Brenntag North America, Inc. 401(k) Review & Grade
Brenntag USA 401(k) and Profit Sharing Plan
Reading, PAWholesale Trade4,574 active participantsPlan year 2024✓ Auto-enroll
Estimate from the plan's Form 5500 filing · How we grade
$6,747Employer $ per active participant
$7,341Employee $ saved per active participant
0.20%Direct admin cost, % of plan assets
$695.3MNet plan assets, end of year
$128,323Average balance per account
Score breakdown
- Employer generosity45.6 / 5091th percentile for employer $ per participant
- Low cost8.7 / 2535th percentile for low admin cost vs. same-size plans
- Employee saving12.6 / 1584th percentile for employee $ per participant
- Plan features7 / 10Auto-enrollment
- Red-flag deductions-13 pts2 issues reported on the filing
Total score61 / 100 · Grade B
This plan vs. peers
Peers: Wholesale Trade plans with 2,500–9,999 active participants (103 plans).
| Measure | Percentile |
|---|---|
| Employer $ per participant | 91th |
| Lower admin cost | 35th |
| Employee saving | 84th |
| Peers that auto-enroll | 62% |
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Red flags from the filing
Late deposits: the filing says some employee contributions were not sent to the plan on time ($1,976,506 reported). That's money taken from paychecks that sat with the employer longer than the law allows.
Corrective distributions: the plan refunded $5,061 in contributions, which usually means it failed annual nondiscrimination testing.
What to do if you're in this plan
- Brenntag North America put in about $6,747 per active participant, more than the typical peer ($2,459). Contribute at least enough to collect the full match. Skipping it leaves part of your pay on the table.
- The filing shows total dollars, not the match formula. Ask HR for the Summary Plan Description so you know the exact match and vesting schedule.
- Direct plan expenses (0.20% of assets) are well above similar-size plans (0.12%). Check your annual fee disclosure, choose low-cost index funds if you can, and think about whether savings beyond the match belong in an IRA.
- The plan auto-enrolls employees. Check your default contribution rate. Defaults are often lower than what it takes to get the full match.
- The plan reported late deposits of employee contributions. Compare your pay stubs with your account statements, and contact the plan administrator if money shows up late.
- Changing jobs? You can usually leave the money in the plan, move it to your new employer's plan, or roll it into an IRA. Don't cash out: you'd owe taxes and possibly a 10% penalty.
The raw numbers from the filing
| Employer contributions | $30,863,392 |
| Participant (employee) contributions | $33,581,440 |
| Other contributions (incl. rollovers in) | $6,683,930 |
| Administrative expenses paid from the plan | $1,324,094 |
| Investment advisory & management fees | $929,754 |
| Other admin expenses | $1,000 |
| Benefits paid out | $83,787,321 |
| Net assets, start / end of year | $630.0M / $695.3M |
| Active participants, start / end of year | 4,619 / 4,530 |
| Participants with account balances | 5,418 |
| Auto-enrollment (feature code 2S) | Yes |
| Auditor | Baker Tilly US, LLP |
Largest service providers (Schedule C)
| Empower Annuity Insurance Company | $1,035,635 reported compensation |
| Capfinancial Partners LLC DBA Captr | $275,052 reported compensation |
| NBT Bank NA DBA Third Party Adminis | $12,406 reported compensation |
Source: DOL EFAST2 Form 5500 filing, acknowledgment ID 20260813154938NAL0009713201001, received 2026-08-13, EIN 20-0552719, plan #001, plan year 2024-01-01 to 2024-12-31. Verify at efast.dol.gov.