Who Owns MOLYKOTE?
MOLYKOTE is owned by DuPont de Nemours, Inc. (NYSE: DD), a publicly traded American materials company headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware. Founded in 1948 by scientist Alfred Sonntag around the first molybdenum disulfide lubricants, the brand passed through Dow Corning and Dow before joining DuPont in 2019, and it now sells more than 550 specialty lubricant products worldwide.
MOLYKOTE Timeline
Who Owns MOLYKOTE?
- Parent Company: DuPont
- Ownership Type: Product line
- Acquisition Year: 2019
- Company Type: Publicly Traded
- Stock Ticker: NYSE: DD
| Brand | Parent Company | Ownership Type |
|---|---|---|
| MOLYKOTE | DuPont | Product line |
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History of MOLYKOTE
- Founded: 1948
- Founders: Alfred Sonntag
- Acquired by DuPont: 2019
The brand begins with a failing test machine. Engineer Alfred Sonntag's aircraft-vibration rig kept suffering stick-slip failures in the 1930s, and his search for a fix led to molybdenum disulfide, a mineral lubricant described in 18th-century scientific writings. Sonntag founded the Sonntag Scientific Corporation in 1940 to develop the material, then established Alpha Molykote in Stamford, Connecticut in 1948 to commercialize the world's first MoS2 lubricants.
Dow Corning acquired the business in 1964, folding the solid-film lubricants into its growing specialty materials line. Under Dow Corning the brand expanded well past its molybdenum roots, adding silicone-based lubricants, greases for plastics, anti-friction coatings, and application engineering services that turned it into a full tribology portfolio.
The corporate march continued when the Dow Corning joint venture dissolved in 2016 and the business joined Dow Chemical. The 2019 DowDuPont separation then assigned MOLYKOTE to the new DuPont. DuPont marked the brand's 75th anniversary in 2023, noting a range exceeding 550 products across hydrocarbon, silicone, perfluoropolyether, and dry-film chemistries, with development emphasis on noise and vibration control, durability, and lower-environmental-impact formulations.
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About DuPont
Who owns DuPont?
DuPont is a publicly traded company listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol DD. The company is owned by its shareholders, including institutional investors, mutual funds, and individual investors. The company is governed by a 13-member Board of Directors led by Executive Chairman Edward D. Breen and CEO Lori Koch.
Is DuPont publicly traded?
Yes, DuPont is publicly traded on NYSE under the ticker symbol DD. The company reported FY2025 continuing operations net sales of $6.85 billion and adjusted EPS of $1.68. In Q2 2026, net sales were $1.82 billion with adjusted EPS of $1.88. A 1-for-3 reverse stock split became effective on June 24, 2026.
Who is the CEO of DuPont?
Lori Koch has served as CEO of DuPont since June 2024, succeeding Edward D. Breen, who transitioned to Executive Chairman. Koch has guided the company through its Electronics separation into Qnity Electronics (completed November 2025) and the sale of its Aramids business (completed April 2026).
When was DuPont founded?
DuPont was founded in 1802 by Eleuthere Irenee du Pont, a French-American chemist who established a gunpowder mill on the Brandywine Creek near Wilmington, Delaware. The company has operated for over 220 years and is one of America's oldest continuously operating industrial companies.
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What is DuPont's annual revenue?
DuPont reported FY2025 continuing operations net sales of $6.85 billion, up 2% from $6.72 billion in FY2024. Operating EBITDA was $1.63 billion with a 23.8% margin. For FY2026, the company guides to net sales of $7.16 to $7.19 billion and adjusted EPS of $7.17 to $7.32. In Q2 2026, net sales were $1.82 billion, up 4% year-over-year.
What brands does DuPont own?
DuPont's brand portfolio includes Tyvek (protective materials and building wraps), FilmTec (water treatment membranes), AmberLite (ion exchange resins), BETAMATE (structural adhesives), BETATECH (thermal interface materials), Pyralux (flexible circuit materials), Kalrez (perfluoroelastomer seals), and Vamac (elastomers). The company sold its Aramids brands including Kevlar and Nomex to Arclin in April 2026.
What happened to DuPont's Electronics business?
DuPont completed the separation of its Electronics business into Qnity Electronics, Inc. on November 1, 2025, through a tax-free distribution of Qnity common stock to DuPont shareholders of record as of October 22, 2025. Qnity now operates as an independent public company. DuPont initially planned to separate into three companies but decided in January 2025 to retain its Water business.
What controversies has DuPont faced?
DuPont has faced significant PFAS-related litigation, resulting in a settlement with the State of New Jersey totaling $875 million over 25 years (shared with Chemours and Corteva). The company also faces ongoing environmental compliance scrutiny related to historical chemical manufacturing. The Electronics separation and Aramids divestiture involved complex liability allocations, including certain PFAS liabilities assumed by Qnity Electronics.
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- Founded: 1802
- Headquarters: Wilmington, Delaware, USA
- Company Type: Publicly Traded
- Stock: NYSE: DD
- Revenue: $6.85 billion (FY2025, continuing operations)
- Employees: Approximately 18,000
Where Is MOLYKOTE Made / Based?
- Headquarters: Wilmington, Delaware, USA
- Manufacturing / Operations: United States, Germany, Japan
MOLYKOTE Categories & Tags
MOLYKOTE Sustainability & Ethics
DuPont frames the brand's sustainability through friction reduction: lubricants that cut energy loss and extend component life reduce resource consumption downstream. The product development program emphasizes reduced lubricant bleed, longer relubrication intervals, and formulations designed for eco-label compliance in sensitive uses like food equipment and automotive interiors.
As with all chemical consumables, the brand carries handling and disposal requirements documented in its safety data sheets. No greenwashing determinations or environmental violations specific to the brand are on record.
Awards & Recognition
DuPont publicly marked MOLYKOTE's 75th anniversary in February 2023, an industry recognition milestone covered across the maintenance and tribology trade press. The brand's standing rests more on engineering specifications than consumer awards: MOLYKOTE products are specified by name in automotive, appliance, and industrial OEM documentation worldwide.
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MOLYKOTE Ownership: Pros & Cons
Advantages
- +75-plus-year brand with OEM specification pull-through
- +Application engineering model commands premium pricing
- +Distribution through more than 3,000 partner organizations
- +Product breadth across hydrocarbon, silicone, and dry-film chemistries
- +Friction-reduction positioning fits industrial efficiency demand
Considerations
- -Competitors match individual product performance at lower prices
- -Specialty volumes limit scale economics versus commodity lubricants
- -Distribution-dependent reach creates channel-share competition
- -Raw material cost volatility compresses margins in tight cycles
Frequently Asked Questions About MOLYKOTE
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Sources & Further Reading
- MOLYKOTE Specialty Lubricants
- MOLYKOTE History
- DuPont Investor Relations
- DuPont 10-K (SEC EDGAR)
- DuPont Company Page — /companies/dupont
Competitors to MOLYKOTE
No direct competitors found in the same category. This could be because MOLYKOTEoperates in a unique market segment or we're still building our competitor database.
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DuPont Stock Information
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