What Safety-Kleen Systems does

Safety-Kleen Systems is the largest re-refiner of used oil and a leading provider of parts cleaning services in North America, operating as a wholly-owned Environmental Services division of Clean Harbors (NYSE: CLH) since 2016. Founded in 1972 and headquartered in Richardson, Texas with the parent's corporate base in Norwell, Massachusetts, the company employs between 5,001 and 10,000 people across a service territory covering the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. Its core business revolves around a closed-loop oil re-refining system that collects used petroleum products, processes over 200 million gallons annually, and converts them back into high-quality lubricating oils marketed under the Performance Plus and KLEEN+ brands.

The company's service portfolio spans seven integrated categories: parts washers (aqueous and solvent-based equipment with proprietary chemistries including CleanPerc), oil collection and re-refining with oil filter recycling, vacuum truck services via a fleet of 220+ specialized trucks, hazardous and non-hazardous waste handling (fuel blending, landfill, incineration through parent infrastructure with 65,000+ tons/year capacity, and wastewater treatment), regulatory compliance services, total project management, and emergency response. Supporting infrastructure includes 8,000+ vehicles, 4,000+ drivers traversing 130+ million miles annually, and dedicated branch locations nationwide. The product business extends the service platform with absorbents (distributed via PIG/NewPig and Kimberly-Clark partnerships), windshield washer fluids, antifreeze, cleaning products, PFAS test kits, prepaid recycling kits, and storage/containment equipment sold through both direct field sales and an e-commerce storefront.

Revenue is generated through three primary mechanisms: recurring service contracts (environmental services and parts cleaning on subscription cadences), one-time product sales through direct and e-commerce channels, and project-based professional services including emergency response. The go-to-market combines enterprise field sales via dedicated account representatives managing branch-coordinated service delivery with a direct-to-consumer e-commerce motion (store.safety-kleen.com) for smaller supplies. Customer segments are diversified across Automotive, Industrial Manufacturing, and Specialty/Government verticals, including auto dealerships, trucking fleets, fabricated and primary metal manufacturers, food and beverage producers, healthcare facilities, and government/military installations. Unit pricing for consumables ranges from roughly $45 for absorbent bags to $512 for spill containment kits, with service pricing typically quote-based.

Name

Safety-Kleen Systems

Legal name

Safety-Kleen Systems, Inc.

Website

https://safety-kleen.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Safety-Kleen Systems is North America's largest used oil re-refiner and a leading parts cleaning and environmental services provider, operating as a Clean Harbors division. It serves automotive, industrial, and government customers across the US, Canada, and Puerto Rico via a closed-loop service platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Services and Used Oil Recycling

NAICS

Waste Management and Remediation Services (562), Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing (324)

SIC

Sanitary Services (4950), Oil & Gas Field Machinery & Equipment (3533), Wholesale-Petroleum & Petroleum Products (No Bulk Stations) (5172)

akta.pro primary industry

Used Oil & Oily Waste Management (Collection, Re-refining, Disposal) (BPALAFAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Oil & Chemical Spill Response (Industrial) (BPALAHAK), Industrial Vacuum & Tank Cleaning Services (Non-hazardous) (EUAIAGAL), Emergency Spill Response & Environmental Cleanup (Oil/Chemical Spills) (BPALAKAM), Maintenance Lubrication & Oil Handling Equipment (Greasing, Dispensing, Used Oil) (IMAHALAJ)

Keywords

• Used oil recycling
• Parts cleaning services
• Hazardous waste management
• Oil re-refining
• Environmental services

Headquarters

HQ city

Richardson

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Environmental Services: Recurring service contracts for hazardous and non-hazardous waste collection, parts cleaning services, and regulatory compliance management. Services delivered through over 220 vacuum trucks and field technicians.
2. Product Sales: Sale of environmental products including absorbents (PIG brand), wipers, recycling kits, spill containment equipment, and parts cleaning supplies through e-commerce and direct sales.
3. Emergency Response Services: Project-based hazardous materials cleanup and emergency response services, typically on-demand or contract-based.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Safety-Kleen Systems is North America's largest re-refiner of used oil and provider of parts cleaning services. The company delivers recurring environmental services—used oil collection and re-refining, parts cleaning equipment and chemistries, vacuum truck pumping, hazardous and non-hazardous waste handling, compliance training, total project management, and emergency response—alongside a complementary product line of lubricants, absorbents, antifreeze/coolants, cleaning products, and recycling kits sold through field sales and an e-commerce store.

