METabolic EXplorer has the answer. As producer of alternative industrial chemicals, METabolic offers about a dozen bio-based chemicals to industrial companies that traditionally use petrochemicals to manufacture products. The company's chemical production involves fermentation, a process that uses bacteria to turn plant materials into chemicals. Its products simulate petrochemicals traditionally derived from crude oil and other fossil fuels. A global distributor, METabolic's customers include companies that make paints, polyester fibers, plastics, animal feed, antifreeze, and other products.

Occidental Chemical (OxyChem) manufactures basic chemicals, vinyls, and performance chemicals. The company is the top US maker of chlorine and caustic soda (used in bleach, plastics, and pulp and paper) and the top producer of potassium hydroxide, or caustic potash (used in fertilizers). Through subsidiary OxyVinyls it's the leading North American maker of vinyl chloride monomer (VCM), which is used to make PVC resins. The company operates some 22 plants throughout the US as well as another three in Brazil, Canada, and Chile. (OxyChem owns 50% of the Brazilian plant.)

Brenntag North America can hook you up. One of the largest chemical distributors in North America, the company offers hundreds of industrial and specialty chemicals -- from acetic acid to zinc oxide -- and provides custom blending and packaging of chemicals in dry, liquid, or gaseous states. Customers include manufacturers in such industries as chemicals, pharmaceuticals, paints, electronics, pulp and paper, cosmetics, food and beverages, textiles, and water treatment. European private equity group BC Partners owns Brenntag, and thus Brenntag North America.

George S. Coyne Chemical. The company distributes industrial chemicals (for pharmaceuticals, food, and cosmetics), consumer products (pool chemicals, de-icing chemicals, solar salt), and metal finishing and plating chemicals, primarily in the northeastern US. Coyne Chemical also provides related valued-added services, such as warehousing, custom blending and packaging, and environmental consulting. It operates four locations in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The company was formed in 1868 by George Coyne and is operated by the founder's descendants.

Jacob Stern & Sons, which primarily operates through subsidiary Acme-Hardesty, is a global oleochemicals and agricultural products distributor. Acme-Hardesty distributes an array of oil- and fat-based chemicals, as well as flavor and fragrance ingredients and industrial chemical products. Its customers include manufacturers of adhesives, coatings, lubricants, soaps, food, pharmaceuticals, and personal care products. In addition to the chemicals it gets domestically, Acme-Hardesty's oleochemicals are imported from Asia, the Middle East, and South America.

Terra Industries Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the production and marketing of nitrogen and methanol products for agricultural and industrial markets in North America and the United Kingdom. The company offers fertilizers, such as anhydrous ammonia, urea ammonium nitrate solutions, ammonium nitrate, and urea, as well as nitric acid, carbon dioxide, and dinitrogen tetroxide. It sells its products to national agricultural retail chains, farm cooperatives, independent dealers, and industrial customers. The company was founded in 1964 and is headquartered in Sioux City, Iowa.

General Chemical Industrial Products makes soda, but don't be tempted to take a drink. The company produces soda ash, which is a raw ingredient in the manufacture of everything from glass to soap and detergent to textiles. General Chemical's lone production facility and mine are located in Wyoming; the company owns 75% of the facility, with glass container manufacturer Owens-Illinois owning the rest. In 2008 General Chemical acquired the mica production assets of Zemex. Soon after that deal, Tata Chemicals bought the company for about $1 billion, at which point Zemex was spun off to General Chemical's shareholders.

Houghton has been serving the metalworking, automotive, and steel industries, and a variety of other markets with the development and production of specialty chemicals, oils, and lubricants.A privately held company, Houghton is headquartered in Valley Forge, PA and maintains manufacturing and research facilities throughout the world.Houghton offers a scope and depth of technical services unequaled in the industry. Through our unique FLUIDCARE Chemical Management program, Houghton customers are finding new ways to save on overall process chemical and disposal costs.

Really Tight Pants? Raisins That Propel? Maybe not, but RTP is a custom compounder of plastic resins. The company manufactures specialty compounds from more than 60 engineering resins that can affect color, level of conductivity, high temperature performance, and wear resistance in engineered plastics. Customers include injection molders, extruders, and OEMs in a wide variety of markets. The company added a new extrusion division in 2004, a new thermoplastic compounding facility the next year, and acquired Wiman Corporation (a maker of plastic films for medical and industrial purposes) in 2006. The family-owned company was founded in 1980 by Ben Miller; his son, Hugh Miller, is CEO.

Intercontinental Fragrances wafts smells from continent to continent. The company manufactures fragrance oils for the personal-care products industry. Its products are used in air fresheners, candles, cosmetics, and soaps. Intercontinental Fragrances' oils are marketed and distributed to wholesale customers in the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Europe. The company also provides product testing and development services. Intercontinental Fragrances is a division of Infrin, which also includes lime oil and concentrate provider Global Sourcing & Supplies.

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