Tom Downing

NAGASE Specialty Materials

NAGASE Specialty Materials (NSM) is a North American distributor and manufacturer of specialty chemicals headquartered in Itasca, Illinois that provides solutions for industries impacting everyday life around the world: coatings; adhesives; inks; plastics; packaging; textiles; automotive; aerospace; personal care; household, industrial and institutional; pharmaceutical; and electronics. NSM was formed in 2020 by the integration of NAGASE America's Chemicals, Personal Care, and Pharmaceutical divisions with Fitz Chem, a specialty chemical distributor that was formed in 1985 and acquired by NAGASE Group in 2017. NAGASE was founded as a specialized purveyor of dyes in Kyoto, Japan in 1832. The NAGASE Group began as a specialized sales agent securing exclusive contracts to sell industry-leading products from around the world in Japan. Over the years, we have leveraged our technology and information gathering expertise—as well as our global network—to transform our business into a hybrid model offering superior manufacturing, processing, and R&D functions as well as trading company services. Today, the NAGASE Group contains 100+ group companies and more than 7,000 team members in 32 countries. Looking forward to our 200th anniversary in the year 2032, we will contribute to society as a Business Designer that creates a sustainable future. As a Business Designer, we bring together our expertise in manufacturing, distribution, R&D, logistics, bio-technology, and digital experience to design never-before-seen solutions that improve our customers' businesses as well as the lives and health of our planet. With an open approach to innovation and a global network of business partners and local expertise, we are able to bring all of our functions together to consistently deliver what's next.