Product overview

Safety-Kleen Systems is the largest re-refiner of used oil and provider of parts cleaning services in North America, operating a comprehensive environmental services platform with more than 50 years of experience. The company's portfolio consists of a closed-loop system built around seven core service areas: Parts Washers (aqueous and solvent-based equipment and chemistries), Oil Collection Services (used oil collection, re-refining, and filter recycling processing over 200 million gallons annually), Vacuum Truck Services (220+ truck fleet), Waste Services (fuel blending, landfill, incineration, wastewater), Compliance Services (training, seminars, SDS programs), Total Project Management, and Emergency Response. Supporting these services is a complementary product line including Performance Plus Lubricants (motor oils, driveline fluids, gear oils, hydraulic fluids, greases), Absorbents (mats, socks, booms, wipers), IceBreaker windshield washer fluid, Antifreeze & Coolants, Cleaning Products, Storage & Accessories, PFAS Test Kits, Recycling Kits, KLEEN+ Base Oils, and CleanPerc solvent. The company operates through both service delivery and an e-commerce store (store.safety-kleen.com) for product sales.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Performance Plus: Full line of oils and lubricants made with high-quality additive packages and base oils backed by more than 30 years of innovation, research and testing.
• OilPlus
• KLEEN+
• CleanPerc
• IceBreaker
• SumpKleen

Products and services

• Parts Washers Comprehensive parts-cleaning equipment and solutions including aqueous parts washers, solvent parts washers, paint gun cleaning services, coolant filtration systems, and associated solvents and chemistries. For automotive, industrial, and manufacturing customers needing recurring parts cleaning.
• Oil Collection Services Collection, re-refining, and filter recycling of used oil from automotive, industrial, and commercial generators. North America's largest used oil re-refiner, processing 200+ million gallons annually. Includes Used Oil Collection, Oil Re-Refining, and Oil Filter Recycling sub-services.
• Vacuum Truck Services North American fleet of over 220 vacuum trucks pumping liquid, sludge, and solids at customer facilities with proper waste disposal. Includes Oil Water Separator service, SumpKleen sump cleaning, and trenching services.
• Waste Services Hazardous and non-hazardous waste handling, recycling, and disposal including fuel blending, landfill, incineration (65,000+ tons/year capacity), wastewater treatment, and universal waste management.
• Compliance Services Environmental compliance support including compliance training, seminars, SDS programs, and online courses helping businesses meet EPA and OSHA regulatory requirements.
• Total Project Management Comprehensive project management for environmental projects including field services, technical services (lab packing, sampling), and remediation solutions.
• Emergency Response Emergency response and disaster recovery services offered through Clean Harbors, providing instant access to professionally-trained emergency response teams with subscription program options. Includes Total Storm Response.
• Performance Plus Lubricants Full line of motor oils, driveline fluids, gear oils, hydraulic fluids, industrial fluids, and greases made with high-quality base oils and industry-leading additive packages, backed by 30+ years of innovation and testing.
• Absorbents Line of absorbent products for industrial and automotive spill cleanup including mats, socks, pillows, booms, loose/granular absorbents, and heavy-duty wipers. Distributed in partnership with PIG and Kimberly-Clark brands.
• IceBreaker Windshield Washer Fluid Class II combustible windshield washer fluid providing freeze protection down to -11°F with non-flammable formula. Available in bulk delivery with seasonal blends to reduce pricing.
• Antifreeze & Coolants Performance Plus antifreeze and coolant in heavy-duty and light-duty extended life NAPS-free OAT formulations, compatible with most vehicle types for year-round engine protection.
• Cleaning Products Industrial cleaning products including glass cleaners, degreasers, and professional aerosols for automotive and commercial applications.
• Storage & Accessories Safety storage and handling equipment including spill kits, safety cabinets, containment units, and accessories for hazardous liquid management.
• PFAS Test Kits PFAS contamination testing kits for wastewater, drinking water, and soil sampling with prepaid mailback system for lab analysis using EPA 1633 validated methods.
• Recycling Kits Prepaid recycling kits for various waste materials including lamp boxes, electronic scrap boxes, ballast, lithium batteries, lead-acid batteries, dry cell batteries, thermostats, mercury devices, and compact fluorescent lamps.
• OilPlus Program Membership program combining used oil collection services with Performance Plus lubricants for valued program members.
• KLEEN+ Base Oils High-quality base stock delivering enhanced performance in end products with additional sustainability benefits.
• CleanPerc Perchloroethylene-free solvent solution for industrial parts cleaning applications.

