Nexchem

Name

Nexchem

Legal name

Nexchem Ltd

Website

https://nexchem.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Chemical Distribution

NAICS

Chemical and Allied Products Merchant Wholesalers (4246)

SIC

Wholesale-Chemicals & Allied Products (5160)

akta.pro primary industry

Base Aromatics (BTX: Benzene, Toluene, Xylenes) (IMAEADAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Hazmat Emergency Response, Spill Control & Incident Management (TLACANAM), Laboratory Chemicals & Specialty/Reagent Chemical Storage (TLALAHAM)

Keywords

• Industrial chemical distribution
• Hazardous chemical logistics
• Chemical packaging supply
• Water treatment chemicals
• UK chemical sourcing

Headquarters

HQ city

Leicester

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Chemical Distribution: Nexchem generates revenue by sourcing chemicals from manufacturers and importers and distributing them to UK businesses across various industries. The company deals directly with producers to offer competitive pricing. Revenue is generated through product sales with transaction-based pricing, where prices are net and not subject to discount, exclusive of VAT and delivery charges.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Nexchem is a UK-based chemical marketing and distribution company that sources over 400 industrial and specialty chemicals directly from manufacturers and importers, then supplies them to UK industries including print & packaging, textiles, cleaning, agriculture, horticulture, automotive, construction, and water treatment. The company handles hazardous chemicals using ADR-certified logistics and UN-approved packaging compliant with HSE and CLP regulations, offering direct delivery to customer premises or customer collection from its Leicester facility.

Product overview

Nexchem is a UK-based chemical sales and distribution company offering a comprehensive portfolio of over 400 industrial and specialty chemicals. The core product is chemical distribution services, where Nexchem acts as an intermediary between chemical manufacturers/importers and end-user industries. The company provides hazardous chemical logistics with ADR-certified transportation, UN-approved packaging compliant with HSE and CLP regulations, and technical support. The product portfolio spans acids (sulphuric, hydrochloric, citric, phosphoric), alkalis (caustic soda, liquid alkali), solvents (acetone, ethanol, xylene), salts (sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, zinc sulphate), and specialty chemicals. Key product lines include Zinc compounds (Oxide, Nitrate, Chloride, Sulphate), Urea products (Prills and 40% Solution), Triethylene Glycol formulations (30% and 90%), and processing chemicals like Sodium Hypochlorite and Sulphamic Acid. Services include direct-from-manufacturer sourcing for competitive pricing, flexible delivery options (road tankers, pump-over, blow-over systems), and returnable packaging programs. Nexchem supplies all UK industries including agriculture, water treatment, textiles, cleaning, food & catering, construction, automotive, horticulture, and print & packaging.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Chemical Distribution Services Core offering: sourcing over 400 industrial and specialty chemicals directly from manufacturers and importers and distributing them to UK businesses across print & packaging, textiles, cleaning, agriculture, horticulture, automotive, construction, and water treatment. Pricing is quote-based and not subject to discount, with flexible delivery options including direct-to-premises and customer collection.
• Hazardous Chemical Logistics Safe handling and transportation of hazardous chemicals using ADR-certified logistics providers compliant with HSE and CLP regulations. Includes delivery via road tankers, pump-over systems, and blow-over systems to customer premises across the UK.
• UN-Approved Chemical Packaging UN-approved containers and packaging for safe handling and transportation of hazardous chemicals, compliant with HSE and CLP/CLP regulations. Available in carboys, drums and IBCs, with a returnable packaging credit program for items returned in good condition within three months.
• Caustic Soda Products Range of caustic soda products including Caustic Soda Liquor (10%, 32%, 50%), Caustic Soda Pearl, and Liquid Alkali, for industrial cleaning, pH adjustment and chemical manufacturing applications.
• Sulphuric Acid Sulphuric Acid supplied in 15–50% and 51–98% concentrations for fertilizer manufacturing, petroleum refining, battery acid, metal processing and water treatment applications.
• Hydrogen Peroxide Hydrogen Peroxide distributed in 20% and 35% concentrations for textiles, cleaning, water treatment, and industrial bleaching applications.
• Zinc Sulphate Colourless crystalline solid or white powder (ZnSO4) used as a micronutrient in agriculture, fertilizer, rayon manufacturing, electroplating, water purification, and animal feed.
• Zinc Oxide White powdery inorganic compound (ZnO) with antibacterial and UV-blocking properties, used in rubber manufacturing, ceramics, paints, semiconductors, and food additives.
• Zinc Nitrate Zinc Nitrate Zn(NO3)2, typically supplied in hexahydrate form, used as laboratory reagent, catalyst, galvanisation, textile mordant, and fertilizer.
• Zinc Chloride White crystalline or granular powder used in chemical synthesis, battery production, textile mercerising, wood preservation, and metal flux applications.
• Urea Prills Small white spherical granules of urea used as a nitrogen-rich fertilizer, in resin production, animal feed supplements, and de-icing applications.
• Urea 40% Solution Urea solution used as a fertilizer additive and in chemical manufacturing for resins, adhesives, and coatings.
• Sodium Carbonate Sodium Carbonate (Na2CO3) available in anhydrous, monohydrate and decahydrate forms, for glass manufacturing, soap production, paper/pulp industry, and water treatment.
• Sodium Bicarbonate Sodium Bicarbonate distributed for use as a leavening agent, cleaning product, fire extinguishing agent, and pH control in various industries.
• Sodium Hypochlorite Sodium Hypochlorite (bleach) distributed for disinfection, water treatment, and textile bleaching applications.
• Sodium Percarbonate Sodium Percarbonate distributed for oxygen-based bleach, laundry detergents, water purification, and sanitisation applications.
• Sodium Gluconate Sodium Gluconate distributed as a concrete admixture, chelating agent, food preservative, and rust removal product.
• Citric Acid Citric Acid distributed in anhydrous and monohydrate forms for use as a food additive, cleaning agent, and chelating agent.
• Tetra Sodium Pyrophosphate Tetra Sodium Pyrophosphate distributed for use as a food additive, detergent builder, and industrial applications.
• Triethylene Glycol 90% High-concentration triethylene glycol used in air fresheners, HVAC microbial control, natural gas drying, and polymer production.
• Triethylene Glycol 30% Dilute triethylene glycol solution used in air sanitisation, dehumidification, antifreeze, and plasticiser applications.
• Sulphamic Acid White crystalline solid distributed as a descaling agent, for metal cleaning, paper pulp bleaching, and dye synthesis applications.
• Thiourea Dioxide Thiourea Dioxide (TDO) distributed for use as a reducing agent in textile bleaching, paper pulp bleaching, and metal recovery applications.
• Titanium Dioxide Titanium Dioxide (TiO2) distributed as a white pigment for paints, coatings, plastics, inks, food additives, and photocatalysis applications.
• Potassium Silicate Potassium Silicate distributed for use as plant fertiliser, corrosion-resistant coating additive, and in fire-resistant formulations.
• Potassium Permanganate Potassium Permanganate (KMnO4) distributed for water treatment, as an oxidising agent, for metal cleaning, and textile applications.
• Salt (PDV Food Grade) Food-grade salt distributed for food processing, water softening, and de-icing applications.

