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Sep 02, 2025
DKSH has closed an agreement to acquire Aston Chemicals Ltd (“Aston Chemicals”), a specialty chemicals and ingredients distributor for the personal care industry, operating in the UK and Poland. Through this acquisition, DKSH Performance Materials expands its footprint in Europe, adding 38 specialists dedicated to the personal care industry in the UK and Poland, and gains additional formulation expertise to deliver more tailored, high-performance solutions to its customers.
Zurich, Switzerland, September 2, 2025 – DKSH has announced today that it closed an agreement to acquire Aston Chemicals Ltd (“Aston Chemicals”), a specialty chemicals and ingredients distributor with a leading market coverage of the personal care industry in the UK and Poland. This acquisition reinforces DKSH Performance Materials’ presence in key European markets while gaining valuable formulation know-how. The addition of the diversified, high-quality product portfolio will enable the combined business to accelerate growth by providing its customers with innovative solutions and new product opportunities for a wide range of personal care applications.
Aston Chemicals, headquartered near London and founded in 1990, is a leading pure play personal care ingredients distributor in the UK with a branch in Poland focusing on sun care, hair care, skin care, and color cosmetics, counting on a well-diversified large product offering. The highly experienced sales team of Aston Chemicals is supported by a dedicated formulation lab in the UK. Backed by 35 years in the UK and almost 20 years in Poland, Aston Chemicals combines longstanding market presence with specialized formulation know-how. The addition of a diversified, high-quality product range opens new opportunities across the personal care industry. Aston Chemicals generates annual net sales of around CHF 20 million1. DKSH will acquire the entire business and fully integrate the company into its existing operations.
Louis Moulin, CEO of Aston Chemicals, mentioned: “Joining DKSH is an exciting next chapter for Aston Chemicals and our team. We are proud of what we have built over the past decades and look forward to combining our expertise with DKSH’s global platform to drive future success together.”
Thomas Sul and Natale Capri, Co-Heads Business Unit Performance Materials at DKSH, jointly added: “The acquisition of Aston Chemicals significantly enhances our product offering and strengthens our technical and formulation expertise, supporting our continued growth in the UK and Poland. We are pleased to welcome the team and look forward to building long-term success together.”
1 The exchange rate used in this media release is 1 CHF to 0.85 GBP.
About DKSH
For 160 years, DKSH has been delivering growth for companies in Asia and beyond across its Business Units Healthcare, Consumer Goods, Performance Materials, and Technology. As a leading Market Expansion Services provider, DKSH offers sourcing, market insights, marketing and sales, eCommerce, distribution and logistics as well as after-sales services, following its purpose of enriching people’s lives. DKSH is a participant of the United Nations Global Compact and adheres to its principles-based approach to responsible business. Listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange, DKSH operates in 36 markets with 28,060 specialists, generating net sales of CHF 11.1 billion in 2024. DKSH Business Unit Performance Materials distributes specialty chemicals and ingredients for food, pharmaceutical, personal care, and various industrial applications. With 58 innovation centers and regulatory support worldwide, DKSH creates cutting-edge formulations that comply with local regulations. With around 1,720 specialists, the Business Unit generated net sales of CHF 1.4 billion in 2024. www.dksh.com/pm