Lake

What Lake does

Lake Chemicals and Minerals Ltd. is a UK-headquartered specialty chemical and ingredient distributor founded in 2001 and operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary of the LEL Group, a strategic alliance of privately owned European technical distribution companies established in 1999. The company serves B2B customers across four specialist divisions: Ubichem (pharmaceutical and life science chemicals, with operations dating to 1978), Salutivia (food, beverage, and nutrition ingredients), Lake Personal Care (cosmetics, toiletries, home care, and industrial cleaning), and Lake Technical Specialities (CASE, polymers, industrial fluids, and construction materials). Geographic focus is the UK and Ireland, with international supplier relationships enabling global sourcing and a regional subsidiary (Lake Ireland) in Athlone serving the Irish market from local stock.

The business model is distribution-plus-services: revenue is generated from specialty chemical and ingredient sales augmented by value-add services including bespoke formulation development, agile contract manufacturing (pilot to commercial scale), regulatory compliance support, and strategic market insights. Two proprietary technical platforms anchor the offering: ubispoke® for custom pharmaceutical and biotech synthesis (covering custom synthesis of APIs and intermediates, contract R&D, analytical method development, process optimisation, and regulatory documentation) and Valysis® for validated bespoke epoxy and flame retardant formulations targeting CASE industry applications. The go-to-market is technical sales-led, with dedicated specialist sales teams per division serving enterprise customers with quote-based, project-specific pricing.

Lake's competitive positioning is built on an extensive regulatory and quality certification stack (ISO 9001:2015, FSSC 22000, BRCGS Storage and Distribution, GMP, GDP for Active Substances, FDA 21 CFR Part 11, Ecovadis, RSPO, Soil Association, Informed-Sport) and exclusive supplier partnerships with global manufacturers including Hallstar Industrial, ICL, DSM Firmenich, Kemin, Darling Ingredients (Rousselot), Champion Advanced Materials, and others. Manufacturing facilities operate to ISO, BRCGS, GMP, and FDA standards. The company employs 51-100 staff and is part of the LEL Group network of 100+ technical sales experts serving 5,000+ customers and handling 50,000+ tonnes of specialty products annually across Europe. The company is privately held, with no disclosed funding rounds or external institutional investors.

Name

Lake

Legal name

Lake Chemicals and Minerals Ltd.

Website

https://lakecm.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Lake Chemicals and Minerals Ltd. is a UK-based specialty chemical and ingredient distributor serving pharmaceutical, personal care, food and nutrition, and industrial markets through four divisions: Ubichem, Salutivia, Lake Personal Care, and Lake Technical Specialities. The company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the LEL Group, operating across the UK and Ireland.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Chemical Distribution

NAICS

Chemical Manufacturing (325), Medicinal and Botanical Manufacturing (325411)

SIC

Miscellaneous Chemical Products (2890), Medicinal Chemicals & Botanical Products (2833)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Treatment & Process Specialty Chemicals (IMAEABAN)

akta.pro secondary industry

Custom Synthesis & Technical Active Ingredient (AI) Manufacturing (intermediates, actives) (AFABAIAI)

Keywords

• Specialty chemical distribution
• Pharmaceutical ingredients supply
• Personal care ingredients
• Food nutrition ingredients
• Industrial specialty chemicals

Headquarters

HQ city

Redditch

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Chemical & Ingredient Distribution: Distribution of high-quality speciality chemicals and ingredients to multiple industries through exclusive supplier partnerships. Revenue generated from product sales with value-add technical services including formulation support and regulatory compliance.
2. Agile Manufacturing Services: Contract manufacturing services from pilot scale to full commercialisation. Blending of powders, liquids, gels, creams, lotions, and capsules with packing into various bulk and consumer packaging options. Generates revenue through manufacturing fees and product processing charges.
3. Innovation Services & Custom Formulation Development: New product development for formulations and processes, creating bespoke solutions for customers. Technical expertise spanning industrial, personal care, cleaning, food and nutrition markets.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Lake Chemicals and Minerals is a technical distributor of specialty chemicals and ingredients serving UK and Ireland markets through four specialist divisions. The company distributes high-quality raw materials sourced from exclusive global supplier partnerships across pharmaceutical, personal care, food/nutrition, and industrial sectors, while providing value-added services including bespoke formulation development, agile contract manufacturing, regulatory compliance support, warehousing, and strategic market insights. The platform is anchored by proprietary brands ubispoke® (custom pharmaceutical synthesis) and Valysis® (bespoke epoxy and flame retardant systems).