Named customers1 record

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Large International Chemical ManufacturerscoreOthersNexchem has built successful and long lasting partnerships with quality chemical suppliers ranging from large international manufacturers to small specialist producers. These direct relationships with manufacturers and importers allow Nexchem to keep costs to a minimum and offer products at very competitive prices.
• Small Specialist Chemical ProducerscoreOthersNexchem has built successful and long lasting partnerships with quality chemical suppliers ranging from large international manufacturers to small specialist producers. The comprehensive chemical portfolio allows them to service the needs of UK businesses of any size.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves4 records

Broad incumbents

• Brenntag: Global market leader in chemical distribution with extensive UK operations. Same core business model (intermediating between chemical manufacturers and industrial buyers) but vastly larger scale and broader geographic reach than Nexchem.
• Univar Solutions: Global chemical and ingredients distributor serving industrial, pharmaceutical, and food customers with significant UK footprint. Operates the same chemical distribution business model as Nexchem at much larger scale across multiple geographies.
• Azelis: Global specialty chemicals and food ingredients distributor with EMEA operations. Comparable business model as a chemical distribution intermediary serving industrial customers, with significantly larger scale and broader geographic footprint than Nexchem.
• IMCD: Global specialty chemicals and ingredients distributor with UK presence focused on higher-value formulation and application support. Comparable in distribution intermediary model but skewed toward specialty rather than commodity chemicals.
• Barentz: Global distributor of specialty chemicals and ingredients with UK operations serving food, personal care, and industrial markets. Comparable as a chemical distribution intermediary serving industrial end-markets, though with broader geographic reach.
• Manuchar: Global chemical distribution company with UK presence supplying industrial chemicals across multiple verticals. Comparable in operating model as an industrial chemical intermediary, though at much larger international scale.

Direct peers

• Tennants Distribution: UK and Ireland-based chemical distribution business supplying acids, alkalis, solvents, and specialty chemicals across multiple industrial verticals. Comparable to Nexchem in portfolio breadth, direct manufacturer sourcing model, and multi-industry UK focus.
• BTC Chemical Distribution Services: UK-based chemical distributor specializing in industrial chemicals for manufacturing, water treatment, and cleaning industries. Comparable scale and customer-segment focus to Nexchem's UK industrial chemical distribution business.
• Vickers Laboratories: UK-based supplier of laboratory chemicals, reagents, and specialty chemicals to industrial and research customers. Comparable as a UK chemical distribution specialist with portfolio diversity, though with a stronger laboratory/reagent focus.
• Cornelius Group: UK-based distributor of chemicals, ingredients, and raw materials serving industrial and life-science markets. Closest comparable to Nexchem in terms of UK geographic focus, multi-vertical industrial customer base, and broad-line chemical distribution model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Nexchem