Qualus
Qualus is a UK-based cleantech company that sells its patented Sferes polymer-sphere system and Qualus-as-a-Service subscription to leather tanneries supplying automotive, luxury fashion, and premium footwear brands, reducing water, chemicals, effluent, and cycle times while improving profitability.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Qualus does
Qualus is a UK-based sustainable leather-technology company founded in 2013 that develops and commercializes its patented Sferes polymer-sphere system for use in the leather retanning process. Sferes are small polymer granules that replace much of the water in conventional retanning drums, enhancing mechanical action and chemical delivery into the hide fiber structure. The technology originated from PhD research conducted at the University of Northampton's Institute of Creative Leather Technologies and is protected by patents covering both tanning and retanning applications.
Qualus generates revenue through two intertwined streams: a subscription-based Qualus-as-a-Service (QaaS) model under which it ships clean Sferes to tanneries daily, collects and cleans them at regional Qualus Service Centers, and redelivers a fresh batch; and one-time sales of related equipment such as the Sferes Cleaning Station. Customer investment is structured with low upfront cost and costs spread across six months, with payback typically achieved within the same window. The company sells B2B into leather tanneries, primarily those supplying automotive OEMs, luxury fashion brands, and premium footwear, and reports material environmental outcomes for customers including 30-40% lower water use, 10-20% lower chemical use, 25-35% less effluent, 20% shorter cycle times, and 40-90% profit uplift.
Qualus goes to market via a staged enterprise sales motion: on-site demonstrations in R&D drums (1-2 weeks), scale-up on 1-3 production drums (up to 3 months), then full-rollout adoption. Geographic footprint centers on regional QSCs in Ranipet (India), Leon (Mexico), and Novo Hamburgo (Brazil), with additional deployments in France and trial operations across Europe, East Africa, and Southeast Asia. The company completed a management buyout from Xeros in 2019 and has raised modest disclosed funding (approximately $4M cumulative across 2021-2023) to scale technology, expand markets, and build out QaaS infrastructure.
Qualus firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Qualus
- Legal name
- Qualus
- Website
- https://qualus.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- Qualus is a UK-based cleantech company that sells its patented Sferes polymer-sphere system and Qualus-as-a-Service subscription to leather tanneries supplying automotive, luxury fashion, and premium footwear brands, reducing water, chemicals, effluent, and cycle times while improving profitability.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Qualus industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Leather Processing Technology Services
- NAICS
- Other Leather and Allied Product Manufacturing (31699)
- SIC
- Leather & Leather Products (3100)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Leather Effluent Treatment & Environmental Compliance Services (IMAOAGAO)
Keywords
Where Qualus is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices5 records
Markets served
Qualus business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Qualus-as-a-Service (QaaS): Daily Sferes supply and collection service model. Qualus ships Sferes daily to tanneries, collects used Sferes for cleaning at Qualus Service Centers, and delivers fresh Sferes. Revenue generated from recurring service fees spread across 6-month periods. Low upfront customer investment with payback typically within 6 months.
- Equipment and System Sales: Sale of Sferes Cleaning Station and related equipment for handling Sferes in tannery drums. Modifications to existing drums are described as easy and low-cost. Part of the initial adoption process alongside QaaS.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Qualus-as-a-Service (QaaS) - Daily Sferes supply and collection service |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Initial Scale-Up - 1-3 production drums for up to 3 months |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Qualus product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Qualus provides patented Sferes™ polymer sphere technology and the Qualus-as-a-Service (QaaS™) delivery model to leather tanneries globally. Small polymer granules replace much of the water used in the retanning process, enhancing mechanical action inside tannery drums and improving chemical delivery. The service includes daily Sferes supply, collection, cleaning at regional Qualus Service Centers, and delivery of refreshed Sferes, enabling tanneries to reduce water (30-40%), chemicals (10-20%), and production time (20%) while increasing profits by 40-90%.
