Kolb AG

Kolb AG, which operates under the market name KLK Kolb, is a Swiss specialty chemicals company headquartered in Hedingen, near Zurich. Founded in 1964 by chemist Dr. Werner Kolb, the company initially focused on chemicals for paper manufacturing before expanding into surfactants, which became its core business. Today, KLK Kolb manufactures a broad portfolio of nonionic surfactants, paper process chemicals, and other chemical specialties. Its main products include fatty alcohol and acid ethoxylates, fatty amine ethoxylates, phosphate esters, alcohol sulphates and sulphonates, ester quats, triglyceride ethoxylates, and sorbitan esters. These chemistries are used for wetting, emulsifying, low foaming, solubilising, viscosity modifying, and viscosity stabilising. The company processes natural and synthetic raw materials into high-quality products at three production sites in Switzerland and the Netherlands, employing around 480 people. It operates one R&D centre and has more than 90 years of combined experience. KLK Kolb's products are formulated by customers into final products such as detergents and shampoos, agricultural and construction chemicals, textile, pulp and paper products, lubricants, and metal working fluids. The company employs technologies including alkoxylation, phosphation, sulphation, sulphonation, esterification, amidation, polymerization, and quarternisation, and offers custom manufacturing capabilities. In December 2006, the owning family sold the company to Kuala Lumpur Kepong Berhad (KLK), a Malaysian conglomerate. Since then, the Kolb Group has operated as an independently managed subsidiary within the KLK Group. The company's headquarters in Hedingen houses sales, marketing, purchasing, and research and development functions, while the Moerdijk site in the Netherlands focuses on large-volume surfactant production.

Kolb AG was founded in 1964 by chemist Dr. Werner Kolb in Hedingen, Switzerland. The company initially concentrated on chemicals for paper manufacturing. Over time, the production of surfactants led to expansion into other areas, particularly applications for the cosmetics and detergent industries, where surfactants play a key role. In 1991, Werner Kolb transferred management of the family business to his eldest daughter, Esther Dale-Kolb, who simultaneously acquired a 51 percent majority stake. In the same year, the two founded Dr. W. Kolb Holding AG, which became the umbrella of the corporate group. In 1993, the production plant of the subsidiary in Moerdijk, Netherlands, which had also been founded in 1991, began operations. Two years later, another subsidiary was established for the Asian market. In December 2006, the owning family decided to sell the company to the Malaysian Kuala Lumpur Kepong Berhad (KLK). Since then, the Kolb Group has been managed as an independently operating subsidiary of the KLK Group. The company continues to operate production sites in Hedingen and Moerdijk, with headquarters in Hedingen housing sales, marketing, purchasing, and research and development. The Moerdijk site focuses on large-volume surfactant production. As of recent years, KLK Kolb employs around 480 people across three production sites in Switzerland and the Netherlands and operates one R&D centre, with more than 90 years of combined experience.

• 2006

  Sold to Kuala Lumpur Kepong Berhad (KLK) in December.

• 1995

  Subsidiary established for the Asian market.

• 1993

  Production plant in Moerdijk begins operations.

• 1991

  Management transferred to Esther Dale-Kolb; Dr. W. Kolb Holding AG established.

• 1991

  Subsidiary in Moerdijk, Netherlands, founded.

• 1964

  Company founded by Dr. Werner Kolb in Hedingen, Switzerland.

Specialty chemicals partner for surfactants and paper process chemicals, offering a broad technology portfolio and custom manufacturing.

• Nonionic surfactants

  Used in detergents, shampoos, and various industrial applications.

• Paper process chemicals

  Defoamers, felt washing agents, and other chemicals for paper manufacturing.

• Fatty alcohol and acid ethoxylates

  Key surfactant intermediates for various applications.

• Phosphate esters

  Used as emulsifiers and wetting agents.

• Ester quats

  Cationic surfactants for fabric softeners and personal care.

1. 1KLK Kolb | Your partner of choice for surfactantskolb.ch
2. 2Company | KLK Kolbkolb.ch
3. 3Values | KLK Kolbkolb.ch
4. 4Products & Markets | KLK Kolbkolb.ch
5. 5Kolb AG - Wikidatawikidata.org
6. 6Kolb AG - Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org