest U.S. packaged gas distributor and subsidiary of Air Liquide, offering industrial gases, hydrocarbons, welding supplies, and safety products nationwide. Airgas is a broad incumbent whose product portfolio overlaps AdChem's but at vastly greater scale and geographic reach.
• Linde plc: Global industrial gas major producing and distributing atmospheric, process, and specialty gases across every major geography. Linde competes broadly with AdChem in packaged and bulk industrial gases, with deep R&D and proprietary gas handling capabilities.

Emerging players

• Delta Separations: Cannabis/hemp extraction equipment and turnkey solutions provider. While primarily an equipment company, Delta Separations is comparable because it serves the same extraction lab customer base and frequently bundles consumables/gas supply recommendations, making it an adjacent competitor and ecosystem partner.
• Maratek: Cannabis and hemp extraction equipment and solvent recovery systems provider. Maratek is comparable because it addresses the same extraction lab customers that AdChem serves, and its solvent recovery technology can substitute for hydrocarbon consumption, making it a partial demand substitute.

Others

• Weldcoa: Manufacturer of gas cylinder fill equipment, manifolds, and distribution infrastructure. Weldcoa is comparable as an enabling supplier to the packaged gas distribution industry and could represent both a vendor and adjacent competitor in cylinder handling and gas packaging operations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/AdChemFB

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 AdChem