Chemtan
Chemtan is a privately held, employee-owned specialty chemicals manufacturer founded in 1948 in Exeter, NH, producing waterproof leather tanning chemistries and broader wet-end and finishing chemicals for tanneries serving footwear, automotive, upholstery, and luxury leather goods customers in 33+ countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1948
- HeadquartersExeter, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Chemtan does
Chemtan Company, Inc. is a privately held specialty chemicals manufacturer founded in 1948 and headquartered in Exeter, New Hampshire, with a secondary finished-goods and customer service facility in Lee, NH, a sales office in Milwaukee, WI, and a global distribution network spanning 33+ countries. The company develops, produces, and markets leather tanning chemicals covering the full processing chain — beam house, tan/retan, waterproof systems, and finishing — organized under the CHEMTAN, CHEMOL, and GreenTan product brands, and is the largest US producer of phenolic syntans. Its core technical differentiator is a waterproof leather chemistry portfolio (polymers, fatliquors, silicones) supplemented by an eco-friendly GreenTan line for chrome-free, low-nitrogen, and bio-based retanning, with 29 products certified to ZDHC Level 3 via Chem-MAP.
The company serves leather tanneries producing waterproof footwear (e.g., Timberland, Wolverine), apparel (Vanity Fair), and luxury leather goods (Louis Vuitton), as well as automotive, upholstery, garment, and specialty leather segments. Customers are reached through direct technical sales in the USA and a network of technically qualified regional distributors in Mexico, Central and South America, Brazil, Portugal, Mainland China, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, India, and Bangladesh. The firm is employee-owned — directors and shareholders are required to be full-time employees — and has remained independent with no private equity, venture capital, or parent-company involvement. Revenue is not publicly disclosed; pricing is not listed and the firm sells primarily via direct technical sales relationships and distributor partnerships, supported by laboratory services, technical schooling, and annual product showlines showcased at trade events such as APLF Hong Kong.
Chemtan firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Chemtan
- Legal name
- Chemtan Company, Inc.
- Website
- https://chemtan.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1948
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Chemtan is a privately held, employee-owned specialty chemicals manufacturer founded in 1948 in Exeter, NH, producing waterproof leather tanning chemistries and broader wet-end and finishing chemicals for tanneries serving footwear, automotive, upholstery, and luxury leather goods customers in 33+ countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Chemtan industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Specialty Leather Tanning Chemicals
- NAICS
- Leather and Hide Tanning and Finishing (31611), Synthetic Dye and Pigment Manufacturing (32513), Paint and Coating Manufacturing (32551)
- SIC
- Leather & Leather Products (3100), Miscellaneous Chemical Products (2890)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Textile, Leather & Paper Specialty Chemicals (IMAEABAM)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Hide & Skin Beamhouse Operations (Soaking/Liming/Deliming/Bating) (IMAOAGAB), Chrome Tanning (Wet Blue) (IMAOAGAC), Aldehyde/Synthetic/Combination Tanning (IMAOAGAE), Retanning, Dyeing & Fatliquoring (IMAOAGAF), Finishing & Surface Coating (Pigmented/Aniline/Embossing/Topcoat) (IMAOAGAG), Leather Effluent Treatment & Environmental Compliance Services (IMAOAGAO)
Keywords
Where Chemtan is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Exeter
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Chemtan business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Leather Tanning Chemicals: Development, production and marketing of specialty and commodity chemicals to the leather tanning industry. Products span beam house, tan/retan, waterproof systems, and finishing categories.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
Chemtan product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Chemtan develops, manufactures, and markets specialty and commodity chemicals for the leather tanning industry. Its product portfolio covers the entire leather processing chain, from beam house (soaking, liming, unhairing, pickling, preservation) through tan/retan, waterproof systems, and finishing. The company is a recognized leader in waterproof leather chemicals and the largest US producer of phenolic syntans, with proprietary technologies including GreenTan® eco-friendly chemistries and patented aminoaldehyde tanning resins.
Product overview
Chemtan is a world leading manufacturer of waterproof leather chemicals, offering a comprehensive portfolio of specialty and commodity chemicals for the leather tanning industry. The product portfolio spans from beam house through finishing, organized into distinct categories: GreenTan® eco-friendly product series (C, ET, M-5, N-90, T-22M, R-5K) for low carbon footprint solutions; Beam & Tan/Biocide products for preservation and preparatory stages; Retan products including buffers/neutralizers, dye assists, degreasers, extracts, fatliquors, fillers, mineral tans, syntans, and specialty chemicals; Water Resistant/Waterproof Systems products (polymers, fatliquors, silicones) for high performance waterproof leathers; and Finishing products including acrylics, polyurethanes, top coats, waxes, oils, pigments (ICE nano-pigments, MP micro-pigments), feel additives, dullers, silicones, and protein binders. The company emphasizes customer service and product creativity with over 75 years of industry expertise.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- GreenTan®: Eco-friendly product series offering low carbon footprint solution for tanners making leathers with lower environmental impact.
