Columbia Chemical Acquires Khemex Technical Sales

BRUNSWICK, OH– Columbia Chemical Corp. recently acquired Illinois-based Khemex Technical Sales with the goal of achieving greater expansion into the pre-treatment chemical market segment of the surface finishing industry. The move will also allow the veteran company to provide additional service to an expanding customer base.

Khemex Technical Sales is a provider of high-quality pre-treatment chemicals and surface finishing additives and was founded by Gerry Winkleman, C.E.F. more than a decade ago. Khemex Technical Sales product line consists mainly of cleaners and pretreatment chemistry along with acid salts, spray cleaners and a small line of decorative chemistry, all of which will be added to Columbia Chemical’s robust product line.

This transition, effective immediately, creates an opportunity to enhance service to customers of Khemex Technical Sales. With a product line, and in certain cases, a customer base that provides overlap between the companies, this move offers an automatic comfort level and technical expertise with the products and added ease in ordering.  Customers will also benefit from direct access to Columbia Chemical’s Finisher’s Advantage™ program, which provides the highest level of technical support, custom lab analysis, and comprehensive account service.

Columbia Chemical Corp., which specializes in functional and decorative surface finishing chemistry, with a high percentage of business in the automotive industry, purchased Khemex Technical Sales to deepen its stake in the surface finishing market and “round out its current pre-treatment additives portfolio,” states President Brett Larick.

“We look forward to this opportunity to continue to expand our product line and customer base with the addition of Khemex Technical Sales high quality pre-treatment chemicals.” Columbia Chemical also purchased CS Finishing, Inc. in 2018.

“This opportunity allows us to leverage our expertise in surface finishing and enhance our ability to understand and meet a customer’s needs, from pre-treatment and cleaning of the surface all the way through to the finished product” he added. “This new line of products will provide an expansion of our existing pre-treatment line and will be a continued growth driver for us.”