What Athea Laboratories does

Athea Laboratories, Inc. is a privately held specialty chemical and wet-wipe manufacturer founded in 1965 and headquartered at 1900 West Cornell St., Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The company maintains a catalog of more than 400 stock products spanning over 20 categories — including wet wipes, disinfectants and sanitizers, industrial and consumer cleaners/degreasers, insecticides, d-limonene cleaners, floor care, food service, hand care, laundry, lubricants, automotive, pool care, water and wastewater treatment, ground maintenance, and winter products — and serves three primary customer segments: retail distributors seeking their own branded cleaning chemicals, OEMs requiring custom formulations and proprietary packaging, and industrial buyers needing specialty maintenance chemistries.

The core technology is conventional wet-wipe and liquid/powder specialty chemical manufacturing augmented by a small set of proprietary, trademarked formulations. Notable technical components include a sodium troclosene-based disinfectant tablet (Cdiff®) that releases chlorine more slowly than sodium hypochlorite and retains sporicidal efficacy for roughly three days in sealed containers; a quat-based hospital-grade wipe platform (SPEC2®, SPEC4®) with two- and four-minute kill claims and bleach-/phenol-free, non-staining chemistry; a true acid-replacement concentrate (Enviro-Terra®) delivering pH 1 cleaning power with skin-mild, biodegradable characteristics and dilution up to 1:25; and a phosphoric-acid-based organic acid cleaner for heavy scale removal. NSF D2 certification on the Surface Sanitizing Spray and EPA/FDA regulatory coverage under the Total Solutions® house brand extend the catalog into regulated food-contact and antimicrobial segments.

Athea monetizes through three revenue streams: (1) private-label sales of stock products with industry-low minimum order quantities (one case for gallons, one pail/drum for 5–55 gallon containers, six dozen for aerosols, 300 canisters for standard wipes) at unit pricing with one-time setup fees for first runs, billed on Net 30 terms; (2) contract packaging services across wet-wipe, liquid, and powder formats; and (3) custom formulating with in-house R&D, regulatory, and graphics support on a professional-services basis. Go-to-market is sales-led, executed by an internal direct sales team out of Milwaukee supplemented by an independent sales-representative network covering all U.S. states and Canadian provinces, with freight-prepaid FOB Milwaukee fulfillment and drop-ship capability. Pricing data is publicly disclosed on the company website.

Name

Athea Laboratories

Legal name

Athea Laboratories, Inc.

Website

https://athea.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1965

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Athea Laboratories is a Milwaukee-based specialty chemical and wet-wipe manufacturer and private labeler founded in 1965. It offers 400+ products across 20 categories with industry-low minimums, serving retail, OEM, and industrial customers across the U.S. and Canada.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Chemical Manufacturing

NAICS

Soap and Cleaning Compound Manufacturing (32561), Soap and Other Detergent Manufacturing (325611)

SIC

Wholesale-Chemicals & Allied Products (5160)

akta.pro primary industry

Aftermarket Fluids, Lubricants & Chemical Products Manufacturing (Oils/Coolants/Additives/Cleaners) (IMACANAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Stainless Steel & Metal Surface Cleaners & Polishes (CRAJACAF)

Keywords

• Specialty chemical manufacturing
• Private label chemicals
• Wet wipe manufacturing
• Contract packaging services
• Industrial cleaning products

Headquarters

HQ city

Milwaukee

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Private Label Chemical Sales: Manufacture and sale of private label specialty chemicals, wet wipes, and powders. Stock products available for private labeling with low minimums, plus custom formula creation and product development support.
2. Contract Packaging Services: Turnkey services including R&D, regulatory, and graphics support for product completion. Manufacturing capabilities for wet wipe, liquid, and powder products.
3. Custom Formulating: Custom formula creation and product development support for new or existing products, serving retail, OEM, and industrial customers

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Athea Laboratories manufactures specialty chemicals, wet wipes, and powders under its own brand (Total Solutions) and as private label/OEM products for retail, OEM, and industrial customers. The company also provides contract packaging and custom formulating services, leveraging over 400 stock products across 20 categories and industry-low minimum order quantities. Operations are headquartered in Milwaukee, WI, where products are produced and shipped to customers across the US and Canada.

Product overview

Athea Laboratories is a manufacturer and private labeler of specialty chemicals and wet wipes, operating since 1965. The company offers a portfolio of over 400 stock products across 20+ categories, including wet wipes, disinfectants, cleaners, degreasers, industrial chemicals, aerosols, automotive products, hand care, laundry products, floor care, pool care, and specialty products. The Total Solutions sub-brand provides EPA and FDA regulated products at one case minimums for quick resale. Key individual products include the SPEC2 and SPEC4 Disinfectant Wipes (hospital-grade quat-based formulas), Cdiff Disinfectant Tablets (sodium troclosene-based), Surface Sanitizing Spray, Rust Converter and Rust Converter Aerosol, Enviro-Terra Concentrate (acid-replacement cleaner), Organic Acid Cleaner, and Electro Wipes (static-eliminating wipes for electronics). Services include private label programs with industry-low minimums, contract packaging, and custom formula development with in-house turnkey support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Total Solutions®: House brand available at one case minimums making the sale of EPA and FDA regulated product fast and easy.

