Imagine you’re sitting on a surfboard just offshore in Jacksonville, Florida, where Teckrez is headquartered. It’s summertime. The sun is beginning to rise, the water is calm, and you’re watching the horizon.
One wave approaches. You paddle hard, catch it, and begin riding. But experienced surfers know something important: while you’re enjoying the wave you’re on, you also have to keep an eye on the next one coming behind it.
In many ways, that’s what strategy is.
Strategy is deciding where you’re going next while successfully executing what you’re doing today.
As I’ve worked with our team to build the next chapter of the Monomers Business Unit, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about the waves we are riding today—and the ones we want to catch tomorrow.
Many customers may not realize that both of our business units—Tackifying Resins and Acrylic Monomers—were built organically from the ground up. These were not businesses that were acquired or handed to us. They were created through years of relationship-building, technical expertise, and hard work.
Our Resins Business Unit was founded by Tom Eckhardt and expanded by Marc Jackson, Kim Meidl, and the talented team we have today. On the Monomers side, much of the foundation was built by Dr. Wayne Goldenberg and Marc Jackson and many others along the way.
From the beginning, one of Teckrez’s greatest strengths has been serving as a bridge between global producers and North American customers. We have spent decades building relationships throughout Asia, particularly in China, while helping customers navigate the complex world of specialty chemical sourcing.
That brings us to an important question:
What are we uniquely good at today?
On the Monomers side, I would argue we are the best in North America at helping customers manage the complexity of specialty acrylates, methacrylates, and related chemistries.
We understand the products. We understand the supply chain. We understand the risks. Most importantly, we understand how to connect all of those pieces into a solution that works for our customers.
When a customer explains what they are trying to accomplish, our team can help triangulate the most robust technical and supply-chain solution available. In many ways, our job is simple: We help make our customers successful.
Once we understood that strength, the next question became: How do we do more of it?
That thinking led us to three strategic growth initiatives that will guide our Monomers Business Unit in the years ahead.
Strategic Pillar #1: Expand Our Specialty Methacrylate Portfolio
The first rule of strategy is simple: don’t abandon what is already working.
If our business were a surfer, we would ask ourselves: What wave are we riding today? That wave is specialty methacrylates and related chemistries.
Through the development of a proprietary supply position in specialty methacrylates, we have built a strong market position in products such as EMA, CHMA, 2-EHMA, AAEMA, iBA, and many other specialty monomers.
Despite ongoing discussions around tariffs and geopolitical uncertainty, the reality is that the North American and Chinese chemical industries remain deeply interconnected. In many cases, critical specialty chemistries are simply no longer available domestically.
Our role is to help customers navigate that reality confidently.
We believe these products have an important place in the market, and we intend to continue investing heavily in this portfolio.
Strategic Pillar #2: Build New Producer Partnerships
The second growth initiative focuses on a different opportunity.
Customers have needs. But producers have needs too.
Many manufacturers have outstanding technologies and differentiated products, yet lack the market reach, technical sales expertise, or customer relationships needed to fully penetrate North America. We believe Teckrez can help bridge that gap.
Every day, our team engages with companies involved in paints and coatings, adhesives, emulsion polymerization, acrylic resins, lubricants, metalworking fluids, water treatment, personal care, surfactants, and many other markets.
We know the customers. We understand the applications. We understand the market.
Over the next twelve months, we will be actively seeking new supplier partnerships with producers who believe their technologies deserve broader market exposure.
Our goal is simple: connect great products with the customers who need them.
Strategic Pillar #3: Develop Manufacturing Partnerships
The third leg of our strategy is expanding manufacturing partnerships across our product portfolio.
At Teckrez, we believe the strongest supply chains are built on optionality. That means developing multiple sources of supply and creating solutions that meet the evolving needs of our customers.
As part of this effort, we recently partnered with a Southeastern USA producer to develop a new line of MONTECK(r) fatty acrylates and methacrylates.
Customer interest has been strong, and we are excited about the opportunities these products create for both existing and new partners.
More importantly, this initiative reflects a broader commitment. We are actively seeking and developing manufacturing partnerships across our product line and remain committed to identifying new opportunities to strengthen supply, expand capabilities, and bring additional value to the market.
If you are a manufacturer with capabilities that complement our portfolio, we would welcome the opportunity to start a conversation.
Catching the Next Wave
When I step back and look at these three initiatives together, I think of surfing.
A great surfer doesn’t simply ride one wave forever. They learn how to recognize the next wave and position themselves to catch it.
That is exactly what strategy is.
For Teckrez Monomers, those next waves are:
- Expanding our legacy specialty methacrylate portfolio
- Building new producer partnerships
- Growing domestic production capabilities for long-chain acrylates & methacrylates
We are pursuing specialized solutions, complex supply chains, technical challenges, and opportunities where expertise truly matters.
If any of these initiatives resonate with your business, I would love to hear from you.
Our team is serious about growth. We are hungry for growth. We are hungry to solve difficult problems, tackle complex supply chains, and bring specialty solutions to customers who need something beyond a commodity offering.
As you think about your own business, I would leave you with one final question: What is your strategy?
Have you identified the themes that will shape your future? Have you thought deeply about where you want to go and how you plan to get there?
Whether in business or in life, strategy is ultimately about turning ambitious goals into reality. And that is a journey worth taking.
By Olivia Jobes
VP Monomers Business