C.H. Erbslöh GmbH & Co. KG

What C.H. Erbslöh GmbH & Co. KG does

C.H. Erbslöh GmbH & Co. KG is a Krefeld-headquartered, family-controlled specialty chemicals and industrial minerals distributor founded in 1876 in Düsseldorf. The company operates as a technical intermediary between more than 50 international chemical producers — including Afton Chemical, Albemarle, BASF Beauty Care Solutions, Rhodia, Rio Tinto Alcan, Dow Wolff Cellulosics and DuPont — and European processing industries, organized into six business lines: Coatings & Adhesives, Rubber & Plastics, Lubricant Additives, Water Treatment & Electronics, Life Sciences, and Food (via subsidiary Innotaste GmbH from 2005).

Revenue is generated on a transaction-margin basis through quote-based, per-contract B2B pricing; product distribution is supported by application-technology consulting, an in-house analytical and application laboratory, ISO 9001:2008-certified quality systems, Responsible Care programme participation, and a 3,500 m² Krefeld warehouse licensed (via the BENDER JV) for nitrocellulose storage.

The pan-European go-to-market combines a wholly-owned or JV subsidiary network (Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Poland, Netherlands, Belgium, Lithuania, Denmark, Hungary) with the LEL Alliance of independent specialty distributors (UK, France, Spain/Portugal, Italy, Turkey — combined revenue approximately €169 million) and APAC third-party distributors, plus enterprise field sales and trade-show-driven demand generation (CPhI, Sepawa, Fakuma, Eurofinish, ZVO Oberflächentage). No public financials are disclosed; the firm is private and led by managing partner Carl Hugo Erbslöh.

Name

C.H. Erbslöh GmbH & Co. KG

Legal name

C.H. Erbslöh GmbH & Co. KG

Website

https://cherbsloeh.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1876

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

C.H. Erbslöh GmbH & Co. KG is a Krefeld-based, family-owned specialty chemicals and industrial minerals distributor founded in 1876, linking 50+ global producers with European formulators across coatings, rubber/plastics, lubricants, water treatment, life sciences, and food ingredients via nine subsidiaries and the LEL Alliance.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Chemicals Distribution

NAICS

Chemical and Allied Products Merchant Wholesalers (4246), Other Chemical and Allied Products Merchant Wholesalers (42469), General Line Grocery Merchant Wholesalers (424410)

SIC

Wholesale-Chemicals & Allied Products (5160), Food And Kindred Products (2000), Industrial Organic Chemicals (2860)

akta.pro primary industry

Food-Grade Chemicals & Processing Aids Trading/Wholesale (AFAIAKAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Compounding Ingredient & API Distributors (Pharma Supply) (HLAIAJAO)

Keywords

• Specialty chemicals distribution
• Industrial minerals distribution
• Technical consulting chemicals
• Additives and modifiers
• Chemical raw materials

Headquarters

HQ city

Krefeld

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices11 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Specialty Chemicals Distribution: C.H. Erbslöh acts as a technical distributor of specialty chemicals and industrial minerals, linking raw material producers with the processing industries. Revenue is generated through the margin on the sale of specialty chemicals, additives, and minerals to industrial customers across Europe.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

C.H. Erbslöh is a technical distributor of specialty chemicals and industrial minerals that links international raw material producers with European processing industries. The company sells additives, pigments, fillers, binders, resins, base fluids, excipients, active ingredients, and food ingredients through its own field sales organization, European subsidiaries, and the LEL Alliance. It supplements distribution with in-house laboratory services, application technology consulting, and formulation development support.

Product overview

C.H. Erbslöh GmbH & Co. KG is a specialty chemicals and industrial minerals distributor founded in 1876, serving as a link between raw material producers and the processing industry. The company operates through multiple product categories: Coatings and Additives (covering paints, printing inks, adhesives, sealants, construction, and foundry), Rubber and Plastics (polymer modification with additives and modifiers), Lubricant Additives (raw materials for lubricants and greases), Watertreatment and Electronics (PCB and wastewater treatment chemicals), Life Sciences (pharmaceutical excipients, cosmetics actives, agrochemicals, home care ingredients), and Food products (through subsidiary Innotaste GmbH). The company also participates in the LEL Alliance for pan-European distribution. C.H. Erbslöh is not a software/technology product company but a chemical distribution company with application technology expertise and its own warehouse/laboratory facilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Coatings and Adhesives Broad portfolio of raw materials and additives including pigments, additives, binders, fillers, and resins for the paint and coatings industry, printing ink manufacturers, adhesives and sealants producers, construction industry auxiliaries, ceramics, and foundry supply industry. Targeted at industrial manufacturers requiring high-performance specialty raw materials and application technical support.
• Rubber and Plastics Strategic business unit offering additives and modifiers for plastics and rubber from internationally recognized manufacturers, including flame retardants, stabilizers, UV absorbers, plasticizers, catalysts, and coupling agents for thermoplastic, duroplastic, and elastomeric materials. Serves automotive, electrical, medical, and energy sectors.
• Lubricant Additives Broad spectrum of raw materials for the lubrication industry including additives and additive packages, specific base fluids, solid dispersions, and surfactants. Products are used in greases, industrial oils, automotive oils, glide coatings, metal working liquids, and separators.
• Water Treatment and Electronics Products and additives for the printed circuit and electronic manufacturing industry. Wastewater treatment products help precipitate metals from water-based solutions, break down emulsions, and reduce COD. Also includes additives for cleaning, galvanizing, and surface technologies.
• Life Sciences Range of excipients and actives for pharmaceutical applications (human and veterinary), skin and hair care cosmetics, decorative cosmetics, agricultural applications, and home care products. Sourced from internationally renowned manufacturers with proven efficacy and regulatory compliance.
• Food Ingredients (Innotaste) Products for food and beverage industries in Europe offered through subsidiary Innotaste GmbH, supported by a certified food laboratory. Includes taste, consistency, appearance, and coating materials, as well as food nutrition ingredients such as emulsifiers, fibers, flavor enhancers, colors, fragrances, and functional ingredients.