Quantifiable outcome

• 200+ million gallons of used oil re-refined annually
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• PIG (NewPig)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPIG brand absorbents are sold through Safety-Kleen's e-commerce store and service channels. Safety-Kleen distributes PIG spill and containment products as part of their environmental product offerings.
• Kimberly-ClarkminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKimberly-Clark professional wipers are sold through Safety-Kleen's distribution channels and e-commerce platform, complementing their parts cleaning and industrial wiping product lines.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Veolia Environmental Services: Veolia operates hazardous waste treatment, recycling, and re-refining facilities in North America through subsidiaries including Veolia ES Hazardous Waste and Veolia North America's industrial services. It is a broad incumbent with comparable used-oil and hazardous-waste capabilities and competes for large industrial and government accounts.
• Clean Harbors: Clean Harbors (NYSE: CLH) is Safety-Kleen's publicly traded parent and the largest North American provider of environmental, hazardous waste, and industrial services. It is the broad incumbent in the same space, offering emergency response, waste disposal, and remediation services that Safety-Kleen leverages and partially overlaps with.
• Stericycle: Stericycle provides regulated waste management and compliance services including hazardous waste, medical waste, and document destruction across North America. It is a broad incumbent with overlapping hazardous waste collection and disposal capabilities serving industrial and healthcare customers similar to Safety-Kleen's specialty segment.
• Republic Services: Republic Services (NYSE: RSG) is a major North American environmental services provider offering industrial waste, recycling, and used oil collection through its environmental solutions group. It competes with Safety-Kleen for industrial customers' hazardous and non-hazardous waste contracts and vacuum truck services at regional level.
• Waste Management: Waste Management (NYSE: WM) is North America's largest solid waste services provider with growing environmental services, industrial waste, and used oil recycling offerings through its WM Specialty Services segment. It competes with Safety-Kleen in non-hazardous industrial waste collection, vacuum truck services, and parts cleaning at large national accounts.

Direct peers

• Heritage-Crystal Clean: Heritage-Crystal Clean (NASDAQ: HCCI) is the closest direct peer, operating parts cleaning, used oil collection, and re-refining, plus industrial waste services in North America. It directly competes with Safety-Kleen across automotive dealerships, industrial accounts, and used oil recovery, with a comparable business model centered on parts washer placement and closed-loop used oil re-refining.

Emerging players

• Vertex Energy: Vertex Energy (NASDAQ: VTNR) is an emerging specialty player focused on used motor oil re-refining and the production of base oils and petroleum products. It directly competes with Safety-Kleen in the re-refining segment, though at a smaller scale, and is pursuing capacity expansion in the same North American market.

Regional players

• GFL Environmental: GFL Environmental (NYSE: GFL) is a Canadian-based environmental services company with a significant U.S. footprint in solid waste, liquid waste, and industrial cleaning services. It serves many of the same industrial manufacturing and automotive end markets in Canada, overlapping with Safety-Kleen's Canadian territory.
• Rumpke Consolidated Companies: Rumpke is a privately held regional waste and recycling services provider operating across the Midwest and Southeast United States. It competes with Safety-Kleen for industrial waste, vacuum truck, and parts cleaning contracts in its geographic footprint.

Others

• New Pig Corporation: New Pig is the manufacturer of PIG brand absorbents, spill containment, and wipers, which Safety-Kleen distributes through its e-commerce and field sales channels. It is an adjacent product partner rather than a competitor, supplying a meaningful input into Safety-Kleen's absorbents revenue stream.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/safetykleen
• Facebookfacebook.com/cleanharborsenvironmental
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/safety-kleen

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A1 record

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Safety-Kleen Systems