Imkemex
Imkemex is a Mumbai-based specialty chemical distributor and sourcing agent, founded in 1965, that procures certified products from global principals for Indian enterprise buyers across pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, CASE, oil & gas, and adjacent verticals.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1965
- HeadquartersMumbai, India
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Imkemex does
Imkemex is a Mumbai-based, privately held specialty chemical distribution, indenting, and sourcing company founded in 1965 as part of ICI India and operating independently since a 1993 management buyout. The firm operates across three service lines: Sourcing (procuring specialty chemicals from a global network of certified suppliers), Distribution (chemical handling, logistics, and EHS-compliant storage and transport across an Indian footprint), and Consulting (technical and strategic advisory drawing on category expertise). Under the leadership of President & CEO Govind Khetan, the company serves ten vertical end-markets — CASE (Coatings, Adhesives, Sealants, Elastomers), Pharmaceuticals, Agrochemicals, Lubricants, Oil & Gas, Specialty Chemicals, Metals, Lens & Glass, Rubber, and Flavors & Fragrances — with a portfolio of over 100 specialty SKUs ranging from pharmaceutical intermediates and agrochemical molecules to lubricant additives, UV curing resins, polishing chemistries, and hydrocarbon resins.
The company monetizes primarily through transaction-fee revenue on distribution and sourcing activities, supplemented by professional-services fees for technical consulting. Its value proposition rests on certified supplier vetting, registered products with Technical and Safety Data Sheets, EHS compliance during storage and transport, on-time delivery commitments, and customer-intimacy-led relationship management. Imkemex positions itself as a bridge between 15+ global principals (Chevron Phillips Chemical, Kraton, Polynt, Greenfield Global, Jost Chemical, Dynea, Frontier Scientific, among others) and Indian enterprise buyers, with named anchor relationships including Indian Oil Company and a US Consulate recognition for promoting American chemical companies in India.
Operationally, the firm runs on a lean team of 1-10 employees with 100+ years of combined professional experience, no disclosed external funding, no digital product surface, and no public revenue disclosure. Its go-to-market is sales-led and enterprise-targeted, with quote-based pricing and a contact-form channel on its website. The competitive position is built on heritage (60-year continuous operation), multi-vertical coverage, regulatory/compliance credibility, and a curated principal book rather than on scale, technology differentiation, or geographic expansion beyond India.
Imkemex firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Imkemex
- Legal name
- Imkemex
- Website
- https://imkemex.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1965
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Imkemex is a Mumbai-based specialty chemical distributor and sourcing agent, founded in 1965, that procures certified products from global principals for Indian enterprise buyers across pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, CASE, oil & gas, and adjacent verticals.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Imkemex industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Specialty Chemical Distribution
- NAICS
- Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers (4251)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Chemicals & Allied Products (5160)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Industrial & Institutional (I&I) Cleaning Chemicals (IMAEABAG)
Keywords
Where Imkemex is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Mumbai
- HQ country
- India
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
Imkemex business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Chemical Distribution: Distribution of specialty chemical products from certified global manufacturers to customers in India. Services include product sourcing, quality assurance, and logistics management maintaining safety standards during storage and transport.
- Sourcing Services: Sourcing specialty chemical products from around the globe to meet diverse customer requirements. Indenting and sourcing services for the chemical industry.
- Technical Consulting: Deep industry expertise and associations with industry best practices providing consulting services as a reliable strategy partner to customers.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Imkemex product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Imkemex is a value-added B2B distributor, indenting agent, and sourcing partner for overseas specialty chemical manufacturers selling into India. It sources specialty chemicals from certified global suppliers, handles storage and transport under strict EHS and safety standards, and supplies enterprise customers across pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, CASE, lubricants, oil & gas, lens & glass, metals, rubber, and flavors & fragrances. In addition to sourcing and distribution, the company offers technical consulting leveraging deep industry expertise and long-standing supplier relationships.
Product overview
Imkemex is a value-added chemical distribution and sourcing company that operates through three core service offerings: Sourcing (procuring specialty chemicals from global certified suppliers), Distribution (handling and delivering chemicals with safety and quality assurance), and Consulting (providing strategic industry expertise). The company serves multiple industry verticals including CASE (Coatings, Adhesives, Sealants, Elastomers), Pharmaceuticals, Agrochemicals, Lubricants, Oil & Gas, Speciality Chemicals, Lens & Glass, Metals, Rubber, and Flavors & Fragrances. Imkemex's portfolio includes over 100 specialty chemical products ranging from pharmaceutical intermediates and agrochemical molecules to lubricant additives, UV curing resins, polishing compounds, and hydrocarbon resins. The company leverages a robust Indian distribution footprint and partnerships with global manufacturers to deliver certified products with Technical and Safety Data Sheets to customers across diverse sectors.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- On Time. Always. - commitment to timely delivery
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Imkemex
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments10 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
Imkemex technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Imkemex partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
16 partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Chevron Phillips ChemicalcoreFeatured partner on Imkemex's Partners in Progress page. Chevron Phillips Chemical is a major petrochemical company.
