The story of the Solvay group began on 15 April 1861, when Ernest Solvay patented a revolutionary ammonia-soda process for producing sodium carbonate. - also known as soda ash - using common salt, ammonia, carbon dioxide (CO2) and lime. Ernest Solvay, born in 1838, was a man with a passionate interest in science, research and innovation and a defender of progressive social ideals.Together with his brother Alfred, he founded the company Solvay & Cie on December 24, 1863 to implement the new process for the industrial production of sodium carbonate. The first Solvay soda factory started operating in Couillet, Belgium in 1865. It used salt from rock salt mines; the lime and CO2 were produced by the calcination of limestone in limekilns. The ammonia was recovered from the production process for re-use. The chemicals sector makes hydrogen peroxide and soda ash (used to make glass). And Solvay's pharmaceuticals include cardiological drugs, gastrointestinal enzymes, and antidepressants. However, it agreed to sell that last unit to Abbott Labs in 2009 for about E5.2 billion ($7.6 billion US). Belgian holding company Solvac owns more than 30% of Solvay.

Enormous steel factories call for monolithic refractories, and Minteq International delivers. A wholly owned subsidiary of Minerals Technologies Inc., Minteq produces refracting materials for surfaces or applications exposed to extreme high temperatures. The company primarily serves the aluminum, cement, iron, polymer, steel, and other manufacturing industries. Its Pyrogenics Group produces pyrolytic graphite used for thermal management in aerospace, electronics, and glass applications. Subsidiary Ferrotron provides refractories for steel makers, and Minteq's ASMAS unit, acquired in 2006, serves the steel industry in Eastern Europe and Turkey.

Ocean Bio-Chem, Inc. engages in the manufacture, marketing, and distribution of various appearance and maintenance products for boats, recreational vehicles, automobiles, and aircrafts under the Star brite brand name, as well as private label formulations in the United States and Canada. The company’s marine product line consists of polishes, cleaners, protectants, and waxes of various formulations. This line also includes motor oils, vinyl protectants, cleaners, teak cleaners, teak oils, bilge cleaners, hull cleaners, silicone sealants, polyurethane sealants, polysulfide sealants, gasket materials, lubricants, antifouling additives, and anti-freeze coolants, as well as brushes, poles and tie-downs, and other related marine accessories. The company’s automotive product line comprises brake and transmission fluids; hydraulic, gear, and motor oils; anti-freeze and windshield washes; and automotive polishes, cleaners, and associated appearance items, as well as StarTron enzyme fuel treatment for diesel and gas engines. Ocean Bio-Chem also offers cleaners, polishes, detergents, fabric cleaners and protectors, silicone sealants, water proofers, gasket materials, degreasers, vinyl cleaners, protectors, toilet treatment fluids, and anti-freeze coolants to the recreational vehicle/power sports markets. In addition, it blends and packages various chemical formulations, as well as manufactures PVC and HDPE blow molded bottles. Ocean Bio-Chem serves customers through mass merchandisers and specialized marine retailers. The company was formerly known as Star brite Corporation and changed its name to Ocean Bio-Chem, Inc. in 1984. Ocean Bio-Chem, Inc. was founded in 1973 and is based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

The US subsidiary of German giant Henkel KGaA, Henkel Corporation helps consumers stick to it in many parts of their lives and projects. The company operates through three business sectors: laundry and home care, cosmetics and toiletries, and adhesives technologies. Some of its well known brands are Dial soap, Loctite and Pattex adhesives, Sista sealants, Thomsit flooring adhesives, Right Guard antiperspirant, LA LOOKS hair gel, Soft Scrub cleaner, and Purex laundry detergent. Henkel manufactures and markets industrial and engineering adhesives and surface technologies, as well. The founding Henkel family controls the company.

Jiangsu Overseas Group Corporation helps oversee the flow of specialty chemical products in and out of China. The company primarily distributes pharmaceutical and dyestuff intermediates. Its product line includes bromines, esters, phase transfer catalysts, and coupling agents. Jiangsu Overseas Group primarily draws its products from plants within the JOC Group and affiliated factories. China is the company's top customer, where it has also engaged with chemical research institutes to create new chemical products.

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.

Rohm and Haas is the one to blame if you can't get that paint out of your hair. The company divides its operations among six units, the largest of which is the paints and coatings materials group, which makes additives and binders used by paint makers. There's also the packaging and building materials group and the primary materials division, which makes acrylates. (Those businesses operate within the Specialty Materials segment.) The electronic materials segment makes photoresists and materials for printed wiring boards. Rohm and Haas exited its salt business in 2009 when it sold Morton Salt to German chemicals company K+S for about $1.7 billion. Dow, the nation's largest chemicals maker, owns the company.

Sun Chemical is the world's largest inks maker; it also makes all manner of coatings. In addition to inks and coatings for paper, packaging, metal, and other products, Sun Chemical manufactures printing plates for corrugated packaging. Its inks and coatings products are sold under the Sun Chemical, Kohl & Madden, US Ink, and Coates brands. The company operates more than 250 manufacturing, sales, and service locations in Europe and the Americas. Sun Chemical has been a subsidiary of Japanese inks and coatings maker DIC (formerly Dainippon Ink and Chemicals) since 1987 when the latter bought the graphic arts division of what is now Sequa.

C.P. Pokphand Co. (CPP) is the Chinese arm of Thailand-based Charoen Pokphand Group. The company's products include animal feed additives (chlortetracycline and hydrochloride chlortetracycline, which are broad-spectrum antibiotics), made at its Huazhong Chia Tai and Pucheng Chia Tai subsidiaries. Its Northern Ek Chor unit manufactures Dayang brand of cub-style motorcycles, scooters, bicycles, and tricycles). Its Shanjiang Deni Carburetor joint venture manufactures motorcycle and auto carburetors, along with automotive accessories. In addition, through its ECI-Metro operations, the company is a dealer for Caterpillar products, offering sales, leasing, and repair for the heavy-equipment manufacturer's products.

Humatech turns organic matter into food for plants and animals. Humatech claims that its line of organic, humate-based fertilizers, feed additives, and plant nutrients are safer for the environment and channel nutrients to the plants more efficiently. The company markets its products to commercial growers, independent garden consumers, and animal feeders throughout the US; it also has a 45% stake in its UK distributor, Humatech, Ltd.

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