Kemira

Kemira Oyj is a Finnish chemicals group headquartered in the Salmisaari area of Helsinki and listed on Nasdaq Helsinki under the ticker KEMIRA. Its business is centered on chemistry used in water treatment, fiber production, packaging, and hygiene applications. Rather than operating primarily as a consumer-facing product brand, Kemira sells formulations, process chemicals, polymers, and related technical solutions to municipalities and industrial customers whose operations depend on reliable water management, paper and board production, pulp processing, and functional packaging materials. The company traces its origins to Finland's State Sulphuric Acid and Superphosphate Plants, established in 1920. The initial enterprise was created after Finland acquired machinery for a sulphuric-acid plant that had been available in Germany. In its early decades, Kemira supplied chemicals to Finnish industrial, mining, and fertilizer operations. The business broadened through the incorporation of Typpi Oy, a nitrogen-industry company operating in Oulu since 1952. In 1971, Typpi Oy was merged into the group, while Rikkihappo Oy became Kemira Oy. Kemira entered the public market in 1994 with a listing on Nasdaq Helsinki. A major strategic shift followed in 2008, when the company decided to concentrate more strongly on water chemistry. That orientation helped define its later portfolio, although Kemira continued to serve the pulp, paper, packaging, and hygiene industries. The company currently describes its operations through three principal business areas: Water Solutions, Packaging & Hygiene Solutions, and Fiber Essentials. These activities cover treatment chemicals and polymers for municipal and industrial water systems, chemicals that support paper and board manufacture, and chemistry used in pulp and fiber processes as well as packaging and hygiene products. Kemira maintains research centers in Espoo, Shanghai, and Atlanta, supporting product development and application expertise across its operating regions. Its customer relationships typically involve technical cooperation, process optimization, regulatory requirements, and supply reliability rather than simple transactional sales. The company therefore competes on chemical performance, process knowledge, service capability, and the ability to support customers operating under tighter environmental and resource constraints. After Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Kemira suspended deliveries to Russia and Belarus in March 2022 and announced in May 2022 that it intended to exit those markets entirely. In February 2024, it sold its United States oil and gas business to Sterling Specialty Chemicals LLC, a move consistent with its sharper focus on core water, fiber, packaging, and hygiene activities. Antti Salminen became president and CEO in February 2024. After the Finnish state, through Solidium, reduced and ultimately disposed of its remaining holding during 2023–2024, Oras Invest Oy became the principal shareholder. Kemira remains an active international industrial chemicals supplier with a strategic emphasis on water and fiber-related applications.

Kemira's history began in Finland in 1920 with the establishment of the State Sulphuric Acid and Superphosphate Plants. The enterprise was formed after Finland acquired machinery for a sulphuric-acid plant that had been available in Germany. Its early role was closely connected with the development of Finnish industry: Kemira supplied chemicals for industrial production, mining, and fertilizer manufacturing. The company expanded its industrial base during the postwar period. Typpi Oy, which had operated in Oulu in the nitrogen industry since 1952, was merged into Kemira in 1971. In the same period, Rikkihappo Oy became Kemira Oy, consolidating the identity under which the group would later develop internationally. These changes connected the business's original sulfuric-acid and fertilizer heritage with a broader chemicals portfolio. Kemira was listed on Nasdaq Helsinki in 1994. The listing gave the company a public-market structure while it continued to operate as a diversified industrial chemicals group. A significant strategic redirection occurred in 2008, when Kemira decided to focus on water chemistry. Water-treatment chemistry subsequently became one of the company's defining areas, alongside applications in pulp, paper, packaging, and hygiene. In its current organization, Kemira groups its operations into Water Solutions, Packaging & Hygiene Solutions, and Fiber Essentials. Water Solutions serves municipal and industrial water-treatment needs. Packaging & Hygiene Solutions supports applications involving packaging materials and hygiene products. Fiber Essentials provides chemistry for pulp, paper, and other fiber-related processes. The portfolio reflects a shift from Kemira's historical commodity and fertilizer roots toward specialized process chemistry and customer-specific industrial applications. Kemira's headquarters are located in the Salmisaari area of Helsinki, while research centers are located in Espoo, Shanghai, and Atlanta. These sites support the company's international technical and product-development activities. The company serves customers across multiple regions, with its offerings used in processes where water quality, fiber performance, production efficiency, and regulatory compliance are important. Geopolitical events affected Kemira's operating footprint in the 2020s. After Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the company announced in March 2022 that it would suspend deliveries to Russia and Belarus. In May of the same year, it stated that it would leave those markets completely. In February 2024, Kemira sold its United States oil and gas business to Sterling Specialty Chemicals LLC. The divestment further clarified the company's emphasis on water, fiber, packaging, and hygiene-related activities. Leadership and ownership also changed over time. Antti Salminen became president and chief executive officer in February 2024. The Finnish state had previously held a significant position through Solidium, but sold the largest part of that holding to Finnish investors in August 2007 and disposed of its remaining shares during 2023–2024. Oras Invest Oy became Kemira's principal shareholder, holding approximately 23 percent of the shares in 2024 according to the referenced account. Kemira remains an active Finnish-listed chemicals group with an international operating model and a portfolio focused on essential industrial and municipal processes.

