Superior Materials
Superior Materials is a fourth-generation, privately held specialty chemical ingredient distributor founded in 1946, representing 18+ manufacturers of pigments, minerals, polymers, and additives to formulators across the eastern half of the United States.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1946
- HeadquartersGarden City, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Superior Materials does
Superior Materials Inc. is a fourth-generation, privately held specialty chemical ingredient distributor founded in 1946 and headquartered in Garden City, New York. The company distributes pigments, minerals, polymers, and additives on behalf of 18+ manufacturer principals to formulators and processors operating across at least seven end-markets, including coatings/adhesives/sealants/elastomers (CASE), construction, food, household and industrial cleaning (HI&I), plastics, personal care, and printing ink. It operates five warehouses to serve customers across the eastern half of the United States, a footprint established through a 2018 territory expansion to all states east of the Mississippi River.
The business model is a classic authorized-distribution model: Superior Materials signs non-conflicting agreements with chemical manufacturers, holds inventory in regional warehouses, and sells to downstream customers on a quote-by-quote B2B basis. Revenue is generated through pass-through pricing of specialty ingredients, with margin earned on the distribution spread rather than on manufacturing. Customer engagement is technical and relationship-driven, reflecting the qualified-supplier nature of chemical approvals at end-customer plants.
The company has grown organically through continuous principal additions rather than M&A or funding rounds, including partnerships with Active Minerals International (2023), PQ Corporation (2018), and most recently DCL Corporation (2025). Headcount is reported in the 11-50 employee range, consistent with a mid-sized regional specialty distributor. No public revenue, M&A, or external funding events are disclosed, and the business carries no observable AI/ML capability or digital-product surface.
Superior Materials firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Superior Materials
- Legal name
- Superior Materials Inc.
- Website
- https://supmat.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1946
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Superior Materials is a fourth-generation, privately held specialty chemical ingredient distributor founded in 1946, representing 18+ manufacturers of pigments, minerals, polymers, and additives to formulators across the eastern half of the United States.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Superior Materials is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Garden City
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices6 records
Markets served
Superior Materials business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Specialty Chemical Distribution: Revenue generated through distribution of specialty chemical ingredients from manufacturer partners to process industries. The company acts as a sales agent and distributor, earning margins or commissions on product sales across its territory.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | B2B specialty chemical distribution with custom pricing |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Superior Materials product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Superior Materials is a fourth-generation specialty chemical ingredient distributor that represents more than 18 leading manufacturers across complementary, conflict-free product lines and supplies pigments, functional minerals, polymers, cellulosic thickeners, specialty silicas, metal organics, and additives to process-industry manufacturers. The company provides regional account management, mixing/blending/custom formulation expertise, and warehouse-backed logistics to coatings, adhesives, sealants, elastomers, construction products, plastics, rubber, printing ink, personal care, food, and HI&I manufacturers across the eastern half of the United States.
Product overview
Superior Materials is a fourth-generation specialty chemical ingredient distributor serving the eastern half of the United States. Rather than a unified software product, the company represents a portfolio of principal manufacturer brands across multiple product categories including pigments (fluorescent, iron oxide, metallic, pearlescent, organic, inorganic), functional minerals (attapulgite, kaolin, calcium carbonate, diatomaceous earth), polymers (redispersible powders, water-based, epoxy), cellulosic thickeners, specialty silicas, metal organics, and additives. These products are organized by industry served (Construction, CASE, Food, HI&I, Plastics & Rubber, Personal Care, Printing Ink) and distributed through regional sales teams covering the entire eastern United States.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Attapulgite Clays (Min-U-Gel, Acti-Gel) Attapulgite clay thickeners and suspending agents distributed from Active Minerals International for coatings, adhesives, sealants, and construction applications in water-based and organic systems.
- ELOTEX Redispersible Polymer Powders Redispersible polymer powders and specialty additives from Celanese for cementitious formulations providing flexibility, strength, improved adhesion, and waterproofing for construction applications including flooring, tiling, grouts, ETICS, repair, waterproofing, gypsum plasters, and cement/lime-based renders.
