Nan Ya may be plastic, but it's the real deal. Part of the Formosa Group's collection of chemical and plastics companies, Nan Ya Plastics primarily manufactures plastics, fibers, and electronic materials, and is Taiwan's largest plastics maker. The company is counting on growing the electronic materials business, as well as its burgeoning specialty chemicals operations. Those two units have higher margins and better growth potential than do basic plastics and fibers. Nan Ya Plastics was founded in 1958; it operates in the US through subsidiary Nan Ya Plastics USA.

From ethanol to antifreeze, Houghton Chemical has found a way into your life. The company makes and distributes its own lines of automotive fluids, heat transfer fluids, and water treatment and industrial chemicals. Its Automotive division makes and distributes antifreeze nationally under such brands as Security, MacGuard, and Pah|nol. The company's Heat Transfer Fluids unit makes the Wintrex and Safe-T-Therm brands for heating, cooling, and refrigeration systems, and it offers laboratory testing, complete with chemical disposal to customers. Founded in the mid-1920s, Houghton Chemical has remained a family-owned business; current CEO Bruce Houghton is the founder's grandson.

MetoKote wants its many customers to say "protective coatings -- me too." The manufacturer provides protective coating applications such as electrocoating, powder coating, and liquid painting. Its equipment division manufactures process lines and support equipment like building racks, carriers, shipping pallets, and part containers. MetoKote services customers primarily in the automotive, agricultural and construction equipment, and appliance and furniture manufacturing industries. It operates more than 150 coating systems from more than 40 manufacturing facilities in Brazil, Canada, Mexico, the UK, and the US. Other services include labeling, specialty packaging, and subassembly.

Ashland Distribution is the one to call. The largest division of specialty chemicals company Ashland distributes chemicals, plastics, and composites (thermoset resins and associated products) in North America and plastics in Europe and China. Ashland Distribution serves coatings, adhesives, and inks makers; plastics compounders; the aerospace and electronics industries; and metalworking lubricant and chemical manufacturers. Parent company Ashland agreed in 2010 to sell the distribution business to private equity firm TPG Capital for $930 million.

Floridienne, originally named for its mining activities in Florida, now focuses on inorganic chemistry, food, and the life sciences. The holding company's agro-food division specializes in French seafood, snails, and truffles, as well as international food products. The company's chemical unit focuses in making zinc, lead, nickel, cadmium, and bismouth salts. In addition, Floridienne develops enterprises in the biotechnological, food-processing, and chemical industries through its life sciences division.

International Flavors & Fragrances Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the creation and manufacture of fragrance and flavor products in the United States and internationally. It operates in two segments, Flavors and Fragrances. The Flavors segment offers flavor compounds to the food and beverage industries for use in consumer products, such as prepared foods, beverages, dairy, and food and confectionery products. The Fragrances segment provides various functional fragrances, including fragrance compounds for personal care and household products; fine fragrance and beauty care, including perfumes, colognes, and toiletries; and ingredients consisting of synthetic ingredients that could be combined with other materials to create functional and fine fragrance compounds. This segment markets its products primarily to the cosmetics industry, including perfume and toiletries manufacturers; and the household products industry comprising the manufacturers of soaps, detergents, fabric care, household cleaners, and air fresheners. The company markets its products through agents and distributors. International Flavors & Fragrances, Inc. was founded in 1909 and is based in New York, New York.

Sinopec Shanghai Petrochemical Company Limited (SPC), located in Jinshan District of Shanghai, is one of the largest refining-chemical integrated petrochemical companies in China. It is one of the subsidiaries of China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (Sinopec Corp.). It is also currently one of the most important domestic producers of refined oil products, intermediate petrochemicals, synthetic resins and synthetic fibers.SPC grew out of Shanghai Petrochemical Complex which was founded in 1972. In 1993, as an experimental unit, by standardized SOE restructuring, SPC became the first Chinese listed company with its shares listed on the Stock Exchange of Shanghai, the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong and the Stock Exchange of New York with a total share number of 7.2 billion, including 4.0 billion non-floating A shares held by Sinopec Corp., accounting for 55.56£¥ of the total shares; 150 million non-floating legal person A shares, accounting for 2.08£¥ of the total shares; 720 million domestic ordinary A shares, accounting for 10£¥ of the total shares; 2.33 billion oversea H shares, accounting for 32.36£¥ of the total shares.

Glassy Wing Sharp Shooters and Citrus Thrips beware! Cleary wants turf to be tip top at tee-time. Cleary Chemical Corporation makes fungicides, insecticides, nutrients, and colorants used by golf courses, nurseries, and greenhouses. To fend off the bigger critters, the company makes animal repellants such as Buck Off, designed to keep deer away. It also owns and maintains a golf course, Tara Greens, which offers both regulation and miniature courses.

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.

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.

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