Description General Chemical Performance Products can be found in your water pipes, in your refrigerator, and inside your medicine cabinet. General Chemical manufactures performance chemicals for such industries as food additives and pharmaceuticals (active ingredients for drugs), environmental services (water treatment), high technology (chemicals for semiconductor manufacturing), and chemicals processing. In 2009 private equity group American Securities paid $675 million including debt to buy General Chemical's parent company, GenTek, and its subsidiaries.