Chemical Distributors

What Chemical Distributors does

Chemical Distributors, Incorporated (CDI) is a privately held regional chemical distributor, manufacturer, and blender headquartered in Buffalo, New York. The company operates from an 80 Metcalfe Street facility with over 116,000 square feet of warehousing and blending space, supported by an owned fleet of delivery trucks serving industrial customers across the Northeast United States. CDI's core offering is a complete line of commodity and specialty chemicals, complemented by liquid and powder custom blending services with tailored packaging, labeling, and compliance paperwork, and an on-site analytical and R&D laboratory (CDI Laboratory) for quality control and formulation support.

The company serves four principal vertical segments: food and beverage (primary), oilfield, water treatment, and metal finishing. Beyond chemical distribution, CDI operates an Equipment Division that distributes third-party industrial lines including Penguin Pumps, Process Technology heaters, Flo King filtration systems, Sterling Systems plating barrels, Gizmo Engineering level alarms, and Tolber masking products. It also offers Environmental, Health and Safety (EH&S) training services covering OSHA 10/30, first aid/CPR/AED, hazmat, respiratory protection, and EPCRA/TRI reporting. Revenue is generated through one-time chemical and equipment sales, custom blending as a professional service, and EH&S training delivery, with all pricing handled through a quote-based system that is not publicly disclosed.

CDI is a member of the National Association of Chemical Distributors (NACD) and adheres to the Responsible Distribution Process, and participates in NYSERDA and Energy Star sustainability initiatives. It maintains affiliated industry-specific brand sites under common ownership — Crimson Chemical, Toll Blender, Crimbrew, Crimwine, and Crimcheese — extending its footprint into adjacent specialty chemical niches. Founded around 1960 (with some sources citing 1953) and operating with 11–50 employees, CDI is an independently owned, sales-led business that has sustained operations for over six decades without disclosed external investment, acquisitions, or public market activity.

Name

Chemical Distributors

Legal name

Chemical Distributors, Incorporated

Website

https://cdibuffalo.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1960

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Chemical Distributors, Incorporated (CDI) is a privately held Buffalo, NY-based regional distributor, blender, and manufacturer of commodity and specialty chemicals serving food and beverage, oilfield, water treatment, and metal finishing customers across the Northeast US via an owned fleet and 116,000+ sq ft facility.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Buffalo

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

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. Chemical Distribution: Distribution of commodity and specialty chemical products to industrial customers across multiple sectors including food and beverage, oilfield, water treatment, and metal finishing industries.
2. Custom Blending Services: Custom chemical blending services with liquid and powder capabilities, including custom packaging, labeling and paperwork for specific customer formulations.
3. EH&S Training Services: Environmental, Health and Safety training programs offered to customers including OSHA compliance, first aid/CPR/AED, PPE training, and various regulatory compliance courses.
4. Industrial Equipment Distribution: Distribution of industrial equipment including Penguin Pumps, Process Technology heaters, filtration systems, and plating equipment through their Equipment Division.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Chemical Distributors, Incorporated (CDI) distributes a complete line of commodity and specialty chemicals to industrial customers across the Northeast United States and performs custom liquid and powder chemical blending with custom packaging, labeling, and paperwork. The company also distributes complementary industrial equipment (pumps, heaters, filtration, plating barrels, level alarms, masking products) and provides EH&S regulatory training services, supported by on-site analytical and R&D laboratories and an owned delivery fleet.

Product overview

Chemical Distributors, Incorporated (CDI) is a regional chemical distribution company serving the Northeast United States with over 60 years of experience. The company operates from a 116,000+ square foot facility in Buffalo, NY and offers a complete line of commodity and specialty chemicals, custom chemical blending services, and an on-site CDI Laboratory for analytical testing. CDI also distributes industrial equipment including Flo King filtration systems, Penguin Pumps, Process Technology heaters, Sterling Systems plating barrels, Gizmo Engineering level alarms, and Tolber masking products. The company provides EH&S training services covering OSHA compliance, first aid/CPR/AED, hazmat, and environmental reporting requirements.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CDI Buffalo: Regional distributor brand operating in the Buffalo, NY area

