Stepan Company (SCL) manufacturers and markets chemical ingredients to manufacturers in several industries around the world. Stepan sells ingredients for cleaning, personal hygiene, lubricating , plastics, biodiesel products etc. It also sells polyols that are used to produce insulation board for construction in addition to many other chemical products used in the automotive, boating pharmaceutical and food industries.

The company was founded in 1932 and today employs over 1,500 people. It manufactures and sells to manufactures in North and South America, Asia and Europe. In June the company “acquired Clarinol, Marinol and Pinnothin product lines from the Lipid Nutrition B.V.company which is a subsidiary of Loders Croklaan B.V. “

Stepan has good financial statements and also good revenue growth. The Stock has continues to be strong in spite of the world financial upheavals. I believe that is because the company provides intermediate ingredients for products that are considered basic necessities rather than luxury products. The company has also been distributing quarterly dividends for over 5 years.

The VP and CFO is James E. Hurlbutt who has been with the company since 1996. Mr. Hurlbutt has worked his way up from International Controller and Tax Accounting Head to Company Controller to VP of Finance to becoming the CFO in 2008. The current VP of Corporate Controller is Matthew J Eaken. These two officers are doing a good job keeping the company on course during these financially volatile times.