FutureFuel Corporation
FutureFuel Corporation is a specialty chemical and biofuel manufacturer operating a 2,200-acre integrated complex in Batesville, Arkansas, producing custom-manufactured organic chemicals, branded performance chemicals (FutureChem®, FutureSol®), and biodiesel for enterprise customers across coatings, textiles, cleaning, pharmaceutical, and energy markets.
- Company typePublic
- Founded2005
- HeadquartersClarkton, United States
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What FutureFuel Corporation does
FutureFuel Corporation is a publicly traded specialty chemical manufacturer (NYSE: FF) operating from a 2,200-acre integrated manufacturing complex in Batesville, Arkansas, with approximately 500 employees and roots tracing to Eastman Chemical Company operations beginning in the early 1970s. The company generates revenue through three streams: custom chemical manufacturing services (process development, scale-up from 1L to 2000-3000 gallon reactors, and commercial production for enterprise customers), branded performance chemicals under the FutureChem® and FutureSol® families (covering monomers such as SSIPA, EHMA, and LiSIPA, polymer additives, chelating agents, surfactants, and specialty solvents), and biodiesel production with nearly 60 million gallons of annual capacity, making it the largest producer in the Southeastern United States.
The company's core technology spans over 80 chemical reaction classes including sulfonation, halogenation, polymerization, esterification, oxidation, and reduction, supported by a Process Hazard Evaluation and Scale-up (PHES) lab, a 24/7 onsite analytical laboratory (GC, GC-MS, LC, LC-MS, IC, NMR, FT-IR, UV-VIS, XRF, ICP-OES), and over 80 reactors ranging from 1000-6000 gallons supporting both batch and continuous manufacturing. Certifications include ISO 9001:2015, BQ-9000, GMP, EcoVadis Bronze, and SOCMA ChemStewards, with 99.8% of waste treated onsite through a licensed RCRA hazardous waste incinerator. Customers span coatings, adhesives, sealants, elastomers, textiles, cleaning, personal care, pharmaceuticals, and energy, served through direct B2B enterprise sales, industry trade shows (SOCMA, American Coatings Show, Specialty & Agro Chemicals America), and a private rail spur enabling bulk distribution.
FutureFuel's go-to-market combines enterprise field sales for custom manufacturing projects with direct sales of branded performance chemical products to formulators and manufacturers, sold in packaging ranging from lab quantities to bulk rail. Pricing is quote-based and project-specific for custom manufacturing, while performance chemicals and biodiesel are sold under negotiated commercial terms. A multiyear agreement with Freepoint Commodities monetizes Section 45Z Clean Fuel Production tax credits, providing a meaningful capital channel to fund chemical capacity expansion. The company also derives revenue from offering co-location and contract manufacturing within its fully permitted site infrastructure, enabling customers to launch, reshore, or scale chemical production without the capital burden of new site development.
FutureFuel Corporation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- FutureFuel Corporation
- Legal name
- FutureFuel Corporation
- Website
- https://futurefuelcorporation.com
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 2005
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- FutureFuel Corporation is a specialty chemical and biofuel manufacturer operating a 2,200-acre integrated complex in Batesville, Arkansas, producing custom-manufactured organic chemicals, branded performance chemicals (FutureChem®, FutureSol®), and biodiesel for enterprise customers across coatings, textiles, cleaning, pharmaceutical, and energy markets.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
FutureFuel Corporation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Specialty Chemicals
- NAICS
- Chemical Manufacturing (325), All Other Chemical Product and Preparation Manufacturing (32599), Cyclic Crude, Intermediate, and Gum and Wood Chemical Manufacturing (325194)
- SIC
- Industrial Organic Chemicals (2860), Fats & Oils (2070), Chemicals & Allied Products (2800)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Bio-based Platform & Commodity Chemicals (e.g., bio-ethylene, bio-propylene, bio-BTX, bio-methanol) (EUAAAIAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Biodiesel (FAME) Production (EUAAAHAC), Biofuels & Renewable Fuels Switching (Biomethane/RNG, Bio-oils, Sustainable Biomass) (EUABAJAD)
Keywords
Where FutureFuel Corporation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Clarkton
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
FutureFuel Corporation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Custom Chemical Manufacturing: Contract manufacturing services for custom organic chemicals, providing end-to-end support from process development through commercial-scale production. Revenue generated through toll manufacturing arrangements and direct product sales from specialized chemistries.