Product overview

Lake Chemicals & Minerals is a UK-based specialty chemical and ingredient distributor operating as a multi-division platform. The company is organized into four main divisions: Ubichem (pharmaceutical and life science chemicals since 1978), Salutivia (food and nutrition ingredients), Lake Personal Care (personal care and cosmetic ingredients), and Lake Technical Specialities (industrial specialty materials). Key sub-brands include ubispoke® for custom pharmaceutical synthesis and Valysis® for bespoke epoxy and flame retardant formulations. The platform delivers Ultimate Customer Value through integrated services including raw materials distribution, innovation/R&D, agile manufacturing, warehousing, and strategic market insights. Lake Ireland serves as a subsidiary in the Irish market.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ubispoke: A bespoke journey of synthesis, analytical, regulatory, and global manufacturing expertise delivering molecules with peace of mind. Custom synthesis services for pharmaceutical and biotech organisations.
• Valysis

Products and services

• ubispoke® Custom Synthesis Platform Custom-built pharmaceutical synthesis services for pharma and biotech organisations. Supports custom synthesis of APIs and intermediates, contract R&D, analytical method development and validation, process optimisation and scale-up, and regulatory support and documentation.
• Valysis® Bespoke Epoxy and Flame Retardant Formulation Systems Validated bespoke formulation systems for epoxy and flame retardant solutions specifically designed for the CASE (Coatings, Adhesives, Sealants, Elastomers) industry, combining formulation expertise with deep supply chain insight to deliver high-performance materials.
• Innovation Services New product development and formulation refinement services where Lake's innovation team collaborates with customers using world-class ingredients, R&D labs, and technical expertise across industrial, personal care, cleaning, food, and nutrition markets.
• Manufacturing Services Agile contract manufacturing from pilot scale to full commercialisation. Audited facilities meet BRCGS SD, FSSC 22000, GMP, FDA, and ISO 9001:2015 standards. Capabilities include blending powders, liquids, gels, creams, lotions, and capsules with various bulk and consumer packaging options.
• Raw Materials & Ingredients Distribution Distribution of high-quality specialty chemicals and ingredients through exclusive supplier partnerships with trusted global manufacturers, ensuring consistent access to specialty materials with regulatory compliance and quality control.
• Warehousing & Distribution Secure, efficient, and scalable storage solutions with flexible options for short-term inventory management or long-term storage, plus streamlined distribution support for order fulfilment.
• Strategic Insights Market intelligence services that turn complex data into actionable insights for commercial outcomes, including in-depth analytics, competitor benchmarking, megatrend analysis, and strategic market insights.

Quantifiable outcome

• Served customers since 2001 with proven history of delivering innovative solutions
• +1 more outcomes

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

27 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and exclusive.

