History

Miles Chemical Company has been in business since 1996.

What we started as

A chemical distributor serving Southern California manufacturers — the metal finishers, platers, and job shops that make up the industrial base of the San Fernando Valley and the surrounding region.

That customer base is still the core of the business, and several of those original accounts are still customers.

What we added, and why

Blending. Customers kept asking for a product slightly different from what was on the shelf — a different concentration, a formula matched to what they were already buying, a private-label version for their own resale. Building the blending capability was the answer to a question customers were already asking.

The laboratory. Blending without analysis is guessing. The laboratory came in to release batches against specification, and then customers started sending in bath samples for analysis, which turned an internal quality function into a service.

Environmental services. Every chemical delivery eventually produces something that has to leave — spent solution, empty containers, off-spec material. Handling the outbound half meant customers stopped needing a second vendor and a second schedule.

Third-party logistics. Permitted chemical storage is scarce and expensive to build. Having it already meant we could hold and handle product for customers who needed the space more than they needed another building.

What has not changed

The phone is still answered by someone who can price the item, check stock, and tell you the next delivery day to your area.

We still recognise that our customers’ quality depends in part on the quality of their suppliers, which is the argument behind every certification we hold and every batch record we keep.