- DayGlo Fluorescent Pigments Daylight fluorescent pigments and color dispersions including StarFire II, NightGlo glow-in-the-dark, ECO pigments, and specialty effects for packaging, plastics, graphic arts, paints, coatings, and cosmetics ingredients, plus the Viveri Food Color line for food applications.
- DCL Color Pigments High-performance organic and inorganic pigments including Quindo, Perrindo, and Ultrablue lines for coatings, plastics, and ink industries, featuring Perylene, Quinacridone, Bismuth Vanadate, and Indanthrone technologies, locally stocked for immediate shipment.
- DURA Metal Organics and Driers Metal organics, driers, and specialty catalysts for paints, coatings, printing inks, unsaturated polyester, polyurethanes, petrochemical, lubrication, and fuels industries.
- EP Minerals Diatomaceous Earth Diatomaceous earth functional fillers including Celatom and CelaBrite product lines for paint pigment extenders, flatting agents, and anti-blocking applications in coatings and plastics industries.
- Essential Polymers Water-Based Polymers Water-based polyurethane dispersion, acrylic, and hybrid polymer technologies including polyurethane dispersions (PUD), urethane/acrylic hybrids, self-cross-linking technology, direct-to-metal polymers, floor care polymers, and specialty polymers for architectural, industrial, and wood coatings, laminating adhesives, and specialty resin applications.
- Huber Calcium Carbonates Ground and surface-treated calcium carbonate products including HuberCrete for construction and Hubercarb for industrial applications, offering cost reduction, gloss control, whiteness, opacity, thermal conductivity, strength, and stress resistance for plastics, coatings, adhesives, sealants, rubber, and construction.
- JRS Industrial Fibers Naturally-derived cellulose fibers and microcrystalline cellulose for industrial applications and personal care, serving functions including binding, thixotropic agents, tablet disintegrants, abrasives, fillers, anti-caking, matting, and strengthening.
- KaMin Kaolin Clays Kaolin clay products including MetaMax metakaolin for concrete, ASP hydrous aluminosilicates for coatings and plastics, Satintone calcined extenders, and Translink reinforcing extenders for coatings, adhesives, sealants, plastics, rubber, and construction applications.
- Nouryon Bermocoll Cellulosic Thickeners Cellulose ether thickeners and surfactants including Bermocoll Prime, EBM, EBS, E/EM, and EHM series for rheology control, water retention, and formulation stability in decorative paints, construction, and cleaning products. Coverage expanded to 15 states including the full New England region.
- Oxerra Iron Oxide Pigments High-purity natural and synthetic iron oxide pigments for construction, coatings, plastics, and specialty applications including red, yellow, black, brown, sienna, umber, green, tan, and ultramarine blue.
- PQ Corporation Specialty Silicas Specialty silica products including GASIL and SILCRON for matting and coatings throughout most of the Southeast and portions of the Midwest, SORBOSIL for personal care, NEOSYL for food applications, MICROCAL calcium silicate, and ALUSIL sodium aluminosilicate.
- Raybo Specialty Additives Over thirty specialty additives including corrosion inhibitors, dispersants, surface modifiers, and formulation stability products for coatings and ink industries, from Raybo Chemical Company with over 60 years of experience.
- Schlenk Metallic Pigments Aluminum and goldbronze metallic pigments, vacuum-metallized pigments (DECOMET series), and press-ready metallic inks for coatings, printing inks, plastics, and personal care applications, from Schlenk, a family-owned company founded in 1879.
- Susonity Effect Pigments and Actives Pearlescent and effect pigments, functional fillers, and active ingredients including Eusolex UV filters, RonaCare, RonaFlair, and Oxynex for cosmetics and surface solutions including coatings, printing, and plastics.
- Westlake Epoxy Resins Epoxy resins, curing agents, and modifiers including EPON resins, EPI-REZ water-based resins, EPIKURE curing agents, and HELOXY functional modifiers for coatings, adhesives, and civil engineering applications.