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Rio Tinto AlcancoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 August 2011C.H. Erbslöh became the new distributor for Aluminium Tri-Hydrate (ATH) of Rio Tinto Alcan, Montreal, in August 2011. This expanded C.H. Erbslöh's portfolio of high-quality specialty chemicals and minerals with ATH products.
• Innotaste GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2005Innotaste GmbH was founded in January 2005 as a subsidiary of C.H. Erbslöh to penetrate the food market, focusing on food aromas and flavours. The new brand identity was chosen to distance the food business from the chemical company image.
• NOVOCHEMcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2005C.H. Erbslöh Hungaria kft. was founded in January 2005 as a joint venture with NOVOCHEM, Hungary's largest commodity distributor, to serve the Hungarian and Romanian markets with specialty chemicals.
• BENDER Speditions und Lagerei GmbHminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2002In October 2002, the transportation company BENDER from Krefeld was selected as a strategic partner for a joint venture in Gerlingen, Germany, providing one of the few facilities in Germany with permission to store nitrocellulose (NC) products.
• BIONORDcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2002C.H. Erbslöh Bionord was founded in June 2002 as a joint venture with BIONORD, a well-known distributor in the cosmetics and personal care market in Scandinavia, to serve the Scandinavian market with specialty chemicals, particularly for paint and coatings applications.
• LEL (European Distributors Group)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 1999LEL (European Distributors Group) was co-founded in September 1999 by C.H. Erbslöh together with Lake Ltd. (UK), Lavollée Chimie (France), Zeus Quimica (Spain/Portugal), and URAI (Italy). KEMIROPA (Turkey) later joined. LEL provides a pan-European distribution platform for specialty chemical and industrial mineral manufacturers, with combined revenue of approximately €169 million. C.H. Erbslöh is a founding member.
• C.H. Erbslöh Benelux (Rijnders Chemical Consulting)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 1999C.H. Erbslöh acquired a participation in Rijnders Chemical Consulting, Barneveld, Netherlands (a specialist in rubber masterbatches), and established C.H. Erbslöh Benelux in the same premises in April 1999.
• C.H. Erbslöh GmbH (Austria) / Usner GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 1999C.H. Erbslöh Ges.mbH was founded in September 1999 as a joint venture with Consul Dr. Usner, a well-established distributor of chemical-technical raw materials in Austria. The company operates on the Usner GmbH premises with its own warehouse and laboratory in Hallein near Salzburg.
• Tensochema AG / Dr. Marc SteinfelsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 1999Tensochema AG and Dr. Marc Steinfels were acquired by C.H. Erbslöh Europe GmbH in July 1999. Both companies had over 20 years of experience as suppliers of raw materials in various chemistry sectors and were mutually complementary.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves14 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Barentz International B.V. Dutch specialty ingredients distributor serving food, personal care, pharmaceuticals, and industrial markets across Europe. Direct European peer with similar horizontal end-market coverage and pan-regional subsidiary network.
• TER Group (TER Chemicals): German specialty chemicals distributor serving coatings, adhesives, plastics, food, and personal care across Europe. Closely comparable mid-sized technical distributor with similar application-technology focus and supplier-representation model.
• Caldic B.V. Dutch specialty ingredients distributor serving food, personal care, pharma, and industrial customers in Europe, North America, and APAC. Comparable technical distributor with similar multi-vertical portfolio and lab services.
• Biesterfeld AG: Hamburg-based family-owned specialty chemicals distributor serving plastics, rubber, coatings, and personal care across Europe. Most direct German comparable to C.H. Erbslöh in scale, family ownership, and portfolio breadth.
• Häffner & Co. GmbH & Co. KG: German specialty chemicals distributor serving paints/coatings, plastics, food, pharma, cosmetics, and industrial applications. Closely matches C.H. Erbslöh in size, end-market mix, and application-technology positioning.
• Nordmann, Rassmann GmbH & Co. KG: Hamburg-based specialty chemicals and natural raw materials distributor serving coatings, plastics, food, pharma, and personal care. Directly comparable mid-sized European technical distributor with similar supplier-representation model.

Broad incumbents

• Azelis Group: Belgian-headquartered global specialty chemicals and food ingredients distributor. Overlaps with Erbslöh's coatings, personal care, food, and pharma segments but operates at significantly larger scale across more geographies.
• IMCD N.V. Dutch specialty chemicals and ingredients distributor with global reach and ~€4B+ revenue. Larger listed incumbent serving many of the same end-markets as C.H. Erbslöh (coatings, plastics, food, personal care) but at much greater scale.
• Univar Solutions Inc. North American-headquartered global chemical and ingredient distributor serving industrial, food, and personal care end-markets. Comparable in product breadth but operates at significantly larger scale and with broader geographic reach than Erbslöh.
• Brenntag SE: German-headquartered global market leader in chemical distribution with ~€16B+ revenue. Largest incumbent in the same space; serves many of Erbslöh's end-markets through a much broader industrial and specialty portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

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Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries11 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 C.H. Erbslöh GmbH & Co. KG