What SIXIN does

SIXIN is a global specialty chemicals manufacturer specializing in antifoam and defoamer formulations for industrial process foam control. Founded in 1992 in Nanjing, China and now publicly listed on a Chinese stock exchange, the company operates across five complementary chemistry platforms — silicone-based, polyether-based, oil-based, fatty alcohol-based, and powder-based defoamers — sold under the S-Series, X-Series, Z-Series, ND-Series, water-based, oil-based, powder, polyether, and other product lines. Production is anchored at the Yangzhou SIXIN New Materials Technology Co., Ltd. facility (80,000 tons/year annual capacity on a 33,000 sqm site built for $51M+ with DCS automation and full ISO9001/ISO22716/HPC420/Kosher/Halal compliance), with a complementary manufacturing site in Greenville, South Carolina acquired in 2021 to localize North American supply. A dedicated 30-scientist R&D subsidiary (Nanjing Interfacial Materials Research and Development Co., Ltd.) develops approximately 8 new products per year and holds over 60 active patents across China, the US, and Europe.

SIXIN serves enterprise customers across more than 60 countries and 16+ industrial applications, with primary segments in pulp and paper, water and wastewater treatment, and laundry/home care, plus secondary verticals in textiles, construction, oil and gas, coatings, fermentation, metalworking, and PCB cleaning. Named customers include Klabin, Westrock, and Westvaco in pulp and paper, with Quimica Nova Brazil serving as a service-company implementation partner in South America. The go-to-market combines direct manufacturer-to-customer sales via technically-trained field staff with regional distribution hubs in the EU and US, on-site technical consulting and demonstrations, active participation in 10+ global industry trade shows, and content marketing through an "Antifoam and Defoamer Community" LinkedIn group. Revenue is generated primarily through direct product sales (quote-based pricing, undisclosed rates) supplemented by technical consulting and on-site training services; sales staff backgrounds are exclusively technical (Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, or direct application experience). The company is led by President Tony Cao, Vice President Julina Zhu, and R&D Technical Director Dr. Anthony Dotse (Ph.D., Georgia Tech), with ten consecutive years of reported steady growth and expansion into 6 new countries over the trailing 18 months.

Name

SIXIN

Legal name

Jiangsu SIXIN Scientific-Technological Application Research Institute Co. Ltd.

Website

https://sixinusa.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SIXIN is a global specialty chemicals manufacturer producing antifoam and defoamer formulations (silicone, polyether, oil-based, fatty alcohol, powder) for industrial customers in over 60 countries, serving pulp and paper, water treatment, laundry/home care, construction, oil and gas, and other industrial sectors with direct enterprise sales and on-site technical consulting.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Chemicals — Antifoam and Defoamer Manufacturing

NAICS

Surface Active Agent Manufacturing (325613), Chemical Manufacturing (325), Soap, Cleaning Compound, and Toilet Preparation Manufacturing (3256)

SIC

Miscellaneous Chemical Products (2890), Industrial Organic Chemicals (2860)

akta.pro primary industry

Commodity Surfactants & Detergent Base Chemicals (IMAEAAAI)

Keywords

• Industrial defoamer chemicals
• Silicone antifoam agents
• Pulp paper defoamers
• Wastewater treatment chemicals
• Specialty chemical manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Tigard

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Antifoam and Defoamer Product Sales: SIXIN generates revenue by manufacturing and selling antifoam and defoamer products directly to customers. They sell silicone-based, polyether-based, oil-based, powder, and water-based defoamers. Products range from raw material concentrates to diluted formulations for end-use applications. The company sells direct from manufacturer to customer with 24/7 support.
2. Technical Consulting and On-Site Training Services: SIXIN offers technical consulting services including on-site demonstrations, hands-on training, presentations, and educational tutorials for customer teams. Their sales staff has exclusively technical backgrounds and provides technical services alongside product sales.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

SIXIN manufactures and sells a broad portfolio of antifoam and defoamer chemical products — covering silicone, polyether, oil-based, fatty alcohol, powder, water-based, organosilicone, polymer, and solvent-based formulations — to industrial customers in over 60 countries. Products are engineered for 16+ applications spanning pulp and paper, water/wastewater treatment, laundry detergents and home care, textiles, construction/cement, oil and gas, fermentation, metalworking fluids, and PCB cleaning.