Product overview
Qualus is a sustainable leather technology company offering a portfolio centered on its patented Sferes™ polymer ball technology for leather tanneries. The core product, Sferes, are small polymer granules that replace water in the retanning process, reducing water and chemical usage while improving leather quality. This technology is delivered through the Qualus-as-a-Service (QaaS) model, which provides tanneries with Sferes, operates regional Qualus Service Centers (QSC) for cleaning and reuse, and supports customers through demonstration, scale-up, and full rollout phases. The company targets tanneries supplying automotive, footwear, and luxury goods industries across India, Mexico, Brazil, and France.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Sferes™ Polymer Spheres Small polymer granules about the size of garden peas that replace much of the water used in the leather retanning process. Sferes enhance mechanical action inside tannery drums, improving chemical delivery to hide fiber structures. Unlike water that is flushed after each cycle, Sferes can be reused cycle after cycle for several years, enabling water reduction (30-40%), chemical reduction (10-20%), and production time reduction (20%).
- Qualus-as-a-Service (QaaS™) A subscription service model where Qualus ships fresh Sferes daily to tanneries, collects used Sferes the next day, cleans them at regional Qualus Service Centers (QSCs), and delivers refreshed Sferes. Enables low upfront customer investment with costs spread across 6 months and equipment typically paying back within 6 months.
- Sferes Cleaning Station Equipment designed for cleaning Sferes after use in leather production to enable reuse across multiple production cycles. Enhanced during the 2020 Covid lockdown to be lower-cost, smaller, and more efficient.
Quantifiable outcome
- 30-40% less water consumption in retanning process
- +7 more outcomes
Companies that use Qualus
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Qualus technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Qualus partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Institute of Creative Leather Technologies (ICLT) at University of NorthamptoncoreResearch partnership established 2013 for developing Sferes technology. Qualus built initial research facility at ICLT to investigate polymer sphere technology for leather processing. Core patents based on research conducted at this institution.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Qualus competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Xeros Technologies: Xeros developed the original polymer bead technology from which Qualus spun out via a 2019 management buyout. It applies similar reusable-polymer-bead principles to laundry and textile processing — making it the closest technological analog and a former parent entity.
Broad incumbents
- Stahl International: One of the largest global suppliers of specialty chemicals and process technologies to the leather industry, including retanning chemicals and finishes. Stahl serves the same tannery customers Qualus targets, providing incumbent chemical solutions that compete for the sustainability-driven capex budget.
- Lanxess (now LANXESS Leather business): Major specialty chemicals supplier with a leather business unit producing retanning, fatliquoring, and finishing chemistries used in the same retanning step where Qualus' Sferes operate. Lanxess' scale and existing tannery relationships make it a primary competitor for the water/chemical reduction budget.
- Smit & Zoon: Dutch specialty chemicals producer focused on leather processing, including retanning and wet-end chemistries. Smit & Zoon's customer base overlaps directly with Qualus' targeted automotive and luxury tanneries and competes for the same sustainability-improvement mandate.
- Trumpler: Specialty chemicals manufacturer with a dedicated leather division supplying tanning and retanning auxiliaries to tanneries worldwide. Trumpler competes for the same wet-process improvement budgets and has comparable reach across European, Asian, and South American tannery clusters.
- TFL (now part of Stahl):
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Qualus social profiles
Digital presenceQualus financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Qualus leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Qualus funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors5 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Qualus M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Qualus
What does Qualus do?
Qualus provides patented Sferes™ polymer sphere technology and the Qualus-as-a-Service (QaaS™) delivery model to leather tanneries globally. Small polymer granules replace much of the water used in the retanning process, enhancing mechanical action inside tannery drums and improving chemical delivery. The service includes daily Sferes supply, collection, cleaning at regional Qualus Service Centers, and delivery of refreshed Sferes, enabling tanneries to reduce water (30-40%), chemicals (10-20%), and production time (20%) while increasing profits by 40-90%.
Is Qualus a public or private company?
Qualus is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Qualus founded?
Qualus was founded in 2013. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is Qualus based?
Qualus is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Qualus make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Qualus-as-a-Service (QaaS) is the primary driver. The others are equipment and System Sales.
Who are Qualus's main competitors?
Xeros Technologies is listed as a direct peer. Broad incumbents are Stahl International, Lanxess (now LANXESS Leather business), Smit & Zoon, Trumpler and TFL (now part of Stahl).
Does Qualus have an API?
No public API is recorded for Qualus.
What industry is Qualus in?
Qualus's product category is Leather Processing Technology Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAOAGAO, Leather Effluent Treatment & Environmental Compliance Services. Its NAICS code is 31699 and its SIC code is 3100.