What Koppers Performance Chemicals does

Koppers Performance Chemicals Inc. is a specialty chemicals manufacturer and wholly-owned subsidiary of Koppers Inc. (NYSE: KOP), focused on wood preservation and fire-retardant chemistry. The company develops proprietary pressure-treatment formulations across four preservative platforms — micronized copper azole (MicroPro), copper azole (NatureWood), borate systems (Advance Guard, Hi-bor), and chromated copper arsenate (CCA) — plus the FlamePRO interior fire-retardant treated wood (FRTW) line and industrial pole treatments (CLAW climbing additive, InPRO DCOI). The portfolio is backed by 139+ patents and multiple environmental and safety certifications (SCS EPP, UL GREENGUARD Gold, NGBS Green Certified, Global GreenTag Level A, CAL FIRE), and is sold under registered trademarks through a global network of independently licensed treatment facilities in seven countries (US, Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Brazil).

The company serves five primary end markets: residential construction and consumer (decks, fences, landscaping), commercial construction (code-driven fire-retardant and preservative specifications), industrial and infrastructure (utility poles, foundation piling, marine applications), agricultural (barns, fencing), and specialty marine (saltwater docks and bulkheads). Revenue is generated through three streams: sale of chemical preservatives and treated wood products (hardware sales), bundled engineering services (process optimization, preventative maintenance, facility planning) provided at no cost to chemical customers, and licensing of proprietary treatment technologies to independently owned treatment facilities. Distribution flows from licensed treaters into building material distributors, lumberyards, and home centers, with no public pricing disclosed and revenue not broken out at the subsidiary level.

Koppers Performance Chemicals positions itself as a technology and specification leader rather than a commodity supplier, embedding itself in the architect, code-official, and utility procurement workflows through AIA/ICC continuing education, third-party inspection partnerships (UL, Timber Products Inspection, SPIB), and long warranty terms (up to 50 years on FlamePRO and InPRO DCOI). The unit is reported as part of Koppers Inc.'s Performance Chemicals segment and shares the parent's corporate headquarters location in Pittsburgh, PA, with operational offices in Peachtree City, GA, and Griffin, GA.

Name

Koppers Performance Chemicals

Legal name

Koppers Performance Chemicals Inc.

Website

https://kopperspc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Koppers Performance Chemicals is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Koppers Inc. (NYSE: KOP) that develops proprietary wood-preservation and fire-retardant chemical systems (MicroPro, NatureWood, FlamePRO, InPRO DCOI) and licenses them to treatment facilities serving residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural, and marine construction markets across seven countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Griffin

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Treated Wood Products Sales: Sale of pressure treated wood products including preservative treated lumber (MicroPro, NatureWood, Advance Guard, Hi-bor), fire retardant treated wood (FlamePRO), and industrial products (CCA treated wood). Products sold through licensed treatment facilities and building material distribution channels.
2. Engineering Services: Technical engineering support including preventative maintenance, process optimization, troubleshooting, and facility planning provided at no cost to customers purchasing chemical products.
3. Licensing of Technology: Licensing of proprietary treatment technologies to independently owned wood treatment facilities across the network.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Koppers Performance Chemicals manufactures and supplies proprietary wood preservation chemistries and pressure-treated wood products (MicroPro MCA, NatureWood CA, Advance Guard, Hi-bor, CCA, FlamePRO, InPRO DCOI, CLAW) used by licensed treatment facilities, building material distributors, and end users in residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural, marine, and utility infrastructure applications. The company also licenses its treatment technologies to independently operated wood treating plants globally.

Product overview

Koppers Performance Chemicals offers a comprehensive portfolio of wood preservation and enhancement products organized into three main categories: Preservative Systems (MicroPro, NatureWood, Advance Guard, Hi-bor, Cut-N-Treat), Fire Retardants (FlamePRO), and Industrial Products (CCA Treated Wood, CLAW Climbing Additive, InPRO DCOI). The company also offers MicroShades colorants for MicroPro products. These products serve residential construction, commercial building, heavy duty marine, agricultural, and utility infrastructure applications. Koppers provides related engineering services and technical support to treatment plant operators.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MicroPro®: Revolutionary micronized copper azole (MCA) pressure treated wood technology for decks, fences, landscaping and general construction. First treated wood process to be EPP certified by Scientific Certification Systems.
• NatureWood®
• Advance Guard®
• Hi-bor®
• FlamePRO®
• Cut-N-Treat
• CLAW™
• InPRO® DCOI
• MicroShades®

