Frequently asked questions

We distribute specialty chemicals and raw materials across several categories: shellac (Lemon #1 flake and high-flow grades), plasticizers (Citriflex citrates, ProFlex reactive plasticizers), TPU and elastomers through COIM (Laripur) and Sipol (Sipolprene TPC-ET), polyurethane dispersions and binders, tackifiers and rubber resins, calcium stearate, halogen-free flame retardants, quaternary ammonium compounds, liquid color dispersions through REPI, phenolic resins, and coconut-derived chemicals.

Food and beverage ingredients, including gum acacia, guar gum powder, and spray-dried oil powders, are at patingredients.com. The full industrial catalog is on this site.

Yes, for specific product lines. PAT Ingredients, our food and beverage division, supplies Oregon Tilth certified organic gum acacia and spray-dried oil powders for food and supplement applications. Shellac is stocked as Lemon #1 flake for industrial use, with food-contact and confectioner's glaze grades available by arrangement. Ingredient grades and specifications are at patingredients.com.

Documentation requirements vary by application. Confirm your specific grade needs when requesting a sample and we'll route you to the right material.

We are the North American distributor for COIM's Laripur thermoplastic polyurethane, covering the full hardness range from Shore A 66 to Shore D 77 in polyester, polyether, and caprolactone chemistries. We also supply Sipol Sipolprene TPC-ET for higher-temperature service. See the TPU product page.

Polyester grades lead on abrasion, strength, and oil and heat resistance; polyether grades lead on hydrolysis resistance, low-temperature flexibility, and microbial resistance. Choose by the environment the part lives in. Our guide to polyester vs polyether TPU walks through the trade-offs.

Yes. We match a Laripur grade by hardness, soft-segment chemistry, and processing profile, and cross-references to commonly specified TPU grades are available on request. Send us the grade you run today or the spec you need to hit.

Yes. We supply the ROWA Lack range of finished topcoat systems for coated technical textiles and plastic films: acrylic for tarpaulins, awnings, halls and tents, print media, roofing membrane, and pool liners; polyurethane for synthetic leather and automotive interior foils; and PVDF fluoropolymer for architectural and tensile membrane. Solventborne and waterborne, one-component and two-component, with matching crosslinkers and surface additives. We stock the grades our customers run. See the coated textile lacquers page.

Yes. Send a piece of the fabric or film you run and we will have the candidate grade applied to it and returned to you, so gloss level, hand, and appearance are judged on your own substrate rather than on a generic drawdown panel. Tell us the finish you are after when you send it.

In most of these applications the lacquer has to be suitable for welding, and grades are formulated for it. Weldability varies by grade and film weight, so we confirm it on your substrate and your welding parameters during the trial rather than reading it off a data sheet. Tell us the welding method and the seam requirement when you request a sample.

Cast polyurethane, plastisol and flexible PVC, epoxy, PU foam and spray polyurethane take liquid pigment dispersions. TPU and other thermoplastics take masterbatch. Plastisol and cast urethane are the systems we match most often. There are dedicated pages for plastisol and flexible PVC, cast urethane, and epoxy.

We make it. P.A.T. Products is an authorized REPI formulator and produces finished, custom-matched liquid color at its own plant in Hermon, Maine. Matching, mixing, quality control and certificate issue happen in the same building, and no sample goes to an outside lab.

Yes. It runs on a phthalate-free terephthalate plasticizer carrier. Terephthalate is the para isomer, with the two carboxyl groups opposite each other on the ring rather than adjacent, which is the structural difference that puts it outside the phthalate class and off the restricted-substance lists.

Yes, and it is routine work. Send a part or a sample of the material you buy today and tell us the system it runs in. We match to what is in front of us, so a shade can move without being re-specified. We do not need the other supplier's formula and we do not ask for it.

Yes. We stock Lemon #1 flake shellac in North America and ship from inventory, with a Certificate of Analysis on every lot. We have supplied shellac for more than 35 years; high-flow, dewaxed, bleached, and cut grades are available by arrangement. See the shellac page.

Yes. We stock a low-ash calcium stearate in the US, shipping next business day, with zinc, magnesium, aluminum, and sodium stearates available alongside it. It serves PVC stabilization, polyolefin acid scavenging, construction water repellency, paper, and greases. See the calcium stearate page.

Benzotriazole (BTA) and tolyltriazole (TTA) for yellow-metal protection in cooling water, metalworking fluids, and VCI packaging, in solid and liquid grades, supplied across North America. See the corrosion inhibitors page.

Yes, and we have done for more than a decade. Three items go into the same fountain concentrate: gum arabic for desensitizing the plate, sodium benzotriazole 40% solution for the copper and brass a circulating solution touches, and citric acid for pH. We sell to the companies that blend the chemistry, not the finished concentrate to a printer. See the pressroom chemistry page.

NOP is a linear N-alkyl-2-pyrrolidone, CAS 2687-94-7, that combines solvency with surface activity in one molecule. Lithographic fountain solutions are the first application on its data sheet, where it is the wetting agent and the isopropanol replacement, and it also goes into pigment dispersions, waterborne adhesives and specialty cleaning. Supplied at 99.0% minimum purity in drums, IBCs and bulk. See the N-octyl pyrrolidone page.

