News bulletin – chemical distribution

NEWS BULLETIN

CHEMICAL DISTRIBUTION

REGAL RECOGNITION FOR 2M HOLDINGS

2M Holdings has won the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade. The Queen’s Award is presented in recognition of significant export growth. The coveted award is a second accolade in as many months for 2M Holdings, as it was also declared one of the 2019 Export Champions by the Department for Trade and Industry in March.

“The chemical industry is essential in connecting the building blocks of everyday life. Britain is an island with a rich history of trading across the world. We hope to continue our international business, more and further, to deliver the essential building blocks of everyday life for hundreds of business worldwide,” says Mottie Kessler MBE, chairman and CEO of 2M.

“2M Holdings winning the Queen’s Award for International Trade sends a very strong and positive message to the UK chemical industry in the North of England and we are very proud of our dedicated team and our partnership with the Department for International Trade,” adds Dr Maggie Kessler, export director and 2M co-owner (above). www.2m-holdings.com

POWDER ACQUISITIONS

Krahn Chemie has acquired eMBe Products and Service as of 1 May 2019. EMBe is one of the leading additive manufacturers for the ceramics and powder metal industry in Europe and the acquisition by Krahn will further strengthen its position as a leading provider in this sector.

“The acquisition of eMBe is closely linked with our strategy of supporting customers in a targeted fashion in all stages of their production processes, from the raw material to the end product,” says Axel Sebbesse, managing director of Krahn Chemie. “We are now going a step further and bundling our competence with the technical know-how of eMBe in order to be able to address the wishes of customers even more individually and also convince companies that don’t yet use ceramics of the advantages of this material. This is because ceramics are and remain materials with a future, the application portfolio of which is still far from being exhausted.”

Elsewhere, Krahn Chemie and Lanxess have expanded their collaboration into Austria. A distribution agreement for biocides, antimicrobial agents and preservatives manufactured from them has been in place in Germany and the Benelux countries since 2017. The products, Preventol® and Biochek®, will now be distributed in Austria for uses in industrial preservation and disinfection. www.krahn.eu

POLYESTER RESINS FOR POWDER COATINGS

In partnership with South Korea-based Inopol, Blagden has launched a new range of polyester resins and functional additives for powder coatings. Alymers is a 100 per cent solid

polyester resin, assisting in the creation of a thick coating film. It is an energy-efficient material and, as it contains no solvents, is a good solution to avoid concerns about air pollution, odour, fire hazard and toxicity. www.blagden.com

BIESTERFELD PROVIDES EUROPEAN COVERAGE

Biesterfeld Spezialchemie has been appointed by Quarzwerke as official distributor for its Pharmakaolin B 860 in Austria, the Benelux countries, Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Portugal, Spain and Switzerland.

“We are very pleased with the trust our partner Quarzwerke has shown in us by granting these exclusive distribution rights,” says Dominik von Borstel, product manager essential chemicals at Biesterfeld. “The closer partnership will allow us to make even better use of our product expertise and knowledge of the market.” www.biesterfeld-spezialchemie.com

SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES AND AWARDS

DKSH has received a silver rating from EcoVadis for sustainability in recognition of its commitment to sustainable business practices, placing DKSH within the top 14 per cent of businesses in the industry. The methodology used by EcoVadis rates companies according to 21 sustainability criteria in four main areas: environment, labour and human rights, ethics, and sustainable procurement. Looking forward, DKSH’s vision for sustainability is to support economic and social progress in the Asian communities in which it operates.

Stefan Butz, CEO of DKSH, says: “The silver rating from EcoVadis is a significant recognition, both for us as well as for our clients and customers around the world. As a company with a history that spans more than 150 years, being a responsible corporate citizen has always been part of the DKSH mindset. Subjecting ourselves to Ecovadis’ independent assessment clearly demonstrates how committed we are to make continuous progress in the area of sustainability.” www.dksh.com

CALDIC EXCLUSIVITY IN THE NORTH

Caldic and Cargill have strengthened their ongoing collaboration. Caldic will have exclusive distribution rights for Cargill’s pectin, carrageenan and xanthan range in the Nordic region. There has been a strong connection between Caldic and Cargill as the former has been handling the latter’s starches and sweeteners portfolio for several years.

“During the past years, Caldic has proven to be a strong partner for us,” says Alain Dufait, managing director for Cargill Starches, Sweeteners and Texturisers in Europe. “They have an excellent customer approach and a strong organisation. We are impressed with the way Caldic develops solutions for their customers and their entrepreneurial spirit. This partnership bodes well for the future, as it allows us to better reach the Nordic food market.” www.caldic.com

AZELIS CAPITALISES ON CUSTOMER SATISFACTION

The latest bi-annual satisfaction survey completed by 100 principals for Azelis shows continued good performance in principal management, long-term partnership, staff friendliness, strategic alignment, transparency and professionalism. Compared to the previous results in 2016, Azelis has improved most in sales forecasting, in-depth knowledge of principal products, limited staff turnover and raising and handling customer complaints.

Dr Hans-Joachim Müller, Azelis group CEO, says: “Partnerships are at the heart of our business and I am grateful that our partners took the time and effort to share their perception about our work with us. Without their feedback, we would not be in the position to fine-tune our actions and constantly improve our service. We are proud of our continued enhanced performance but will not stop there – continuously driving improvement is a core value of Azelis.”

Azelis has also joined the International Chemical Trade Association (ICTA). ICTA represents the interests of more than 1,300 chemical distributors, fills the need of a global chemical association coordinating on issues and programmes of international interest, and provides a platform for chemical distributors to discuss a host of topics.

Müller says: “Joining ICTA allows us to be on the front row for all updates on regulatory developments at UN level and to collaborate with the national associations working with the authorities and regulators who impact the chemical business. By participating in ICTA’s workshops and meetings, we can get a better understanding on how we can contribute to global regulatory developments on an international level.” www.azelis.com