Frequently Asked Questions

Customer FAQs
Supplier FAQs
Six Sigma FAQs

Customer FAQs

1. Why did Crompton and Great Lakes decide to merge?
2. Why did you decide to use a new company name?
3. How did you select the name?
4. What does the merger mean to me / my business?
5. What is Chemtura’s vision?
6. What new products will you be able to offer me?
7. Will you continue to offer the products I buy?
8. Does the status of any contracts I have with Crompton or Great Lakes change in any way? Do these agreements have to be redone?
9. Whom do I contact about billing / invoicing issues?
10. Will there be any significant changes in payment terms, logistics or customer service polices?
11. Whom do I call with shipment questions?
12. Are you consolidating warehouses and/or customer service locations?
13. Will my technical service change?
14. Whom do I call for technical support?
15. When can we meet the new management?
16. Who is leading the company?
17. Who is leading (specific business)?
18. Where is your headquarters?

1. Why did Crompton and Great Lakes decide to merge?

The merger brought together two companies with complementary business portfolios and leading market positions in several high-value niche markets. Together, each company’s strengths enabled us to create what we believe is a very special company -- a company with a vision of being the best and a company whose employees believe that anything is possible.

Chemtura has an expanded product portfolio to offer customers, as well as an expanded global presence to better meet customer needs. Our new company is one of the largest publicly traded specialty chemicals companies in the United States and one of the largest producers and marketers of plastics additives in the world.

2. Why did you decide to use a new company name?

We selected the name "Chemtura" to represent the chemical company of the future, an organization whose vision is to become the world's best specialty chemicals company.

3. How did you select the name?

We employed Siegel & Gale, a New York City firm that specializes in brand strategy and identity. The firm conducted extensive interviews with business heads, financial analysts, customers and groups of employees of both Crompton and Great Lakes. The firm then suggested several names, and a committee made up of Crompton and Great Lakes senior leaders and communications personnel selected "Chemtura."

4. What does the merger mean to me / my business?

Chemtura Corporation is committed to providing high-quality service and offering a broader, deeper portfolio of products and an expanded technology base to help your business succeed.

5. What is Chemtura’s vision?

Our vision is to be the world's best specialty chemicals company.

This means being:

• A great place for employees to work and have successful careers
• An enterprise that continuously improves its safety record and protection of the environment
• Our customers' first choice for providing solutions that meet their needs
• Our shareholders' best investment through consistent growth and increasing returns

6. What new products will you be able to offer me?

Crompton brought to the new company the following businesses and their respective products: plastics additives, petroleum additives, urethane additives, urethane polymers, rubber additives, EPDM and crop protection products.

Great Lakes brought flame retardants, brominated performance products, fire protection products, fluorine specialties, industrial water additives, performance additives and fluids, polymer stabilizers, pool and spa care products, and household-cleaning products.

Your sales representative can tell you what products can assist your business.

7. Will you continue to offer the products I buy?

If we make any changes, we will inform you.

8. Does the status of any contracts I have with Crompton or Great Lakes change in any way? Do these agreements have to be redone?

We will notify you if your contract or terms of sale needs to be redone. If you have a specific question, please ask your sales representative.

9. Whom do I contact about billing / invoicing issues?

Any questions about invoicing should be directed to your current customer service representative.

10. Will there be any significant changes in payment terms, logistics or customer service polices?

As these changes take place, we will keep you informed.

11. Whom do I call with shipment questions?

Contact your customer service or sales representative for any shipment questions.

12. Are you consolidating warehouses and/or customer service locations?

We are consolidating services and facilities so that we can serve our customers better and operate more efficiently. When changes are made, customers affected by any changes will be notified in advance to ensure smooth transitions.

13. Will my technical service change?

We have brought together the technical expertise of companies with highly skilled personnel and are committed to providing you with the best technical service possible.