- Performance Chemicals: Sale of branded specialty chemical products including FutureChem® polymer additives, chelating agents, surfactants, UV inhibitors, monomers (2-EHMA), and FutureSol® specialty solvents. Products sold in various packaging from lab quantities to bulk rail.
- Biodiesel Production and Sales: Production and sale of low-carbon biodiesel from Batesville, Arkansas facility with annual capacity of nearly 60 million gallons, making it the largest producer in the Southeastern United States.
- Tax Credit Monetization: Sale of Section 45Z Clean Fuel Production and Small Producer Tax Credits to Freepoint Commodities. Generated approximately $3 million from 2025 credits and has committed to selling 2026 credits estimated at $19 million.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom Manufacturing - Project-based pricing |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
FutureFuel Corporation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
FutureFuel Corporation manufactures and sells specialty chemicals under the FutureChem® and FutureSol® brands (including monomers, polymer additives, UV absorbers, chelating agents, surfactants, and specialty solvents), produces biodiesel with annual capacity of nearly 60 million gallons, and provides custom chemical manufacturing services spanning process development, scale-up, and commercial production for diverse industries including pharmaceutical, coatings, adhesives, cleaning, and agriculture.
Product overview
FutureFuel Corporation is a specialty chemical manufacturer offering a diverse portfolio of performance chemicals under the FutureChem® and FutureSol® brands, biodiesel production, and custom chemical manufacturing services. The FutureChem® product line includes monomers (EHMA, SSIPA, LiSIPA, SBA, HSIPA, DM SIP), polymer additives, UV absorbers (RMB, OABH), chelating agents (CDS, Duality), surfactants (Bio-Betaine), and various sulfoisophthalate metal salts (CaSIPA, CuSIPA, AgSIPA, ZnSIPA, KSIPA) and derivatives (SIPAH, SBAH, SSSBAm, SSSIPAm). The FutureSol® line includes specialty solvents (DEM, DBM, MME), refined glycerin, and phenolsulfonic acid. The company operates a 2,200-acre manufacturing complex in Batesville, Arkansas with both batch and continuous production capabilities, serving markets including coatings, adhesives, textiles, cleaning, agriculture, and pharmaceuticals.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- FutureChem®: Brand name for performance chemical products including monomers, polymer additives, chelating agents, surfactants, and specialty solvents.
- FutureSol®
Products and services
- Custom Chemical Manufacturing Services
Quantifiable outcome
- Scale-up from 1L laboratory to 2000-3000 GL commercial production
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use FutureFuel Corporation
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
FutureFuel Corporation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
FutureFuel Corporation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators10 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights4 records
FutureFuel Corporation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Hexion Holdings Corporation: Hexion is a global specialty resins and adhesives manufacturer serving coatings, adhesives, sealants, and elastomers (CASE) markets — directly overlapping FutureFuel's 2-EHMA monomer and polymer additive portfolio for CASE applications.
- NewMarket Corporation: NewMarket owns Afton Chemical and Ethyl Corporation, focused on petroleum additives and specialty chemicals serving lubricant and fuel markets. The comparable specialty additives business model and customer overlap with FutureFuel's polymer additives and biodiesel businesses makes it a relevant peer.
- Green Plains Inc. Green Plains is a U.S. renewable fuels producer with significant ethanol capacity and adjacent ingredient businesses (high-protein feed, corn oil). It is a direct comparable to FutureFuel's biodiesel segment, sharing exposure to biofuel tax credits (45Z/RFS), feedstock price volatility, and U.S. low-carbon fuel policy.