Product overview

SIXIN is a global antifoam and defoamer specialist offering a comprehensive portfolio of silicone-based, non-silicone, and specialty chemical products across six main series: Silicone Series (S-Series, X-Series, Z-Series, Concentrates), Water Based Series (Fatty Alcohols, Polyols), Oil Based Series (Natural Oil, Mineral Oil, Water Extended), Powder Series (Granules, Powder, Non-Silicone, Cluster Powder), Polyether Series (Modified Alcohols, Glycol Polymers), and Other Series (Organosilicone, Polymer, Solvent Based). Products are designed for 16 major industrial applications including pulp and paper, coatings, water treatment, laundry/home care, construction, agrochemicals, textiles, oil/gas, fermentation, metal working, and PCB cleaning. The company combines research, formulation, manufacturing, and technical support to help customers optimize operations with cost-effective foam-control solutions. Technical consulting services including on-site demonstrations and training are offered alongside the product portfolio.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• S-Series Silicone Defoamer High-stability silicone defoamers formulated for destructive environments with high pH and high temperature under shear; provides superior antifoam effect compared with other silicone series.
• X-Series Silicone Defoamer Gold standard silicone emulsion defoamers delivering quick foam knockdown, aqueous-system compatibility, and immediate defoaming performance.
• Z-Series Silicone Defoamer Multi-functional silicone defoamer balancing extreme-condition resistance with defoaming and antifoaming effects; ideal for pulp washing and other harsh process environments.
• ND-Series Silicone Concentrates Concentrated silicone antifoams used where long-term foam control and stability are required, also serving as raw material for customer-side dilution.
• Fatty Alcohol Water Based Defoamer Fatty alcohol-based defoamers temperature-resistant for paper making and water treatment; biodegradable, organic, and effective deaerators that can be added directly to process or carefully diluted.
• Polyol Water Based Defoamer Proprietary hydroxyl-compound emulsions best suited to high-temperature paper making applications where polyether defoamer is cost-prohibitive.
• Natural Oil Defoamer Water-dispersible natural oil defoamers with non-detectable VOCs and environmentally friendly profile, developed under government sponsorship.
• Mineral Oil Defoamer Traditional mineral oil-based defoamers for applications where silicone-based defoamer is undesirable, avoiding surface defects in solvent and water-based coatings.
• Oil Based Water Extended Defoamer Water-in-oil emulsified defoamer that delivers strong economic benefit where foam is present but easily treated, maintaining oil defoamer performance at reduced active concentration.
• Granule Defoamers Granule-form powder defoamer primarily used in detergent applications where bulk density sits at the lower end of the spectrum; similar in appearance and handling to crushed noodles.
• Powder Defoamers Powder defoamers with uniform particles and higher bulk density than granules, offering a range of active contents and carrier types.
• Non-Silicone Powder Defoamers Powder defoamers without silicone-based actives, using antifoam actives on a very light carrier; essential for applications such as premixed dry mortar where silicone residue would be unacceptable.
• Cluster Powder Defoamers Cluster powder form designed for direct-use applications where the powder must be tossed or spread without being diverted by wind or air, and remains highly functional at high temperatures.
• Modified Alcohol Polyether Defoamer Cloud-point antifoams that become highly dispersible in water at certain temperatures; unlike emulsions, activity is preserved even if emulsion break occurs; used in high-temperature paper machine applications.
• Glycol Polymer Polyether Defoamer Food-grade compliant glycol polymers used to control stubborn foam in leachate processing, sugar fermentation, and construction slurries.
• Organosilicone Defoamers Surface-active hydrophobic silicone polymers modified with organic groups to combine silicone surface-active properties with compatibility in aqueous mediums; for coatings, metal working fluids, and inks.
• Polymer Defoamers Concentrated polymer technology serving as an alternative to traditional defoamer chemistry with deaerator and antifoam function; applied in kraft and sulfite pulp processes and in oil/gas applications.
• Solvent Based Defoamers Solvent-based defoamers delivering active silicone compounds diluted with selected solvents to match process demands where solvent-base performance benefits are required.
• Technical Consulting Services Technical consulting service including on-site demonstrations, hands-on training, presentations, and educational tutorials delivered by sales staff with backgrounds in Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, or direct application experience.

