ROyAL TREATMENT - US Chemicals

U.S. ChemiCalS, llC:
Offering the
rOyal treatment
www.uschemicals.com
CorporateProfile

U.S. ChemiCalS, llC:
Offering the
rOyal treatment
As US Chemicals prepares for its 50th anniversary, President Carol
Piccaro says the company has never lost sight of a simple concept –
our success is directly related to our customers’ success
Written by Ulrika G. Gerth & Produced by Sean Bakke
At treated like royalty. “We’ve got lots of
U.S. Chemicals, LLC, the customer is
king. Suppliers and employees are also
kings and queens here!” says CEO and President
Carol Piccaro with a laugh.
That royal treatment of everyone involved in the
success of U.S. Chemicals, a chemical distributor
based in New Canaan, CT, is key to the company’s
longevity. Celebrating 50 years in business in 2010,
the philosophy of Piccaro’s father and company
founder Howard T. Von Oehsen – “if our customers
are not successful, then we are not successful” – is
December 2009 | www.ManufacturingDigital.com
still in effect today.
“It’s something we’ve never lost sight of,”
Piccaro says. “My dad was a master at developing
long term relationships. His customers and
suppliers were treated royally,” Piccaro proudly
states. “One of my dad’s first customers is still a
customer today. This is a huge asset.”
U.S. Chemicals serves as a single source for
chemical acquisition needs of many industries,
including: paint, ink and coatings, chemical and
textiles, cosmetic and personal care products,
flame retardants, food and pharmaceutical, plastic
and rubber. The company also maintains 12
warehouses in the United States, one in Ontario,
Canada, and another in Barcelona, Spain.
WORKiNG aS a Team
Ten employees with over 100 years combined
experience in sales and service related to
chemicals take part in every order. Uniquely, U.S.
Chemicals’ census is 80% woman. In a male
dominated industry this make up sets them apart.
Turnover is low, allowing customers and suppliers
to develop personal relationships with the staff.
Manufacturing US Chemicals 3
Customers know the entire U.S. Chemicals team,
most by name.
“We love challenges,” she continues. “On a
Friday afternoon, if a plant is going to shut down,
we will all pull together as a team to ensure the
customers’ needs are met so that plant continues
to run. Working together to help others gives us all
a sense of accomplishment.”
“We all share our mission to provide
extraordinary customer service. Even outside
the office, our employees value philanthropic
initiatives,” states Piccaro. This tight-knit group
www.ManufacturingDigital.com | December 2009

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has volunteered on AmeriCares projects, on
fundraising walks, and at local soup kitchens, to
name a few.
CUSTOmiZeD SeRViCe
The company’s omnipresent focus on building
long-term relationships with suppliers all over
the world have made even the rarest chemical
obtainable. If the customer is in need of a certain
ingredient, Piccaro and her team are immediately
able to tap into this worldwide sourcing network to
successfully satisfy the customer.
“A couple of times in my career, we’ve been
able to competitively source a product to the
manufacturer of that same product. This situation
does not occur very often mostly when a company
December 2009 | ManufacturingDigital.com
Alexander
“Mick”
Swain
cannot produce enough product for its use and/
or its customers. It is extremely satisfying to also
be a valuable supplier to the big guys. We differ
from other chemical distributors in that we don’t
necessarily compete against other distributors,
but will partner with them to service the customer,”
Piccaro says.
Sales volumes in the US are falling with the
decline of US manufacturing, she notes, but the
market for services is expanding.
“This is one of the growth areas for our
company”, says Piccaro. “The large manufacturers
do not want to cater to the smaller requests for
special packaging and physical properties and
this is where we shine”.
U.S. Chemicals has expanded its service
Trudi
Leddy
offering to include special packaging, particle size
reduction, logistics and importation.
emBRaCiNG The eNViRONmeNT
Earlier this year, U.S. Chemicals surprised
its faithful base by giving away a Smart Car
at the National Petrochemicals & Refiners
Association event in San Antonio, Texas.
The gift demonstrated both appreciation
to their customer and supplier base during a
tough economic year and the company’s
commitment to the green movement. “The
Smart car represents many of the same qualities
U.S. Chemicals offers: Value, efficiency,
environmentally conscience, and uniquely
designed. At U.S. Chemicals, we know that we
Manufacturing US Chemicals 5
Carol
Piccaro
need to proactively seek out business initiatives
that promote sustainability. U.S. Chemicals
actively supports environmentally responsible
manufacturers and distributors of chemical
products and services,” Piccaro noted.
From small steps at the office such as
distributing stainless steel drinking bottles in
partnership with Klean Kanteen to thoroughly
evaluating suppliers for sound environmental
practices, Piccaro says being environmentally
conscious is not about profit, but a way of life.
Dedicated to this goal, U.S. Chemicals LLC
is teaming up with Dow Chemicals in 2010 by
co-sponsoring the ICIS Chemical Innovation
awards. The international awards will recognize
outstanding innovation in the chemical industry.
ManufacturingDigital.com | December 2009

Innovation is increasingly recognized as a key
driver of growth and profitability in the chemical
sector. U.S. Chemicals will be the sponsor
of the Innovation with the Best Environmental
Benefit category.
This category is open to all chemical
companies big and small, regardless of where
in the world they are based. The judges will be
looking for innovative projects that solve problems
or provide solutions for its company and/or its
customers. Carol Piccaro is thrilled with this
sponsorship as “we want to reward companies
who are making strides to improve the environment
we live in. We are encouraging entries where
the environmental aspects of the innovation
are expressly designed into the innovation
December 2009 | www.ManufacturingDigital.com
process—vis a vie use of renewable raw materials,
waste minimization, recyclability or energy saving
manufacturing and/or use.”
STaRTiNG OUT
Piccaro started her career at U.S. Chemicals
in 1984 as a sales representative. She arrived
after moving up the ranks of a bond trading
company until the only position left was to
become a trader herself, a move the two male
bond traders in charge would not let her make.
Her father reluctantly agreed to give her a job,
questioning whether she wanted to get married
and start a family.
Carol told her father, “Yes, I do, but I also want
a career,” Piccaro recalls.
She began her chemical career in Buffalo,
N.Y., married her college sweetheart, and soon
after became the company’s top salesperson.
When her father passed away in 1995, she
retained full ownership of the privately held
company. Today Carol Piccaro helps students
enter the industry by offering college internships
to the local community college as well as partners
with a co-op program at Northeastern University
in Boston.
As U.S. Chemicals gears up for its 50th
anniversary campaign, Piccaro says, “We always
welcome new customers and suppliers, we would
love double digit growth, but we must never lose
sight of our core concept, to treat our customers
like kings – or queens!”
Manufacturing US Chemicals 7
FaCTS aT a GlaNCe
CoMPAny nAMe: U.S. Chemicals, LLC
PreSidenT & Ceo: Carol Piccaro
oPerATionS: A chemical distributor and
a source for rapid and efficient chemical
acquisition, serving many industries,
such as paint, ink and coatings, chemical
and textiles, cosmetic and personal care
products, flame retardants, food and
pharmaceutical, plastic and rubber.
eSTABLiShed: 1960
eMPLoyeeS: 10
www.uschemicals.com
www.ManufacturingDigital.com | December 2009

U.S. Chemicals, llC
280 Elm Street,
New Canaan, CT 06840
T: 203.966.8777 | F: 203.966.3577
CorporateProfile
www.uschemicals.com