Chemical Guys
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1968
- HeadquartersGardena, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
Chemical Guys firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Chemical Guys
- Website
- https://www.chemicalguys.com/
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1968
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Chemical Guys industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Auto Detailing and Car Care Products
- NAICS
- Soap and Cleaning Compound Manufacturing (32561), Polish and Other Sanitation Good Manufacturing (325612), Automotive Parts and Accessories Retailers (44133)
- SIC
- Chemicals & Allied Products (2800), Motor Vehicle Parts & Accessories (3714)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Aftermarket Fluids, Lubricants & Chemical Products Manufacturing (Oils/Coolants/Additives/Cleaners) (IMACANAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Automotive & Transportation Coatings (IMAEAHAC), Car Wash, Auto Detailing & Vehicle Cleaning Supplies Distribution (CRAOAGAM)
Keywords
Where Chemical Guys is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Gardena
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
Chemical Guys business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Retail Product Sales: One-time purchase model for car care chemicals, accessories, machines, and detailing kits through e-commerce and retail channels. Products range from individual bottles ($5-$30) to comprehensive kits ($50-$600+).
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Entry-level products and accessories |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Mid-range cleaning and care products |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Professional-grade equipment and tools |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Comprehensive detailing kits and bundles |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Chemical Guys product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Chemical Guys manufactures and sells a comprehensive portfolio of car care chemicals and auto detailing supplies, including car wash soaps, ceramic coatings, polishing compounds, machine polishers, interior cleaners, microfiber towels, foam cannons, and curated kit bundles. The product line is organized around core detailing workflows (Wash, Polish, Protect, Interior) and serves both DIY car enthusiasts and professional detailers through direct e-commerce, third-party marketplaces, and professional distribution channels.
Product overview
Chemical Guys is a comprehensive car care and auto detailing products company offering a multi-category portfolio of car wash soaps, ceramic coatings, polishing compounds, machine polishers, interior cleaners, protectants, tools, accessories, and curated kit bundles. The product line is organized around core auto detailing workflows: Wash (soaps, mitts, pressure washers, foam cannons), Polish (compounds, polishes, machine polishers, clay bars), Protect (ceramic coatings, waxes, sealants, glazes), and Interior (cleaners, leather care, fabric protection, air fresheners). Key product lines include the TORQX random orbital polisher system, Carbon Force ceramic coating system, HydroSuds/HydroSlick ceramic wash products, Mr. Pink foam party soap, Butter Wet Wax carnauba wax, and the complete kit ecosystem spanning Starter Kits, Exterior Kits, Interior Kits, Ceramic Kits, and specialized Wash & Dry Kits. The company sells directly to consumers via e-commerce and through retail partnerships including National Carwash Solutions for the professional carwash market.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Mr. Pink Foam Party
Quantifiable outcome
- 90% improvement in headlight clarity reported in Chemical Guys Headlight Restoration & Ceramic Kit review
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Chemical Guys
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Chemical Guys technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Chemical Guys partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- National Carwash SolutionscoreNational Carwash Solutions partnership makes Chemical Guys the exclusive distributor of Chemical Guys products to the professional carwash industry. This enables carwash operators to sell premium retail car care products on-site, aiming to increase revenue per visit and expand customer reach beyond exterior-only services. The partnership targets the B2B professional channel while leveraging Chemical Guys' strong consumer brand recognition.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Chemical Guys competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Meguiar's: Established consumer and professional car care brand owned by 3M, offering soaps, polishes, waxes, and ceramic coatings across the same detailing workflow Chemical Guys serves, with a much larger global distribution footprint.
- Turtle Wax: Iconic mass-market car care brand competing in the same wash, polish, protect, and interior categories as Chemical Guys, positioned as a scale-value leader with broad retail distribution.
- Adam's Polishes: Premium DTC-focused car care brand explicitly named as a peer in the US car wash soap market; competes head-on with Chemical Guys in the enthusiast and pro detailing segments with similar product breadth and pricing.
- Griot's Garage: Premium enthusiast car care brand with a curated catalog of soaps, polishes, coatings, and tools sold primarily DTC, mirroring Chemical Guys' premium positioning and direct-to-consumer go-to-market.
- Mothers: Long-established California-based car care manufacturer with overlapping product categories (waxes, polishes, cleaners, tire care) targeting similar DIY and professional customers.
- Autoglym: UK-based premium car care brand with a comprehensive product range of cleaners, polishes, and coatings sold globally, directly comparable in product breadth and premium positioning to Chemical Guys.
- Sonax: German premium car care manufacturer offering wash, polish, and ceramic coating products, competing in the same professional and enthusiast segments with strong European distribution.
Emerging players
- CarPro: Specialist in ceramic coatings and professional-grade detailing chemicals, competing with Chemical Guys' Carbon Force and HydroSlick lines in the higher-end ceramic protection category.
- Optimum Polymer Technologies: Professional detailing chemistry brand with hyper-concentrated polishes and coatings, an emerging niche player in the same pro-detailing segment Chemical Guys targets.
Broad incumbents
- 3M (Automotive Aftermarket Division): Diversified industrial conglomerate whose automotive aftermarket division sells compounds, polishes, and finishing products; competes broadly with Chemical Guys in professional body shop and detailer channels with vastly larger R&D and distribution scale.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Chemical Guys social profiles
Digital presenceChemical Guys financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Chemical Guys leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Chemical Guys funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Chemical Guys M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Chemical Guys
What does Chemical Guys do?
Chemical Guys manufactures and sells a comprehensive portfolio of car care chemicals and auto detailing supplies, including car wash soaps, ceramic coatings, polishing compounds, machine polishers, interior cleaners, microfiber towels, foam cannons, and curated kit bundles. The product line is organized around core detailing workflows (Wash, Polish, Protect, Interior) and serves both DIY car enthusiasts and professional detailers through direct e-commerce, third-party marketplaces, and professional distribution channels.
Is Chemical Guys a public or private company?
Chemical Guys is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Chemical Guys founded?
Chemical Guys was founded in 1968. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Chemical Guys based?
Chemical Guys is headquartered in Gardena, United States, in the North America region.
How does Chemical Guys make money?
One revenue line is on record: retail Product Sales.
Who are Chemical Guys's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Meguiar's, Turtle Wax, Adam's Polishes, Griot's Garage, Mothers, Autoglym and Sonax. Emerging players are CarPro and Optimum Polymer Technologies. 3M (Automotive Aftermarket Division) is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Chemical Guys have an API?
No public API is recorded for Chemical Guys.
What industry is Chemical Guys in?
Chemical Guys's product category is Auto Detailing and Car Care Products. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMACANAK, Aftermarket Fluids, Lubricants & Chemical Products Manufacturing (Oils/Coolants/Additives/Cleaners), with a secondary code of IMAEAHAC, Automotive & Transportation Coatings. Its NAICS code is 32561 and its SIC code is 2800.