Quantifiable outcome
- Recognized as Company of the Year 2022 by Metropolitan New York Coatings Association (MNYCA)
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Superior Materials
Customer profileSegments7 records
Ideal customer profiles7 records
Superior Materials technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Superior Materials partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- DCL CorporationcoreSuperior Materials became authorized distributor for DCL Corporation pigments effective August 1, 2025, covering the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic United States. The partnership reunites Superior with the successor to Dominion Color, with whom they shared a strong 25-year relationship during the 1970s and 1980s. Superior will represent DCL's Quindo, Perrindo, and Ultrablue pigment lines, now locally stocked for immediate shipment.
- Active Minerals InternationalcoreDistribution partnership commenced August 1, 2023, with Superior Materials representing Active Minerals' quality Acti-Gel and Min-U-Gel attapulgite products for Adhesives, Coatings, Construction, Sealants, and Elastomers in the territory spanning states East of the Mississippi River, excluding Florida.
- PQ CorporationcoreSuperior Materials appointed as distributor for PQ specialty silica products with regional responsibilities in the eastern half of the United States depending on product range. Distributes GASIL and SILCRON silicas throughout most of the Southeast and portions of the Midwest, and SORBOSIL, NEOSYL, MICROCAL, and ALUSIL Specialty Silicas for industrial and personal-care applications in the entire region east of the Mississippi River.
- SusonitycoreRepresents Susonity's broad portfolio of effect pigments, functionals, and actives for cosmetic and surface solutions. Products include effect pigments, functional fillers, organic and inorganic UV filters, and active ingredients for cosmetics and industrial applications including coatings, printing, and plastics.
- SchlenkcoreRepresents Schlenk's metallic pigments (aluminum and goldbronze), vacuum-metalized pigments (VMP), and metallic press-ready inks for coatings, printing inks, plastics, and personal care applications. Schlenk is a family-owned company founded in 1879 with production sites in Germany, Czech Republic, Slovenia, USA, and China.
- DayGlo Color Corp.coreDistributes DayGlo fluorescent pigments and dispersions for graphic arts, packaging, consumer goods, plastics, paints and coatings, and cosmetics. Also represents the Viveri Food Color line throughout their territory.
- OxerracoreRepresents Oxerra's high purity natural and synthetic iron oxide pigments for construction, coatings, plastic, and specialty applications. Available in New England and parts of New York. Oxerra is the third largest manufacturer of Iron Oxide pigments with 14 facilities worldwide.
- EP MineralscoreDistributes EP Minerals' diatomaceous earth products including Celatom and CelaBrite functional fillers for coatings and plastics industries. Products serve as paint pigment extenders, flatting agents, and anti-blocking agents.
- Essential PolymerscoreRepresents Essential Polymers' water-based polymer technology including polyurethane dispersions (PUD), urethane/acrylic hybrids, self-cross-linking technology, direct-to-metal polymers, floor care polymers, and specialty polymers for industrial and construction applications.
- NouryoncoreRepresents Nouryon's Bermocoll cellulosic thickeners and surfactants for water retention, consistency, sag resistance, and application control in decorative paints and construction applications. Coverage expanded to 15 states including full New England region.
- Huber Engineered MaterialscoreDistributes Huber's calcium carbonate products including HuberCrete for construction and Hubercarb for various industrial applications. Products offer cost reduction, gloss control, whiteness, opacity, thermal conductivity, strength, and stress resistance benefits.
- KaMincoreDistributes KaMin kaolin mineral products including MetaMax metakaolin for concrete, ASP hydrous aluminosilicates for coatings and plastics, Satintone calcined extenders, and Translink reinforcing extenders for polymers and coatings.
- DURA ChemicalscoreRepresents DURA's metal organics, driers, and catalysts for paints & coatings, printing inks, unsaturated polyester, polyurethanes, petrochemical, specialty chemicals, lubrication, and fuels industries.
- CelanesecoreDistributes Celanese ELOTEX redispersible polymer powders for dry mix mortars in construction applications including flooring, tiling, grouts, ETICS, repair, waterproofing, gypsum plasters, and cement/lime based renders.
- ClariantminorDistributes Clariant attapulgite mineral products for filtration, adsorbents, foundry coatings, agricultural and related industries. Products include Tonnegel, Attasorb, Pharmasorb, Microsorb, Florco, and Sol-Speedi-Dri brands.
