The chemical distribution business is a diverse industry that provides customized solutions for important sectors such as pharmaceuticals, paints & coatings, agriculture, cosmetics, food & feed, and automotive. At the center of the supply chains of these sectors, distributors are critical partners for global corporations as well as for SMEs. This role has become particularly obvious and relevant during the corona crisis. But distributors also face many challenges in the aftermath of the pandemic and the current political and economic environment.

CHEManager asked executives and industry experts to share their views on the prospects for the chemical distribution sector. We proposed to discuss the following aspects:

• What, in your opinion, are the most important lessons learned after two years of operating in a pandemic environment?
• What will be the most important short- and long-term challenges facing the sector?
• How do chemical distributors support the chemical industry on its path toward carbon neutrality?

Christian Kohlpaintner: In the past two years, and today, we have faced global challenges of a severity unlike anything I have ever seen in my career of almost 30 years in the chemical industry. Many cumulating factors contributed to these challenges, disrupting supply chains and logistics processes globally and persistently.
But these challenging times have highlighted the large and crucial role the chemical distribution sector plays in maintaining business continuity, more than the chemical industry realized before. Brenntag quickly learned how to deal with the diverse disruptions, leveraging our size and global network and especially through the expertise and strong dedication of our employees worldwide who came up with solutions for our customers and suppliers and going the extra mile to be the trusted partner.

“These challenging times have highlighted the large and
crucial role the chemical distribution sector plays
 in maintaining business continuity.”

Distributors with a global footprint like Brenntag have become key service providers, and reliable partner in problem solving, much more than a mere logistic agent.
This role will continue to expand as the focus on sustainability in the chemical industry will lead to drastic and fundamental changes, and the pressure to change and develop is immense. Global distributors like Brenntag have the network and overview to overcome local challenges, and work with suppliers and customers to develop sustainable ideas, drive product innovations and to learn from best practices in other regions or industries.
The huge innovation potential and know-how of our sector and our experts is not yet fully recognized and used by our industry partners. The sustainable transformation needs to include and learn from the expertise in the chemical distribution sector to scale effects, and to find benefits for all parties involved. Chemical distributors like Brenntag can serve as integration and connectivity platform and stimulate the ESG agenda of the industry. Carbon neutrality and global sustainability in our industry will not be achieved in isolation – but only by a joint effort and shared know-how.