Qemetica
Qemetica is a privately held European chemical group (formerly CIECH) producing soda ash, salt, precipitated silica, agrochemicals, polyurethane foams, silicates, and glass packaging for industrial customers in glass, pharma, food, automotive, and construction sectors across Europe and globally.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1945
- HeadquartersStaßfurt, Germany
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Qemetica does
Qemetica (formerly CIECH S.A., rebranded June 2024) is a privately held European chemical group headquartered in Warsaw, Poland, with manufacturing operations across Poland, Germany, and Romania and a workforce of approximately 3,500+. Following its March 2024 take-private by Kulczyk Investments and delisting from the Warsaw Stock Exchange, the group operates six core business lines: Soda (68% of revenue, including only-domestic-producer status in Poland and second-largest EU market share), Salt (9%, being divested to K+S), Precipitated Silica (global leader after the 2024 PPG acquisition), Agro Solutions (~7%, including the patented Halvetic herbicide), Polyurethane Foams (~7%, including the SNOOVIO mattress brand), Silicates (~7%, largest EU supplier), and Glass packaging (~2%). Qemetica also operates emerging units including Resource Recovery (waste-to-energy, launched June 2026), Smart Fluid (shear-thickening fluids for defense applications), and Qemetica Future / Ventures (R&D and corporate venturing).
The group's technology base centers on chemical manufacturing process IP, including the patent-protected BGT (Better Glyphosate Technology) for Halvetic, STF (Shear Thickening Fluid) technology for Smart Fluid, proprietary CO2 capture and recycling, MVR-based salt evaporation, and ISCC Plus certified sustainable polyurethane production (a Polish first). Revenue is generated through B2B direct enterprise sales with quote-based, multi-year contract pricing across industrial segments including glass manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, food, automotive/tire, battery production, furniture, healthcare, and water treatment — with newly added North American and Asian reach through the PPG silica acquisition. Capital allocation has been heavy (€1.5B invested over the past decade) and the current strategic posture emphasizes portfolio reshaping: scaling silica globally, exiting salt, hibernating the Janikowo soda plant, and building Resource Recovery as a new energy-and-heat revenue stream tied to its own chemical complexes.
Qemetica firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Qemetica
- Legal name
- Qemetica
- Website
- https://qemetica.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1945
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- Qemetica is a privately held European chemical group (formerly CIECH) producing soda ash, salt, precipitated silica, agrochemicals, polyurethane foams, silicates, and glass packaging for industrial customers in glass, pharma, food, automotive, and construction sectors across Europe and globally.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Qemetica industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Industrial Chemicals
- NAICS
- Resin and Synthetic Rubber Manufacturing (32521), Glass Container Manufacturing (327213), Glass and Glass Product Manufacturing (3272)
- SIC
- Industrial Inorganic Chemicals (2810), Miscellaneous Chemical Products (2890), Glass Containers (3221)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Chlor-Alkali & Derivatives (IMAEAAAC)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Commodity Surfactants & Detergent Base Chemicals (IMAEAAAI)
Keywords
Where Qemetica is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Staßfurt
- HQ country
- Germany
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices9 records
Markets served
Qemetica business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Soda Ash Production and Sales: Production and sale of soda ash (sodium carbonate) primarily for glass manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, food industry, and chemical processing. Qemetica is the only Polish producer and second-largest European manufacturer with largest EU market share.
- Salt Production and Sales: Production and sale of various salt products including food-grade salt, de-icing salt, and industrial salt. Leading salt producer in Poland with ~350 employees in the salt business.
- Precipitated Silica Sales: Production and sale of precipitated silica for tire manufacturing, battery production, and industrial fillers. Strategic acquisition from PPG expanding global presence.
- Silicates and Glass Production: European leader in silicates production. Also operates glass production with new furnace investment for higher quality glass output.
- Polyurethane Foam Systems: Production and sale of polyurethane foam systems for furniture manufacturing, construction, and insulation applications. ISCC Plus certified sustainable production.
- Agrochemicals: Production and sale of herbicide products including the proprietary Halvetic brand using BGT technology for improved environmental profile.
- Waste-to-Energy Services: Resource Recovery business unit operating waste-to-energy facilities converting waste into usable energy, serving municipal and industrial clients.
- Railway Logistics: Cargounit subsidiary providing railway locomotive leasing services, generating additional revenue streams from logistics operations.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Industrial chemical products sold via quote-based pricing |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
Qemetica product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Qemetica is a European chemical group that manufactures and sells industrial chemicals across eight business segments: soda ash (sodium carbonate, 68% of revenue), salt (9%), precipitated silica, agro/crop protection products, polyurethane foams, silicates, and glass packaging. The company operates nine production facilities in Poland, Germany, and Romania, and supplies raw materials essential for glass manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, food processing, tire production, batteries, furniture, construction, and agriculture industries worldwide.
