Stepan Co (NYSE: SCL) is a specialty chemical company that manufactures and sells surfactants, polymers, and specialty products to industrial and commercial customers worldwide. Revenue is transactional, generated by selling chemical ingredients to manufacturers across a wide range of industries rather than to retail consumers. Stepan describes itself as one of the leading merchant producers of surfactants in the world, competing against large global and regional chemical producers as well as internal divisions of larger customers. The company does not sell directly to the retail market. Manufacturing operations are capital-intensive, with environmental compliance capital expenditures of $9.8 million in FY2025, representing approximately 8% of total capital expenditures that year. Recurring costs for waste treatment, disposal, and environmental compliance in ongoing operations were approximately $44.9 million in FY2025. Luis E. Rojo serves as President and Chief Executive Officer as of February 26, 2026. All Company facilities are ISO 9001:2015 certified.

Revenue model

Transactional sales of chemical ingredients, including surfactants, polymers, and specialty products, to manufacturers across multiple industries. Pricing competition is moderated by product performance, technical assistance, and customer-specific formulation capabilities.

Products and services

Surfactants, polymers, and specialty chemical products. The company also modified its manufacturing process to reduce 1,4 dioxane content in ethoxylated surfactants in response to regulatory requirements.

Customers and end markets

Wide range of manufacturers across many industries. The company does not sell directly to retail consumers. End markets include industries that use surfactants, polymers, and specialty chemicals as inputs.

Value-chain role

Merchant producer and supplier of specialty chemical ingredients; sits between raw material suppliers and industrial manufacturers.

Geographic exposure

Global operations, with manufacturing facilities in the United States and outside the United States. The company references international business risks including currency exchange and trade policy, indicating material non-U.S. exposure.

Competitors

Large global chemical producers, Regional chemical producers, Internal divisions of larger customers, Chemical divisions of several large companies (polymers segment), Small specialty chemical manufacturers, Several large firms and numerous small companies (specialty products segment)

Source: SEC 10-K, filed 2026-02-26

Industry: Soap, Detergents, Cleang Preparations, Perfumes, Cosmetics Peers: Diversey Holdings, Ltd. GCP Applied Technologies Inc. Ingevity Corp Innospec Inc Minerals Technologies Inc NewMarket Corp Quaker Chemical Corp Sherwin-Williams Co