Borealis is another shining light in the northern sky of plastics. The company is among the leading European makers of polyethylene and polypropylene, the most common plastic resins (and together known as polyolefins). Borealis also produces olefins, ethylene and propylene, and compounds plastic resins to meet desired characteristics, mainly for wire and cable makers. Its Borstar technology is used to support its polyethylene and polypropylene products. The International Petroleum Investment Company of Abu Dhabi (IPIC) owns 65% of Borealis and Austrian oil firm OMV controls the remaining 35%.

Austin Powder has the original boom box. The company was founded in 1833 to manufacture black powder used to blast rocks, mine coal, create canals, and generally move mountains. Today Austin Powder's commercial explosives are used primarily for construction, mining, quarrying, and seismic exploration. Products include detonating cord, detonator-sensitive emulsions, cast boosters, and high-explosive emulsions. It also makes electric and non-electric detonators. Austin International, through joint ventures and partnerships, provides explosives for projects outside the US, mostly in other parts of the Americas. The company distributes in the US and Canada through 65 company-owned stores.

Kyocera Chemical's products are materially important. The company manufactures chemicals and chemical materials like epoxy resins, molding compounds, laminates, and insulating materials for electronics products such as semiconductors and printed circuit boards. Kyocera Chemical also makes insulating varnishes used in household appliances and the custom machines used to apply that varnish. Among its other products are molded casings used for finished electronics like PDAs and laptops. The company was formed as Toshiba Chemicals in 1974 and became a part of the Kyocera family in 2002. Many of the company's goods are used in Kyocera's own electronic devices.

Founded in 1935 as a maker of caustic soda, Tosoh (a Japanese abbreviation of oriental soda) still produces caustic soda but has expanded into a number of other areas. Today Tosoh's three core chemicals businesses -- petro-, basic, and specialties -- account for roughly equal portions of sales. The company's basic chemicals include polyvinyl chloride (PVC), vinyl chloride monomer (VCM), and chlorine. Its petrochemicals include olefins and aromatics such as benzene, toluene, and ethylene. Tosoh has been building up its higher-margin specialty chemicals like ethylene amines and specialty materials such as quartz. The Tosoh Corporation company has more than 140 affiliates worldwide but gets about 90% of sales from Japan.

If you need pigments that are more than a figment, Holland Colours has hues you can use. The company sells color additives to plastics manufactures for tinting PVC pipes, siding, food and beverage containers, and silicone sealants and to coating and ink makers. It produces colors in micro granules, granules, powders, and liquids mainly at four plants in the Netherlands, Indonesia, Hungary, and the US for customers in more than 70 countries. Colors are mainly available as pigments, pastes, and powders for use in bottles, toys, and industrial paints and plastics, respectively. Holland Colours also provides lab, technical, and R&D support to third parties. Employees own about half the company.

K.A. Steel Chemicals, it prefers inorganic products. The company distributes bulk inorganic commodity chemicals. It is the largest US distributor of caustic sodas (used in making soap, rayon, and paper, among other applications) and is a major producer and distributor of sodium hypochlorite (used to bleach pulp and in water purification). K.A. Steel also distributes hydrochloric acid (used to clean metals and as a chemical intermediate). Kenneth A. Steel Sr. founded K.A. Steel in 1953 and second-generation Steel family members Robert and Ken Jr. own the company.

Faultless Starch/Bon Ami aims to keep you crisp, clean, and nicely scented. The company's product lines include the market-leading Faultless and Magic Sizing brand laundry starches, Bon Ami cleaners, Kleen King metal cleaners, the Garden Weasel and WeedPopper garden tools, and Trapp room sprays and candles. It also produces a line of starches and chemicals for the commercial laundry market. Although once in decline, the Bon Ami product line has enjoyed a rise in popularity as an environmentally friendly cleaner, while starch is on the rebound with the return of cotton in garments. Faultless Starch/Bon Ami has been owned and operated by the founding Beaham family since 1887.

Spectra is all about the colors. Spectra Colors Corporation manufactures colorants and dyes for everything from Polaroid's imaging products to Samsung ink jets to Kiwi shoe polishes. The company, which was founded in 1987, maintains a laboratory, production area, and warehouse at its New Jersey headquarters and also has a distribution network that spans the globe.

Columbian Chemicals is black and proud. The company manufactures carbon black, a material used in the production of inks and coatings, rubber goods (especially automobile tires), and plastics. Columbian's carbon blacks come in two grades: industrial (sold under the brand names Raven, Conductex, and Copeblack) and rubber (Statex and Furnex). Columbian Chemicals operates almost 20 carbon black manufacturing facilities in Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Carbon black can also be used as a key raw ingredient for fuel cells. The company was jointly owned by Korean chemicals giant OCI Chemical and private equity firm One Equity Partners, until the latter bought it outright at the beginning of 2009.

Akzo Nobel is the world's largest paint maker, but it can do more than paint a pretty picture. The company is also among the world's largest chemical manufacturers and a major salt producer. Akzo Nobel divides its business into three lines. The paints group produces decorative paints and primarily serves Europe and North America. Akzo Nobel's coatings group manufactures marine and protective coatings, packaging coatings, automotive finishes, and industrial coatings. The specialty chemicals unit makes pulp and paper chemicals, functional chemicals (flame retardants, crop nutrients), industrial chemicals (salt and chlor alkalies), surfactants, and specialty starches.

Inviting Real Estate Agents, Job Placements Agents, Educational Institutes, Software Service Providers, Real Estate Builders, Marriage Bureaus, Travel Agents, Restaurant Owners, Health & Fitness Centers and other Local Businesses to Post a FREE Classified Advertisement on Cootera.com Classifieds Website.