Safetykleen

What Safetykleen does

Safetykleen is a privately held industrial services company that provides parts cleaning, surface treatment, and chemical application services to manufacturing, automotive, aerospace, rail, metalworking, construction, and food-and-drink customers. Founded in 1970 and headquartered in Brentford, United Kingdom, the company has operated for over 50 years under the Safetykleen and Safety-Kleen brands. It serves customers through a subscription-based service model in which Safetykleen supplies, services, and maintains cleaning equipment on customer sites in exchange for recurring monthly fees, eliminating capital outlay for the customer and bundling waste removal and compliance documentation into the contract.

The company's core product platform spans 13 machine families covering automatic parts washers, manual parts washers, ultrasonic cleaners, spray gun cleaners, and specialist cleaning systems, supported by a portfolio of more than 300 cleaning chemistries. Notable proprietary technologies include Purified Cleaning Technology (PCT) for fluid recycling, the Sonickleen Eco ultrasonic line rated 57% more energy efficient than its predecessor, and the Kleen35 sustainable cleaning solution launched in 2026. Safetykleen operates 92 service locations across 14 countries including the UK, Ireland, continental Europe, Turkey, and Brazil, and employs 750+ certified service technicians who deliver approximately 1 million services per year to an installed base of 110,000 machines on customer sites.

Commercially, Safetykleen monetizes through predictable monthly subscription fees, generates leads via its website, LinkedIn, YouTube, and case-study content, and converts prospects through cost-free site surveys and quotes. It runs a direct enterprise field sales motion anchored on field service rather than resellers, with the exception of a flagship long-running partnership with the NHRA for event-based environmental services. In December 2023 Safetykleen acquired a majority stake in UK parts cleaning provider Metalwash Ltd, completing full ownership in June 2024 to expand service capability across its 14-country footprint.

Name

Safetykleen

Legal name

Safetykleen

Website

http://www.safetykleen.eu/uk/

Company type

Private

Founded year

1973

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Safetykleen is a privately held UK-founded industrial services company that provides subscription-based parts cleaning, surface treatment, and chemical application services to manufacturing, automotive, aerospace, rail, and food-and-drink customers across 14 countries via 92 service locations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Parts Cleaning Services

NAICS

Soap and Cleaning Compound Manufacturing (32561), Remediation and Other Waste Management Services (5629), Waste Management and Remediation Services (562)

SIC

Specialty Cleaning, Polishing And Sanitation Preparations (2842), General Industrial Machinery & Equipment (3560), Sanitary Services (4950)

akta.pro primary industry

Parts Washing & Degreasing Equipment (IMAHALAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Industrial Vacuum & Tank Cleaning Services (Non-hazardous) (EUAIAGAL)

Keywords

• Industrial parts cleaning
• Parts washing services
• Cleaning chemistries
• Waste management services
• Surface treatment services

Headquarters

HQ city

Brentford

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Parts Cleaning Service Subscription: Monthly subscription model providing complete parts cleaning services including equipment supply, cleaning chemistry, servicing, waste removal, and compliance documentation. No capital outlay required - customers pay simple predictable monthly fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Safetykleen provides industrial parts cleaning services on a subscription basis, supplying parts washers (automatic, manual, ultrasonic, and specialist), over 300 cleaning chemistries, regular machine servicing, waste removal, and compliance documentation. Customers pay simple monthly fees with no capital outlay, while 750+ certified service technicians deliver 1 million services per year across a network of 92 locations in 14 countries.

