Ink-stained wretches everywhere have INX International Ink to thank (or blame) for their plight. The company, a subsidiary of Japanese ink maker Sakata, manufactures printing ink and other coatings. INX makes inks for metal decorating; for flexible, rigid, and paper packaging; and for commercial printing. It maintains about 30 manufacturing facilities in North America and another 20 worldwide.

When you need some crimson -- or any other color, for that matter -- Cloverdale Paint hopes you come straight to them. The paint and coatings manufacturer maintains more than 100 retail stores and a network of dealer outlets across Western Canada and the Pacific Northwest. Cloverdale Paint also manufactures architectural and industrial maintenance products. In recent years, Cloverdale has expanded by acquiring US-based rival Rodda Paint and the Canadian Guertin Coatings; both companies continue to operate as independent subsidiaries. The company has four manufacturing facilities. Cloverdale Paint was founded in 1933.

For UOP, it's not necessarily what you make, it's how you make it. The subsidiary of Honeywell's Specialty Materials segment develops and licenses technologies for processing chemicals. The technologies mainly are used in petroleum-derived products and chemicals (such as ethylene and propylene), but also in the manufacture of plastics, detergents, and fibers. Three-quarters of the world's ethylene production is made using UOP technologies. UOP also produces catalysts, alumina adsorbents (used to purify gas and dry air), and molecular sieves. Until 2005 it had been a joint venture of Honeywell and Union Carbide (which is owned by Dow Chemical).

Greystone Logistics, Inc. manufactures and sells recycled plastic pallets in the United States. It offers rackable pallets of various measurements; mid-duty picture frame, a picture frame, Web-top pallet that utilizes inter-locking design and is produced using a proprietary blend of recycled plastics; mid-duty stackable, a Web-top pallet; mid-duty 3-runner, a Web-top pallet that utilizes a patented inter-locking design on a three runner bottom; and flat deck, which has a solid top. The company’s products are used in the beer, automotive, chemical, consumer products, grocery, produce and food production, paper and forest products, retailing, and steel and metals industries. It sells its pallets through a network of independent contractor distributors. Greystone Logistics also offers various excess reprocessed and repelletized resins that are sold to other users of recycled plastic. The company was formerly known as PalWeb Corporation and changed its name to Greystone Logistics, Inc. in March 2005. Greystone Logistics was founded in 1969 and is based in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

H.B. Fuller Company manufactures and markets adhesives and specialty chemical products worldwide. It provides industrial and performance adhesives products for applications in various markets, including assembly, packaging, converting, nonwoven, and footwear. The company offers hot melt, water-based, and thermoset adhesives and mastics used in the creation of abrasives, appliances, brushes, doors, electronics, filters, flooring, household and office furniture, kitchen cabinets, marine applications, medical devices, millwork, paint rollers, and sporting goods; and hot melt and water-based products used in the production of packaging materials for durable and non-durable goods, as well as in the manufacture of bags and sacks, composite cans, corrugated cardboard, disposable paper goods, paperboard laminating, tape and labels, tissues and towels, and tubewinding.H.B. Fuller Company also provides hot melt adhesives used in disposable diapers, sanitary pads, adult incontinence garments, and disposable medical garments; and cleaners, primers, and adhesives for manufacturing footwear and leather goods. In addition, the company manufactures mastics, coatings, sealants, and adhesives for the thermal insulation, indoor air quality, asbestos abatement, and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning markets; ceramic tile installation products, flooring adhesives, surface preparation products, exterior insulation finish systems, and epoxy flooring for contractor markets; and pre-mixed grouts and mortars for home improvement market. Further, it offers products and services in the assembly of insulating glass and windows; consulting solutions for corrugated and folding carton packaging and engineered wood industries; paints for architectural, automotive, marine, and industrial applications; and adhesives, sealants, and coatings for construction, craftsman, and do-it-yourself markets. H.B. Fuller Company was founded in 1887 and is based in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Cole Chemical & Distributing provides chemical ingredients to petrochemical manufacturers, oil companies, and personal care product makers. The company's products include acids, alcohols, amines, chlor-alkali, chlorinated solvents, fatty chemicals, glycol ethers, lubricants, and resins from suppliers including BASF, Cargill, and Dow Corning. It offers safety training, custom blending, warehousing, logistics, and custom packaging services from its locations throughout the US; the company also has import and export operations.

Kuraray's synthetics are for real. The diversified company manufactures chemicals and resins (about half of sales, including copolymer EVAL used in food packaging) and synthetic fibers and textiles (man-made leather, nonwoven fabrics, rayon, and polyester). It also offers engineering and consulting services. Kuraray pioneered the commercialization of several synthetic fibers and resins -- such as its KURALON and Poval products -- for industrial uses. The company, which does most of its business in Japan, is made up of about 80 companies operating in Asia, Europe, and North America.

Mexican conglomerate Alfa is a big player in four different industry segments. Alpek, a global petrochemical concern with an emphasis on synthetic fibers (Akra Polyester, DAK Americas, Nyltek, Indelpro, PTAL, Temex) accounts for about 40% of sales. Alfa's other operations consist primarily of refrigerated-foods manufacturer and distributor Sigma Alimentos (Yoplait yogurt, Oscar Mayer), aluminum auto part maker Nemak (engine heads and blocks), and telecom company Alestra. Alfa has alliances with more than 20 companies (such as AT&T, Ford, and Kraft) around the world. It operates more than 75 production facilities throughout the Americas, Asia, and Europe, though Mexico provides almost half of its sales.

Thailand's first cement manufacturer, Siam Cement was founded in 1913 on orders from King Rama VI. The government controls almost a third of Siam Cement. Siam Cement has more to hold it together than its name suggests. It still makes cement (sold under the Elephant and Tiger brands), but gets most of its sales from petrochemicals, paper, and packaging; other lines of business include building products and distribution. Siam Cement also has real estate holdings. The Siam Cement Public company cracked out of its cement mold in response to Asia's financial crisis of the late 1990s; acquisitions made it one of Thailand's biggest industrial conglomerates, with five business units encompassing more than 100 companies.

Timminco produces silicon metal for the chemical (silicones), aluminum and electronics/solar industries, through its majority owned production partnership with Dow Corning, known as Québec Silicon. Timminco is also a producer of solar grade silicon, using its proprietary technology for purifying silicon metal, for the solar photovoltaic energy industry, through its wholly owned subsidiary Bécancour Silicon.

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