LIVORNO, Italy and ITASCA, Ill, January 30, 2024. – Laviosa Chimica Mineraria SpA, a global expert in mineral-based products, has appointed NAGASE Specialty Materials NA LLC (NSM) as its exclusive distributor in the United States for its bentonite rheology additives. With this partnership, NAGASE Specialty Materials is further positioned to support the paints, coatings, construction, lubricants, and plastics industries with Laviosa product lines like LAVIOSA ARGIMEL®, DELLITE®, LAVIOTHIX®, and LAVIOKOLL®.

Laviosa’s commitment to transforming bentonite into added-value solutions is clear. Serving over 1,500 customers in over 80 countries, Laviosa is an established market leader with six manufacturing and mining locations in Europe and four in Asia. NAGASE Specialty Materials shares Laviosa’s mission to serve the United States market and is especially suited to fulfill it. Entering this agreement with an already diverse portfolio of mineral technologies and an expansive customer network in Laviosa’s target markets, NSM is ready to make an impact with the addition of these high-quality performance materials.

“We are excited to introduce Laviosa and their products to the United States market,” said Al Bernhardt, vice president of Functional Materials at NSM. “Laviosa’s team is customer-oriented, and their deep technical curiosities are matched by their great technical capabilities,” said Bernhardt. “The NAGASE Specialty Materials team is eager to leverage its technical sales, customer service, and distribution expertise to grow this partnership,” concluded Bernhardt.

“This is more than just an opportunity to grow our global presence and sales,” says Valentina Ermini, who manages Technical Sales for Rheology Modifiers at Laviosa. “Our team constantly seeks to understand our customers’ challenges and innovates to address them,” said Ermini. “Together with Nagase’s network, market knowledge, and expertise, we will be very strongly positioned to support industry in the United States,” concluded Ermini.

 Laviosa is eager to support several industry sectors with its selection of bentonite clays. LAVIOTHIX® and LAVIOKOLL® ranges are selected, purified, and activated inorganic clay-based rheological additives suitable for mineral-based systems and coatings, enabling their use in a multitude of systems including latex paints, ceramic glazes, sealants, inks, mortars, plasters, stuccos, and adhesives.

Laviosa Chimica Mineraria SpA produces a series of nanoclays under the DELLITE® brand, used in various polymeric matrices to form nano composites with interesting properties and advantages such as lightweighting, increased fire resistance, superior gas permeability, and improved mechanical properties. LAVIOSA ARGIMEL® organoclays provide thixotropic benefits to oil-based lubricants and solvent-borne coatings systems and are available as pre-gels or as self-activating powders.“

To learn more about Laviosa’s products and request samples, visit https://www.nsm-na.com/specialty-chemical/suppliers/laviosa.html or contact Tom Downing, NSM’s director of new supplier development, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 

 About Laviosa Chimica Mineraria SpA

Laviosa Chimica Mineraria SpA is one of the major global suppliers of bentonite products: the processing and distribution of special clays is our core business. We have developed numerous possible applications for these minerals as prime material for industry or mass market end products.

Our products, together with applicative consultancy of our technicians and our services, are sold in more than 80 countries in the world to more than 1,500 customers, engaged in several different fields of application. Our special clays are used, other than in the landfill application, in coatings and detergency formulations, in paper production processes, in civil engineering, in casting and others: in all these our products contribute to find solutions of high added value.

The company’s strength lies in our people’s constant attention to innovation, growth and value creating. Quality of our process is certified by the international standard ISO 9001:2008

 About NAGASE Specialty Materials

NAGASE Specialty Materials is a leading distributor and manufacturer of specialty chemicals, serving industries that impact everyday life — ranging from coatings and plastics to pharmaceuticals and personal care. NAGASE Specialty Materials is committed to adding value to customers’ product development and manufacturing processes with extensive resources to fulfill that commitment.

NAGASE Specialty Materials is part of NAGASE Group, a public company with $8 billion in annual revenue. Founded in Kyoto, Japan in 1832 as a specialized purveyor of dyes and chemicals, NAGASE now has 114 group companies and more than 7,000 team members.  Spanning over 32 countries and regions, NAGASE connects the world with high-end materials and technologies. In 2023, NAGASE & CO., LTD. was ranked No. 5 among the 'Top 100 Chemical Distributors' list published by ICIS, a global provider of chemical market information.  For more information about NSM, visit www.nsm-na.com or call 630-228-7644.