- Raybo Chemical CompanyminorSales agent for Raybo in the region. Raybo supplies corrosion inhibitors, dispersants, surface modifiers, and specialty additives to coatings and ink industries with over 60 years of experience.
- Westlake (Epoxy Division)coreRepresents Westlake Epoxy's epoxy resins, curing agents, and modifiers including EPON resins, EPI-REZ water-based resins, EPIKURE curing agents, and HELOXY functional modifiers for coatings, adhesives, and civil engineering applications.
- J. Rettenmaier USA LP (JRS)coreDistributes JRS industrial fibers and cellulose-based products for industrial applications and personal care. Products serve functions including binding, thixotropic agents, tablet disintegrants, abrasives, fillers, anti-caking, matting, and strengthening.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Superior Materials competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Brenntag: Global market leader in chemical distribution across life science, coatings, and industrial markets. Overlaps with Superior's verticals but operates with vastly greater scale, global reach, and a broader commodity-plus-specialty mix.
- Univar Solutions: One of the largest North American chemical distributors with broad CASE, industrial, and food ingredient portfolios. Competes with Superior on multi-principal sourcing and logistics scale, though with a less specialized focus.
- Barentz: Global specialty ingredients distributor with deep CASE, personal care, and food coverage after acquiring Maroon Group. A scaled-up version of Superior's model; competes for the same principals and customers but operates internationally.
- IMCD N.V. Global specialty chemicals and ingredients distributor with strong coatings, personal care, and advanced materials franchises. Competes for the same upstream principals and downstream customers as Superior but at significantly larger scale.
Direct peers
- Parchem Fine & Specialty Chemicals: Specialty and fine chemical distributor serving CASE, personal care, food, and industrial customers across North America. Comparable as a multi-principal specialty distributor with technical/commercial support.
- Charkit Chemical Company: Specialty distributor of chemicals, ingredients, and raw materials to personal care, food, CASE, and industrial markets. Comparable in size, vertical mix, and value-added distribution approach.
- ICC Chemical Corporation: Specialty chemicals and ingredients distributor serving coatings, plastics, personal care, and food customers in North America with deep technical expertise. Closely matches Superior's principal-representation and technical-support go-to-market.
- Maroon Group: Specialty chemical distributor serving CASE, plastics, adhesives, and personal care end markets across North America with a similar multi-principal, technical-support-led model. Directly comparable as a mid-sized regional specialty distributor that has been acquired into a larger platform (now part of Barentz).
- Lintech International: Specialty chemical distributor representing multiple principals in pigments, additives, and performance materials for coatings, plastics, and inks in the eastern U.S. Closely overlaps Superior's product portfolio and territory.
Emerging players
- ChemPoint (Univar): Digital-first chemical distribution model focused on underserved or niche principals in CASE, personal care, and industrial markets. Represents a technology-led disruption to traditional specialty distributors like Superior.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Superior Materials social profiles
Digital presenceSuperior Materials financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Superior Materials leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
Superior Materials funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Superior Materials 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 Superior Materials
What does Superior Materials do?
Superior Materials is a fourth-generation specialty chemical ingredient distributor that represents more than 18 leading manufacturers across complementary, conflict-free product lines and supplies pigments, functional minerals, polymers, cellulosic thickeners, specialty silicas, metal organics, and additives to process-industry manufacturers. The company provides regional account management, mixing/blending/custom formulation expertise, and warehouse-backed logistics to coatings, adhesives, sealants, elastomers, construction products, plastics, rubber, printing ink, personal care, food, and HI&I manufacturers across the eastern half of the United States.
Is Superior Materials a public or private company?
Superior Materials is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Superior Materials founded?
Superior Materials was founded in 1946. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Superior Materials based?
Superior Materials is headquartered in Garden City, United States, in the North America region.
How does Superior Materials make money?
One revenue line is on record: specialty Chemical Distribution.
Who are Superior Materials's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Brenntag, Univar Solutions, Barentz and IMCD N.V.. Direct peers are Parchem Fine & Specialty Chemicals, Charkit Chemical Company, ICC Chemical Corporation, Maroon Group and Lintech International. ChemPoint (Univar) is listed as an emerging player.
Does Superior Materials have an API?
No public API is recorded for Superior Materials.