Specialty Chemicals

Scrap Lithium Batteries

Alumiium Dross

Copper Cathodes

Zinc Dross

Specialty Chemicals is a highly diversified industry-focused business serving a broad spectrum of 1 200 customers across sectors that include personal and home care, lubricants, rail, oleochemicals and mineral oils, coating and construction, polymers, sanitisers and disinfectants, road construction, can coatings, fire and specialties.

The business’s two-fold value proposition includes an international principal-driven traded portfolio backed by a local supply chain and technical expertise, and a locally manufactured offering supported by application know-how. We manufacture more than 200 products and trade 380 products from 104 principals . The business has ISO 9001 Quality Management System and ISO 14001 Environmental Management System as well as OHSAS 180 01 for Health and Safety Management System. We’re also a signatory to the Responsible Care pledge.

A single supplier, we employ 184 people including 26 experts in the quality and technical disciplines.

We have two manufacturing facilities. In Durban, 10 manufacturing plants have combined daily capacity of 307 tonnes and, in Johannesburg, the combined daily capacity of five plants is 55 tonnes (current shift systems).

Key focus areas are

improving performance
saving energy
reducing maintenance

Specialty Chemicals is helping to shape “a better world” in many ways, including:

Personal care

reducing the carbon footprint by changing from hot to cold processes when manufacturing creams, hair masks, lotions etc.
replacingharsh ingredients in hand washes, shampoos and shower gels with milder alternatives that are kinder to the skin (moisturising) and the environment (biodegradable)
replacing harmful preservatives in personal care products with safer options that protect the consumer and shelf-life of the final product
manufacturing a range of WHO-approved sanitisers that protect the health of employees and customers, particularly through the COVID-pandemic

Home care

replacing Nonylphenol surfactant products with more sustainable solutions
reducing water usage through easy rinse technology in washing powders

Industrial

reducing environmentally objectionable chemicals in our cleaning
developing epoxy resins and hardeners based on renewable oleochemical feedstock
using bacteria and enzymes in the treatment of high COD effluents without the introduction of other chemicals
addressing the issue of sticky ore in underground mining applications by means of ore flow enhancers developed in-house, extending the life of mines where ore transport issues are affecting their ability to remain open
replacing lead chrome pigments in road markings with organic pigments

Products and services

In both our manufactured and traded businesses we add value through strategic relationships and services that include skilled and dedicated sales and service representatives, well-equipped and staffed technical development laboratories, a country-wide and African distribution footprint and a network of global technology partners who are leaders in their fields.

Our customers benefit from the excellent global support at any point in formulation development, from initial concept to final product production. We constantly strive to offer better and more sustainable ingredients and technologies and help all customers be more competitive by assisting them to balance high performance with commercial viability.

quality assurance of incoming and outgoing raw products
product testing in accordance with South African and European norms and standards
product formulation development based on specific customer requirements
creating tailored, customised, “one pack” additive solutions
product and formulation optimisation to enhance performance and cost efficiency
problem-solving and trouble-shooting