Products and services

• Wet Wipes Over 20 high-performance wet wipes for cleaning, polishing, and disinfecting applications, available as stock products or private label.
• Winter Products Products to keep roads, walks, and common areas clear of snow and ice.
• Insecticides Liquids, powders, and aerosols to control crawling and flying insects.
• Bacterial/Enzyme Digestants Liquid and powder products for cleaning, odor control, and drain maintenance.
• Cleaners and Degreasers Innovative and trusted cleaning solutions for everyday cleaning tasks.
• Industrial Cleaners and Degreasers The toughest industrial cleaning products for the most demanding applications.
• Disinfectants and Sanitizers Liquid and wet wipe disinfectants and sanitizers for surfaces and hands.
• Specialty Products Unique products for unique demands and specialized applications.
• Cdiff Disinfectant Tablets Bleach-free disinfectant tablets using sodium troclosene that kill C. diff in 4 minutes and maintain disinfecting power for 3 days in sealed containers.
• Rust Converter Instantly bonds with rust, stops its growth, transforms it into a non-rusting paintable surface, and prevents future rust formation, providing a primer coating for quality oil-based paints.
• Rust Converter Aerosol Surface conditioner and primer aerosol that converts existing rust into an inert, protective coating that seals out moisture and corrosion.
• SPEC2 Disinfectant Wipes Hospital-grade quat-based disinfectant wipes that disinfect in 2 minutes, alcohol-free, bleach-free, phenol-free, and non-staining, available in 180-ct canisters or 900-ct refill rolls.
• SPEC4 Disinfectant Wipes Hospital-grade quat-based disinfectant wipes that disinfect in 4 minutes and sanitize in 15 seconds, bleach-free and non-staining with lemon fragrance, available in 180-ct canisters or 900-ct refill rolls.
• Surface Sanitizing Spray Versatile broad-spectrum sanitizer with multiple uses on hard, non-porous surfaces that kills 99.999% of Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Escherichia coli on food contact surfaces in 60 seconds, NSF D2 certified.
• Enviro-Terra Concentrate True breakthrough acid-replacement cleaner with pH of 1 that generates high acid cleaning power while being safer and mild to skin, biodegradable, and effective against rust, calcium, scale, lime deposits, soap scum, and hard water stains; dilutable with up to 25 parts water.
• Organic Acid Cleaner Concentrated phosphoric acid-based cleaner that removes heavy lime and scale build-up from a wide variety of hard surfaces.
• Electro Wipes Pre-moistened wipes that neutralize static electricity to protect electronic equipment from static damage and prevent dust accumulation on devices like LCD screens.
• Private Label Services Athea's private label program allows customers to put their own brand on stock products with the industry's lowest minimum order quantities, including gallons, pails, aerosols, quarts, and wet wipes.
• Contract Packaging Full-service contract packaging solutions for wet wipe, liquid, and powder products with flexible manufacturing practices.
• Custom Formulating Custom formula creation and product development support with in-house R&D, regulatory, and graphics teams for complete turnkey product development.
• Total Solutions Branded Products EPA and FDA regulated cleaning and chemical products available at one case minimums, making fast and accessible branded product sales for retailers and distributors.

Quantifiable outcome

• Cdiff Disinfectant Tablets maintain disinfecting power for 3 days in sealed containers vs. bleach solutions that become inactive after a day
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Betco Corporation: Toledo, OH-based commercial cleaning products manufacturer offering branded and private label solutions across hard surface care, disinfectants, and floor finishes. Comparable I&I customer base and private label capability.
• KIK International (Multi-Clean): Large contract manufacturer of cleaning and pool chemicals operating the Multi-Clean brand. Directly comparable as a private label and contract manufacturer of specialty cleaning products across institutional channels.
• Midlab: Sweetwater, TN manufacturer specializing in private label and branded cleaning products including disinfectants, sanitizers, and restroom care. Directly comparable to Athea's contract manufacturing and private label chemistry model.
• Rochester Midland Corporation: Specialty chemical manufacturer serving food service, hospitality, healthcare, and industrial end markets. Comparable private label and contract manufacturing model with overlapping I&I customer base.
• National Chemical Laboratories (NCL): Philadelphia-based manufacturer of private label and branded institutional cleaning chemicals. NCL is one of the closest direct competitors to Athea in private label janitorial and maintenance chemistry with overlapping product breadth and contract manufacturing capabilities.
• State Industrial Products: Cleveland, OH manufacturer of specialty maintenance and cleaning chemicals for industrial and institutional customers. Similar product categories (lubricants, cleaners, disinfectants) and contract manufacturing capabilities.

Broad incumbents

• Clorox Professional: Professional products division of The Clorox Company serving healthcare, hospitality, and facility services. Much larger incumbent with disinfectant wipes and cleaners overlapping Athea's SPEC2/SPEC4 and Surface Sanitizing Spray SKUs.
• Zep Inc. Atlanta-based specialty chemicals company serving maintenance, cleaning, and food safety markets. Larger incumbent with comparable product mix (cleaners, degreasers, sanitizers) but broader national brand presence.
• Ecolab: Global leader in water, hygiene, and infection prevention solutions serving institutional and industrial customers. Largest incumbent in the space with overlapping disinfectant and cleaning chemistry offerings, although Ecolab is substantially larger and service-led.
• Spartan Chemical Company: Maumee, OH-based manufacturer of sustainable cleaning and sanitation solutions for industrial and institutional markets. Larger incumbent with broader portfolio, branded focus, and overlapping product categories.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/athealabs
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/athea-laboratories-packaging

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 Athea Laboratories