Skip to content

Company History

Below you will find a summary of COIM Group’s history, focusing on the milestones of COIM USA.

For a more detailed, global timeline of the full COIM Group, please follow the link below.

1962 The Beginning

COIM’s story began when Mario Buzzella and Cesare Zocchi, a technical expert and one of his customers with a shared passion for chemistry, decided to join forces to create a new venture. The two founders’ first major visionary idea was to focus on what was then a gap in the Italian chemical industry to produce methyl ethyl ketone peroxide (KETANOX), a product in very short supply in Italy. Buzzella’s technical competencies and Zocchi’s management skills quickly led to early success enabling them to found COIM in October 1962 with the introduction of a production site in Offanengo, Italy near Milan.

1964-1974 Early Success

From the beginning, COIM has experienced rapid growth thanks in part to the two entrepreneurs’ strategy of occupying previously unexplored market segments. In 1964, the production of monomer plasticizers (PLAXTER), used in the cellulose sector, began. Within a few years of our founding, we had 17 employees and had gained 50% of the Italian peroxide market.

In 1966, investments were made at the Offanengo site to manufacture unsaturated polyesters (EXTER S) and alkyd resins (GLICEXTER) used in the coatings sector.

Next, we established production of saturated polyesters (DIEXTER) and polyurethanes (UREXTER). These new products drove strong growth, enabling us to triple and then quadruple our turnover in just a few years.

Example Alt Text

1980-1990 Building a Global Sales Network

Not satisfied with simply innovating our product range, COIM aimed for territorial expansion. Benefiting from the boom in sales of Italian products in the 1980s, we organized a more extensive sales network, expanding our customer base into South America, the United States, and Asia.

1990-1995 Expanding Our Portfolio

The first half of the 1990s saw the introduction of several new product groups.  Binders and sizing for fiberglass (FILCO) were introduced, followed by a line of aromatic polyesters and polyurethanes (ISOEXTER) for the manufacturing of insulating panels used mainly in the construction industry.

2001 Introducing NOVACOTE – Laminating Adhesives

Along with global infrastructure expansion, new market penetration continued.  In 2001, the acquisition of NOVACOTE technology allowed COIM to enter the laminating adhesive market for packaging.

2004-2006 Coim USA is Born

COIM also set its sights on the U.S. market. In 2004, we purchased a technical center in West Deptford, New Jersey. By 2006, production capacity was up and running to support demand.

2007-2009 Cast Elastomer Market Here We Come

In 2007, COIM launched the production of a line of polyurethane prepolymers (IMUTHANE) for hot cast urethanes, with various applications, from the mining industry to printing rollers.  As a complement, in 2009, COIM acquired a second plant, adding low free monomer technology and capacity to the IMUTHANE product line.

2012 US Polyester Manufacturing Expansion

To allow for its growing downstream capacity, COIM USA expanded its polyester polyol manufacturing capacity.

2017 US Rigid Foam Lab Built

The completion of the US rigid foam lab gave us the capability to test both rigid foam and spray foam developments prior to full commercialization, as well as the ability to troubleshoot existing commercial systems.

2019 US Prepolymer Lab Constructed

As COIM USA’s prepolymer business continued to grow, so did the need for further enhanced testing capabilities.  With the introduction of nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer (NMR), a wheel tester, and pilot plant equipment, our dedication to the cast elastomer market strengthened.  Since then, we have also added a 4-component, recirculating, mix-meter casting machine for production scale troubleshooting and development.

2020 Investment in the US Packaging Adhesives Lab

With the goal of increasing market share in flexible packaging adhesives, investments were made in a US-based packaging adhesives laboratory, servicing the North American market through simulation and testing of packaging structures. A pilot laminator was installed allowing COIM to test solvent-based and solvent free adhesives on multiple substrates including plastic, foil, and paper.

2021 US Manufacturing Expansion

US polyester capacity was expanded for the second time since COIM USA’s inception to meet the growing demand for polyester polyols both in the market and for downstream polyurethane production. Around this time, COIM USA also expanded its railcar handling capacity, which provided essential transportation channels for raw materials and finished goods related to our polyester portfolio.

In 2021, a new building and the first of two production lines was constructed to manufacture low free monomer polyurethane pre-polymers to keep up with the ever-growing cast elastomer market.

2021 Neoflex Joins the Coim Family

COIM Group acquired the Spanish company Neoflex SL at the end of April 2021.  “This strategic acquisition will allow COIM to strengthen its presence in the polyurethane adhesives market,” said Guiseppe Librandi, President and CEO of COIM.  “The downstream integration of our polyesters will allow us to decisively enter Reactive Hot Melt adhesives – a high value-added and growing specialty market.”

2022 Building a More Sustainable Infrastructure

COIM USA’s Process Water Distillation and Separation Column was brought online in the summer of 2022.  This piece of infrastructure takes the process water stream from our polyester manufacturing and yields 10% recovered and reused material, 83% clean water and just 7% of the originally disposed material.  The result is a reduction of >1.8 million gallons of disposable material per year.

2024 Continued Investment into Low-Free Monomer Technology

Further expansion was required to keep up with continued growth experienced by the polyester pre-polymer division.  With the addition of a second low-free monomer production line, efficiency and capacity were increased, while maintaining a consistent high-quality product.

