Most recruiters covering chemicals cover eleven other things as well. We don't. Every desk here is a sector desk, and every engagement is run by someone who already knows the people you're trying to reach.
Why a narrow focus is the strategy
M&A, raw material costs, regulation and relentless innovation have transformed the chemical landscape over the last decade. Generalist recruiters can't keep up with it. Understanding why a coatings formulator and a personal care formulator are not interchangeable, or which three competitors within an hour of a site are the realistic source of an operations hire, is not something you learn inside a four-week assignment.
We work across 15+ sectors within chemicals and plastics: agrochemicals, CASE, chemical distribution, fuels and lubricants, home and personal care, industrial chemicals, printing, packaging and inks, emerging specialty chemistry, and on the plastics side automotive, consumer, electrical and electronics, industrial, medical, packaging, polymer additives and specialty applications.
Transatlantic by design, not by accident
Chemical and plastics businesses don't stop at borders, and neither do the best candidates. We run one search team across both markets rather than referring work to a partner firm.
Americas
Coast-to-coast coverage of the US specialty chemical and plastics market, from Gulf Coast production through to East Coast headquarters.
EMEA
Headquartered in London, with reach across the UK, DACH, Benelux and the wider European chemical corridor.
When a US business needs a European commercial lead, or a European group is standing up a US operation, that is the same team on both sides, not a handover.
Three models. One standard.
We run retained search for business-critical and confidential leadership hires, contingent search for commercial and technical roles where you pay only on success, and RPO when you're scaling a site, entering a new region or building a function from scratch.
The model should follow the role, not the relationship. Part of our job is telling you when the cheaper option is the right one. We've written about how we make that call.
How we work
| Stage | What happens | When |
|---|---|---|
| Confidential briefing | A deep dive on the role, the team and what "exceptional" looks like for you. Not a form-filling exercise. | Day 1 |
| Market mapping | We map the live market: who's where, who's ready to move, and who you'd never find on a job board. | Days 2–5 |
| Qualified shortlist | Interviewed, referenced and genuinely interested candidates, with our honest read on each. | Days 6–10 |
| Offer & onboard | Interviews, expectations and counter-offers managed through to a signed contract and a smooth start. | To completion |
"Elliott took the time to genuinely understand our business before presenting a single CV. The candidates were exceptional, and the one we hired has been transformative."
Alistair Lowe · Sales Manager, PMC Group
The details
MK Search Ltd is registered in England and Wales, company number 14109335, at 27 Old Gloucester Street, London, WC1N 3AX.
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