King Lee Technologies
King Lee Technologies is a San Diego-based, founder-owned manufacturer of specialty water treatment chemicals, membrane chemistry, and dosing software serving municipal, industrial, and food and beverage customers across 20+ countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1977
- HeadquartersSan Diego, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What King Lee Technologies does
King Lee Technologies, founded in 1977 and headquartered in San Diego, California, is a privately held, founder-owned manufacturer of specialty water treatment chemicals, membrane chemistry formulations, and associated equipment. The company serves municipal, industrial, and food and beverage customers across more than 20 countries, distributing through direct sales in core North American accounts and a regional distributor network internationally. Its core offering combines proprietary antiscalants, cleaners, and biocides with technical support services, and the company has extended its product line into software tools (Hydracalc and iWaterPRO) that support chemical dosing calculation and remote system monitoring. Membrane OEM partnerships with Toray, Hydranautics, and Dow Filmtec provide channel access into the global reverse osmosis installed base, and the chemical product line carries NSF/ANSI 60 certification, a procurement prerequisite for many municipal and food and beverage buyers.
The business model is B2B chemical and equipment sales supplemented by technical service and software subscriptions. Revenue mechanics derive from unit-volume chemical sales to plants and municipalities, recurring software subscriptions tied to dosing and monitoring deployments, and pilot/trial deployments (such as the RO-D2 Pilot Unit) that anchor longer-term chemical supply contracts. The product mix combines consumable chemistry with capital equipment and software, which creates a mix of one-time and recurring revenue streams. The company is small (11-50 employees) and operates without disclosed external funding, suggesting it has historically funded growth and R&D from operating cash flow. Distribution is hybrid: direct sales in core North American accounts combined with a network of regional distributors in international markets, supplemented by OEM channel relationships that extend reach into membrane end users worldwide.
King Lee Technologies firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- King Lee Technologies
- Legal name
- King Lee Chemical Company
- Website
- https://kingleetech.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1977
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- King Lee Technologies is a San Diego-based, founder-owned manufacturer of specialty water treatment chemicals, membrane chemistry, and dosing software serving municipal, industrial, and food and beverage customers across 20+ countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
King Lee Technologies industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Water Treatment Chemicals
- NAICS
- Soap and Cleaning Compound Manufacturing (32561)
- SIC
- Miscellaneous Chemical Products (2890), Specialty Cleaning, Polishing And Sanitation Preparations (2842)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Membrane Treatment Chemicals (RO/NF/UF) (IMAEAJAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Water Treatment & Process Specialty Chemicals (IMAEABAN), Membranes, Consumables & Chemicals (Elements, Antiscalants, Cleaning) (EUANAFAJ), Membrane Treatment (UF/NF/RO for Potable) (EUANABAC)
Keywords
Where King Lee Technologies is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Diego
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices7 records
Markets served
King Lee Technologies business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Chemical Products Sales: Sale of proprietary antiscalants, membrane cleaners, specialty chemicals, and RO system components. Products are sold in various packaging sizes from 5 gallon pails to 275 gallon totes and bulk volumes.
- Membrane Services: Off-site membrane cleaning services, membrane studies (autopsies, foulant analysis, cleaning studies), and technical consulting for system optimization.
- Software/Subscription Services: iWaterPRO web application for RO system management with diagnostics and recommendations.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard product sizes available in multiple volume tiers |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Antiscalant dosage typically 1-10 mg/L (neat) depending on application |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
King Lee Technologies product offering
Product offeringCore offering
King Lee Technologies manufactures and supplies specialty chemical products and related consumables for reverse osmosis (RO) and nanofiltration (NF) membrane water treatment systems. The company sells membrane antiscalants, antifoulants, and cleaners, alongside RO/NF membranes and cartridge filters from partner brands. It complements these chemicals with off-site membrane cleaning services, diagnostic membrane studies/RO system audits, and proprietary design and monitoring software (Hydracalc, iWaterPRO).