• 2024

  Leadership and portfolio changes

  [1]Kemiraen.wikipedia.org

  Antti Salminen became president and CEO, and Kemira sold its United States oil and gas business to Sterling Specialty Chemicals LLC.

• 2022

  Kemira suspends and then plans to end business in Russia and Belarus

  [1]Kemiraen.wikipedia.org

  The company suspended deliveries to Russia and Belarus in March and announced an intention to leave those markets in May.

• 2008

  Strategic focus shifts toward water chemistry

  [1]Kemiraen.wikipedia.org

  Kemira decided to concentrate more strongly on water chemistry, a direction that became central to its later portfolio.

• 1994

  Kemira is listed on Nasdaq Helsinki

  [1]Kemiraen.wikipedia.org

  Kemira became a publicly listed company on the Helsinki stock exchange.

• 1971

  Typpi Oy is merged into the company

  [1]Kemiraen.wikipedia.org

  Typpi Oy, a nitrogen-industry company operating in Oulu since 1952, was merged into Kemira, while Rikkihappo Oy became Kemira Oy.

• 1920

  Kemira is established around a sulphuric-acid plant

  [1]Kemiraen.wikipedia.org

  The State Sulphuric Acid and Superphosphate Plants were established in Finland after machinery for a German sulphuric-acid plant was acquired.

An international specialty and process-chemicals supplier focused on water management, fiber production, packaging, and hygiene applications.

• Water-treatment chemicals and polymers

  Water Solutions

  Kemira's Water Solutions business supplies chemistry for municipal and industrial water treatment. Its role is to help customers manage water quality and treatment processes through chemicals and polymers used in applications such as clarification, separation, and other treatment stages. The business reflects Kemira's strategic emphasis on water chemistry and serves customers whose operations depend on consistent treatment performance, process reliability, and compliance with environmental requirements.

• Pulp, paper, and fiber-process chemicals

  Fiber Essentials

  Fiber Essentials provides chemical solutions for fiber-related industries, including pulp and paper production. These products support manufacturing processes and the performance of fiber-based materials. The business connects Kemira's historical industrial-chemicals expertise with current demand for efficient, reliable, and technically optimized pulp, paper, and board production.

• Packaging and hygiene chemicals

  Packaging & Hygiene Solutions

  Packaging & Hygiene Solutions covers chemical applications associated with packaging materials and hygiene products. The business supports customers that require functional performance in packaging and hygiene-related manufacturing processes. Kemira presents this activity alongside water and fiber businesses as one of its three principal operating areas.

• 2024

  Sale of the United States oil and gas businessM&A

  Background

  Kemira continued to refine its portfolio around water, fiber, packaging, and hygiene applications.

  Action taken

  In February 2024, Kemira sold its United States oil and gas business to Sterling Specialty Chemicals LLC.

  Aftermath

  The divestment narrowed Kemira's portfolio and reinforced its stated emphasis on its core business areas.

  Source

• 2022

  Exit from Russia and BelarusStrategy

  Background

  Russia's invasion of Ukraine led Kemira to reassess its commercial activities in Russia and Belarus.

  Action taken

  Kemira suspended deliveries to both countries in March 2022 and stated in May that it would exit those markets entirely.

  Aftermath

  The decision reduced Kemira's operating presence in the affected markets and formed part of its response to the geopolitical situation.

  Source

• 2008

  Focus on water chemistryStrategy

  Background

  Kemira was operating as a diversified chemicals group with industrial and process-chemistry activities. The company identified water chemistry as a strategic area for greater concentration.

  Action taken

  The company decided to focus more strongly on water chemistry while retaining related activities serving fiber, packaging, and hygiene industries.

  Aftermath

  Water Solutions became a central part of Kemira's later organizational structure and market positioning.

  Source

• 2024

  Kemira sells United States oil and gas business[1]Kemiraen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Kemira sold its United States oil and gas business to Sterling Specialty Chemicals LLC in February 2024.

• 2024

  Antti Salminen becomes Kemira president and CEO[1]Kemiraen.wikipedia.org

  Leadership change

  Antti Salminen assumed the role of Kemira's president and chief executive officer in February 2024.

• 2022

  Kemira suspends deliveries to Russia and Belarus[1]Kemiraen.wikipedia.org

  Regulation

  Kemira announced that it would suspend deliveries to Russia and Belarus following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

• 2022

  Kemira announces exit from Russia and Belarus[1]Kemiraen.wikipedia.org

  Regulation

  The company stated that it would leave the Russian and Belarusian markets entirely after first suspending deliveries.

1. 1Kemiraen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Kemira official websitekemira.com
3. 3Kemira announces a multi-million investment in water treatment chemicals production in the UKpulpapernews.com
4. 4Kemira announces first completion of capacity expansion in water treatment chemicals production in the UKpollutionsolutions-online.com
5. 5Kemira appoints Mikko Pohjala as Vice President, Investor Relationspulpapernews.com
6. 6Kemira expands bleaching chemical production capacity in the USpulpapernews.com
7. 7Kemira Expands Bleaching Chemical Production Capacity in U.S.paperage.com