1962 The Beginning

COIM’s story began when Mario Buzzella and Cesare Zocchi, a technical expert and one of his customers with a shared passion for chemistry, decided to join forces to create a new venture. The two founders’ first major visionary idea was to focus on what was then a gap in the Italian chemical industry to produce methyl ethyl ketone peroxide (KETANOX), a product in very short supply in Italy. Buzzella’s technical competencies and Zocchi’s management skills quickly led to early success enabling them to found COIM in October 1962 with the introduction of a production site in Offanengo, Italy near Milan.

Example Alt Text

1964-1974 Early Success

From the beginning, COIM has experienced rapid growth thanks in part to the two entrepreneurs’ strategy of occupying previously unexplored market segments. In 1964, the production of monomer plasticizers (PLAXTER), used in the cellulose sector, began. Within a few years of our founding, we had 17 employees and had gained 50% of the Italian peroxide market.

In 1966, investments were made at the Offanengo site to manufacture unsaturated polyesters (EXTER S) and alkyd resins (GLICEXTER) used in the coatings sector.

Next, we established production of saturated polyesters (DIEXTER) and polyurethanes (UREXTER). These new products drove strong growth, enabling us to triple and then quadruple our turnover in just a few years.

1980-1990 Building a Global Sales Network

Not satisfied with simply innovating our product range, COIM aimed for territorial expansion. Benefiting from the boom in sales of Italian products in the 1980s, we organized a more extensive sales network, expanding our customer base into South America, the United States, and Asia.

1990-1995 Expanding Our Portfolio

The first half of the 1990s saw the introduction of several new product groups.  Binders and sizing for fiberglass (FILCO) were introduced, followed by a line of aromatic polyesters and polyurethanes (ISOEXTER) for the manufacturing of insulating panels used mainly in the construction industry.

2001 Introducing NOVACOTE – Laminating Adhesives

Along with global infrastructure expansion, new market penetration continued.  In 2001, the acquisition of NOVACOTE technology allowed COIM to enter the laminating adhesive market for packaging.

2004-2006 Coim USA is Born

COIM also set its sights on the U.S. market. In 2004, we purchased a technical center in West Deptford, New Jersey. By 2006, production capacity was up and running to support demand.

2007-2009 Cast Elastomer Market Here We Come

In 2007, COIM launched the production of a line of polyurethane prepolymers (IMUTHANE) for hot cast urethanes, with various applications, from the mining industry to printing rollers.  As a complement, in 2009, COIM acquired a second plant, adding low free monomer technology and capacity to the IMUTHANE product line.

2012 US Polyester Manufacturing Expansion

To allow for its growing downstream capacity, COIM USA expanded its polyester polyol manufacturing capacity.

2017 US Rigid Foam Lab Built

The completion of the US rigid foam lab gave us the capability to test both rigid foam and spray foam developments prior to full commercialization, as well as the ability to troubleshoot existing commercial systems.

2019 US Prepolymer Lab Constructed

As COIM USA’s prepolymer business continued to grow, so did the need for further enhanced testing capabilities.  With the introduction of nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer (NMR), a wheel tester, and pilot plant equipment, our dedication to the cast elastomer market strengthened.  Since then, we have also added a 4-component, recirculating, mix-meter casting machine for production scale troubleshooting and development.

2020 Investment in the US Packaging Adhesives Lab

With the goal of increasing market share in flexible packaging adhesives, investments were made in a US-based packaging adhesives laboratory, servicing the North American market through simulation and testing of packaging structures. A pilot laminator was installed allowing COIM to test solvent-based and solvent free adhesives on multiple substrates including plastic, foil, and paper.

2021 US Manufacturing Expansion

US polyester capacity was expanded for the second time since COIM USA’s inception to meet the growing demand for polyester polyols both in the market and for downstream polyurethane production. Around this time, COIM USA also expanded its railcar handling capacity, which provided essential transportation channels for raw materials and finished goods related to our polyester portfolio.

In 2021, a new building and the first of two production lines was constructed to manufacture low free monomer polyurethane pre-polymers to keep up with the ever-growing cast elastomer market.

2021 Neoflex Joins the Coim Family

COIM Group acquired the Spanish company Neoflex SL at the end of April 2021.  “This strategic acquisition will allow COIM to strengthen its presence in the polyurethane adhesives market,” said Guiseppe Librandi, President and CEO of COIM.  “The downstream integration of our polyesters will allow us to decisively enter Reactive Hot Melt adhesives – a high value-added and growing specialty market.”

2022 Building a More Sustainable Infrastructure

COIM USA’s Process Water Distillation and Separation Column was brought online in the summer of 2022.  This piece of infrastructure takes the process water stream from our polyester manufacturing and yields 10% recovered and reused material, 83% clean water and just 7% of the originally disposed material.  The result is a reduction of >1.8 million gallons of disposable material per year.

2024 Continued Investment into Low-Free Monomer Technology

Further expansion was required to keep up with continued growth experienced by the polyester pre-polymer division.  With the addition of a second low-free monomer production line, efficiency and capacity were increased, while maintaining a consistent high-quality product.

We produce, upon customer request, chemical products for customized applications.
Do you have specific needs?

Tell Us More