Product overview
King Lee Technologies is a water treatment chemical manufacturer founded in 1977, specializing in reverse osmosis (RO) and nanofiltration (NF) membrane chemistry. The company offers an integrated portfolio of proprietary chemical products and services: Antiscalants (Pretreat Plus line including 0100, Y2K, Select, S1000, G2000, G5000, and concentrate variants) and antifoulants (NuTreat, Protec RO, Protec RO C) prevent scale and fouling on membranes; Membrane cleaners (KL series powder cleaners including HpH, LpH, Silica, and Diamite series liquid cleaners including LpH, HpH, HpH Plus, Silica, Gypsum) remove organic and inorganic foulants; Specialty chemicals (Microguard A, Profloc C, Microtreat BIO, Microclean UHP, Memstor) provide microbiological control, coagulation, and membrane storage. The company also distributes RO system components including cartridge filters and membranes from Toray, Hydranautics, and Dow Filmtec. Services include membrane studies (autopsies, cleaning studies), off-site membrane cleaning, and software tools (Hydracalc for chemical dosing calculations and iWaterPRO for RO system management and diagnostics). All chemical products are NSF/ANSI 60 certified for drinking water facilities.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- iWaterPRO: Innovative web application for reverse osmosis system management that graphs trends, gives diagnostics, notifications, and recommendations.
- HydraCalc
Products and services
- Membrane Antiscalants Specialty chemical formulations that prevent scale formation on reverse osmosis and nanofiltration membranes; sold to operators of municipal and industrial RO/NF water treatment systems.
- Membrane Antifoulants Chemical products designed to inhibit fouling on RO/NF membrane surfaces; intended for use in industrial and municipal water treatment operations.
- Membrane Cleaners Cleaning chemicals formulated to restore performance of fouled or scaled reverse osmosis and nanofiltration membranes; used by water treatment plant operators and service companies.
- RO/NF Membranes Reverse osmosis and nanofiltration membrane elements sourced from Hydranautics / Nitto Group, distributed by King Lee Technologies to RO system operators and OEMs.
- Cartridge Filters Replacement cartridge filters for RO pretreatment, supplied from Fil-Tec, sold to operators of industrial and municipal RO water treatment systems.
- Off-Site Membrane Cleaning Service Service offering in which King Lee Technologies cleans customers' RO/NF membranes at its own facilities using its chemical cleaners; used by operators seeking to restore membrane performance without in-house cleaning.
- Membrane Studies and RO System Audits Diagnostic services in which the company evaluates autopsy, performance, autopsy data, and autopsy data, and recommends chemical or operational corrective actions; performed for plant operators and consulting engineers.
- Hydracalc Software Proprietary software tool for designing reverse osmosis systems, projecting scaling and fouling tendencies, and selecting appropriate antiscalant chemistry; used by consulting engineers, system designers, and plant operators.
- iWaterPRO Software Proprietary software tool used to monitor and manage water treatment system performance, including dosing control and diagnostics; used by RO/NF system operators.
Quantifiable outcome
- 65% reduction in membrane-related expenditures achieved for culinary solutions provider
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use King Lee Technologies
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
King Lee Technologies technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
King Lee Technologies partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- King Lee Technologies-ChinacoreAuthorized distributor operating in China with office in Shanghai at Room 412, Yong Ding Building, 3388 Gong He Xin Road. Manages China operations including sales and distribution of King Lee products.
- King Lee Technologies-Mexico, S.A. de C.V.coreAuthorized distributor in Mexico at Parque Industrial El Trebol, Guayakiri No. 624-14, Querétaro. Toll free 1-800-838-8468 for Mexico customers.
- Delco WatercoreAuthorized distributor in Canada located at 3714 Kinnear Place, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7P 0A6. Provides water treatment solutions in Canadian market.
- Evoqua Water Technologies PTE. LTD.coreAuthorized distributor in Singapore at 60 Macpherson Road, Level 8, Singapore. Provides water treatment technology solutions including King Lee products.
- KEMCO Technologies W.L.L.coreAuthorized distributor in Bahrain at Manama Centre, 5th Floor Suite 507, Kingdon of Bahrain. Also operates in India as KEMCO Technologies India Private Ltd.
- ToraycorePartnership to distribute Toray RO/NF membranes including brackish and seawater membranes in 4 and 8 inch sizes. King Lee offers Toray products as part of total solutions package.
