For a long time, choosing a chemical supplier came down to a fairly straightforward equation:
Does the product perform? Is the quality consistent? Is the price competitive?
These questions still matter. They always will. But in our experience, the conversation around specialty chemicals is becoming much broader.
Customers today are asking us questions that go beyond the formulation itself.
- Where did the raw materials come from?
- What exactly is in the product?
- Does the product meet the relevant regulatory requirements?
- What are its environmental credentials?
- Can you help us reduce VOCs?
- Can you provide the information we need for our own sustainability reporting?
And perhaps most importantly:
Can we rely on you as our requirements change?
That last question is becoming particularly important as businesses operate across more markets and face increasingly complex regulatory and sustainability expectations.
Industry research reflects this shift. PwC notes that sustainability is increasingly becoming a commercial differentiator in India’s specialty chemicals industry. Global customers are screening suppliers on areas including emissions, waste management, water stewardship and process safety.
For us, this reinforces something we have always believed:
A good chemical supplier should do more than deliver a product. We should help our customers reduce risk, solve technical challenges and prepare for what comes next.
Why transparency matters more than ever
Chemical manufacturing is complex.
A finished adhesive or coating can depend on multiple raw materials, manufacturing processes, quality checks and regulatory requirements. For a customer, that complexity can create uncertainty.
Transparency helps remove some of that uncertainty.
What does transparency mean to us?
It means being able to give our customers the information they need to make informed decisions.
That can include:
| What customers need to know | What transparency looks like |
| Product composition | Clear technical and regulatory information |
| Product safety | Up-to-date SDS and technical documentation |
| Raw materials | Appropriate sourcing and traceability information |
| Regulatory status | Relevant declarations and certifications |
| Sustainability | Evidence behind environmental claims |
| Quality | Consistent specifications and documented quality systems |
| Supply | Clear communication around availability and potential risks |
Transparency isn’t about overwhelming customers with paperwork. It is about making the right information available when it matters.
For example, when a customer is evaluating a new adhesive for an international application, the technical performance of the product is only one part of the approval process. Their regulatory, procurement, quality and sustainability teams may all have questions. The easier we make it for those teams to find reliable answers, the easier it becomes for the customer to work with us.
That is why we see transparency as more than a compliance exercise. It is part of the customer experience.
Compliance is becoming part of the buying decision
Regulatory compliance has always mattered in the chemical industry. What is changing is how early it enters the conversation. Today, compliance can influence product development, raw material selection, documentation, manufacturing and market access.
Regulations such as REACH and CLP continue to shape chemical requirements in Europe, while chemical-management, workplace-safety and emissions requirements influence markets across the US and Asia.
India is also moving toward a more structured chemical-management framework. Proposed Chemicals (Management & Safety) Rules (CMSR) include requirements around chemical inventories, notification, registration, restrictions, packaging and labelling.
For companies buying specialty chemicals, this means regulatory uncertainty can quickly become a business problem. That is why we believe regulatory awareness needs to happen before a product reaches the customer’s factory.
Sustainability has moved from a promise to a requirement
“Sustainable” is now one of the most frequently used words in the chemical industry. But the meaning of sustainability is changing.
Customers are increasingly looking beyond broad environmental claims and asking for evidence.
- What is the VOC level?
- How much renewable content does the product contain?
- What is the product’s carbon footprint?
- Can the formulation support recyclability?
- What has been done to reduce waste or resource consumption?
- Can the supplier provide relevant certifications or environmental data?
These questions are being driven partly by regulation, but also by the sustainability commitments of major brands and manufacturers.
As sustainability reporting extends deeper into supply chains, the data held by chemical suppliers becomes increasingly important. This is why we believe the future of sustainable chemistry will be less about saying “this product is green” and more about showing “here is what makes this product a better choice.”
Where water-based adhesives fit into the picture
This is where our work with water-based chemistry becomes particularly relevant.
Adhesives might be a relatively small component of a finished product, but the chemistry behind them can have a significant impact on manufacturing and environmental performance.
Water-based adhesive systems use water as the carrier rather than organic solvents. Depending on the formulation and application, this can help reduce VOC emissions compared with solvent-based systems.
At Jesons Industries Ltd., we have developed our expertise around water-based technologies across a range of applications, including pressure-sensitive adhesives and other specialty adhesive systems.
We believe the goal is to develop a formulation that delivers the performance the customer needs while moving the overall application in a more responsible direction.
What we believe will change between now and 2030
We cannot predict every regulation or market development between now and 2030.
But we can see several clear directions.
From product information to supply-chain information
Customers will want greater visibility into raw materials, sourcing and environmental impact.
From compliance after development to compliance by design
Regulatory considerations will increasingly influence formulation decisions from the beginning.
From “green” products to measurable impact
Water-based, low-VOC, bio-based and other lower-impact technologies will increasingly be evaluated on measurable outcomes rather than labels alone.
Why choosing the right chemical partner matters
At Jesons Industries Ltd., we focus on responsible manufacturing and continuous innovation. We have also pursued Responsible Care certification as part of our commitment to responsible practices across our operations.
For us, transparency, compliance and sustainability aren’t separate boxes to tick.
They are part of the same philosophy:
Make products that perform.
Make them responsibly.
Give customers the information they need.
And keep improving the chemistry.
That is how we believe a specialty chemical manufacturer can build relationships that last beyond a single purchase order.
