Element Solutions
| Company type | Public |
|---|---|
| Industry | Specialty chemicals |
| Founded | 2013 |
| Founder | Martin E. Franklin |
| Headquarters | United States |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people | Benjamin Gliklich (CEO) |
| Products | Specialty chemical products for electronics, industrial surface finishing, automotive, consumer packaging, offshore oil extraction |
Element Solutions Inc is a U.S.-based specialty chemicals manufacturer publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol ESI.
History
Established in 2013 by Martin E. Franklin with investment support from Bill Ackman, the company was originally known as Platform Specialty Products.
In July 2018, Platform Specialty Chemicals divested its crop business, Arysta Life Sciences, selling it to United Phosphorus Limited for $4.2 billion, thereby exiting the agricultural chemicals market. The following year, the organization rebranded as Element Solutions Inc and maintained its NYSE listing under the ticker ESI.
By March 2025, Element Solutions had been included in the S&P SmallCap 600 Index, signifying its expanding footprint in the market.
Operations
Element Solutions produces and distributes specialty chemical products serving a range of sectors such as mobile devices, consumer electronics, communication infrastructure, automotive, industrial surface finishing, consumer packaging, and offshore oil extraction.
The company’s operations are divided into two primary segments: Electronics and Industrial & Specialty. The Electronics segment focuses on creating specialty chemicals and materials processing technologies tailored for electronic components like printed circuit boards and advanced semiconductor packaging. Its portfolio includes wet chemical solutions for metallization, surface treatment, and solderable coatings that cater to mobile communications, computing, automotive, and aerospace industries.
The Industrial & Specialty segment delivers specialty chemical solutions designed to enhance surface properties or optimize industrial processes. This includes chemical systems for metal and plastic surface protection and decoration, as well as water-based hydraulic fluids used in offshore energy applications.
Element Solutions markets its offerings through various subsidiaries under brand names including MacDermid Enthone, MacDermid Offshore Solutions, MacDermid Alpha Electronics Solutions, Compugraphics, Fernox, Electrolube, and Kester. The company maintains 63 manufacturing and research facilities across 18 countries.
List of Transactions
Since its inception in 2013, Element Solutions has grown through multiple acquisitions:
- Acquisition of MacDermid Incorporated (October 2013)
- Purchase of OM Group Inc.’s electronic chemicals and photomasks units (October 2015)
- Acquisition of Alent plc (December 2015)
- Purchase of Kester, a supplier of solder products (December 2019)
- Acquisition of DMP Corporation, specializing in wastewater treatment technologies (August 2020)
- Purchase of Coventya, a global specialty chemicals provider for surface finishing applications (September 2021)
- Acquisition of HK Wentworth Limited, producer of electro-chemical products for electronics and automotive sectors (May 2021)
- Purchase of HSO Herbert Schmidt GmbH, a surface finishing technology developer (January 2022)
- Acquisition of Kuprion, a developer of nano-copper technology targeting semiconductor and electronics markets (July 2023)
In July 2024, CEO Benjamin Gliklich emphasized plans to pursue additional mergers and acquisitions aimed at expanding the advanced electronics segment, intending to finance these deals through operational cash flow.
On February 28, 2025, Element Solutions divested its flexographic printing plate division, MacDermid Graphics Solutions, for $323 million.