- HydranauticscorePartnership to distribute Hydranautics RO/NF membranes. Hydranautics offers special energy saving polyamide membranes, low fouling composite membranes, and membranes for rigorous processing applications.
- Dow FilmteccorePartnership to distribute Dow Filmtec RO/NF membranes. Filmtec provides high rejection elements, interlocking end caps, and custom-made specialty elements.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
King Lee Technologies competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Professional Water Technologies (PWT): PWT is a direct competitor in RO/NF antiscalants and membrane cleaners, with a comparable specialty-chemicals portfolio and customer base among desalination and industrial water operators.
- Avista Technologies (Veolia Water Technologies): Avista is one of the original membrane chemistry specialists; now part of Veolia, it competes head-to-head with King Lee in antiscalants, cleaners, and membrane autopsy services for RO/NF systems.
- Genesys International: Genesys manufactures specialty cleaning chemicals and antiscalants for RO/NF membranes globally and competes with King Lee across municipal, industrial, and desalination end markets.
- AXEON Water Technologies: AXEON supplies membrane systems together with pretreatment chemicals and aftermarket support, overlapping with King Lee's combined chemicals-plus-membranes offering for RO operators.
Broad incumbents
- Veolia Water Technologies: Global water-treatment major with a broad chemicals, equipment, and services portfolio that competes with King Lee in industrial and municipal membrane chemical programs as part of larger bundled offerings.
- SUEZ Water Technologies & Solutions: Major water-treatment chemicals and equipment provider serving the same municipal, industrial, and F&B customers as King Lee, often as a one-stop alternative to specialty chemical specialists.
- Solenis: Specialty chemicals supplier with a sizable water-treatment franchise serving industrial and municipal customers, offering broader product breadth than King Lee in adjacent chemistries.
- Ecolab: Global water, hygiene, and chemicals major that competes with King Lee in industrial water management, food and beverage water treatment, and cooling/process water programs.
Others
- Hydranautics (Nitto Group): Leading RO/NF membrane manufacturer and King Lee distribution partner; relevant peer because its chemistry compatibility requirements shape antiscalant and cleaner specifications across the industry.
- Toray Membrane USA: Major RO/NF membrane producer and King Lee distribution partner; comparable as an adjacent ecosystem player whose membrane portfolio directly drives demand for King Lee's antiscalants and cleaners.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
King Lee Technologies social profiles
Digital presenceKing Lee Technologies compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
King Lee Technologies financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
King Lee Technologies leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
King Lee Technologies funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
King Lee Technologies M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about King Lee Technologies
What does King Lee Technologies do?
King Lee Technologies manufactures and supplies specialty chemical products and related consumables for reverse osmosis (RO) and nanofiltration (NF) membrane water treatment systems. The company sells membrane antiscalants, antifoulants, and cleaners, alongside RO/NF membranes and cartridge filters from partner brands. It complements these chemicals with off-site membrane cleaning services, diagnostic membrane studies/RO system audits, and proprietary design and monitoring software (Hydracalc, iWaterPRO).
Is King Lee Technologies a public or private company?
King Lee Technologies is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was King Lee Technologies founded?
King Lee Technologies was founded in 1977. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is King Lee Technologies based?
King Lee Technologies is headquartered in San Diego, United States, in the North America region.
How does King Lee Technologies make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Chemical Products Sales are the primary driver. The others are membrane Services and software/Subscription Services.
Who are King Lee Technologies's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Professional Water Technologies (PWT), Avista Technologies (Veolia Water Technologies), Genesys International and AXEON Water Technologies. Broad incumbents are Veolia Water Technologies, SUEZ Water Technologies & Solutions, Solenis and Ecolab. Others are Hydranautics (Nitto Group) and Toray Membrane USA.
Does King Lee Technologies have an API?
No public API is recorded for King Lee Technologies.
What industry is King Lee Technologies in?
King Lee Technologies's product category is Water Treatment Chemicals. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAEAJAF, Membrane Treatment Chemicals (RO/NF/UF), with a secondary code of IMAEABAN, Water Treatment & Process Specialty Chemicals. Its NAICS code is 32561 and its SIC code is 2890.