- CHEMTAN®
- CHEMOL®
Products and services
- GreenTan® Eco-Friendly Product Series Eco-friendly, low carbon footprint product series including chrome-free tanning agents (GreenTan® C, ET, M-5), nitrogen reduction deliming (N-90), bio-based polymeric acid retanning (R-5K), and bisphenol-free synthetic retanning (T-22M). Designed for tanners seeking ZDHC and sustainability compliance.
- Beam & Tan / Biocide Products Products for the preparatory stages of leather making including preservation, soaking, liming, unhairing, and antifungal protection. Includes CHEMTAN® A-58, A-64, B-4, B-52, M-5, M-35, M-88, AMICAL®, Unhairing Assist FR-62, PHMB P20D, ZENITH® 388, Z-15AQ.
- Retan Products Comprehensive retanning product line including buffers and neutralizers (CHEMTAN® A-55, N-34R, MAGOX® 98 HR), dye assists, degreasers/emulsifiers (CHEMOL® 215NB, 411), extracts (CHESTNUT, MIMOSA, QUEBRACHO), fatliquors, fillers, mineral tans, acrylic/aminoaldehyde/other resins, and syntans for retanning, filling, and lightfastness.
- Water Resistant / Waterproof Systems Advanced polymers, fatliquors, and silicones specifically formulated to exceed industry waterproof standards and perform across varied environments and retanning systems. Includes CHEMOL® 542 CONC and CHEMTAN® R-97 NEW, R-106, R-146, R-350, S-31, S-33, S-52R.
- Finishing Products Comprehensive leather finishing product family including acrylic polymers (CHEMTAN® AC-840, AC-2093, AC-2540), water-based polyurethanes (PU-88, PU-3024, PU-9382), top coats (TC-990, TC-3183, TC-3450/M, TC-3542, TC-W), waxes (CHEMOL® 323, 329W), finish oils (CHEMOL® 199S, 216, 588), pigments (ICE nano-pigments, MP micro-pigments), feel additives and fillers, finish silicones, dullers, and protein binders for automotive, upholstery, garment, and footwear applications.
- Specialty Chemical Products Other specialty products including CHEMTAN® 440A (defoamer), CR-1, ECO-FIX (formic acid alternative), M-55, R-227, R-20 (iron stain chelate). Designed for defoaming, calcium removal, pH fixing, flame retardancy, and sequestering.
- ICE Pigments Waterborne dispersed organic colorants - ICE BLACK, ICE BLUE, ICE BURGUNDY, ICE COPPER, ICE PINK, ICE RED, ICE YELLOW, ICE WHITE. Nano-sized pigments (10-100nm) for aniline and semi-aniline finishing.
Quantifiable outcome
- Reduces nitrogen effluent by up to 80-100% in deliming bath using GreenTan® N-90
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Chemtan
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Chemtan technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Chemtan partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
17 partnerships are on record, tiered minor, core and regional.
- University of NorthamptonminorChemtan donates expertise, time, and samples for week-long lecture and application series teaching students about processing waterproof leather. Students learn influence of wetblue, water sources, chemicals used, and finishing challenges.
- Leather Working Group (LWG)coreLWG is made up of member brands, retailers, product manufacturers, leather manufacturers, chemical suppliers and technical experts that have worked together to develop an environmental stewardship protocol specifically for the leather manufacturing industry.
- Leather NaturallycoreIndustry members association focused on education and promotion of leather. Promotes globally-manufactured sustainable leather and seeks to inspire and inform designers, creators, and consumers about leather's beauty, quality and versatility.
- American Leather Chemists Association (ALCA)coreSeventh oldest chemistry association in the United States. Publishes the Journal of the American Leather Chemists Association (JALCA). Promotes advancement of science and engineering applied to leather and leather products industries.
- New England Tanners' ClubminorNon-profit organization committed to education and support of the leather industry. Sponsors educational seminars on industry direction, new technologies and challenges.
- Leather & Hide Council of America (L&HCA)coreTrade body representing 75 member companies from hide processors to tanners and finished leather goods producers. Provides government, public relations, and international trade assistance. Cooperator under USDA foreign market development programs.
- Midwest Tanners AssociationminorRegional industry association supporting leather industry in the Midwest United States.
- Hela Chemicals S.A. de C. V.regionalDistributor covering Mexico market, based in Leon, Mexico. Contact: Sr. Heinz Uebele.
- Conexion AmericanaregionalDistributor covering Central & South America (except Brazil & Argentina). Contact: Sr. Tibor E. Furchtgott, Costa Rica.
- MK QUÍMICAregionalDistributor covering Brazil market, based in Portão/RS, Brazil. Contact: Ary C Pires.
