Univar Agrees North American Distribution Deals

Major chemical distributor Univar has announced agreements with DuPont, Chemours and ABITEC Corp.

The first deal extends Univar’s relationship with Dow Chemical, now part of recently merged DowDupont, to include exclusive distribution rights for Ucon polyalkylene glycol (PAG) fluids and lubricants in North America. The agreement also includes the oil soluble PAG (OSP) base fluids range.

The distribution group said the arrangement will complement an already long-standing relationship between Dow and ChemPoint, Univar’s wholly owned subsidiary that provides an e-distribution service to the fine and specialty chemical markets.

A second agreement is with US chemical company Chemours, under which Univar will distribute hydrochloric acid produced at the Parkersburg, West Virginia plant.

Hydrochloric acid, which has a total market of more than 5 million t, according to Univar, is used in a wide variety of applications, including pH control for water treatment processes, steel manufacturing, and oil and gas drilling. Univar said the deal will shorten the supply chain and improve service response times.

Lastly, the Illinois-headquartered group has reached agreement to distribute ABITEC Corp’s line of pharmaceutical and nutraceutical excipients in Canada with effect from Feb. 1. The range includes Capmul, Captex, Caprol, Acconon, Sterotex, Nutri Sperse, Hydro-Kote and Pureco.

Willy St. Cyr, Univar’s vice president of product and industry development, said the collaboration further enhances its portfolio of highly-functional ingredients for the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries, both of which Univar has identified as strategic growth industries.