Kao Chemicals

Woman cleaning the kitchen counter
Kao Chemicals, a division of Japanese Kao Corporation, founded in 1887, is dedicated to creating high-quality, sustainable products that enrich people's lives. Sustainability, social responsibility and well-being are at the heart of Kao Chemicals' offerings. Their diverse portfolio includes ingredients for cosmetics, cleaning, and home care, industrial and institutional applications, such as gentle surfactants, conditioning agents, rheology modifiers, foam enhancers, pearling agents, hydrotropy agents, emulsifiers, emollients and more. These ingredients empower formulators to develop innovative solutions and new formulations that align with market trends.
Brenntag and Kao have enjoyed a long-lasting and successful global collaboration since many years, first in Canada and expanded to Europe’s Nordic countries in 2023.
A new distribution agreement between the two companies was signed in January 2025 for the eastern part of the United States with the goal to grow in Personal Care and Home Care I&I, delivering innovative and sustainable solutions to the market.

Serving a variety of industries

Kao Chemicals is one of the world’s leading companies in the production and distribution of chemical products. Their extensive portfolio includes surfactants, conditioning agents, rheology modifiers, foam enhancers, pearling agents, hydrotropy agents, emulsifiers and emollients. Beyond these, Kao Chemicals also provides ingredients for various industries, including:
  • Paint and surface coatings
  • Fertilizers
  • Precast concrete
  • Construction materials
  • Industrial chemical cleaning
  • Flotation mineral processing
  • Oleochemicals
Young woman takes laundry out of the washing machine

Kao Chemical products

Kao offers a wide range of surfactants and expertise in formulating highly effective home care, industrial and institutional products that meet the highest standards of cleaning, comfort and sustainability.
The AKYPO® range is a series of surfactants used in both home care, industrial and institutional cleaning applications. These surfactants are plant-based ether carboxylic acids and their salts, which vary in alkyl chain lengths and degrees of ethoxylation. This variety allows them to cater to different foaming needs and cleaning conditions, such as extreme pH levels.
The LEVENOL® range consists of non-ionic surfactants, specifically polyoxyethylene glycerol esters derived from coconut or palm kernel oil. These surfactants are known for their excellent hydrotropic properties, low ecological and toxicological impact, making them suitable for environmentally friendly cleaning products.
The TETRANYL® range consists of cationic surfactants, primarily used in fabric softeners and other fabric care products. These surfactants are known for their softening, anti-static and biodegradable properties.
Other product ranges include amine oxides (Oxidet®), sultaines and betaines (Betadet®) and EO/PO alcohols (Findet® range).

We’re here for you

Our partnership with Kao Chemicals offers a robust foundation for addressing a broad spectrum of needs in the home care, industrial and institutional product sectors.
As recognized leaders in chemical manufacturing and distribution, this collaboration empowers Home Care, I&I suppliers to develop world-class products that meet the highest standards of performance, regulatory compliance and quality demanded by today’s most discerning customers.