- Miguel Oliveira SUCRS, SAregionalDistributor covering Portugal market, based in Porto, Portugal. Contact: Miguel Pedro Oliveira.
- Jiaxing Honglin Co, Ltd.regionalDistributor covering Mainland China market, based in Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province. Contact: Mr. Jody Chow.
- Chiland Enterprise Co. Ltd.regionalDistributor covering Taiwan market, based in Tainan, Taiwan. Contact: Ms. Sasha.
- Kawamura & Co., Ltd.regionalDistributor covering Japan market, based in Tokyo. Contact: Mr. T. Kobayashi.
- Dakun CorporationregionalDistributor covering South Korea market. Contact: President Dae Gon (D.G.) Kim.
- Technochem DistributorsregionalDistributor covering India market, based in Chennai. Contact: Mr. Paresh Vasa.
- SB Trading InternationalregionalDistributor covering Bangladesh market, based in Dhaka. Contact: Mr. SM Abdul Baten.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Chemtan competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Clariant (Leather Services): Specialty chemical company with a legacy leather business offering dyes, syntans, and finishing products. Larger and more diversified than Chemtan but serves similar customer segments.
- Lanxess (now Syensqo Leather): Former Lanxess leather chemicals business now part of Syensqo, supplying preservatives, tanning auxiliaries, fatliquors, dyes, and finishing products globally. A much larger incumbent competing with Chemtan across most product lines.
- BASF (Leather & Performance Chemicals): Global chemical major with a leather chemicals portfolio covering wet-end and finishing. Wider product breadth and greater scale than Chemtan, but overlapping customer base in automotive and footwear leather.
Direct peers
- Trumpler: European producer of leather chemicals and auxiliaries, including beamhouse, tanning, retanning, dyeing, fatliquoring, and finishing products. Competes with Chemtan in technical leather wet-end chemistry.
- Pulcra Chemicals: Global specialty chemicals supplier with a dedicated leather business covering beam house, tanning, retanning, dyeing, fatliquoring, and finishing — directly overlapping Chemtan's product categories and customer base.
- TFL (now Heubach/Prabhu): Specialty chemicals company focused exclusively on leather, offering wet-end and finishing products including syntans, fatliquors, and dyes. Closely comparable to Chemtan in product scope and end-market focus.
- Smit & Zoon: Dutch specialty chemicals manufacturer focused on leather wet-end and finishing products, including syntans, fatliquors, and retanning auxiliaries — a direct competitor to Chemtan's CHEMTAN® and CHEMOL® lines.
- Zschimmer & Schwarz: Diversified specialty chemicals manufacturer with a strong leather division producing syntans, fatliquors, and finishing auxiliaries. Comparable in technical product range and customer overlap with Chemtan.
- Stahl (Syensqo): Global leader in leather chemicals and coatings, offering wet-end, finishing, and waterproofing systems directly comparable to Chemtan's portfolio. Serves the same footwear, automotive, and leather goods customers worldwide.
Emerging players
- DyStar: Specialty chemical supplier with strong presence in textile and leather dyes and auxiliaries, overlapping with Chemtan's dye-assist and pigment offerings (e.g., ICE nano-pigments and CHEMOL® dye chemicals).
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Chemtan social profiles
Digital presenceChemtan compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Chemtan financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Chemtan leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Chemtan funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Chemtan 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 Chemtan
What does Chemtan do?
Chemtan develops, manufactures, and markets specialty and commodity chemicals for the leather tanning industry. Its product portfolio covers the entire leather processing chain, from beam house (soaking, liming, unhairing, pickling, preservation) through tan/retan, waterproof systems, and finishing. The company is a recognized leader in waterproof leather chemicals and the largest US producer of phenolic syntans, with proprietary technologies including GreenTan® eco-friendly chemistries and patented aminoaldehyde tanning resins.
Is Chemtan a public or private company?
Chemtan is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was Chemtan founded?
Chemtan was founded in 1948. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Chemtan based?
Chemtan is headquartered in Exeter, United States, in the North America region.
How does Chemtan make money?
One revenue line is on record: leather Tanning Chemicals.
Who are Chemtan's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Clariant (Leather Services), Lanxess (now Syensqo Leather) and BASF (Leather & Performance Chemicals). Direct peers are Trumpler, Pulcra Chemicals, TFL (now Heubach/Prabhu), Smit & Zoon, Zschimmer & Schwarz and Stahl (Syensqo). DyStar is listed as an emerging player.
Does Chemtan have an API?
No public API is recorded for Chemtan.
What industry is Chemtan in?
Chemtan's product category is Specialty Leather Tanning Chemicals. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAEABAM, Textile, Leather & Paper Specialty Chemicals, with a secondary code of IMAOAGAB, Hide & Skin Beamhouse Operations (Soaking/Liming/Deliming/Bating). Its NAICS code is 31611 and its SIC code is 3100.