- Greenfield GlobalcoreFeatured partner providing specialty chemical products.
- Emco WheatoncoreFeatured partner providing industrial equipment solutions.
- Frontier ScientificcoreFeatured partner supplying specialty chemical products.
- Jost ChemicalcoreFeatured partner supplying chemical products.
- RapidpurgecoreFeatured partner providing purge compound solutions.
- KratoncoreFeatured partner supplying specialty polymers and chemicals.
- FortreccoreFeatured partner providing chemical products and solutions.
- AVL Metal PowderscoreFeatured partner supplying metal powders for various applications.
- BorercoreFeatured partner providing cleaning and surface treatment solutions.
- AMGcoreFeatured partner providing specialty metals and chemicals.
- Qualipoly ChemicalcoreFeatured partner supplying specialty resin products.
- LambiottecoreFeatured partner providing rosin and terpene products.
- Royal GentcoreFeatured partner providing specialty chemical products.
- PolyntcoreFeatured partner supplying specialty chemicals and composites.
- DyneacoreFeatured partner providing adhesive and surface technologies.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Imkemex competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- TER Chemicals: Specialty chemicals distributor serving CASE, pharma, and industrial customers globally. Comparable as a mid-sized specialty chemical distributor with supplier-principal relationships similar to Imkemex.
- Connell Bros (Wilbur-Ellis): Asia-Pacific focused specialty chemicals and ingredients distributor. Comparable in supplying specialty raw materials to CASE, personal care, and industrial customers across multiple Asian markets.
- CALdic: Specialty chemicals and food ingredients distributor with operations across Asia. Comparable as a specialty distributor serving CASE, pharma, and personal care with similar principal-led distribution model.
- ICC Chemical: Global specialty chemicals distributor headquartered in New York with Asia operations. Comparable in distributing specialty intermediates and chemicals to industrial customers in emerging markets.
- IMCD: Global specialty chemicals distributor with strong India operations focused on CASE, pharma, and personal care. Most direct competitor in the specialty chemicals distribution niche with similar supplier-curation model.
- Azelis: Specialty chemicals and food ingredients distributor with established India presence. Direct competitor in distributing specialty additives and intermediates across CASE, pharma, and industrial verticals.
- Biesterfeld: European specialty chemicals distributor with growing Asia presence. Comparable specialty distribution model across CASE, pharma, and industrial chemicals with similar supplier-curation approach.
Emerging players
- Manuchar: Global chemical distribution company with strong emerging-markets presence. Comparable international distributor model with similar focus on specialty and industrial chemicals for emerging-market customers.
Broad incumbents
- Univar Solutions: Major North American-headquartered chemical distributor with global footprint including Asia. Comparable as a broad-line chemical distributor serving industrial customers through a consulting-led model.
- Brenntag: World's largest chemical distributor with significant India presence serving CASE, pharma, and industrial chemicals. Comparable as a chemical distribution intermediary but at vastly larger scale and broader geographic footprint.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Imkemex social profiles
Digital presenceImkemex financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Imkemex leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Imkemex funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Imkemex 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 Imkemex
What does Imkemex do?
Imkemex is a value-added B2B distributor, indenting agent, and sourcing partner for overseas specialty chemical manufacturers selling into India. It sources specialty chemicals from certified global suppliers, handles storage and transport under strict EHS and safety standards, and supplies enterprise customers across pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, CASE, lubricants, oil & gas, lens & glass, metals, rubber, and flavors & fragrances. In addition to sourcing and distribution, the company offers technical consulting leveraging deep industry expertise and long-standing supplier relationships.
Is Imkemex a public or private company?
Imkemex is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was Imkemex founded?
Imkemex was founded in 1965. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Imkemex based?
Imkemex is headquartered in Mumbai, India, in the Asia region.
How does Imkemex make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Chemical Distribution is the primary driver. The others are sourcing Services and technical Consulting.
Who are Imkemex's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are TER Chemicals, Connell Bros (Wilbur-Ellis), CALdic, ICC Chemical, IMCD, Azelis and Biesterfeld. Manuchar is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Univar Solutions and Brenntag.
Does Imkemex have an API?
No public API is recorded for Imkemex.
What industry is Imkemex in?
Imkemex's product category is Specialty Chemical Distribution. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAEABAG, Industrial & Institutional (I&I) Cleaning Chemicals. Its NAICS code is 4251 and its SIC code is 5160.