- Celanese Corporation: Celanese is a large global specialty chemical manufacturer producing engineered polymers, acetyl chain products, and custom chemistries for comparable end markets including coatings, adhesives, and automotive. FutureFuel's CEO Roeland Polet previously held senior roles at Celanese, and the companies share customer overlap in methacrylates, polymer additives, and custom synthesis.
- Innospec Inc. Innospec is a specialty chemical company with performance chemicals, fuel specialties, and oilfield services divisions — closely comparable to FutureFuel's specialty monomers, surfactants, and biodiesel fuel additive offerings, serving similar B2B formulation customers.
- Darling Ingredients Inc. Darling Ingredients is a global renderer producing fats, oils, and proteins used as feedstocks for biodiesel and oleochemicals, and operates Diamond Green Diesel — a major U.S. renewable diesel producer. Darling directly intersects FutureFuel's fats/oils-to-biodiesel supply chain and low-carbon fuel strategy.
- Stepan Company: Stepan is a specialty chemical manufacturer focused on surfactants, polymers, and specialty products serving personal care, cleaning, agricultural, and coatings markets — directly overlapping FutureFuel's cleaning ingredients (betaines, chelators, bleach activators) and polymer additives portfolio.
- Vertellus Holdings LLC: Vertellus is a privately held specialty chemicals manufacturer producing intermediates, pyridines, and bio-based ingredients for personal care, agriculture, and industrial markets. Its custom manufacturing and specialty intermediates business model closely mirrors FutureFuel's contract manufacturing and FutureChem® branded intermediates.
Broad incumbents
- Eastman Chemical Company: Eastman Chemical is the predecessor company from which FutureFuel's Batesville operations were spun off in 2005. Eastman operates a much broader specialty chemicals and advanced materials portfolio, but shares heritage, site, and overlapping product families (methacrylates, polymer intermediates, additives) with FutureFuel.
- Hawkins, Inc. Hawkins is a specialty chemicals distributor and formulator serving water treatment, food, and industrial customers. As a broader specialty chemicals incumbent with similar B2B distribution model across overlapping end markets, Hawkins is a useful scale and channel comparable for FutureFuel's performance chemicals segment.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
FutureFuel Corporation social profiles
Digital presenceFutureFuel Corporation compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance6 records
FutureFuel Corporation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
FutureFuel Corporation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
FutureFuel Corporation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
FutureFuel Corporation 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 FutureFuel Corporation
What does FutureFuel Corporation do?
FutureFuel Corporation manufactures and sells specialty chemicals under the FutureChem® and FutureSol® brands (including monomers, polymer additives, UV absorbers, chelating agents, surfactants, and specialty solvents), produces biodiesel with annual capacity of nearly 60 million gallons, and provides custom chemical manufacturing services spanning process development, scale-up, and commercial production for diverse industries including pharmaceutical, coatings, adhesives, cleaning, and agriculture.
Is FutureFuel Corporation a public or private company?
FutureFuel Corporation is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was FutureFuel Corporation founded?
FutureFuel Corporation was founded in 2005. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is FutureFuel Corporation based?
FutureFuel Corporation is headquartered in Clarkton, United States, in the North America region.
How does FutureFuel Corporation make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Custom Chemical Manufacturing is the primary driver. The others are performance Chemicals, biodiesel Production and Sales and tax Credit Monetization.
Who are FutureFuel Corporation's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Hexion Holdings Corporation, NewMarket Corporation, Green Plains Inc., Celanese Corporation, Innospec Inc., Darling Ingredients Inc., Stepan Company and Vertellus Holdings LLC. Broad incumbents are Eastman Chemical Company and Hawkins, Inc..
Does FutureFuel Corporation have an API?
No public API is recorded for FutureFuel Corporation.
What industry is FutureFuel Corporation in?
FutureFuel Corporation's product category is Specialty Chemicals. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUAAAIAA, Bio-based Platform & Commodity Chemicals (e.g., bio-ethylene, bio-propylene, bio-BTX, bio-methanol), with a secondary code of EUAAAHAC, Biodiesel (FAME) Production. Its NAICS code is 325 and its SIC code is 2860.