An overview of our business
What we do
We’re a world-leading supplier of high-performance, highly specialised polymers and ingredients that play vital roles in key sectors such as coatings, construction, adhesives, and health and protection – growing markets that serve billions of end users worldwide.
Through our agile approach, we collaborate with more than 6,000 customers to enhance our existing products and services, and create innovative tailor-made solutions.
Our strategy and business model
From our innovation centres of excellence and manufacturing sites across Europe, North America and Asia, we collaborate closely with our customers to develop new products and enhance existing ones tailored to their needs, with an increasing range of sustainability benefits. And through our focus on making our business more efficient, more global and even more specialised, we are positioned to lead the way as a speciality business whose products enhance people’s homes and cities, lifestyles, transportation and healthcare.
Where we work
We employ 4,200 employees in our 4 innovation centres of excellence and more than 30 manufacturing sites across Europe, North America and Asia. Our headquarters are in London, UK. We serve our customers from regional centres in Europe, North America and Asia – while also operating innovation centres of excellence in Harlow, UK; Marl, Germany; Akron in Ohio, USA and Kulai, Malaysia.
Through our local production sites, we can better meet our customers’ specific needs, reduce the cost of logistics and minimise our environmental impact.
Our financial performance
In 2023, we generated continuing revenues of £2.0 billion and EBITDA of £142 million. Over the last five years, we have generated £10 billion of revenue and £1.4 billion of EBITDA.
How we create and sustain value
Our key strengths include our talented people, global footprint, agile supply chain, innovation and product development expertise and cash-generative business model. We create products and solutions for 6,000 long-standing customers in multiple attractive end markets, with global exposure to growth megatrends via our three end-customer focused divisions, with innovation driving new product development in close collaboration with customers, and a focus on sustainability throughout our value chain.
Our purpose and shared values
Our values help us achieve our purpose: creating innovative and sustainable solutions for the benefit of customers and society.
We’re focused on innovation – welcoming change and new ideas. We value teamwork because we’re stronger as one team. We act with integrity and show respect. And we believe in accountability, delivering on our promises. Most important is safety, health and environment. We always have time to work safely.