History
Brenntag Group
Brenntag is the global market leader in full-line chemical distribution (based on most recent market data).
Linking chemical manufacturers and chemical users, Brenntag provides business-to-business distribution solutions for industrial and specialty chemicals globally. With over 10,000 products and a vast supplier base, Brenntag offers one-stop shop solutions to more than 150,000 customers. The value-added services include just-in-time delivery, product mixing, formulation, repackaging, inventory management, drum return handling as well as technical services.
Headquartered in Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany, Brenntag operates a global network with more than 400 locations in over 60 countries.
Christ Chemie AG
Theodor Christ AG was founded by Theodor Christ in 1939, subsequently growing to become involved in the water treatment and chemical distribution fields as CHRIST AG in 1955. In 1993, the economic situation at that time led to the founding of CHRIST CHEMIE AG – a spin-off of the former Christ AG chemical distribution division as an independent company. In order to remain competitive in the European market, a takeover by the former BRENNTAG EUROCHEM GmbH was pursued in 1997.
In its activities in the Swiss market for specialty chemicals, Christ Chemie AG – which then had its registered office in Reinach (BL) – had developed into a reliable business partner over the years. The service provider with close proximity to the market represented both the interests of its customers as well as those of international manufacturers of chemical raw materials, interim products, formulation aids and additives. Consulting and logistics expertise as well as an outstanding ability to deliver combined with an awareness of quality formed the foundation for the company's success. In order to meet increasing technology and market requirements, innovations were in higher demand than ever. The commercial enterprise, which has been a member of the Brenntag Group since 1997, was well on its way to adapt to a changing environment and explore new avenues.
The focus of the product and supplier portfolio continued to be on the coating industry. Additives, binding agents, biocides, carbon black pigments as well as hydrous polymers, epoxy, PU and silicone systems found applications in the coating and finishing industry, adhesives and construction chemicals as well as the treatment of textiles, fibres, films and papers. The multi-tiered product range included a large selection of specialty products for the plastics and rubber industry, lubricants industry and detergent and cleaning agents industry as well as the personal care and pharmaceutical industry. Top-class manufacturers were recruited as suppliers since a partnership with an international distributor was important to them. These included GE-Bayer Silicones for all specialty silicone products, Ciba SC with products for the personal care and home care fields as well as the biocides made by Dow Chemical and the acrylate monomers from Atofina. Bundling products, logistics and consulting services from a single source would also gain importance in the future.
With the powerful backing of Brenntag, Christ Chemie boldly explored new avenues. The company sought success in new market segments in the interest of diversification and innovation. As a leading international distributor of industrial and food commodities, Brenntag helped its subsidiary to gain a footing in these segments as well. Marketing and distribution concepts were being developed, and soon Christ Chemie would be offering certain commodities in addition to specialty chemicals.
Christ Chemie AG now had 22 employees, operated its own warehouse in Aesch (BL) and had competent technical salespeople from various industries on staff. The company was certified under ISO 9001:2000.
Chem-On Vertriebs AG
The chemical distributor Herkommer & Bangerter (H&B) GmbH, with a branch in Switzerland, was founded in Germany by Dr. W. Gross in 1995. A mere three years had passed when, at the end of 1998, a joint venture was established with H&B GmbH and the production company CU Chemie Uetikon which gave birth to CU Chemtrade AG in Zurich. The company was later renamed Chem-On AG on January 1, 2002. As part of its expansion strategy in the basic chemicals business, Brenntag founded Chem-On Vertriebs AG with its registered office in Zurich in May of 2005. This new company took over the assets of Chem-On AG on July 1, 2005.
Chem-On Vertriebs AG was a well-known distributor of basic chemicals in the Swiss chemical market. With office space in Zurich and its own warehouse in Zurzach near the border to Germany, the company had selected outstanding locations.
The Zurzach warehouse is still located in the Solvay (Schweiz) AG industrial park with the option of being supplied with sodium hydroxide, hydrochloric acid and chlorine bleaching directly from storage tanks. Filling, packaging, labelling and storage takes place on site and is operated by three warehouse employees with great skill and experience. The chlorine gas storage facility requires particular diligence. Smaller-scale mixed orders can also be handled.
Schweizerhall Chemie AG
Schweizerhall Chemie AG was formed in 2001 from the merger of Chemischen Fabrik Schweizerhall AG, Basel with its former subsidiaries Prochimie Avenches SA, Avenches and Solva-Chemie AG, Bätterkinden.
The roots of Chemische Fabrik Schweizerhall go back to the first half of the 19th century. After the discovery of a salt deposit in Schweizerhalle in the year 1836, the first Swiss salt works commenced operation. It was converted into a chemical factory a short time later – the “Chemische Fabrik auf Schweizerhalle”, which was specialised in the production of various chemicals.
The company relocated its head office to Basel near the end of the last century. At the turn of the century, business activities were expanded to include the petrol business and a feed division which were introduced to the market as additional segments next to the production of chemicals between the two world wars.
Chemicals, pharmaceutical raw materials, grain, mineral oils and feed were part of a successful product range for many decades.
The internationalisation of business activities and the formation of a global group with various divisions took place starting in the mid-70s of the last century.
Corporate functions were transferred to Schweizerhall Holding AG, which is listed on the Swiss Stock Exchange. As part of the group strategy, the activities of Schweizerhall Chemie AG – boosted by the purposeful takeover of the Synopharm brand as well as the disposal business of Solva-Chemie AG – focused on the chemical trade and distribution business starting in the mid-90s.
Schweizerhall Chemie AG was taken over by the Brenntag Group, the global market leader in chemical distribution with its registered office in Mülheim an der Ruhr / Germany, in mid-2006.
The company has been operating under the name Brenntag Schweizerhall AG since 2007.
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