What Nu-Calgon does

Nu-Calgon is a St. Louis, Missouri-based specialty chemicals distributor founded in 1991 that supplies the heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration (HVAC-R) industry with chemical products and consumables. Its portfolio spans coil cleaners and sprayers, refrigerants (EcoPure), glycols, water filtration (Everpure), water treatment chemicals, gas leak detectors, ice machine maintenance products, insulation products, and indoor air quality systems including the iWave and NuShield bipolar ionization lines and the Scorpion UVC-LED air quality system. The company also markets leak sealants (EasySeal), refrigeration flush products (Rx11-flush), and startup/commissioning chemicals (NuStart). The products are largely physical and chemical formulations applied at the contractor or service-technician level for system maintenance, repair, and installation in commercial and residential HVAC-R settings.

The company operates a wholesale and contractor go-to-market model, selling through a network of HVAC-R wholesalers and contractors across North America, with international distribution handled through named regional partners covering Australia, New Zealand, the Caribbean, Central and South America, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Spain, Turkey, the United Kingdom, Israel, and additional markets. Revenue is generated through one-time product sales of branded chemicals and equipment rather than subscription or licensing. Nu-Calgon runs a free virtual training and certification program, Nu-Calgon University, targeted at wholesalers and contractors, and supports the channel with cross-reference tools, calculators, and a product registration infrastructure.

In 2025–2026 the company extended its scope into advanced-materials HVAC coatings through an exclusive North American distribution agreement with Graphene Manufacturing Group Ltd (GMG). Following EPA authorization in December 2025 for THERMAL-XR ENHANCE and a June 2026 EPA approval and first bulk shipment, Nu-Calgon began reselling the graphene-based coating under its CoolWorx sub-brand, adding an equipment-protection product category that did not previously exist in its US commercial offering.

Name

Nu-Calgon

Legal name

Nu-Calgon

Website

https://nucalgon.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Nu-Calgon is a privately held St. Louis-based specialty chemicals distributor founded in 1991 that supplies HVAC-R contractors and wholesalers with coil cleaners, refrigerants, glycols, water treatment, indoor air quality products, and graphene-based coatings via its CoolWorx brand.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

HVAC-R Specialty Chemicals

NAICS

Soap and Cleaning Compound Manufacturing (32561), Refrigeration Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (423740), Soap and Other Detergent Manufacturing (325611)

SIC

Miscellaneous Chemical Products (2890), Soap, Detergents, Cleang Preparations, Perfumes, Cosmetics (2840), Refrigeration & Service Industry Machinery (3580)

akta.pro primary industry

Cleaning Chemicals & Disinfectants Distribution (CRAOAGAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Janitorial & Sanitation (JanSan) Supplies Wholesale (CRAOAGAA), Foodservice & Kitchen Cleaning (Warewashing) Distribution (CRAOAGAH)

Keywords

• HVAC-R chemicals
• Coil cleaners
• Refrigeration products
• Indoor air quality
• Water treatment chemicals

Headquarters

HQ city

St Louis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. HVAC-R Chemical Products: Nu-Calgon generates revenue through the sale of specialty chemicals and products for the air conditioning, refrigeration, and heating markets, including aerosol products, coil cleaners, refrigerants, glycols, water filtration, and indoor air quality solutions.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Nu-Calgon manufactures and distributes specialty chemicals, refrigerants, cleaning agents, and maintenance products for the air conditioning, refrigeration, and heating (HVAC-R) industry. Its product range spans coil cleaners, air ionization systems (iWave, NuShield), refrigerants (EcoPure), water filtration (Everpure), glycols, gas leak detectors, leak sealants (EasySeal), ice machine maintenance products, and graphene-based coatings (CoolWorx powered by GMG Graphene). The company sells through wholesalers, contractors, and an international distributor network rather than directly to end consumers.