Product overview
Qemetica is a leading European chemical group operating through a platform-plus-modules architecture with eight distinct business segments. The core portfolio includes Soda (soda ash, 68% of revenue), Salt (brine salt, 9%), Silica (precipitated silica), Agro Solutions (crop protection including Halvetic herbicide), Polyurethane Foams (including SNOOVIO mattress brand), Silicates, Glass packaging, and Cargo logistics. Innovation activities are consolidated under Qemetica Future, which drives R&D collaboration with universities and startups. The company also recently established Resource Recovery as a new waste-to-energy business segment, and Smart Fluid subsidiary develops shear-thickening protective materials. The portfolio spans industrial chemicals (soda, salt, silica, silicates) essential for glass, construction, automotive, and agriculture sectors, along with consumer-facing products like SNOOVIO mattresses.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Snoovio: Eco-friendly mattresses made from polyurethane foam, produced by Qemetica Polyurethanes
- Halvetic
- AQUA PRO
- Sól Kujawska
- Smart Fluid
- Qemetica Future
- Qemetica Ventures
- Qemetica Agricultural Solutions Spain
- Qemetica Agricultural Solutions Romania
Products and services
- Soda Ash (Soda) Production and sale of soda ash (sodium carbonate) and high-purity purified soda for glass manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, food industry, and chemical processing. Soda accounts for 68% of company revenue with approximately 1,600 employees.
- Salt Production and sale of food-grade salt, de-icing salt, industrial salt, salt tablets for water treatment, and Sól Kujawska culinary brand. Largest producer of brine salt in Poland, with production facilities in Poland and Germany.
- Precipitated Silica Production and sale of amorphous precipitated silica used in tire manufacturing, battery production, fillers, and coatings. Pioneer in precipitated silica since the 1930s, now a global leader serving all continents with approximately 350 employees.
- Agro Solutions (Crop Protection) Crop protection products including the proprietary Halvetic herbicide (using BGT technology). Includes approximately 350 employees and generates 7% of company revenue.
- Polyurethane Foams High-quality flexible PUR foams for upholstered furniture manufacturing, including SNOOVIO consumer mattress brand with hypoallergenic properties and ISCC Plus certification.
- Silicates High-quality sodium and potassium silicates in solid and liquid forms for industrial applications. Silicates account for 7% of company revenue with approximately 100 employees.
- Glass Packaging Largest Polish producer of glass lanterns for candles and the only producer in Poland of Comfort-type jars with snap-clip closures. Nearly 80 years of glass packaging production.
- Halvetic Herbicide Proprietary non-selective herbicide brand using patented BGT technology for improved environmental profile compared to conventional glyphosate products, sold to agricultural customers across multiple continents.
- SNOOVIO Mattresses Pro-ecological mattresses made from Qemetica's PUR foam with hypoallergenic properties and ISCC Plus certification. Sold direct-to-consumer via e-commerce.
- Smart Fluid (Shear Thickening Fluids) Shear-thickening fluid technology for protective equipment manufacturers (military, body armor), sports accessories, and industrial protective applications.
- Resource Recovery (Waste-to-Energy) Waste-to-energy services converting waste into usable energy and heat, serving municipal and industrial clients while securing energy for Qemetica's own facilities.
- Cargounit Railway Logistics Railway locomotive leasing and rail logistics services, generating additional revenue streams from logistics operations.
Quantifiable outcome
- Second-largest soda ash producer in Europe
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Qemetica
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments8 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Qemetica technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Qemetica partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Hocheng Corporation (HCG)coreStrategic alliance announced for June 2026 between Qemetica and Hocheng Corporation (HCG) along with Grupa SKB for potential business development and market expansion in the construction and building materials sector.
- Łukasiewicz NetworkcoreStrategic partnership with Łukasiewicz network comprising 22 research institutes, focused on innovation in chemistry, R&D collaboration, and technology development for the chemical industry.
- PreZerominorSocial projects partnership focused on environmental initiatives and sustainable waste management projects.
- EEW Energy from WastecoreWaste-to-energy partnership for the Resource Recovery business unit, enabling conversion of waste into usable energy through specialized facilities.
- Smart FluidcoreSmart Fluid is a subsidiary of Qemetica developing shear-thickening fluids (STF) for body armor and industrial protective applications. Qemetica holds majority ownership.