Type 4880 first, Type 4915 second. Both are purified agglomerated spray-dried powders specified as fast soluble in cold water, so there is no grinding step ahead of the make-up tank, and both carry a 25 percent solution viscosity of 60 to 100 mPa·s and a solution pH of 4 to 5. Country of origin is Germany. See gum arabic for lithographic fountain solutions.

Yes. Deuteron quaternary ammonium antistats for coatings, polyurethane and PVC, with LE 100 LV (carrier free) and LE 829 (in 1,4-butanediol, for polyurethane systems) from US stock, plus PATstat 313, the antistatic plasticizer P.A.T. Products makes for vinyl flooring. They reach the 10⁵ to 10⁹ ohm antistatic band at 0.2 to 5 percent. See the antistatic additives page.

Yes, and no. We stock Deuteron organic polymethylurea (PMU) matting agents in the US: MK, MK-F and MK-F6 in 10 kg bags and the MM 677 water dispersion in drums, with the finer grades, UV dispersions and compounds to order. Matting agent, flatting agent and dematting agent are the same additive under different names. PMU takes a slightly higher dose than silica for the same gloss and gives lower viscosity, polish resistance and a soft feel in return. See the matting agents page.

The ProFlex sulfonamide line for polyamide, hot-melt and PVAc adhesives, inks, and amino, epoxy, and PU resins, plus Citriflex 84 (ATBC), a non-phthalate, bio-based plasticizer for cellulosics, food-contact PVC, inks, and adhesives. Both from US stock. See the plasticizers page.

Yes. We supply Technipol copolyester and copolyamide hot-melt adhesives for engine air, oil, and diesel filter production: pleat stabilization, edge sealing, and metal-free end caps, with bio-based grades up to 80% and automotive declarations (IMDS, GADSL, REACH, RoHS). See the filter adhesives page.

Yes. Alongside the chlorinated polyolefin (CPO) grades, we supply eleven chlorine free modified polyolefin (APO) Trapylen grades as solid resin, xylene solution and APEO-free waterborne dispersion, covering molded PP and PP/EPDM parts and TPO and PE film. The chlorine free TPO primers want the surface corona treated to about 50 millinewtons per meter first. See the chlorine free adhesion promoters page.

Yes. Resol and novolac phenolic resins in liquid and solid grades for insulation and acoustic binders, foundry, friction, abrasives, laminates, and wood applications. If you are unsure which family your process needs, our guide to resol vs novolac covers the split. See the phenolic resins page.

Click Request a Sample anywhere on the site or use the contact form. Tell us the product or application you're working on and we'll send a representative sample with the relevant technical data sheet. We typically ship samples the same business day.

MOQs vary by product and partner manufacturer. Most stocked items are available by the pail, drum, or bag for smaller qualification runs. For commercial volumes we quote by truckload or container. Contact us with your product and target volume and we'll confirm current MOQ and lead time.

We stock inventory in warehouses across the United States and ship throughout the US, Canada, and Mexico. Lead times depend on the product and destination. Many stocked items ship the next business day. Direct container shipments from our manufacturing partners are also available for larger orders.

Yes. Certificates of Analysis, Technical Data Sheets, and Safety Data Sheets are available for every product we stock. Most documents are sent with samples and quotes by default. If you need documentation before committing to a sample, contact us and we'll send what you need.

Depending on the product: Kosher and Halal certificates, organic certificates (Oregon Tilth for applicable grades), Prop 65 compliance statements, allergen statements, GMO-free declarations, and food safety certifications (FSSC 22000, SQF) for food-grade materials. Tell us what your supplier qualification process requires and we'll pull the documents.

We represent manufacturers across Europe, Asia, and the Americas. Current partners include REPI (Italy, liquid colorants), COIM Group (Italy, Laripur TPU and FILCO binders), Sipol (Italy, Sipolprene TPC-ET elastomers), Deuteron (Germany, coatings additives), ROWA Lack (Germany, coatings additives), Tramaco (Germany, PU and foam chemicals), Willy Benecke (Germany, gum acacia and natural gums), Lankem (UK, surfactants), Nutreo (Colombia, functional ingredients), Chemrez (Philippines, coconut-derived chemicals), and Feno Resinas (Mexico, phenolic resins).

See the partners page for the full list and company profiles.

We hold stock, we have direct relationships with the manufacturers we represent, and we have a technical team that knows the products. When something goes wrong with a shipment or a formulation, you're not routing a message through three parties. You call us and we handle it.

Yes. We offer custom color matching for liquid colorants and dispersions through our color match service. For toll blending and custom formulation, we work with customers directly and with our manufacturing partners to qualify programs case by case. Contact us to discuss your requirements.

Since 1974. P.A.T. Products is a family-owned, second-generation specialty chemical distributor based in New England. Over 50 years serving manufacturers across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

PAT Ingredients is our food and beverage division. Same ownership, same sourcing relationships. It exists separately because food ingredient buyers need a focused point of contact with the right documentation and a brand presence that fits the food industry. Visit patingredients.com →