Product overview

Safetykleen provides a comprehensive parts cleaning service platform centered around its core equipment offerings: parts washers (automatic, manual, ultrasonic, and specialist), spray gun cleaners, and over 300 cleaning chemistries. The company operates on a full-service model including equipment supply, cleaning chemistry provision, machine maintenance, waste removal, and compliance documentation. Key products include the Kleen35 sustainable cleaning solution, Sonickleen Eco ultrasonic cleaners (57% more energy efficient), Aquakleen and Jetkleen automatic parts washers, and the proprietary Purified Cleaning Technology (PCT) for fluid recycling. Services span parts cleaning, waste management, and training/compliance support across 92 locations in 14 countries serving industrial, manufacturing, automotive, aerospace, and other sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Parts Cleaning Services Full-service parts cleaning subscription providing parts washers, cleaning chemistries, machine servicing, waste removal, and compliance documentation on a monthly fee basis for industrial customers.
• Spray Gun Cleaning Services Cleaning equipment and services specifically designed for spray guns and spray equipment used in paint and coating applications, for automotive refinish and industrial coating customers.
• Kleen35 Sustainable Parts Cleaning System Proprietary sustainable parts cleaning solution featuring innovative technology for improved environmental performance and reduced environmental impact, offered to industrial customers.
• Sonickleen Eco Ultrasonic Cleaner Energy-efficient ultrasonic cleaner that is 57% more energy efficient than previous models, used for precision parts cleaning for industrial customers.
• Cleaning Chemistries Professional cleaning fluid formulations including over 300 different cleaning chemistries for various applications, materials, and industry requirements, supplied as consumables to industrial customers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Cuts maintenance time by 70%
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• NHRA (National Hot Rod Association)flagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 3 May 2026Safety-Kleen extended its multi-year partnership to continue serving as the 'Official Provider of Environmental Services for NHRA' and 'Official Absorbent of NHRA,' a relationship dating back nearly two decades. Under the agreement, Safety-Kleen provides waste management and environmental services for NHRA-owned facilities and events, including coordinating collection of oil, solvents, fuels, and absorbent materials at all national events and venues. The partnership includes marketing activations such as trackside signage, television commercial spots, and social media coverage as NHRA celebrates its 75th anniversary season in 2026.
• Metalwash LtdcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 June 2024Safetykleen Group acquired the remaining shares of Metalwash Ltd, a company providing parts cleaning equipment services. The deal aims to create significant synergies and expand service capabilities within the industrial services sector. The transaction follows Safetykleen's previous majority stake acquisition in December 2023. Both companies will continue to operate separately while unlocking synergies to better serve customers and promote environmental safety.
• Metalwash LtdcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 December 2023Safetykleen acquired control of the majority of voting rights in Metalwash on December 21, 2023, with an option to acquire remaining shares. Both companies provide solutions in parts cleaning and environmental services, operating in 13 countries including Europe, UK, Turkey, and Brazil.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Heritage-Crystal Clean: US-listed provider of parts cleaning and industrial waste management services with a recurring service model very similar to Safetykleen's. Operates parts cleaning programs, used oil collection, and hazardous/non-hazardous waste services — directly comparable in product offering, customer profile, and subscription economics.
• Safety-Kleen (US): The US counterpart operating the same parts cleaning, environmental services, and waste oil collection model across North America. Closely aligned business model — equipment supply, chemistry replenishment, waste removal, and compliance support — and serves as the closest like-for-like operating peer, particularly given the shared brand heritage and NHRA partnership.

Broad incumbents

• Clean Harbors: Large North American environmental services and hazardous waste management company with overlapping capabilities in industrial waste collection and parts cleaning. Operates at much greater scale and broader scope than Safetykleen, but competes for the same industrial compliance and waste-handling budgets.
• Veolia Environmental Services: Global environmental services giant operating hazardous and industrial waste management, including solvent and oil recovery streams adjacent to Safetykleen's core. While not specialized in parts cleaning, Veolia is the dominant incumbent competing for end-of-pipe environmental services contracts in the same European geographies.
• Stericycle: US-headquartered regulated waste services company with substantial footprint in collection, treatment, and disposal of industrial and hazardous waste. Competes with Safetykleen for industrial customer environmental compliance budgets, though focused on regulated waste streams rather than parts cleaning equipment.
• Suez Recycling and Recovery: Global environmental services and water/waste management company competing with Safetykleen in industrial waste collection, solvent recovery, and circular economy services across European geographies. Operates as a broad incumbent with overlapping hazardous waste capabilities.
• FCC Environment: European waste management and environmental services provider operating across the same geographies as Safetykleen. Competes for industrial waste collection contracts and overlapping regulatory compliance work, though not specialized in parts cleaning equipment.

Regional players

• Cleanaway Waste Management: Australia's largest waste management and industrial services company with comparable parts washing, solvent recovery, and industrial waste collection offerings. Operates in a different geography but mirrors Safetykleen's integrated service-plus-consumables model for industrial customers.

Emerging players

• Crest Ultrasonics: Specialist manufacturer of ultrasonic cleaning equipment and chemistries serving aerospace, medical, and industrial markets globally. Directly comparable to Safetykleen's Sonickleen Eco ultrasonic product line, though focused on equipment manufacturing rather than recurring service delivery.
• Ultrasonic Power Corporation: US-based designer and manufacturer of industrial ultrasonic cleaning systems. Competes in the same ultrasonic parts cleaning category as Safetykleen's Sonickleen line, though without Safetykleen's bundled chemistry, servicing, and waste removal services.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCWA-lHlJu6XDHKtNszhebFA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/safetykleen

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Safetykleen