Price, Trust, People, and Service Make the Difference from the Competition
Interview with Maikel Bolt, Commercial Director and Joep Andeweg, Commercial Manager DACH of KH Chemicals BV
The Dutch company KH Chemicals BV sources its raw materials from many parts of the world. However, its customers are also located in more than 100 countries. Therefore, the company, headquartered in Zwijndrecht, sees itself as an intermediary between suppliers and buyers. In light of the fierce competition in the commodities industry, the firm convinces with comprehensive service, an excellent price-performance ratio, and personal contacts.
In the modern world, many products that make our lives easier are based on chemical raw materials. As a reliable supplier of such raw materials, KH Chemicals BV has well established itself. Besides the two main product groups, solvents and plasticizers, the company deals with acrylates and monomers. "We form the interface between producers and users," describes Commercial Director Maikel Bolt, stating reasons why customers like to work with the specialists from the Netherlands: "We trade in commodities and have many competitors with the same products. I believe that price, trust, people, and service make the difference."
"Our service includes delivering on time and ensuring that the order process goes smoothly," adds Commercial Manager DACH Joep Andeweg. "Especially in the German market, some customers are willing to pay a bit more when they know everything will run smoothly."
Internationally Present
Hans Ketting and Rick de Haan founded KH Chemicals in 1994 in Rotterdam. They imported chemicals from Eastern Europe and sold them to their customers. Over time, the business became increasingly international. In 2000, they moved to Zwijndrecht. Today, KH Chemicals has offices in Dubai, China, Ukraine, North America, Brazil, and India, serving customers in more than 100 countries. 65 of the total 90 employees work in Zwijndrecht, with the rest located in global offices. For 2024, a revenue of around 225 million EUR is expected; the traded volume of commodities is at 160,000 t. KH Chemicals is now 100% owned by the Belgian Ravago Group, which specializes in supplying the construction industry with construction chemicals, insulation materials, and specialty films.
Various Distribution Channels
Solvents account for more than 50% of KH Chemicals' volume, followed by plasticizers with over 20%, and then monomers and acrylates. These substances are used in the production of paints and coatings, but also in cables, floorings, synthetic resins, and adhesives. The acquisition of new customers often follows the application areas of the chemicals. "We use desk research as well as analysis of import and export data," explains Joep Andeweg. "We are also present at trade fairs, including with our parent company Ravago at the European Coatings Show in Nuremberg. Overall, we use a variety of channels."
Grow Profitably
At KH Chemicals, relevant processes are organized digitally, and the use of artificial intelligence is also considered when necessary. "Despite digitization, our business still very much depends on people interacting with each other," admits Maikel Bolt. Like many other companies, KH Chemicals is also deeply engaged in sustainability issues. "Especially concerning our CO2 footprint, we are receiving more and more inquiries," explains the Commercial Director. "There are significant differences between our suppliers in the Far East and partners in Europe, who are much more sensitive to this issue. Perhaps we may even have to part ways with some suppliers in the long term. Moreover, we are looking for 'greener' alternatives within our portfolio."
Flat hierarchies and quick decision-making are characteristics of the team, whose average age lies between 30 and 35 years. "In the long term, we aim to grow profitably and steadily," states Maikel Bolt about future goals. "We want to increase by 15% each year and are also open to new regional distributors with their own storage and filling capabilities."