Quaker Houghton (KWR)

Metalworking fluids maker, 4,700, 81% abroad. Read October 20, 2026 from the annual report for the period ending December 31, 2025, filed February 23, 2026. Ranked 18 of the 62 Basic Materials companies read so far, by the share within reach now.

The filing states 4,700 full-time employees, 900 in the U.S., in one specialty chemicals business with nothing counted by segment, so one chemical pattern carries the workforce.

The figures on this page come from the company's own annual report and from BLS staffing patterns for its industries, never from a roster. They are estimates with a stated method. Nothing here says what the company will do: within reach is not a forecast of jobs lost or of savings.

What follows from the reading

Share of working time within reach of AI, on the long-run pace at four in five: 20% now, 32% at the end of 2027, 37% at the end of 2028, 39% at the end of 2030. By the patterns, the work is about 39% desk work, 13% people work and 49% body work. These are the site's industry estimates weighted by the shares below: estimates with a stated method and range, not a forecast of what the company will do. By the same patterns, at the end of 2028 about 61% of the working time stays with people (conversation, in-person and hands-on work), 33% becomes checking a model's work and 4% could be handed over with lighter checks, from the industries' own figures, not the company's roles.

Headcount

4,700 employees as of December 31, 2025 (stated). The filing states approximately 900 of 4,700 employed by the parent and its U.S. subsidiaries and 3,800 by non-U.S. subsidiaries.

The filing: “On December 31, 2025, Quaker Houghton had approximately 4,700 full-time employees globally of whom approximately 900 were employed by the parent company and its U.S. subsidiaries, and approximately 3,800 were employed by its non-U.S. subsidiaries.”

The workforce as industry patterns

What the filing says about the workforce: About 4,700 full-time employees, 900 in the U.S. and 3,800 abroad; segments are Americas, EMEA and Asia Pacific by region; a leadership competency model introduced in 2025.

Companies read with the same leading pattern

Other companies whose largest staffing pattern is also Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only), largest first, each read from its own annual report. Within reach now and at the end of 2028, long-run pace, four in five.

• Linde plc (LIN, 65,177 employees)20% now, 39% by 2028
• Ecolab Inc. (ECL, 48,000 employees)19% now, 34% by 2028
• Dow Inc. (DOW, 34,600 employees)20% now, 37% by 2028
• Corteva, Inc. (CTVA, 21,500 employees)15% now, 25% by 2028
• Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. (APD, 21,300 employees)20% now, 37% by 2028
• LyondellBasell Industries N.V. (LYB, 18,970 employees)20% now, 37% by 2028
• DuPont de Nemours, Inc. (DD, 15,000 employees)19% now, 35% by 2028
• Eastman Chemical Company (EMN, 13,000 employees)20% now, 37% by 2028

What the filing says about AI

9 sentences in the filing name AI. The filing says its deployment of AI in operations, products and services is currently limited and names competitive, legal and operational risks from AI, including algorithmic errors and biased training data.

• “We are subject to risks associated with the development and use of artificial intelligence ("AI") technologies by us and third parties Although currently limited, the deployment of AI technologies in our operations, products, and services may expose us to significant competitive, legal, regulatory, and operational risks.”
• “There can be no assurance that our use of AI will achieve the intended benefits or enhance our business as anticipated.”
• “Competitors may be more effective in leveraging AI tools, developing superior products or applications, or optimizing their operations, which could place us at a competitive disadvantage. 17 The use of AI also presents risks related to algorithmic errors, flawed or biased training data, or unintended consequences resulting from AI-driven processes.”
• “Our AI applications may inadvertently result in the loss or unauthorized disclosure of confidential information or intellectual property and may complicate our ability to claim or enforce intellectual property rights.”
• “We may also face increased risks of intellectual property infringement, data privacy violations, cybersecurity breaches, or unauthorized use of company or customer data as a result of AI implementation.”

Its annual reports, year by year

Sentences naming AI in each annual report, counted by one rule, beside the median report in the Index that year. Each count links its filing. Every company, by year and sector

• Fiscal 20210median 0
• Fiscal 20220median 0
• Fiscal 20230median 1
• Fiscal 20240median 4
• Fiscal 20259median 10

Headcount by filing year

As reported in each year's annual report, with the filing. A year marked not read had no figure the reading could take from the report's text.

Limits of this reading

• The filing counts full-time employees and states no other count.
• The SIC code is miscellaneous petroleum products; the fluids are read at the chemical pattern the filing's own description of a specialty chemicals company supports.

Source: the company's annual report on EDGAR, accession 0001628280-26-010694, the filing. Read by Claude Fable 5.1 under rubric version 1, by the method. A company can write to info@stratussc.com to have its reading checked against its filing.