Quantifiable outcome

• SIXIN antifoam showed lower foam height level and improved defoaming rate compared to the current approved standard product from a competitor in fabric softener application.
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments8 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

One partnership is on record.

• Quimica Nova Brazil (QNB)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSIXIN partners with Quimica Nova Brazil (QNB) for implementation of antifoam technology in Brazil's pulp and paper market. Together they have worked on antifoam design and implementation projects with Klabin, Westrock, and Westvaco. QNB provides on-the-ground service and implementation of SIXIN's antifoam products at pulp mills throughout Brazil.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Bruggemann Chemical: German specialty chemicals producer focused on defoamers, deaerators, and process additives for polyurethane, coatings, and pulp & paper applications. Bruggemann is a direct competitor to SIXIN in the specialty defoamer niche.
• Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd. Japanese chemical manufacturer with a leading silicones business producing silicone emulsions, fluids, and defoamers for industrial foam control. Shin-Etsu competes head-to-head with SIXIN in silicone defoamer technology across pulp & paper, coatings, and water treatment markets globally.
• Momentive Performance Materials: US-based silicone specialty chemicals manufacturer offering silicone fluids, emulsions, and antifoam products for industrial foam control. Momentive directly competes with SIXIN's silicone defoamer portfolio in pulp & paper, water treatment, and coatings applications.
• BYK (ALTANA AG): German specialty additives manufacturer (part of ALTANA) producing defoamers, deaerators, and surface additives for coatings, inks, and plastics. BYK is a direct competitor in solvent-based, silicone-based, and polymer defoamer chemistry used in SIXIN's target end-markets.
• Wacker Chemie AG: German specialty chemical company that manufactures silicone-based defoamers and antifoam agents across multiple industrial applications including pulp & paper, textile, coatings, and detergents. Wacker competes directly with SIXIN's silicone defoamer product lines (S/X/Z-Series and ND-Series concentrates) in global markets.
• Elkay Silicones: US-based specialty silicone manufacturer focused on silicone emulsions, antifoam compounds, and defoaming agents for industrial applications. Elkay is a smaller-scale direct competitor to SIXIN in silicone defoamer chemistry serving similar end-markets.

Broad incumbents

• Evonik Industries: German specialty chemicals company with a portfolio including silicone defoamers, organomodified siloxanes, and foam control additives used in coatings, paints, and industrial processes. Evonik competes with SIXIN across multiple defoamer chemistries as part of a broader additives business.
• KCC Corporation: Korean chemical and materials company with a silicone division producing silicone fluids, emulsions, and antifoam agents for industrial use. KCC competes with SIXIN's silicone defoamer products across Asian and global markets as part of its broader silicone portfolio.
• BASF SE: World's largest chemical company with a broad portfolio including defoamers and antifoam agents sold under various brand names for detergents, coatings, paper, and water treatment. BASF competes with SIXIN as part of a much wider chemical portfolio rather than specializing purely in defoamers.
• Dow Inc. Global chemical major producing silicone-based defoamers, antifoam emulsions, and foam control agents across multiple end markets. Dow's broad chemistry portfolio includes products that compete with SIXIN across pulp & paper, coatings, and detergent applications.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses2 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nanjing-sixin-scientific-technological-application-research-institute-co-ltd

Compliance16 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries3 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 SIXIN