14. Whom do I call for technical support?

Please continue to call the same customer service and technical support numbers you have been using until you are notified otherwise.

15. When can we meet the new management?

Your sales representative can arrange for you to meet new management.

16. Who is leading the company?

Bob Wood, former CEO and chairman of Crompton, is CEO and chairman of the new company.

17. Who is leading the specific Business Units?

Performance Chemicals: Myles Odaniell
Plastics Additives: Sean O'Connor
Flame Retardants: Anne Noonan
Performance Specialties: Janet Mann
Rubber Chemicals, EPDM and Industrial Water Treatment: TBD
Crop Protection: Marcus Meadows-Smith
Consumer Products: Marcus Meadows-Smith
BioGuard: Charles Schobel

18. Where is your headquarters?

Our headquarters is in Middlebury, Connecticut, at the former Crompton’s headquarters.

Supplier FAQs

1. Why did Crompton and Great Lakes decide to merge?
2. Why did you change your company name?
3. What happens to my Purchasing contact / representative?
4. Will I still deal with Chemtura the same way I dealt with Crompton or Great Lakes?
5. Does the status of any contracts I have with Crompton or Great Lakes change in any way? Do these agreements have to be redone?
6. Whom do I contact about billing / invoicing issues?
7. Whom do I call with issues or concerns?
8. Will you honor invoices payable by the former company?
9. Where do I submit bids?
10. How will timeliness of payment be affected?
11. Will I see the new Chemtura name on all paperwork?

1. Why did Crompton and Great Lakes decide to merge?

By merging Crompton Corporation and Great Lakes Chemical Corporation, we brought together two companies with complementary businesses and a great strategic fit. The result is a new company with leadership positions in several attractive, profitable product segments, including plastics additives. Our new company has an expanded global presence with strong market positions in North America, Europe and the Middle East, Latin America and Asia-Pacific.

Our new company, with sales of $3.9 billion, is the fourth-largest U.S. specialty chemicals company (Rohm & Haas - sales in 2004 of $7.3 billion; Englehardt - sales in 2004 of $4.16 billion; and the newly formed Hexion with about $4 billion) and one of the largest producers and marketers of plastics additives in the world.

2. Why did you change your company name?

We changed our name to reflect the fact that we are not simply the combination of two companies; rather, we are a new company with one vision. The name "Chemtura" combines elements of the words "chemical" and "future."

3. What happens to my Purchasing contact / representative?

You will be notified of any changes in your contact. Until you are told otherwise, please continue to use the same telephone numbers.

4. Will I still deal with Chemtura the same way I dealt with Crompton or Great Lakes?

One thing you can be sure will not change: establishing and maintaining good relationships with our suppliers will always be a key driver for the Chemtura Procurement Group.

5. Does the status of any contracts I have with Crompton or Great Lakes change in any way? Do these agreements have to be redone?

All contracts currently held between suppliers and Crompton Corporation or Great Lakes Chemical Corporation will not be affected by the merger unless both parties believe that revision is warranted. The Chemtura Corporation Procurement Group is reviewing all existing contracts. Where permitted by terms, we are either renegotiating or re-sourcing, depending on the circumstances.

6. Whom do I contact about billing / invoicing issues?

You should contact the appropriate Accounts Payable location identified on your Purchase Order. If this does not resolve the issue, you should contact the appropriate Procurement Contact. You may get a list of contacts by calling 203-573-3686 or 203-573-3133.

7. Whom do I call with issues or concerns?

Please continue to use the same contact telephone number you have used in the past. Changes in areas of responsibility will be communicated within the new organization and with current suppliers. Personnel at these telephone numbers will be able to direct you appropriately.

8. Will you honor invoices payable by the former company?

Yes, all payable obligations from either Crompton Corporation or Great Lakes Chemical Corporation will be assumed under the merged corporation.

9. Where do I submit bids?

Requests for Quotations (RFQ) should identify where the bid or quotation should be submitted.

