Type: Public
On the web: http://www.rockwoodspecialties.com
Employees: 9,600
Employee growth: 1.1%

Rockwood Holdings, which operates as Rockwood Specialties, gets most of its sales from specialty chemicals, including lithium compounds, metal treatments, and performance additives (such as wood preservation chemicals and iron oxide pigments). Other products include titanium dioxide, advanced ceramics, specialty compounds, and custom synthesis intermediates. It serves the construction, paper, and water treatment industries. A leader in many of its niches, the firm was created in 2000 when Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) bought several Laporte divisions; it got much larger by adding parts of Dynamit Nobel in 2004. Sales to Germany outpace those to any other region, including the US. KKR owns about 21% Rockwood.

Key numbers for fiscal year ending December, 2010:
Sales: $3,191.6M
One year growth: 7.7%
Net income: $239.4M
Income growth: 1034.6%

Officers:
Chairman and CEO: Seifi Ghasemi
SVP, CFO, and Interim Principal Accounting Officer; SVP and CFO, Rockwood Specialties Group: Robert J. Zatta
Director Strategic Development and Controlling: Marcus Brune

Competitors:
Arch Chemicals
Elementis
PolyOne

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