A legacy of problem-solving for water-intensive industries.
For more than 100 years, we have been driving value for our customers in water-intensive industries by helping them solve complex operational and sustainability challenges. Learn more about our rich history, which includes legacy companies such as Drew, Hercules, Diversey, Ashland, Betz Laboratories and Stockhausen, as well as our recent acquisitions and milestones as Solenis.
Solenis is selected as a 2025 Best Managed Company Gold Standard Winner, after being awarded for four consecutive years.
Acquisition expands Solenis’ offerings and allows closer relationships with Mineral Processing customer globally.
Strategic acquisition expands food & beverage and institutional businesses in Norway.
Acquisition expands Solenis’ offering of eco-friendly cleaning and disinfection solutions for institutional customers.
Solenis is selected as a 2024 Best Managed Company Gold Standard Winner, after being awarded for four consecutive years.
Solenis recognized for third year in a row by EcoVadis for excellent Corporate Social Responsibility performance.
Acquisition expands water and wastewater treatment capabilities in Southeastern United States
Diversey celebrates 100 years of going beyond clean to take care of what's precious.
Solenis acquires Diversey for $4.6 billion, expanding access to global markets and adding cleaning, sanitation and hygiene solutions to portfolio of products and services.
Solenis is selected as a 2023 US Best Managed Company for excellence in strategy, education, culture, and financials.
Solenis opens new customer support laboratories and packaging center of excellence in Mönchengladbach, Germany.
Acquisition provides expanded product offering and long-term supply agreement for paper process chemistries in EMEA.
Solenis is awarded the Platinum Recognition Level by EcoVadis for the second consecutive year.
Acquisition expands product and service offerings for customers in Latin America.
Acquisition expands Solenis’ product offering for recreational pool and spa customers.
Acquisition provides Solenis with regional expansion in high-growth southeastern Europe.
Solenis is selected as a 2022 US Best Managed Company for excellence in strategy, education, culture, and financials
Solenis is awarded Platinum Rating by EcoVadis for excellent Corporate Social Responsibility performance.
Platinum Equity acquires Solenis from Clayton, Dubilier & Rice and merges Sigura Water with Solenis, adding pool and spa water treatment solutions to the company’s portfolio.
Solenis is selected as a 2021 US Best Managed Company for excellence in strategy, execution, culture and financials.
Solenis and Diversey sign global partnership agreement, adding significant value to the food and beverage industry.
Solenis is awarded Gold status by EcoVadis for excellent Corporate Social Responsibility performance.
Solenis completes acquisition of Poliquímicos, expanding its offering to the Latin American market.
Solenis acquires the paper business of ChemSystems, expanding its ability to serve pulp and paper customers in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Solenis awarded Gold status by EcoVadis for excellent Corporate Social Responsibility performance.
Solenis receives NextGen Cup Challenge award for its TopScreen™ barrier coating technology.
Solenis and BASF combine paper and water businesses, creating a global specialty chemical company with expanded offerings.
Solenis opens new manufacturing plant in Zhuhai City, Guangdong Province, China.
Solenis acquires Topchim NV to expand its offering to the pulp and paper industry with novel barrier coating technologies.
Solenis acquires Nopco Colombiana S.A. to offer expanded solutions to process and water treatment markets in Central and South America.
Solenis receives a 2017 Manufacturing Leadership Award from Frost & Sullivan for its work on the Ashland divestiture.
Solenis opens new technology center in Paulínia, São Paulo, Brazil, expanding its ability to serve customers in Latin America.
Solenis acquires Nopco Holding AS to broaden its offering to the pulp and paper industry with novel defoamer and deinking technologies.
Solenis granted U.S. and European patents for its Biobond℠ technology, an innovative program that improves the sustainability of recycled paperboard.
Solenis acquires Nuplex Pulp & Paper business from Nuplex Industries Australia Pty Limited to offer a broader range of solutions to customers in Australia and New Zealand.
Solenis acquires Dutch company Lostris International B.V. and Wester Blend B.V., expanding its product offering to the pulp and paper industry and its geographic presence.
Solenis acquires Quimatec Produtos Químicos Ltda., expanding its offerings to the global sugar and ethanol markets.
ABTCP names Solenis best chemical supplier of 2015 for Brazilian pulp and paper industry.
Solenis acquires the pulp and paper assets represented by Connell Bros. Company Private Limited in India, expanding its ability to directly serve Indian customers.
Solenis acquires Clearwater Specialties LLC, expanding its offering to the tissue and towel markets.
Solenis is granted a U.S. patent for its corn oil extraction aids, which improve the separation of corn oil during ethanol production.
Solenis opens its European headquarters in Schaffhausen, Switzerland.
Solenis is launched following the acquisition of Ashland Water Technologies by a fund managed by Clayton, Dubilier & Rice.
Diversey launches Soap For Hope™ program, enabling local communities to upcycle discarded hotel soap, contributing to the reduction of solid waste.
Ashland acquires Hercules Incorporated, positioning itself in the top tier of global specialty chemical companies.
Hercules receives a Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award for its formaldehyde-free, soy-based adhesives.
Hercules celebrates the 75th anniversary of its Research Center in Wilmington, Delaware.
Ashland acquires Stockhausen water treatment business from Degussa AG.
Hercules acquires BetzDearborn Inc., establishing itself as the leading global producer of specialty papermaking chemicals.
Hercules acquires the paper chemicals group of Houghton International Inc.
Betz Laboratories acquires Grace Dearborn water treatment and process chemicals business from W.R. Grace & Co., launching BetzDearborn Inc.
Ashland acquires the Drew Industrial business of Drew Chemical Corporation, establishing itself as a global player in industrial water treatment.
Hercules files the first patent application for PAE resins, ushering in 60-plus years of wet-strength resin use in papermaking.
Betz Laboratories is founded as a water purification compound business by a father and son duo in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Ashland Refining Company is founded as the refining arm of the Swiss Oil Company by Paul G. Blazer.
Diversey Corporation is founded by August Kochs and his son, Herbert Kochs, as a subsidiary of Victor Chemical Works, an industrial cleaner business based in Chicago, Illinois.
Hercules Powder Company is founded following the breakup of DuPont’s explosives and gunpowder business.
Founded by E. F. Drew in Boston, Massachusetts, E. F. Drew & Company starts out in the vegetable oil business but soon adds a water treatment line focused on boilers.