History
Brenntag Southeast was created in June of 2001 with the combining of Worth Chemical Corporation and Southchem Inc.
Joseph H. Collie, and three outside investors founded Brenntag Southeast, formerly Southchem Inc., in June 1969. The headquarters were established in Durham, North Carolina and operations commenced with one truck and 5,000 square feet of space. In September 1969, the business was expanded to 10,000 square feet, and one and a half years later, to 25,000 square feet.
Southchem continued growing, and extended operations beyond Durham, N.C., with seven additional operating divisions throughout the Carolinas and Virginia.
In late 1971, Southchem acquired Krebb’s Chemical located in Lynchburg, Virginia. Subsequently, new warehouses were opened in Florence, South Carolina and Chesapeake in the mid 70’s. Over the next eight years, the company added key experienced personnel, expanded packaging and delivery programs in all branch locations.
The 1980’s signaled growth in new markets through the opening of new warehouse locations and acquisition of established companies. The Spartanburg-Greenville, South Carolina region became a new opportunity with the opening of a warehouse in Spartanburg in 1983. In December 1986, a warehouse location was opened in New Bern, North Carolina. In September 1989 another location was opened in Greensboro, North Carolina. Formal entrance into the industrial lubricant and oil business was realized with the acquisition of that division of Durham’s Hendley Oil Company in early 1990. Shortly thereafter, Southchem entered the growing Charlotte, North Carolina market with the location of a facility in that city. In 1991, the Company expanded its presence in the Lynchburg and Roanoke, Virginia area with the dedication of a 20,000 square foot facility in Bedford, Virginia. This completed a broad based eight warehousing distribution operation in the Carolinas and Virginia, with the strongest supplier support of any independent chemical distributor in the Southeast. Concurrent with Southchem’s growth and evolution, in 1986, the company’s President, Joseph Collie, acquired the ownership interests of the three original investors to attain 100% ownership position.
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