Products and services

• MicroPro (MCA) Micronized copper azole (MCA) wood preservative system for interior and exterior applications including above ground, ground contact, and fresh water immersion. Features improved corrosion performance and lighter natural wood appearance. Used for decks, fences, landscaping, and general construction.
• NatureWood CA Copper azole waterborne preservative system for long-term protection of wood exposed in exterior applications including above ground, ground contact, and fresh water contact such as decks, fences, and landscaping.
• Advance Guard Borate pressure treated wood using Disodium Octaborate Tetrahydrate (DOT) for above ground weather-protected structural framing in residential and commercial projects, providing protection against termites, carpenter ants, and fungal decay.
• Hi-bor Borate pressure treated wood developed for Hawaii's durability and termite protection needs, protecting against termites, fungal decay, and broad-spectrum insects including ants, silverfish, and cockroaches. Over 20 years of proven performance.
• Cut-N-Treat Wood preservative for saw cuts, drill and nail holes in pressure treated wood. Ready-to-use, water-based formulation with low VOC/low odor and green color matching treated wood.
• FlamePRO Interior Type A High Temperature fire retardant treated wood (FRTW) pressure impregnated with fire retardant chemicals. Used for roof systems, studs, flooring, joists, and other interior applications requiring fire protection. Meets AWPA P50 Standard and ICC building code requirements with 50-year limited warranty.
• CCA Treated Wood Chromated Copper Arsenate treated wood for commercial, industrial, and agricultural applications including utility poles, foundation piling, highway construction, agricultural timbers, and marine applications. Provides protection from fungal decay and termite attack with decades of proven service history.
• CLAW Climbing Additive Oil emulsion technology climbing enhancer for CCA treated utility poles. Offers enhanced climbing characteristics similar to oil-borne preservatives with proven CCA durability and 50-year warranty.
• InPRO DCOI Organic oil-borne wood preservative for utility poles and crossarms. DCOI is AWPA standardized with appearance similar to pentachlorophenol, featuring easy climbing and low odor properties. US EPA registered preservative system with 50-year limited warranty and 28-year stake test data from EPRI.
• MicroShades Micronized in-solution colorant system specifically developed for MicroPro treated wood, providing colors similar to redwood and cedar. The only colorant system of its kind developed for micronized treated wood.
• Engineering Services Technical engineering support including preventative maintenance, process optimization, troubleshooting, and facility planning provided at no cost to customers purchasing chemical products. Dedicated engineering team serves treatment plant operators.

Quantifiable outcome

• MicroPro technology is the first treated wood process to be EPP certified by SCS Global Services based on Life-Cycle Assessment.
• +2 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• American Wood Protection Association (AWPA)coreOthersAWPA standards are referenced for all Koppers preservative products. CCA, MCA, and other preservatives are listed in AWPA Standards. Products comply with AWPA use category systems and treatment standards.
• International Code Council (ICC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKoppers is an ICC Preferred Provider for continuing education courses. Products meet IBC and IRC requirements with ICC-ES evaluation reports. ICC AC66 acceptance criteria for fire retardant treated wood.
• Underwriters Laboratories (UL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUL provides third-party inspection for FlamePRO manufacturing and classifies flame spread/smoke development ratings. FlamePRO is UL classified with FR-S Rating for values of 25 or less.
• SCS Global ServicescoreTechnology or IntegrationSCS provides environmental certification services including EPP (Environmentally Preferable Product) certification for MicroPro and Indoor Advantage Gold certification for FlamePRO based on Life-Cycle Assessment.
• Home Innovation NGBSmajorTechnology or IntegrationNGBS provides green building certification for MicroPro, NatureWood, Advance Guard, and Hi-bor products toward National Green Building Standard ICC 700-2008.
• Global GreenTag InternationalmajorTechnology or IntegrationGlobal GreenTag provides product health declaration certification. MicroPro achieved Level A rating under GreenRate certification system and LEED recognition.
• UL GREENGUARD Environmental InstitutecoreTechnology or IntegrationUL GREENGUARD provides VOC emission certification for MicroPro, FlamePRO, Advance Guard, and Hi-bor products with GREENGUARD and GREENGUARD GOLD certifications.
• Electric Power Research InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEPRI conducted 28-year stake test study supporting InPRO DCOI preservative performance for utility pole applications.
• Timber Products Inspection (TP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTP provides third-party inspection services for FlamePRO manufacturing under Follow-Up Service program.
• Southern Pine Inspection Bureau (SPIB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSPIB provides third-party inspection and grade marking services for FlamePRO manufacturing under Follow-Up Service program.
• American Chemistry CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKoppers is a member of the American Chemistry Council and committed to Responsible Care initiative at all global locations. Access to antimicrobial education resources.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Goodwin Heart Pine: Niche sustainable wood company offering borate-treated and reclaimed wood for residential and marine applications. Smaller in scale but addresses overlapping end uses (decking, marine pilings) and competes on a green-alternative narrative against traditional CCA/MCA systems.

Direct peers

• Troy Corporation: Specialty chemicals company producing industrial biocides and wood preservatives, including IPBC, propiconazole, and DCOI-based systems used in wood protection. Troy's preservative and mildewcide portfolio directly competes with Koppers' InPRO and CCA chemistries.
• Osmose Utilities Services: Direct peer in wood preservation for utility poles and infrastructure. Osmose supplies oil-borne and waterborne preservatives, including DCOI-adjacent systems, to the same utility pole and crossarm customers Koppers serves with InPRO DCOI and CCA.
• Viance (Arxada): Direct peer in residential and commercial wood treatment chemistries, historically offering ACQ, MCA, and borate systems comparable to MicroPro, NatureWood, and Advance Guard. Now part of Arxada, it competes head-to-head with Koppers in licensed pressure-treated lumber.

Others

• Koppers Inc. Parent company (NYSE: KOP) and ultimate owner of Koppers Performance Chemicals. Listed as a peer reference because the parent's segment-level economics, capital allocation, and strategic direction directly shape KPC's investment thesis.

Broad incumbents

• Lonza Group: Broad incumbent specialty chemicals and biocides producer whose wood protection business (formerly Arch Wood Protection) directly overlapped with Koppers' MCA, CA, and fire retardant chemistries. Lonza's scale and biocides portfolio make it a benchmark competitor and potential consolidator in the space.
• BASF (Wood Protection): Global chemical incumbent that has historically supplied wood protection additives and binders into construction and engineered wood markets. While not a pure-play wood preservative company, BASF competes at the chemistry-input layer behind many licensed treatment facilities.

Regional players

• Timber Specialties (Koppers Canada): Canadian wood treatment arm under the Koppers umbrella; serves as a regional sibling business delivering MicroPro-equivalent preservatives to Canadian lumber producers. Comparable offering to Koppers PC but focused on the Canadian market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

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Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Koppers Performance Chemicals