A computerized data processing system can assist a user in locating specialty chemical products having particular intrinsic properties specified by the user. The system can query a database to identify commercially available chemical product(s) that best conform to the intrinsic properties identified by the user. Query results are sent to a client computer for presentation to a user. In some cases, the user may request formulation of a new product conforming to the search parameters. The ability to automatically request formulation of a new product can assist the user where, for example, the commercially available chemical products do not adequately conform to the desired properties. This formulation request is received at the server and a formulator database is queried to select a set of experts with appropriate product formulation skills. The system can then automatically distribute the user's formulation request to each of these experts.