Deloitte Corporate Finance acted as exclusive financial advisor to Key Chemical, Inc., a leading distributor of specialty and commodity chemicals in the United States, in its sale to Univar, Inc., a leading distributor of basic chemicals, specialty products, and related chemical services.  The acquisition closed on April 10, 2015.

DCF advised Key Chemical on the exploration of various strategic alternatives, including the consideration of a strategic sale and private equity investment.

“We are excited for the opportunity to join a global leader in chemical distribution,” said Steve Norris, founder and CEO of Key Chemical. “The combination of our organizations will position us well to offer new potential for our customers, suppliers and employees. Deloitte Corporate Finance has tremendous depth and resources that allowed us to run a thorough and efficient process.  Their team has been terrific to work with and has always offered solid advice.”

“Key Chemical grew from a small, chemical distribution company focused on the energy and water treatment sectors into one of the largest municipal fluoride suppliers in the country. As consolidation in the fragmented chemical distribution space continues, we leveraged our industrial distribution and chemical industry experience to assist Key Chemical in its sale to Univar,” said Brad Winer, Managing Director for DCF.

Founded in 2002, Key Chemical is a leading distributor of specialty and commodity chemicals in the United States.  Key Chemical specializes in blends of hydrofluosilicic acid that are UL certified to meet NSF/ANSI Standard 60 for use in water treatment fluoridation.

Founded in 1924, Univar is a leading global distributor of industrial and specialty chemicals and innovative services. The company operates a network of over 700 distribution facilities throughout North America, Western Europe, the Asia-Pacific region, and Latin America, with additional sales offices located in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

Deloitte Corporate Finance provides strategic advisory services and M&A advice that help corporate, entrepreneurial and private equity clients create and act upon opportunities for liquidity, growth and long-term advantage. With an in-depth understanding of the marketplace and access to a global network of investment bankers, we help clients confidently pursue strategic transactions in both domestic and global markets.