Owner-managed distributor of high-quality raw materials and ingredients for food, feed, cosmetics, pharma and technical applications
Atlantic Chemicals Trading GmbH
Hamburg · Boston · London · Waterford · Warsaw · Milan · Toronto · Prague · Valencia · Nivå · Küsnacht · St. Petersburg · Shanghai · MumbaiNew on Amplifa
Owner-managed raw material distributor from Hamburg – active worldwide
Atlantic Chemicals Trading GmbH (ACT) is an owner-managed distributor of high-quality raw materials and ingredients founded in Hamburg in 1985. The company distributes over 200 products for the food, feed & pet food, cosmetics, pharma (APIs) and technical application industries. ACT combines a global procurement network with its own warehousing capacities: 14 locations worldwide and eleven storage facilities, including its own Maschen Distribution Centre (MDC) near Hamburg, ensure fast and reliable deliveries. Through its own offices in Shanghai and Mumbai, ACT handles sourcing, supplier management, quality inspection and logistics directly at the most important procurement markets. An internal quality management system with independent laboratory testing, regular audits and certifications such as ISO 9001, ISO 22000, GMP+, GDP and BRCGS guarantees documented, traceable supply chains. With more than 100 employees, the ACT Group serves customers worldwide; group revenue exceeded the 100-million-euro mark for the first time in 2008.
- Site
- Hamburg
- Processes
- Distribution of raw materials/ingredients, Sourcing and supplier management (China, India), Warehousing and logistics (incl. own Maschen Distribution Centre), Quality management and independent laboratory testing, REACH compliance, Market reports, Tailored API sourcing incl. registration support
- Materials
- Pharmaceutical active ingredients (APIs), Food ingredients, Feed and pet food ingredients, Cosmetic raw materials, Technical chemicals, Organic raw materials (DE-ÖKO-070), Sweeteners and stevia, Saffron
- Certificates
- ISO 9001, ISO 22000, GMP+, GDP, Organic (EU Organic Regulation), BRCGS Agents and Brokers, Fami-QS, DE-ÖKO-070 (Organic)
- Founded
- 1985
- Employees
- >100
- Industries
- Food, Feed & Pet Food, Cosmetics, Pharma (APIs), Technical applications
- 01
Sourcing and supplier management (Shanghai, Mumbai)
- 02
Qualification of suppliers and raw materials
- 03
Warehousing and logistics (incl. Maschen Distribution Centre)
- 04
Quality management and independent laboratory testing
- 05
Distribution to customers in industry, pharma, food, feed and cosmetics
- 06
Market reports and consulting
Product and commodity groups
Pharmaceutical active ingredients (APIs)
Tailored API sourcing including registration support; GDP-certified distribution via ACT Poland.
Food ingredients
Raw materials such as vitamins, sweeteners, amino acids, hydrocolloids, flavors and preservatives for the food industry.
Feed and pet food ingredients
GMP+- and Fami-QS-certified ingredients for feed and pet food manufacturers.
Cosmetic raw materials
REACH-compliant raw materials for cosmetic formulations.
Technical chemicals
Industrial chemicals for technical applications, expanded by the acquisition of Glorychem in 2024.
Organic raw materials (DE-ÖKO-070)
Part of the portfolio is certified under the EU Organic Regulation from controlled organic farming.
Sweeteners and stevia
Specialized range including stevia, managed by the Swiss subsidiary SanaSweet GmbH.
Saffron
Saffron from the acquisition of R. Nöthen & Co. Gewürze GmbH (2011).
Nuts and natural products
Distributed via ACT Nuts & Natural Foods GmbH, founded in 2024.
Products
Inside the production
Industries
Additional services
Quality
The internal quality department continuously monitors the approval of suppliers and raw materials; ACT works with independent testing laboratories. All steps are documented and certified, including REACH compliance for quantities exceeding one tonne per substance and year.
| Evidence | Hamburg | Warsaw | London |
|---|---|---|---|
| ISO 9001 | |||
| ISO 22000 | |||
| GMP+ | |||
| GDP | |||
| DE-ÖKO-070 (Organic) | |||
| BRCGS Agents and Brokers | |||
| Fami-QS |
History
- 1985
Founded in Hamburg by Dr. Ramin Ghaffari
- 1995
First international branch: ACT UK
- 1998
Founding of ACT Switzerland and ACT North America (Boston)
- 2004
Founding of SanaSweet GmbH (Switzerland, sweeteners/stevia)
- 2005
Founding of ACT Poland
- 2006
Founding of ACT Czech Republic and ACT China (Shanghai, sourcing)
- 2007
Founding of ACT Russia and ACT Scandinavia
- 2008
Founding of ACT Ireland; group revenue exceeds 100 million EUR for the first time
- 2009
Expansion of the Hamburg headquarters
- 2010
Founding of ACT India (sourcing)
- 2011
Acquisition of R. Nöthen & Co. Gewürze GmbH (saffron)
- 2019
Founding of ACT Italy; opening of the company's own Maschen Distribution Centre (MDC) warehouse
- 2022
Matin Ghaffari (son of the founder) joins the company
- 2024
Founding of ACT Spain; acquisition of Glorychem GmbH & Co. KG; merger with M. H. Ghaffari GmbH & Co. KG to form ACT Nuts & Natural Foods GmbH
- 2025
40th anniversary, corporate design relaunch