Products and services

• Chemical Products Complete line of commodity and specialty chemicals including acids, bases, salts, and industrial chemicals for food and beverage, oilfield, water treatment, and metal finishing customers.
• Custom Chemical Blending Liquid and powder chemical blending capabilities with custom packaging, labeling, and paperwork services to meet customer-specific formula requirements.
• CDI Laboratory Services On-site analytical and research development laboratory services for chemical testing, analysis, and quality assurance supporting customer and internal blending operations.
• Flo King Filtration Systems Distributed line of in-tank filtration systems, filter cartridges, carbon treatment, and purification methods for chemical processing customers.
• Penguin Pumps by Filter Pump Industries Distributed line of sealless vertical pumps, centrifugal pumps, magnetic-drive pumps, filter systems, and precious metal recovery systems for industrial processing.
• Process Technology Heaters Distributed line of immersion heaters, fluoropolymer heaters, metal heaters, heat exchangers, and temperature controls for industrial processing.
• Sterling Systems Plating Barrels and Baskets Distributed plating barrels and baskets in various models for metal finishing and electroplating operations.
• Gizmo Engineering Level Alarms Distributed tank level alarms, sump alarms, and drum level alarms for inventory management and safety in chemical operations.
• Tolber Masking and Stop-Off Lacquers Distributed masking products including MiccroMask, MiccroStop, MiccroShield, and related coatings for metal finishing protection.
• Environmental, Health and Safety (EH&S) Training Training programs covering OSHA compliance, first aid/CPR/AED, hazmat, respiratory protection, and regulatory reporting including EPCRA and TRI for industrial customers.

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

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• National Association of Chemical Distributors (NACD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDI is a member company of NACD and follows The Responsible Distribution Process and Guiding Principles established by the association for chemical distribution safety and environmental responsibility.
• NY State Energy Research Development AgencyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDI participates with NYSERDA in energy efficiency initiatives as part of their sustainability commitment, purchasing qualified high efficiency equipment.
• Energy Star ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDI is an Energy Star Partner committed to purchasing qualified high efficiency equipment as part of their sustainability practices.
• Crimson ChemicalminorOthersRelated company site listed under Industry Specific Sites, suggesting affiliated companies under common ownership.
• Toll BlenderminorOthersRelated company site listed under Industry Specific Sites for toll blending services.
• CrimbrewminorOthersRelated company site listed under Industry Specific Sites.
• CrimwineminorOthersRelated company site listed under Industry Specific Sites.
• CrimcheeseminorOthersRelated company site listed under Industry Specific Sites.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves2 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Hawkins, Inc. US-based chemical distributor and blender operating Water Treatment, Food, Health & Nutrition, and Industrial segments. Closely comparable mid-sized peer with blending capabilities and similar end-market mix, particularly water treatment chemicals.
• Hydrite Chemical Co. US regional chemical manufacturer and distributor offering custom blending, toll manufacturing, and specialty chemical distribution. Highly comparable in the combination of custom blending/formulation services and industrial chemical distribution, with overlapping food and water treatment exposure.
• ICC Chemical Corporation: Global distributor and trader of commodity and specialty chemicals serving industrial customers. Comparable as a chemical wholesaler serving industrial and specialty end markets with similar product breadth.
• Quad Chemical Corporation: Specialty chemical distributor focused on metal finishing, plating, and surface treatment chemicals and equipment. Directly comparable to CDI's Metal Finishing segment and Sterling Systems plating equipment distribution.
• JNS-SmithChem LLC: Specialty chemical distributor serving industrial customers with both commodity and specialty chemicals plus value-added services. Comparable mid-sized distributor model serving similar industrial customer base.

Regional players

• Charkit Chemical Company: Specialty chemical distributor serving personal care, food, industrial, and imaging markets with custom manufacturing capabilities. Comparable in providing specialty chemical distribution with value-added services, though primarily focused on different geographies and specific verticals.

Broad incumbents

• Brenntag: Global market leader in chemical distribution with broad specialty and industrial chemical offerings across the US. Operates the same chemical wholesaler model as CDI and serves overlapping end markets including water treatment, food, and industrial processing.
• KIK International: Manufacturer and contract manufacturer of cleaning, sanitization, and pool/spa chemicals sold through retail and industrial channels. Overlaps with CDI's custom blending and industrial chemicals business in cleaning/sanitation chemistry.
• IMCD N.V. Leading specialty chemicals and ingredients distributor focused on formulation support and value-added services. Comparable in its emphasis on blending/formulation services and supplier partnerships, though IMCD operates at a much larger, global scale.
• Univar Solutions: One of the largest North American chemical and ingredient distributors, offering commodity and specialty chemicals across food, industrial, and life science end markets. Directly comparable business model (chemical distribution with value-added services) but at vastly greater scale and geographic reach than CDI.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses1 record

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/chemical-distributors-inc.-buffalo

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 Chemical Distributors