HighChem
HighChem is a Japanese chemical trading, distribution, and contract manufacturing group (founded 1998, Tokyo) that sources over 2,000 chemicals for industrial manufacturers across pharma, electronics, agrochemicals, battery materials, and food additives, with 19 offices, 600+ partners, and proprietary SEG catalyst technology licensed with Ube Industries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1998
- HeadquartersTokyo, Japan
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What HighChem does
HighChem is a privately held Japanese chemical trading, distribution, and contract manufacturing group founded in 1998 and headquartered in Tokyo, with a wholly owned U.S. subsidiary (HighChem America, Inc., established 2013 in Suwanee, Georgia). The company operates across 19 locations in Asia and North America and serves industrial manufacturers in pharmaceuticals, electronics, agrochemicals, functional chemicals, battery materials, food additives, water treatment, paints and inks, and solvents. It works with more than 600 manufacturing partners and sources over 2,000 chemicals, fulfilling orders through dedicated regional sourcing teams in Japan, China, and the U.S. and the HighChemEx online B2B sourcing platform.
The group's core proprietary technology is SEG (Syngas to Ethylene Glycol), jointly developed with Ube Industries and commercially deployed through technology licensing plus catalysts manufactured at a 40,000 square-meter dedicated plant in Nantong, China with annual capacity above 3,000 metric tons. The company also runs 23 contract manufacturing sites in China providing fine-chemical production from laboratory to commercial scale, and holds the Serander ceramic binder product line acquired from Yuken Industry in 2019. Revenue is generated across four streams: import/export trade of functional materials and fine chemicals (transaction fees), contract manufacturing services, technology licensing (SEG and emerging C1 environmental technologies), and a transactional online marketplace layer via HighChemEx. Pricing is quote-based B2B with no public disclosures. The group has 251-500 employees and last publicly noted a revenue figure of over $100 million for 2009, with no more recent disclosure available; in 2021 it expanded into biopolymers and carbon capture technology trading and development.
HighChem firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- HighChem
- Legal name
- HighChem America, Inc.
- Website
- https://highchem.us
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1998
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- HighChem is a Japanese chemical trading, distribution, and contract manufacturing group (founded 1998, Tokyo) that sources over 2,000 chemicals for industrial manufacturers across pharma, electronics, agrochemicals, battery materials, and food additives, with 19 offices, 600+ partners, and proprietary SEG catalyst technology licensed with Ube Industries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where HighChem is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Tokyo
- HQ country
- Japan
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices11 records
Markets served
HighChem business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Import/Export Trade of Chemicals: The import and export trade of functional materials and fine chemicals has always been the main business segment of HighChem group. Their commercial sales network covers China, Japan, Southeast Asia, North and South America, and Europe.
- Contract Manufacturing: HighChem provides contract manufacturing services with 23 contract sites located in China, offering manufacturing for agrochemicals, functional chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and electronic materials.
- Technology Licensing: C1 technology licensing including SEG (Syngas to Ethylene Glycol) technology developed with Ube Industries. Provides customers with C1 Engineering and Technology Comprehensive Packages including R&D, equipment, process designs, optimization, and operational training.
- HighchemEx Online Platform: Online chemical sourcing platform providing quotes and chemical specifications as a one-stop procurement tool. Delivers quotations from qualified suppliers in 48 hours.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels3 records
HighChem product offering
Product offeringCore offering
HighChem is a chemical trading and technology company that sources, distributes, and contract-manufactures functional materials and fine chemicals for industrial buyers worldwide. Its core deliverable combines an online B2B sourcing platform (HighChemEx) with full-time sourcing teams across Japan, China, and North America, supplying 2,000+ chemicals through a network of 600+ manufacturing partners. The company also licenses proprietary C1 chemistry technology (SEG/Syngas to Ethylene Glycol, developed with Ube Industries) and produces SEG catalysts and Serander ceramic binders at its own facilities.