No bids should be submitted without a reference to an RFQ.

10. How will timeliness of payment be affected?

The timeliness of payment should not be affected. We have done everything possible to ensure a smooth transition.

11. Will I see the new Chemtura name on all paperwork?

The parent company has changed its name to Chemtura Corporation. We are in the process of changing our subsidiary names and will notify suppliers when that occurs.

Six Sigma FAQs

1. What is Six Sigma?
2. What does the term 'Six Sigma' mean?
3. Is Six Sigma a very specific process?
4. How are Six Sigma projects selected?
5. Who works on Six Sigma projects?
6. How is management involved?
7. What kind of training do Black Belts and Green Belts get?
8. What's the ultimate goal for Chemtura with Six Sigma?

1. What is Six Sigma?
Six Sigma is a business-management process designed to achieve measurable, monetary results through focused improvements in productivity and quality. It's a quality management tool that can be used throughout a corporation to improve processes, not only in manufacturing, but also in areas such as Accounting, Human Resources, Purchasing and Sales. Six Sigma is financially focused and results oriented. It fosters a culture of continuous improvement, which leads to better products and services and enhances a corporation's competitive position.

2. What does the term 'Six Sigma' mean?
The term "sigma", taken from the Greek alphabet, is used in statistics as a measure of deviation. If a company achieves a "six sigma" measurement in production, for example, that means that only 3.4 of 1 million products are defective. This represents a 99.9997 percent error-free performance. Not all Six Sigma projects reach that lofty goal but they aspire to it and set continuous improvement as a standard.

3. Is Six Sigma a very specific process?
Yes, the Six Sigma process includes specific steps and methodologies. It is a structured, business-oriented process, which provides project-management tools. A problem is defined and then a Six Sigma team determines the expected improvement and the monetary gain that will result from the improvement. Six Sigma projects involve measurements, data and fact-based decisions. Six Sigma involves working on a project in a scientific way.

The Six Sigma process includes five steps:

• Define the project / problem.
• Measure the improvement dollar value as well as the percent improvement.
• Analyze the problem.
• Implement the improvement strategy.
• Control and sustain the gain.

4. How are Six Sigma projects selected?
Trained employees, called Six Sigma Black Belts or Green Belts, work with the businesses and organizations within a corporation to select critical projects. A Six Sigma team could be formed to examine a manufacturing process, for example, to determine how to make more of a product with existing capacity rather than investing in additional capacity. Six Sigma projects aren't limited to manufacturing, however. Six Sigma can be used everywhere and anywhere in a corporation to improve efficiency and effectiveness.

5. Who works on Six Sigma projects?
Employees work on the projects. Depending on the projects selected by businesses and organizations within a corporation, employees are selected to be trained in Six Sigma methods so they can lead projects. Black Belts and Green Belts are the employees who lead Six Sigma teams, which usually include about five other employees who have expertise in the project area.

6. How is management involved? The Six Sigma process starts at the top of the organization, giving leaders the responsibility for success and the ability, through training, to integrate the process into the natural way the business is run. Management selects critical projects for Six Sigma and supports employee training.

7. What kind of training do Black Belts and Green Belts get?
To become a Black Belt, an employee must attend specific Six Sigma training, five days a week, one week per month for four months. Green Belts get a little less training. While an employee is training as a Belt, he or she must be working on a Six Sigma project. The training focuses on using statistical thinking to resolve issues. The Six Sigma trainer guides the trainee in choosing the proper tools for the project and helps analyze the data during the process-improvement phase. The project is closely reviewed after the completion of each step.

8. What's the ultimate goal for Chemtura with Six Sigma?
Our ultimate goal is to maintain a culture where employees are empowered to make decisions that lead to continuous improvement - and excellence. There's no question that this type of culture leads to success. The Six Sigma process leads to greater customer satisfaction because it necessitates that the corporation be attuned to what customers want.