What Actikem does

Actikem Ltd is a UK-based contract/toll chemical manufacturer founded in October 2002 and headquartered in Warrington, Cheshire. The company provides outsourced, non-core chemical services — including chemical manufacturing, blending, dilutions, formulation, non-core processing, repacking, storage, sampling, labelling, and UK/European distribution — to industrial chemical buyers across agrochemicals, construction chemicals, personal care and cosmetics, water treatment, coatings/inks/paints, automotive chemicals, and textile finishes. Its customer proposition is to act as a 'seamless extension' of client technical teams, offering bespoke formulations under NDA with on-tap production flexibility and full IP protection.

The company operates from an ISO 9001:2015 certified facility featuring a bunded chemicals warehouse, ADR-compliant hazardous materials storage, on-site QC laboratory, and specialist equipment including a Gaulin high-pressure homogeniser and a Karl Fischer moisture analyser. Staff are trained in Lean 6 Sigma methodologies. Actikem's go-to-market is sales-led and relationship-driven, using its website, direct outreach, the quarterly 'SOLUTIONS' e-newsletter, LinkedIn/Twitter/Facebook presence, and industry event participation (Chemicals Northwest Awards, CIA events, Warrington Chamber of Commerce). Recent product extensions into polymer dispersion services (Acrylics, SBR, Vinyl Acetates, Polyurethanes) and polyurethane dispersions mark a move into higher-value specialty chemistry, while the 2024 EcoVadis Gold Medal and 2026 bluesign SYSTEM PARTNER certifications open pathways to global brand procurement teams.

Commercially, Actikem generates revenue through quote-based project fees for processing, formulation, and production services, with minimum quantities as low as 100g for powders and 250ml for liquids and pricing dependent on product type, quantity, and processes involved. The company is privately held, founder-owned (Andrew Mooney, Managing Director; Trevor Gleave, Operations Director), and operates without disclosed institutional investment, parent company, or M&A activity. Its competitive position rests on a stack of regulatory credentials (ISO 9001:2015, bluesign, EcoVadis Gold, CIA Responsible Care), deep technical expertise from senior leaders with backgrounds at ICI, Zeneca, and BASF, and a fragmented customer base of 372+ organisations served through 52,000+ historical sales orders.

Name

Actikem

Legal name

Actikem Ltd

Website

https://actikem.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Actikem Ltd is a UK-based contract and toll chemical manufacturer providing outsourced blending, formulation, dilutions, repacking, storage, and distribution services to industrial chemical buyers across agrochemicals, coatings, personal care, water treatment, automotive, and textile sectors from its ISO 9001:2015 certified facility in Warrington, Cheshire.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Chemical Contract Manufacturing

NAICS

Chemical Manufacturing (325), Other Chemical and Allied Products Merchant Wholesalers (424690)

SIC

Industrial Organic Chemicals (2860), Wholesale-Chemicals & Allied Products (5160)

akta.pro primary industry

Formulation R&D, Scale-Up & Tech Transfer Services (AFABAIAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Custom Synthesis & Technical Active Ingredient (AI) Manufacturing (intermediates, actives) (AFABAIAI), Packaging, Filling & Repacking Services (bottling, bagging, relabeling) (AFABAIAG), Contract Warehousing, Blending & Distribution for Agrochemicals (bulk handling, IBC/drum management) (AFABAIAL), Regulatory, Quality & EHS Compliance Services for Toll Manufacturing (QA/QC, SDS, REACH/EPA support) (AFABAIAK)

Keywords

• Toll chemical manufacturing
• Chemical blending services
• Contract chemical packaging
• Chemical formulation services
• Polymer dispersion blending

Headquarters

HQ city

Warrington

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Contract/Toll Chemical Manufacturing: Actikem provides outsourced chemical manufacturing services, acting as a seamless extension of customers' production teams. Services include bespoke formulations, chemical blending, dilutions, and processing. Revenue is generated through service fees for processing, formulation development, and production based on project scope and volume.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Actikem Ltd is a UK-based contract (toll) chemical manufacturer providing outsourced chemical manufacturing, blending, formulation, dilutions, non-core processing, repacking, sampling, labelling, storage and logistics/distribution services for hazardous and non-hazardous liquids and powders. The company operates from a single ISO 9001:2015 certified facility in Warrington, Cheshire, serving the UK and European chemical supply chain as an integrated end-to-end outsourcing partner for industries including agrochemicals, construction chemicals, personal care, water treatment, coatings, paints and automotive chemicals.