- ORLEN Synthos Green EnergyminorCollaboration for Small Modular Reactor (SMR) project analysis to explore nuclear energy options for Qemetica's operations.
- Wojskowy Instytut Techniki Pancernej i Samochodowej (WITPiS)minorStrategic cooperation with WITPiS (Military Institute of Armored and Automotive Technology) for Smart Fluid technology development for defense applications.
- CargounitminorSubsidiary providing railway locomotive leasing services, operating independently within Qemetica's logistics business.
Scale indicators12 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Qemetica competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Ciner Group: Turkish conglomerate with the world's largest natural soda ash operations (via Kazan Soda) and a major producer of soda ash globally. Direct competitor to Qemetica in the soda ash market with similar commodity exposure.
- K+S: German fertilizer and salt company that has signed to acquire Qemetica's salt business for 1.5-1.6B PLN. Directly comparable to Qemetica's salt segment and now becoming an even more direct peer post-transaction as the acquirer of Qemetica's salt assets.
- Evonik Industries: German specialty chemicals company that is a leading global producer of precipitated silica (under the ULTRASIL and SIPERNAT brands) used in tires and industrial applications. Directly comparable to Qemetica's newly expanded silica business following the PPG acquisition.
- Cabot Corporation: US-headquartered specialty chemicals company producing carbon blacks and silica-based performance materials, including precipitated silica for tire and industrial applications. Directly comparable to Qemetica's silica segment following the PPG acquisition.
- Wacker Chemie: German chemical company producing silicates, specialty chemicals, and polysilicon. Comparable as a European-headquartered diversified chemical producer with silicate product overlap and similar B2B industrial customer base.
- Solvay: Belgian-headquartered global chemical company historically a major soda ash producer with extensive European operations. Closely comparable as a peer inorganic/basic chemicals producer with significant European manufacturing footprint and similar customer industries (glass, detergents, food).
- Tata Chemicals: India-headquartered chemical company and one of the world's largest soda ash producers, also producing salt and specialty chemicals. Closely comparable as a multi-product inorganic chemicals producer with soda ash as the dominant segment and similar end-market exposure.
Broad incumbents
- Olin Corporation: US-based leading chlor-alkali producer and manufacturer of chemicals, epoxy resins, and ammunition. Comparable to Qemetica as a chlor-alkali-related basic chemicals producer, though more weighted to chlorine/caustic rather than soda ash.
- PPG Industries: US-headquartered global paints and coatings giant that divested its silicas products business to Qemetica in November 2024. Comparable as a broad incumbent chemicals/coatings player with historical silica overlap; the transaction makes PPG a relevant reference for the acquired business's prior performance.
- Covestro: German polymer materials company and major polyurethane raw materials supplier (MDI, TDI, polyols). Comparable to Qemetica's polyurethane systems business as a polyurethane industry participant with overlap in furniture, construction, and insulation end-markets.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Qemetica social profiles
Digital presenceQemetica compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance6 records
Qemetica financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Qemetica leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Qemetica subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries15 records
Qemetica funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Qemetica M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A3 records
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Qemetica
What does Qemetica do?
Qemetica is a European chemical group that manufactures and sells industrial chemicals across eight business segments: soda ash (sodium carbonate, 68% of revenue), salt (9%), precipitated silica, agro/crop protection products, polyurethane foams, silicates, and glass packaging. The company operates nine production facilities in Poland, Germany, and Romania, and supplies raw materials essential for glass manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, food processing, tire production, batteries, furniture, construction, and agriculture industries worldwide.
Is Qemetica a public or private company?
Qemetica is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Qemetica founded?
Qemetica was founded in 1945. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Qemetica based?
Qemetica is headquartered in Staßfurt, Germany, in the Europe region.
How does Qemetica make money?
Eight revenue lines are on record. Soda Ash Production and Sales are the primary driver. The others are salt Production and Sales, precipitated Silica Sales, silicates and Glass Production, polyurethane Foam Systems, agrochemicals, waste-to-Energy Services and railway Logistics.
Who are Qemetica's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Ciner Group, K+S, Evonik Industries, Cabot Corporation, Wacker Chemie, Solvay and Tata Chemicals. Broad incumbents are Olin Corporation, PPG Industries and Covestro.
Does Qemetica have an API?
No public API is recorded for Qemetica.
What industry is Qemetica in?
Qemetica's product category is Industrial Chemicals. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAEAAAC, Chlor-Alkali & Derivatives, with a secondary code of IMAEAAAI, Commodity Surfactants & Detergent Base Chemicals. Its NAICS code is 32521 and its SIC code is 2810.