Product overview

Nu-Calgon provides a comprehensive portfolio of specialty chemicals and products for the air conditioning, refrigeration, and heating (HVAC-R) markets. The company offers a broad range of product categories including coil cleaners and sprayers, air ionization systems (iWave, NuShield), refrigerant products (EcoPure), water treatment solutions (Everpure, Water Treatment), glycols, leak detection products, and specialty maintenance chemicals. The product line also includes branded products like Rx11-flush for system cleaning, EasySeal for leak sealing, Scorpion for UVC-LED air quality monitoring, and ClenAir for indoor air quality solutions. Recent additions include Nu-Calgon CoolWorx products powered by GMG Graphene technology, representing graphene-based coatings for the HVAC-R market. The company also offers training resources through Nu-Calgon University for wholesalers and contractors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CoolWorx: Brand under which THERMAL-XR graphene coating products are marketed, powered by GMG Graphene
• ClenAir
• Everpure
• iWave
• NuShield
• Rx11-flush
• Scorpion
• EasySeal
• EcoPure
• NuStart
• Nu-Calgon University

Products and services

• Coil Cleaners & Sprayers Cleaning products and application tools formulated for HVAC coils including evaporators, condensers, and microchannel coils. Used by HVAC-R contractors and service technicians for routine coil maintenance.
• EcoPure Refrigerants Refrigerant products designed for air conditioning and refrigeration systems with environmental considerations. Used by HVAC-R contractors for system charging and service.
• iWave Air Ionization Systems Air ionization systems designed to purify indoor air by reducing airborne pathogens, allergens, and odors through bipolar ionization technology. Used in residential and commercial HVAC systems for indoor air quality improvement.
• NuShield Air Ionization Systems Air ionization systems providing continuous air purification and surface disinfection for HVAC systems. Used by contractors in commercial and residential HVAC applications.
• Scorpion UVC-LED commercial grade air quality monitoring and treatment system for HVAC applications. Used in commercial buildings to monitor and treat indoor air quality.
• EasySeal Leak sealants and sealing products for HVAC-R systems used to prevent refrigerant and air leaks. Used by HVAC-R service technicians during repair and maintenance calls.
• Everpure Water filtration and treatment products for ice machines, beverage equipment, and commercial food service applications. Used by foodservice operators and HVAC-R contractors who maintain water-using equipment.
• Rx11-flush Refrigerant flush products for system cleaning and maintenance during service, repair, or replacement of refrigeration systems. Used by HVAC-R service technicians.
• Glycols Heat transfer fluids and antifreeze solutions for HVAC and process cooling applications. Used by contractors in hydronic and process cooling systems.
• ClenAir Air treatment products including odor elimination, drain maintenance, and indoor air quality solutions for HVAC systems. Used in commercial and residential settings.
• NuStart Startup and commissioning products for HVAC systems used during new equipment installation and commissioning. Used by HVAC-R contractors at system startup.
• Gallo Gun Application tool for dispensing coil cleaners and treatments onto HVAC coils and condensers. Used by HVAC-R service technicians as an accessory for coil cleaning.
• Gas Leak Detectors Leak detection products for identifying refrigerant gas leaks in HVAC-R systems. Used by HVAC-R service technicians for troubleshooting.
• Ice Machine Maintenance Cleaning, sanitizing, and maintenance products specifically designed for ice machines. Used by foodservice operators and service technicians.
• Water Treatment Water treatment solutions for HVAC systems including boilers, cooling towers, and closed loop systems. Used by HVAC-R contractors and facility maintenance teams.
• Total System Protection Comprehensive chemical treatment programs for protecting entire HVAC-R systems. Used by contractors and facility operators who want a full-system treatment regimen from a single supplier.
• Aerosol Products Pressurized aerosol chemical products for HVAC-R maintenance and cleaning applications. Used by HVAC-R service technicians for quick-application service work.
• Water Filtration Filtration products for water-using HVAC and food service equipment. Used by contractors and foodservice operators for water quality management.
• Nu-Calgon CoolWorx (powered by GMG Graphene) Graphene-based HVAC coating products marketed as Nu-Calgon CoolWorx powered by GMG Graphene, based on THERMAL-XR technology from Graphene Manufacturing Group for HVAC-R market applications. Used as a coating to enhance heat transfer performance in HVAC-R equipment.

