A wide range of industrial chemicals are used in manufacturing: solvents, binders, pigments, additives, preservatives, surfactants, and industry-specific specialty raw materials. The use of chemicals in industry varies significantly depending on whether food, cosmetics, paints, textiles, or technical products are being manufactured. In this article, we cover the most important chemical categories, selection criteria, and sustainability considerations that guide industrial raw material procurement.
What chemical groups are found in manufacturing?
In manufacturing, chemicals are generally divided into several main groups: binders, pigments and dyes, additives, solvents, preservatives, and functional specialty substances. Each group serves a different purpose in the production process, and they are combined according to the needs of the industry.
In the paint and coatings industry, key chemical groups include acrylate resins, alkyd resin emulsions, polyesters, and epoxy esters, which are used as binders in various coating types. Additives are used to control product properties: matting agents, texturizing agents, and conductive agents are examples of specialty substances in the coatings industry. In the food industry, food colorants, flavorings, vitamins, sugars, fruit concentrates, and preservatives are used.
In the field of technical chemicals, significant chemical groups include corrosion inhibitors, defoamers, wetting agents, and dispersing agents. In the cosmetics sector, raw materials cover natural-based oils, emulsifiers, active ingredients, and certified specialty components. The agricultural industry, in turn, requires homogeneously distributed nutrients for fertilizers and crop protection products.
How are chemicals selected for industrial production processes?
Industrial chemicals are selected primarily based on three criteria: technical suitability for the production process, meeting safety and regulatory requirements, and cost-effectiveness. The right choice requires an understanding of how the chemical behaves under process conditions and how it affects the properties of the final product.
Technical suitability means in practice that the chemical meets the requirements set by the process, for example in terms of viscosity, pH, thermal stability, or particle size. In the coatings industry, for example, the particle size of a pigment directly affects opacity and gloss. In ceramic inkjet printing, the particle size must be below one micrometer to prevent clogging of the printer nozzles.
Regulatory requirements guide selection particularly in the food and healthcare sectors, where chemicals must meet strict purity and acceptability standards. The supplier’s expertise and ability to provide technical support are also key selection criteria: tailored technical advice helps find the right raw material for a specific application.
What chemicals are used in the food and cosmetics industries?
In the food industry, food colorants, flavorings, vitamins, fruit and berry concentrates, sugars, purees, and preservatives are used. In the cosmetics industry, raw materials consist of natural oils, emulsifiers, active ingredients, and certified specialty components used in product formulation.
Chemicals in the food industry
Chemicals used in food production must fully meet food safety standards without any metallic wear or impurities. Natural-based food colorants are ground fine enough so that they do not affect the texture or appearance of the food product. Finer grinding of spices, in turn, enhances aroma and increases viscosity. Nutritional supplements require sufficiently small particle sizes to ensure optimal absorption and digestibility.
Chemicals in the cosmetics industry
In the cosmetics sector, the naturalness, ecological compatibility, and certification of raw materials have become key requirements. Reducing active ingredients and excipients to the nanometer scale improves absorption into the skin and enables more precise dosing. Coarse particles have a negative effect on the feel of the skin, so the particle size of raw materials is a critical quality parameter. Natural-based acrylic dispersions and polyurethane dispersions are examples of raw materials that are increasingly being used to develop more sustainable formulations.
What is the difference between technical chemicals and specialty chemicals?
Technical chemicals are standardized industrial chemicals used widely across various processes, such as cleaning, lubrication, or corrosion prevention. Specialty chemicals, on the other hand, are customized or high-value-added raw materials developed for a specific application or to meet precise performance requirements.
Technical chemicals are generally more affordable, available in large quantities, and have a standardized composition. Examples include defoamers, wetting agents, and pH adjusters, which are widely used across multiple industries. Specialty chemicals, by contrast, can be developed on a customer-specific basis: for example, a matting agent tailored for a specific coating application or a pigment formulation intended for ceramic inkjet printing.
The practical difference is also reflected in the procurement process. Technical chemicals are often procured on a volume basis through price competition, whereas the procurement of specialty chemicals emphasizes the supplier’s technical expertise, collaborative development, and flexibility. The supplier’s ability to meet specific packaging or formulation requirements can be a decisive factor in the selection of specialty chemicals.
How do sustainability and environmental requirements affect chemical procurement?
Sustainability and environmental requirements have a significant impact on industrial chemical procurement: they guide companies toward the use of water-based, bio-based, and low-emission raw materials. Regulation, customer expectations, and companies’ own sustainability goals together shape procurement criteria.
The popularity of water-based binders, such as acrylic dispersions and polyurethane dispersions, has grown because they reduce volatile organic compound emissions compared to solvent-based alternatives. Bio-based raw materials, such as natural oil-based polymers, offer the opportunity to reduce the carbon footprint without compromising product performance. Recycled materials, such as recycled carbon black produced from tires through pyrolysis, are examples of circular economy-based raw materials that are becoming more common.
Procurement decisions are also influenced by suppliers’ ability to document the origin, certifications, and environmental impact of raw materials. Actively seeking sustainable raw material sources and promoting environmentally friendly solutions have become a competitive advantage for industrial chemical suppliers.
If you are looking for a reliable partner for procuring industrial raw materials and chemicals, Celego offers expert service from the product range of over a hundred international suppliers. Get in touch and let’s find out together which raw materials best suit your production process.