Product overview
HighChem is a comprehensive chemical raw material supplier and technology provider with a multi-product portfolio. The core offering consists of HighChemEx, an online chemical sourcing platform and mobile app for researchers and sourcing professionals, complemented by contract manufacturing services (23 sites in China), chemical sourcing services (600+ manufacturer partners), and technology licensing (SEG syngas-to-ethylene glycol process, hydrogen storage, and carbon capture technologies). The product portfolio spans 10 chemical categories: Pharma Ingredients, Functional Chemicals, Battery Materials, Electronic Chemicals, Solvents, Agrochemicals, Food Additives, Water Treatment, Paint & Ink, and Biodegradable Materials. The company operates manufacturing sites for catalysts and ceramic binders, with additional offerings including SEG catalysts and Serander ceramic binder products.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- HighChemEx Online Chemical Sourcing Platform
Quantifiable outcome
- Deliver quotations from qualified suppliers in 48 hours
Companies that use HighChem
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
HighChem technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
HighChem partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Ube Industries, Ltd.coreUbe Industries partnered with HighChem to start SEG® (Syngas to Ethylene Glycol) technology licensing business in China. This is a joint development partnership where HighChem serves as a licensing agent for cutting-edge C1 technologies developed in Japan. The technology produces high purity ethylene glycol using carbon monoxide and hydrogen from various gas sources.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights5 records
HighChem competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- ICC Chemical Corporation: ICC Chemical is a specialty chemical trading and distribution company focused on Asia-Pacific sourcing — the closest direct analog to HighChem's import/export trading model with manufacturers in Japan, China, and broader Asia.
- Tokyo Chemical Industry Co., Ltd. (TCI): TCI is a Japanese-headquartered specialty chemicals manufacturer/distributor with a deep catalog across pharma, electronic, and functional chemicals — comparable portfolio overlap (pharma ingredients, OLED/LCD materials) and similar Japan-origin go-to-market.
Broad incumbents
- Itochu Corporation: Itochu is a Japanese sogo shosha with chemicals trading operations across pharma, electronics, and functional materials — overlaps HighChem's portfolio categories and North America–Asia distribution thesis.
- Sojitz Corporation: Sojitz is a Japanese trading house (sogo shosha) with a sizable chemicals/energy trading and investment arm — comparable in structure as a Japan-headquartered trading company with cross-border chemical flows.
- Brenntag SE: Brenntag is the world's largest chemical distributor offering sourcing and distribution across specialty and commodity chemicals — competing with HighChem in the same chemical trading space at global scale.
- Univar Solutions: Univar Solutions is a major North-American-headquartered chemical distribution company with similar B2B specialty chemicals distribution — comparable to HighChem's U.S.-anchored specialty sourcing business.
- Mitsui & Co., Ltd. Mitsui is a Japanese sogo shosha with chemicals and energy trading arms — comparable as a much larger Japanese cross-border chemical trading house with similar client base in North America and Asia.
- Ube Industries, Ltd. Ube Industries is HighChem's SEG technology joint development partner and a major Japanese specialty chemicals producer — directly comparable on technology licensing and C1 chemistry capabilities relevant to HighChem's proprietary SEG process.
- IMCD N.V. IMCD is a global specialty chemicals distribution leader with a value-add distribution model — comparable business model in sourcing and distributing specialty/functional chemicals, but at substantially larger scale.
Emerging players
- Shanghai Macklin Biochemical Co., Ltd. Macklin is a China-based specialty/electronic chemicals supplier with a digital-first procurement platform — comparable emerging regional challenger in Asia chemical e-sourcing, similar to HighChemEx.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
HighChem social profiles
Digital presenceHighChem financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
HighChem leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
HighChem subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries11 records
HighChem funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
HighChem 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 HighChem
What does HighChem do?
HighChem is a chemical trading and technology company that sources, distributes, and contract-manufactures functional materials and fine chemicals for industrial buyers worldwide. Its core deliverable combines an online B2B sourcing platform (HighChemEx) with full-time sourcing teams across Japan, China, and North America, supplying 2,000+ chemicals through a network of 600+ manufacturing partners. The company also licenses proprietary C1 chemistry technology (SEG/Syngas to Ethylene Glycol, developed with Ube Industries) and produces SEG catalysts and Serander ceramic binders at its own facilities.
Is HighChem a public or private company?
HighChem is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was HighChem founded?
HighChem was founded in 1998. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is HighChem based?
HighChem is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, in the Asia region.
How does HighChem make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Import/Export Trade of Chemicals are the primary driver. The others are contract Manufacturing, technology Licensing and highchemEx Online Platform.
Who are HighChem's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are ICC Chemical Corporation and Tokyo Chemical Industry Co., Ltd. (TCI). Broad incumbents are Itochu Corporation, Sojitz Corporation, Brenntag SE, Univar Solutions, Mitsui & Co., Ltd., Ube Industries, Ltd. and IMCD N.V.. Shanghai Macklin Biochemical Co., Ltd. is listed as an emerging player.
Does HighChem have an API?
No public API is recorded for HighChem.