Quantifiable outcome

• First commercial shipment of THERMAL-XR graphene coating shipped to Nu-Calgon in June 2026, marking transition from development to commercial reality in the US HVAC-R market

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• GMG (Graphene Manufacturing Group Ltd)flagshipChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 17 June 2026GMG is Nu-Calgon's exclusive North American distributor for THERMAL-XR graphene coating products. Nu-Calgon re-sells the product under the Nu-Calgon CoolWorx brand powered by GMG Graphene. The first bulk shipment was shipped in June 2026 following EPA authorization P-25-0018, marking GMG's transition from development and regulatory approval to commercial reality in the US HVAC-R market. Company executives described the EPA approval as a rare and hard-won achievement paired with Nu-Calgon's distribution reach across North America.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Chemours (Freon / Opteon): Chemours is a major global producer of refrigerants (Freon, Opteon) and fluoroproducts used in HVAC-R and chemical applications. It directly competes with Nu-Calgon in refrigerants and influences the broader HVAC-R chemicals supply chain through OEMs and distributors.
• Pool Corporation: Pool Corporation is the world's largest wholesale distributor of swimming pool, maintenance, and related specialty products. It is comparable to Nu-Calgon as a specialty chemical distributor serving a fragmented contractor/residential-maintenance channel, providing a useful benchmark for unit economics of channel-led specialty distribution.
• Honeywell (Refrigerants / Genetron): Honeywell is one of the dominant global refrigerant manufacturers (HFCs, HFOs, Solstice line) and a major supplier to HVAC OEMs and aftermarket channels. It competes with Nu-Calgon's EcoPure refrigerant line and shapes the regulatory and pricing environment for the entire category.
• Watsco: Watsco is the largest U.S. distributor of HVAC equipment, parts, and supplies (Carrier, Trane, Goodman, etc.). It competes with Nu-Calgon's channel role on a much larger scale, distributing many of the same HVAC-R chemical and accessory categories through its HVAC contractor network.
• Ferguson Enterprises: Ferguson is a major North American distributor of plumbing, HVAC, and waterworks products, including a broad assortment of chemicals, sealants, and water treatment products. While primarily plumbing, its HVAC categories overlap with Nu-Calgon's product set and channel reach.

Direct peers

• CPS Products: CPS Products manufactures and distributes HVAC-R service tools, instruments, and chemicals (refrigerants, leak detectors, recovery machines, coil cleaners) used by service technicians. It overlaps directly with Nu-Calgon in HVAC-R chemicals and service consumables and shares the contractor/wholesaler channel.
• DiversiTech: DiversiTech is a leading North American manufacturer and distributor of HVAC-R parts, accessories, and chemical consumables (condensate pans, contactors, capacitors, coil cleaners, leak sealants). It directly competes with Nu-Calgon across multiple chemical and accessory categories and serves the same HVAC-R wholesaler/contractor channel.
• National Refrigerants: National Refrigerants is a leading U.S. supplier and reclaimer of refrigerants and related HVAC-R service chemicals. It directly competes with Nu-Calgon's EcoPure refrigerant line and shares the same HVAC-R wholesaler and service contractor distribution model.
• RectorSeal: RectorSeal formulates and distributes specialty chemicals and sealants for HVAC, plumbing, and electrical applications, including the popular Big Blu leak detector and Safe-T-Switch condensate products. It directly competes with Nu-Calgon in leak sealants, coil cleaners, and HVAC-R maintenance chemicals sold through wholesalers.
• Mainstream Engineering Corporation: Mainstream Engineering manufactures specialty HVAC-R chemicals, refrigerants (including QwikBoost and EZ-PURGE), and thermal management products. It competes with Nu-Calgon in refrigerant and specialty HVAC chemical categories and serves a similar contractor and OEM customer base.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/1NuCalgon
• Xx.com/nucalgon1
• Facebookfacebook.com/nucalgon
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nu-calgon

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&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Nu-Calgon