Product overview

Actikem is a UK-based chemical manufacturing, blending, and packaging company offering outsourced non-core chemical services. Founded in 2002 and headquartered in Warrington, Cheshire, the company operates as a contract/toll manufacturer providing an integrated suite of services including Chemical Manufacturing, Chemical Blending, Chemical Dilutions, Chemical Formulation, Non-Core Processing, Chemical Storage, Chemical Repacking, Logistics and Distribution, Chemical Sampling, Chemical Labelling, Polymer Dispersion Services, and Polyurethane Dispersions. These services are designed to work as an end-to-end solution, allowing customers to reduce overhead costs and offering flexible 'on-tap' production facilities under one roof.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Chemical Manufacturing

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduced shipping costs by decreasing volume through UK-based chemical dilution services
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• bluesign Technologies AGcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2026Actikem officially became a bluesign SYSTEM PARTNER in 2026. This partnership required a deep-dive audit of their entire production chain from raw materials to energy consumption and workplace safety. It provides customers with supply chain risk reduction and streamlined compliance with stringent Restricted Substance Lists (RSLs) used by global brands.
• EcoVadiscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEcoVadis assesses over 130,000+ companies across 180+ countries for sustainability. Actikem has achieved Gold Medal status and uses the partnership to drive sustainable procurement strategy.
• Chemical Industry Association (CIA) Responsible Care ProgrammecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerActikem fully supports the Chemical Industry Association's Responsible Care programme, demonstrating commitment to sustainable chemistry and safe handling practices.
• Chemical Business Association (CBA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCBA membership provides industry networking and best practice sharing. Actikem received a European Award from CBA for Chemical Security.
• Royal Society of Chemistry (EnterprisePlus)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerActikem participates in RSC's EnterprisePlus service for micro, small and medium-sized companies, providing tools for business promotion, recruitment, and connections for growth. The RSC has sponsored Actikem's laboratory apprenticeship and provides access to a network of chemical apprentices.
• Carbon TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerActikem worked with Carbon Trust for detailed site audit and prioritised action plan for sustainability improvements including LED lighting and air compressor upgrades to reduce carbon footprint and energy costs.
• Warrington & CominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal economic development partnership that assisted Actikem with recruitment of their first laboratory apprentice.
• TMC CommunicationsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAward-winning integrated marketing agency engaged through Growth Accelerator programme to assist with digital marketing strategy, plan and activities.
• SOCOTECminorOthersQuality certification partner shown on website logo. SOCOTEC provides certification services including ISO 9001 quality management system certification.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Brenntag AG: Global market leader in chemical distribution with significant blending, formulation, and value-added services across Europe. Comparable as a broad incumbent offering overlapping toll manufacturing and chemical services but at much larger scale and across a full distribution portfolio.
• Univar Solutions Inc. North American/European chemical and ingredient distributor with specialty services including blending and formulation. Comparable as a broad incumbent offering adjacent specialty services to industrial and consumer chemicals customers, though predominantly distribution-led.
• Caldic (formerly Caldic B.V.): European specialty chemicals distributor offering formulation, blending, and application development for life science and industrial markets. Comparable as a broader European player with overlapping blending/formulation capabilities across personal care, coatings, and industrial chemicals.
• IMCD N.V. Global specialty chemicals and ingredients distributor with formulation, blending, and technical support capabilities across Europe. Comparable as a broad incumbent serving similar coatings, personal care, and industrial customer segments, though with a wider product portfolio and global reach.

Direct peers

• Contract Chemicals Ltd: UK-based contract and toll chemical manufacturer offering custom synthesis, contract manufacturing, and specialist chemical services to agrochemical, pharmaceutical, and specialty chemical customers. Directly comparable as a UK toll manufacturer with similar custom formulation and scale-up offerings.
• Hampford Research Inc. US-based contract manufacturer of specialty chemicals offering custom synthesis, toll blending, and analytical services to the personal care, coatings, and polymer industries. Comparable as a mid-sized specialty toll blender with focus on UV absorbers and stabilizers.
• Robinson Brothers Limited: UK-based specialty and contract chemical manufacturer offering custom synthesis, toll manufacturing, and intermediates for agrochemical, pharmaceutical, and polymer markets. Comparable UK toll manufacturer serving similar end-markets with bespoke batch processing capabilities.
• Thomas Swan & Co. Ltd: UK-headquartered contract and custom chemical manufacturer producing advanced materials, performance chemicals, and toll-manufactured intermediates. Comparable as a UK-based private toll manufacturer with custom synthesis and scale-up capabilities serving global B2B customers.
• Katechem (formerly Pentagon Chemical): UK-based toll and contract manufacturer specializing in chemical blending, formulation, and packaging for industrial customers. Direct peer in size, geography, and service offering (blending, formulation, packaging) to Actikem's core services.

Regional players

• Safic-Alcan: European specialty chemicals distributor headquartered in France with formulation, technical support, and blending partnerships for personal care, coatings, polymers, and industrial chemicals. Comparable as a European player with adjacent formulation and specialty chemical capabilities, though distribution-led rather than contract manufacturing-led.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/actikem
• Facebooken-gb.facebook.com/actikem
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/actikem-ltd

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Actikem