University of Vaasa - Vaasan yliopisto

Anttonen (2008) has divided chemical management services into four typological
classes. Some service providers concentrate on streamlining supply side management
from upstream. These services are closely related to supply side management or
inbound logistics management of chemicals. Large proposition of these companies
operate in chemicals distribution and have broaden their more traditional delivery
and sourcing. In-house: house: mana managing ging chemicals in production processes processes: In this group
the companies of offering services concentrate on operating processes and increase
the process efficiency in the customers’ production facilities. The chemicals involved
are often support chemicals such as lubricants, coolants, etc. Most of these service
providers are business units of established chemicals manufacturers. Third group of
companies offer broad variety of IT focused services based solely on different ICT
and software solutions and services. These companies are mainly small and medium
size companies that had found their market niche in specialized software and
technical solutions (i.e. chemicals purchasing, inventory management, labeling, EHS
and safety data sheet SDS management). Fourth type of service provider companies’
are large multinational chemicals manufacturers that have started new business units
to offer comprehensive or integral services from covering all above mentioned
aspects. (Anttonen 2008)
Picture 1. Chemical management se services rvices typology by Anttonen (2008).
The economic benefits for customers mainly accrue from the reduced amount and
consolidated number of chemicals used, which reduce the costs of chemicals
purchasing. Other economic benefits are created through improved manufacturing
processes (CSP, 2004). Chemical Strategies Partnership found in a study
concentrating on chemical management services in the USA that the first year cost
savings range from 5 to 25 percent (ibid.). For longer time periods, cost savings vary
from rom six to ten per cent per year compared to the starting point. Corbett and Decroix
(2001) argue that long long-term term contracts and partnerships usually offer the greatest
benefits for both the service provider and the customer. In resource management, the
customer’s omer’s economic benefits are created through diminished waste management
costs. Environmental benefits are created by reduced chemical volumes, reduced
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