Brenntag SE is the holding company of Brenntag Group. The company was founded in 1874 in Berlin and specializes in the distribution of chemicals and ingredients. The company is headquartered in Essen, Germany and has operations in more than 600 locations in 72 countries.[1]
History
Founding
In 1874 Philipp Mühsam founded an egg wholesale business in Berlin which would later become Brenntag.[2] At that time, the company also distributed medicines. In 1912 Brenntag entered the chemicals distribution business.[3]
World War II and post-war period
During the Nazi regime, the Mühsam family immigrated to the USA to escape Aryanization. Due to this, they sold their company Brennstoff-Chemikalien und Transport AG to the entrepreneur Hugo Hermann Stinnes – son of Hugo Stinnes – in 1937.[4] One year later, he renamed the company to Brenntag and in 1943 moved the headquarters from Berlin to Mülheim an der Ruhr, where Stinnes AG was headquartered.[5]
In 1969, Brenntag acquired its first company, Balder from Belgium and a year later business operations in the USA started. After this, the company accelerated growth worldwide, especially by selective acquisitions in key growth areas.[7]
In the 1980s, the company continued to expand in the USA through acquisitions of several distribution companies, among others, the American distribution companies Western Chemical (1980), Textile Chemical (1981) and Delta (1986). In 1989, Brenntag acquired Crown and PB&S Chemicals.[8]
In the 1990s, Brenntag expanded within Europe through acquisitions and joint ventures.[9] This included, among others, the Dutch company Holland Chemical International N.V. By acquiring Holland Chemical International – the fifth-largest chemicals distributor worldwide at the time – in 2000 Brenntag gained market shares in Scandinavia, Eastern Europe, and the USA, and became a market leader in Latin America.[10]
In 2003, Deutsche Bahn took over Stinnes AG, including Brenntag. Just one year later, US private equity firm Bain Capital acquired Stinnes. Until the end of 2003, Brenntag had been a stock corporation, before Bain Capital converted it into a limited liability company.[7] In 2006, Brenntag was acquired by BC Partners.[4]
IPO and acquisitions
Brenntag Headquarter "House of Elements" in Essen.
After the takeover by BC Partners, Brenntag continued to acquire companies worldwide, expanding its network and market shares. From 2007 until 2021 the group acquired up to 99 companies,[3] between 2007 and 2010 alone more than 24 companies. In most cases, these were small supplements to the existing business in markets in which Brenntag had been less present until then.[3][11]
Since 29 March 2010, Brenntag AG (WKN A1DAHH) is listed at the German Stock Exchange in the Prime Standard Segment, from 21 June 2010 until September 2021 as a member of the MDAX index.[12] As of 20 September 2021, the company is included in the DAX as part of an index reform and expansion from 30 to 40 companies.[4] In the meantime, Brenntag has returned to 100% free float ownership.[13]
Entry into Asian market and business expansion
Major acquisitions expanded operations in the Asia/Pacific region. In 2008, Brenntag took over the Indian company Rhodia in Mumbai, giving Brenntag the first distribution presence in the region.[14] In 2010, Brenntag further expanded its market presence in the region significantly by acquiring EAC Industrial Ingredients Ltd. in Bangkok.[9] In 2011, Brenntag established a joint venture with Zhong Yung International Chemical Ltd. in China and in 2016 the company acquired the distributor EPChem Group in Singapore.[15][16]
Due to capacity problems, in 2017, Brenntag moved its headquarters from Mülheim an der Ruhr, to the House of Elements in Essen-Rüttenscheid.[17] Further, in 2021, Brenntag was converted from a stock corporation (AG) into a Societas Europaea (SE).[18]
In 2021, further acquisitions took place, primarily of suppliers for food manufacturers.[11] A major acquisition in this regard was the takeover of JM Swank in the USA. With the purchase, Brenntag acquired a major food distributor in North America, extensively expanding its range of food ingredients.[19]
Business operation
In 2022, the Group generated revenues of 19.4 billion euros and employed more than 17,500 people. Brenntag has around 600 sites in 72 countries.[1]
Brenntag buys large quantities of industrial and specialty chemicals from manufacturers, commissions them into required quantities to meet specific demand and sells them on to its customers. The company links chemical producers and the processing industry. Brenntag also handles the procurement, storage, and delivery of required basic materials for its customers as well as various processes such as mixing raw materials, packaging, or repackaging.[22][23] Part of Brenntag's business strategy is the acquisition, i.e., buying companies to strengthen its own market position and expand its portfolio.[2]
Products
Brenntag's main operations include food, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, oil and gas, and water purification.[4] Brenntag's product catalog includes more than 10,000 items ranging from acids, bases, and solvents to substances for the food, cosmetics, feed and pharmaceutical industries. The company also develops and supplies flavorings for spirits and food products.[22][5] In addition, Brenntag operates around 80 application laboratories, where customer-specific services and products are developed.[23]
Business segments
Brenntag has been organized into two global businesses since 2021. Brenntag Essentials supplies process chemicals for broad application areas on a local level, while Brenntag Specialties concentrates on ingredients and services for selected focus industries such as pharmaceuticals and nutrition.[3]
Controversy
Criticism of Brenntag arose in 2017 and again in 2021 because it supplied chemicals to Syria. At issue is the supply of raw materials for painkillers by Brenntag's Swiss-based subsidiary to the Syrian company MPI. Suspicions persist that the substances are used to manufacture chemical weapons such as sarin for Syria's usage of chemical weapons. Brenntag repeatedly denied violating EU export restrictions.[4]Duisburg public prosecutor's office closed proceedings against Brenntag in August 2019.[24]
References
^ abcdRiedl, Anton (6 September 2023): "Brenntag: Fünf Gründe, warum die Aktie ein Kauf ist". In: Wirtschaftswoche.
^ abcdLipka, Anna Lena (12 January 2021). "Brenntag – Die Chemie stimmt" [Brenntag – The chemistry is right]. Focus (in German). Retrieved 7 March 2023.
^ abMeßing, Frank (7 September 2021). "Vom Stinnes-Ableger in den Dax" [From the Stinnes spin-off to the Dax]. Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung (in German). p. 8.
