Nagase America LLC announced the creation of Nagase Specialty Materials NA LLC, a new company borne from the integration of its NY Chemicals Division and its Illinois Fitz Chem LLC into one.

This integration strengthens Nagase Specialty Materials' position in North America through demonstrated leadership in the provision of specialty materials and solutions, continued excellence in distribution, and a strategic business development focus. 

The integration of the sales, business development, customer service and operations teams has now been successfully completed.

"Our teams have worked tirelessly this year to ensure a seamless transition for our customers, suppliers and business partners into our new organization and I'm very proud of them and their effort, especially given the constraints imposed during the pandemic," said Laura Mack, CFO and integration head for NSM.

Now, Nagase Specialty Materials launches a new era as a future-forward distributor of specialty chemicals, a manufacturer of chemical ingredients and an innovative business development partner. 

The materials and ingredients sold by NSM can be found in consumer and industrial products enhancing lives around the world: from household products such as paints, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and electronics, to cutting edge technologies like 3D printing. 

NSM is committed to adding value to customers' product development and manufacturing processes to serve these markets.

NSM is growing, having increased its North American team by 20% in the past few months, half in business development and half in its corporate offices in Itasca, IL.

"Many chemists from name-brand beauty and personal care products spend time in our lab formulating better products for everyday use," said Mark Miller, president and chief operating officer of Nagase Specialty Materials NA. "We are a growing company, excited to be bringing more jobs to Illinois."

Nagase Specialty Materials is a member of the National Association of Chemical Distributors and adheres to its guidelines for sustainability, safe distribution of products through transactions, warehousing and sales. 

"We are proud stewards of our products, from cradle to grave, by lessening environmental impact and advocating the safe treatment of the products we distribute," said Miller.

Nagase Specialty Materials plans to have a footprint covering all of North America by 2025.