United Gilsonite Laboratories

What United Gilsonite Laboratories does

United Gilsonite Laboratories (UGL) is a U.S.-based specialty coatings manufacturer founded in 1932 and headquartered in Scranton, Pennsylvania. The company operates two primary retail product lines under registered trademarks: DRYLOK®, a masonry care and waterproofing product family available in multiple specialty formulations targeting basements, foundations, and exterior concrete surfaces, and ZAR®, a line of wood stains and finishes formulated with quality resins for both DIY homeowners and professional contractors. UGL serves a horizontal customer base spanning DIY consumers undertaking residential repair and improvement projects and trade professionals/contractors requiring reliable, professional-grade products, without vertical industry specialization.

The company's go-to-market is built around distribution through major U.S. home improvement retail chains for consumer DIY purchases, supplemented by an authorized dealer network serving trade professionals with dedicated ordering and support resources. Marketing relies on dedicated brand websites (drylok.com, zar.com), technical documentation and data sheets for contractor selection, DIY project galleries for consumer top-of-funnel engagement, and a dealer resources portal. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; products are available through retail and dealer channels, with quote-based ordering available for bulk or commercial purchases via fax order form. The company employs 101–250 people and does not disclose revenue.

UGL's brands DRYLOK and ZAR are now owned by Sika Corporation, a global specialty chemicals company serving construction and industrial markets, and UGL's product lines are marketed through Sika's U.S. distribution network and retail brand pages. The senior management team comprises James Tates as President and CEO and Jim Hartman as CFO. A 2020 minority investment of $25,000 from Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania represents the only documented capital event in the source data.

Name

United Gilsonite Laboratories

Website

https://ugl.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1932

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

United Gilsonite Laboratories is a Scranton, Pennsylvania-based specialty coatings manufacturer founded in 1932, producing DRYLOK masonry waterproofing and ZAR wood stains for DIY homeowners and trade professionals, distributed through U.S. home improvement retail and dealer channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Masonry Waterproofing and Wood Finishes

NAICS

Paint and Coating Manufacturing (32551)

SIC

Paints, Varnishes, Lacquers, Enamels & Allied Prods (2851)

akta.pro primary industry

Waterproof Coatings & Leak Sealing (Basements, Foundations, Roof Coatings) (HSAGADAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Concrete/Brick/Stone Sealing (Masonry Sealants) (HSAGADAH), Primers, Bonding Agents & Surface Preparation Products (IMADAOAK), Priming, Sealing & Waterproof Coatings (Stain/Smoke Sealing, Damp-Proofing) (HSAPAHAH)

Keywords

• Masonry waterproofing products
• Wood stains finishes
• Basement waterproofing coatings
• Concrete repair products
• Specialty building coatings

Headquarters

HQ city

Scranton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

United Gilsonite Laboratories (UGL) manufactures and sells specialty masonry waterproofing and concrete repair products under the DRYLOK® brand, and a line of wood stains and finishing products under the ZAR® brand. The company sells these coatings through home improvement retailers and an authorized dealer network serving DIY homeowners and trade contractors in the U.S. residential and light commercial markets.

Product overview

United Gilsonite Laboratories operates as a specialty coatings and finishes manufacturer with two primary retail brands under its portfolio: DRYLOK® and ZAR® (now owned by Sika). DRYLOK® offers masonry care and repair products in multiple specialty formulations for waterproofing and concrete protection applications. ZAR® provides a complete line of wood stains and finishes designed for both do-it-yourself homeowners and professional contractors. These products serve the residential home improvement market through hardware stores and building material retailers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• DRYLOK® DRYLOK® is a registered trademark brand of masonry care and repair products, including specialty waterproofing formulations designed for basements, foundations, and exterior concrete and masonry surfaces. It is sold to DIY homeowners and trade contractors through home improvement retailers and dealer networks.
• ZAR® ZAR® is a registered trademark brand of wood stains and finishes formulated with quality resins for interior and exterior staining and finishing applications. The product line is targeted at both DIY homeowners and professional contractors, offering ease of application and professional-grade results.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Sika CorporationcoreOthersSika Corporation acquired and now owns the United Gilsonite Laboratories brands DRYLOK and ZAR. Sika is a specialty chemicals company serving construction and industrial markets. UGL's product lines are marketed through Sika's distribution network and retail brand pages.

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Olympic Stains: Wood stain and deck-care brand (PPG) sold through home improvement retail; directly comparable to ZAR across DIY and contractor wood finishing applications.
• Rust-Oleum: Specialty coatings manufacturer with a broad portfolio of waterproofing, sealers, stains, and DIY/professional paints. Directly comparable to UGL's DRYLOK masonry waterproofing and ZAR wood-finish lines across retail and pro channels.
• Minwax: Leading wood stain and finish brand for DIYers and professionals; competes head-to-head with ZAR in wood stains and finishes distributed through home improvement retailers.
• Kilz: Specialty brand (Masterchem, Masco) for primers, sealers, masonry, and waterproofing — closely comparable to DRYLOK's masonry care/repair product line.
• Cabot: Wood care and stain brand (Valspar/Sherwin-Williams) for decking, siding, and interior wood — closely comparable to ZAR's wood stains/finishes line for DIY and pro users.
• Thompson's WaterSeal: Specialty waterproofing brand owned by Rust-Oleum/Market Spezial focused on water repellents and sealers for masonry, concrete, decks, and exterior surfaces — directly overlaps DRYLOK's waterproofing and sealer use cases.

Broad incumbents

• Sherwin-Williams: Largest U.S. paint and coatings incumbent with broad residential, commercial, and industrial offerings, including waterproofing and stains — competes with UGL across categories but as part of a much wider portfolio.
• Behr: Major architectural paint and coatings brand (PPG) sold at Home Depot; overlaps DRYLOK's waterproofing and ZAR's stains/finishes categories through a broad, mostly retail-facing portfolio.
• PPG Industries: Global paints and coatings incumbent serving architectural, industrial, and protective markets — a broad incumbent overlapping UGL's waterproofing, masonry, and wood-finish categories.

Others

• Sika Corporation: Parent/acquirer of UGL's DRYLOK and ZAR brands; a specialty chemicals and construction-materials company whose broader waterproofing, concrete, and sealant portfolio is thematically adjacent to UGL's masonry and waterproofing products.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/unitedgilsonite
• Facebookfacebook.com/UnitedGilsoniteLabs

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about United Gilsonite Laboratories