Earthcolors
YOUNG COMPANY,
GLOBAL AMBITIONS Archroma is a Basel-based global colour, dyes and speciality chemicals company that emerged in October 2013 when New York based, private investment firm SK Capital Partners acquired Basel-based Clariant’s textile, paper and emulsions businesses.
D
espite its 120 years of heritage in the local economic and social tissue of the Basel region, Archroma nonetheless is a new name for its inhabitants. “Most do not realise that they are surrounded with our products,” says Archroma’s CEO Alexander Wessels. Indeed, Archroma supplies industries that manufacture a large number of everyday products. The company provides the textile supply chain with chemicals for pre-treatment, dyeing, printing and finishing of textiles. Similarly, it serves the paper market with its expertise in the management of whiteness, colouration, special coatings and strength for all kind of papers. Archroma also supplies emulsions products used in paints, adhesives, construction, as well as in the textile, leather and paper industries. “This means,” Wessels points out, “that your T-shirt stays fresh thanks to anti-UV agents from Archroma, your swimming suit’s bright colours could be made with our high-performance dyes, your raincoat may be treated with our water repellent agents, your curtains with our 56 Industry Europe
flame retardants, and your sofa with our anti-stain finishes. You may even find Archroma’s emulsions in the paint you use to refresh your living room.” When Archroma launched just under three years ago, its declared ambition was to become a leading global speciality chemicals player. The company is founded on operations that two significant chemical companies divested in a drive to improve their bottom lines and strategic focus. Following the launch, it immediately went on the growth path, through a strategy of operational improvements that takes in organic expansion and acquisitions.
Conquering the world Just consider: in 2012, the businesses as divested from Clariant generated an estimated CHF 1.2 billion in sales – and Archroma says it is on a strong growth curve three years later. “We have also strongly improved profitability,” adds Wessels, “and this year we see our