• LEL GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLEL Group is the parent strategic alliance of privately owned and independent technical distribution companies focused on Europe, specialising in chemicals, minerals, ingredients, natural and green chemistry products. Lake is a member company benefiting from shared resources, supplier networks, and collective market expertise across 100+ experts serving 5,000+ customers.
• C.H. ErbslöhcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerC.H. Erbslöh is a fellow member of LEL Group specialising in chemicals and ingredients distribution in Europe. Lake collaborates with C.H. Erbslöh at industry events such as in-cosmetics Global 2026.
• URAI S.p.A.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerURAI S.p.A. is a fellow member of LEL Group based in Italy. Lake collaborates with URAI at industry events including in-cosmetics Global 2026 in Paris.
• Champion Advanced MaterialsflagshipTechnology or IntegrationValysis® partners with Champion Advanced Materials to offer high-performance CASE epoxy resins and amine curing agents for optimised cure times, excellent adhesion, and superior chemical and abrasion resistance.
• Hallstar IndustrialexclusiveTechnology or IntegrationStrategic supplier partner providing innovative industrial chemical solutions. Lake Technical Specialities distributes Hallstar products for coatings, adhesives, and industrial applications.
• ICLexclusiveTechnology or IntegrationStrategic supplier partner for Lake Technical Specialities, providing advanced speciality chemicals for industrial formulations.
• KusumotoexclusiveTechnology or IntegrationStrategic supplier partner providing speciality chemicals for Lake Technical Specialities industrial applications.
• BrunoBock (Thiochem)exclusiveTechnology or IntegrationStrategic supplier partner providing speciality chemicals including thiochemistry products for Lake Technical Specialities and Lake Personal Care.
• Cortec CorporationexclusiveTechnology or IntegrationStrategic supplier partner providing corrosion protection solutions and VCI (Vapour Corrosion Inhibitor) technology for Lake Engineering Solutions.
• Anhui Black CatexclusiveTechnology or IntegrationStrategic supplier partner for Lake Technical Specialities providing speciality chemical materials.
• Vanderbilt MineralsexclusiveTechnology or IntegrationStrategic supplier partner providing specialty minerals for Lake Technical Specialities, Lake Personal Care, and Ubichem divisions.
• QemeticaexclusiveTechnology or IntegrationStrategic supplier partner providing silica products for Lake Technical Specialities industrial applications.
• Van C (Vanderbilt Chemicals)exclusiveTechnology or IntegrationStrategic supplier partner for Lake Technical Specialities providing speciality chemical products.
• HathawayexclusiveTechnology or IntegrationStrategic supplier partner for Lake Technical Specialities providing speciality chemical solutions.
• Darling Ingredients (Rousselot)exclusiveTechnology or IntegrationStrategic supplier partner for Salutivia providing collagen peptides and gelatin ingredients for food, beverage, and nutritional applications.
• DSM FirmenichexclusiveTechnology or IntegrationStrategic supplier partner for Salutivia providing nutritional ingredients and solutions for human nutrition markets.
• KeminexclusiveTechnology or IntegrationStrategic supplier partner for Salutivia providing science-backed ingredients for human nutrition applications.
• MaolacexclusiveTechnology or IntegrationStrategic supplier partner for Salutivia providing functional protein ingredients from alternative sources.
• AssessaexclusiveTechnology or IntegrationStrategic supplier partner for Lake Personal Care providing testing and evaluation services for cosmetic products.
• CLR BerlinexclusiveTechnology or IntegrationStrategic supplier partner providing active cosmetic ingredients for Lake Personal Care formulations.
• Hallstar BeautyexclusiveTechnology or IntegrationStrategic supplier partner providing beauty ingredients and solutions for Lake Personal Care.
• Evolved by NatureexclusiveTechnology or IntegrationStrategic supplier partner providing biotech-derived ingredients for Lake Personal Care formulations.
• TrautecexclusiveTechnology or IntegrationStrategic supplier partner providing speciality ingredients for Lake Personal Care applications.
• Salien AustriaexclusiveTechnology or IntegrationStrategic supplier partner for Ubichem providing pharmaceutical and life science ingredients.
• LipoidexclusiveTechnology or IntegrationStrategic supplier partner providing pharmaceutical excipients and lipids for Ubichem.
• EnzymasterexclusiveTechnology or IntegrationStrategic supplier partner providing enzyme solutions for Ubichem life science applications.
• Synthokem LabsexclusiveTechnology or IntegrationStrategic supplier partner providing custom synthesis capabilities for Ubichem.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• IMCD: Dutch specialty chemicals and ingredients distributor with strong pharma, personal care, food, and CASE exposure; comparable to Lake's division structure and emphasis on technical sales plus formulation support.
• Cornelius Group: UK-based specialty ingredients distributor serving personal care, home care, and industrial markets with technical sales and bespoke formulation — a closely comparable UK-headquartered specialty distributor.
• Barentz: Dutch-headquartered global specialty ingredients distributor serving personal care, food, nutrition, animal nutrition, and industrial markets — directly overlapping Lake's multi-vertical specialty distribution model and value-added formulation services.
• TER Group: German specialty chemicals and ingredients distributor focused on personal care, food, pharma, and industrial markets with technical sales and formulation support — comparable European mid-market specialty distributor.
• Azelis: Belgian specialty chemicals and food ingredients distributor with a similar divisional, application-led sales model across life sciences and industrial chemicals — directly comparable to Lake's horizontal segmentation strategy.
• Caldic: Dutch specialty ingredients distributor serving food, personal care, pharma, and industrial markets with formulation and manufacturing capabilities — overlapping Lake's end-to-end service platform from sourcing through agile manufacturing.
• Safic-Alcan: France-based specialty chemical distributor serving personal care, pharma, coatings, and industrial markets; similar mid-size European footprint and value-added distribution model to Lake.

Broad incumbents

• Brenntag: Global market leader in chemical and ingredient distribution with broad pharma, food, personal care, and CASE exposure; much larger scale than Lake and competes across multiple of Lake's verticals but with a far broader portfolio.
• Univar Solutions: North-American-headquartered global chemical and ingredient distributor serving similar industrial, food, and life-science end markets — overlapping Lake's categories at a far larger, multi-continent scale.

Regional players

• Stanson (formerly B&V Chemicals): Smaller UK and Benelux specialty chemical distributor with overlapping personal care and industrial customer bases — a sub-scale regional peer competing with Lake in UK accounts.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lake-chemicals-and-minerals

Compliance15 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries8 records

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 Lake