AXEL Plastics
AXEL Plastics Research Laboratories is a third-generation, family-owned specialty chemicals manufacturer founded in 1941, producing mold release agents and process aid additives for plastics, composites, rubber, and polyurethane processors across 50+ countries via a global distributor network.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1941
- HeadquartersMonroe, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What AXEL Plastics does
AXEL Plastics Research Laboratories, Inc. is a third-generation, family-owned specialty chemicals manufacturer founded in 1941 by Dr. Rodolphe Axel and headquartered in a 42,000 sq ft manufacturing, R&D, and laboratory facility in Monroe, Connecticut. The company develops and sells mold release agents and process aid additives for plastics, composites, rubbers, polyurethanes, and asphalts under the branded lines XTEND (semi-permanent mold release coatings with proprietary reactive resin chemistry in solvent and water-based formulations), MoldWiz (internal mold releases and process aids in powder, pellet, liquid, and soft-solid forms), PasteWiz (polymer paste waxes), and CleanWiz (mold cleaners and strippers), and via acquired brands RO-59 (bonded PTFE lubricants) and TBF Environmental (VOC-compliant, HAPs-free solvents).
The business operates a hybrid go-to-market combining direct technical sales with a global stocking distributor network spanning six continents and over 50 countries, supported by in-house chemists and production engineers. Products are qualified for diverse use cases including open and closed molding, pultrusion, RTM, filament winding, injection molding, rotational molding, polyurethane (LFI, RIM), rubber molding, laminates, and special markets such as wind energy, friction/brakes, and concrete/polymer concrete. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed.
The company is ISO 9001:2015 certified, REACH and RoHS compliant, and is pursuing ISO 14001 and ISO 45001; it has begun a sustainability program anchored by a 293.76 kW rooftop solar system at Monroe. Recent strategic activity includes two completed acquisitions (RO-59, Inc. and TBF Environmental in May 2026), a new product launch (XTEND PR-GCP mold primer in May 2026), and an exclusive global partnership with Klingspor Windpower for water-based chemistries, alongside a 2025 channel partnership with RotoMARKETPLACE for rotational molding members. Revenue is not publicly disclosed.
AXEL Plastics firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- AXEL Plastics
- Legal name
- Axel Plastics Research Laboratories, Inc.
- Website
- https://axelplastics.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1941
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- AXEL Plastics Research Laboratories is a third-generation, family-owned specialty chemicals manufacturer founded in 1941, producing mold release agents and process aid additives for plastics, composites, rubber, and polyurethane processors across 50+ countries via a global distributor network.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where AXEL Plastics is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Monroe
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
AXEL Plastics business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Mold Release Products: Sale of proprietary mold release agents including external and internal releases for composites, thermoplastics, rubber, polyurethane, and other materials.
- Process Aid Additives: Sale of chemical additives that improve resin flow, provide release, promote dispersion, and enhance surface characteristics in manufacturing processes.
- Contract Manufacturing Services: Chemical toll manufacturing services including custom formulations, liquids/powders/pellets blending, storage of flammable and corrosive materials, and R&D support for new product development.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
AXEL Plastics product offering
Product offeringCore offering
AXEL Plastics Research Laboratories manufactures and sells mold release agents and process aid additives for the plastics, composites, rubber, polyurethane, and rotational molding industries. The company offers a full systems approach across product lines including XTEND semi-permanent releases, MoldWiz internal mold releases, PasteWiz polymer paste waxes, CleanWiz mold cleaners and strippers, RO-59 bonded lubricants, and TBF Environmental solvents, alongside custom contract manufacturing services.
Product overview
AXEL Plastics Research Laboratories is a manufacturer of mold release and process aid additives for all types of plastics, composites, rubbers, and urethanes. The company operates under multiple branded product lines: XTEND® semi-permanent mold releases (solvent and water-based), MoldWiz® internal mold releases and process aid additives, PasteWiz® polymer paste waxes, and CleanWiz® mold cleaners and strippers. Through acquisitions, AXEL has expanded to include RO-59® bonded PTFE lubricants and TBF Environmental VOC-compliant solvents. Products serve diverse industries including composites (open molding, advanced composites, closed molding, filament winding), thermoplastics (injection molding, rotational molding), polyurethane, pultrusion, rubber, laminates, and special markets (concrete/polymer concrete, SMC/BMC, wind energy, brakes/friction).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- MoldWiz: Proprietary internal mold releases (IMRs) and process aid additives for thermoplastic and thermosetting resin systems; also includes external mold releases in water and solvent-based formulations for various industrial applications including injection molding, pultrusion, RTM, decorative laminates, resin compounding, winding, in-mold paints, and masterbatching. Available in powder, pellet, liquid, and soft solid forms.
- XTEND
- PasteWiz
- CleanWiz
Products and services
- XTEND Semi-Permanent Mold Releases
- MoldWiz Internal Mold Releases
- PasteWiz Polymer Paste Waxes
- CleanWiz Mold Cleaners and Strippers
- RO-59 Bonded Lubricants
- TBF Environmental Solvents
- Contract Manufacturing Services
Quantifiable outcome
- 293.76 kW solar panel system produces approximately 310,505 kWh annually, significantly reducing carbon footprint
Companies that use AXEL Plastics
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments8 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
AXEL Plastics technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
AXEL Plastics partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- TBF EnvironmentalcoreAcquisition of TBF Environmental, a Canadian company developing, manufacturing, and marketing VOC-compliant, HAPs-free solvents designed to replace traditional solvents such as acetone, MEK, xylene. Products include AviSol 100, ZemaSol, ShiraSol, EkaSol, KradaSol, BerdeSol, and TergoSol serving coatings, adhesives, sealants, elastomers, inks, and industrial cleaning markets.
- RotoMARKETPLACEcorePartnership with RotoMARKETPLACE to offer members bulk pricing on mold release and process aid additives. Provides consistent pricing, supply chain stability, and quarterly rebates for rotational molding manufacturers and suppliers.
- Klingspor WindpowercoreExclusive global partnership for water-based chemistries serving the wind energy market. AXEL products are leading water-based mold releases, sealers, and cleaners for wind blade and nacelle production.
- RO-59, Inc.coreAcquisition of specialty lubricant manufacturer RO-59, Inc., adding bonded coating lubricant products combining bonding durability with Teflon lubrication properties.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights6 records
AXEL Plastics competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Chem-Trend (Freudenberg Chemical Specialties): Chem-Trend is a global leader in mold release agents and process aid additives for plastics, composites, rubber, polyurethane, and die casting. As a wholly-owned subsidiary of Freudenberg Group, it is the most direct competitor to AXEL across nearly identical end-use applications and customer segments.
- McGee Industries (MCLUBE): McGee Industries manufactures MCLUBE-brand mold release agents, lubricants, and processing aids for plastics, rubber, composites, and metal forming. Its product portfolio and direct-to-molder sales model closely parallel AXEL's MoldWiz and XTEND product lines.
- Stoner Inc. Stoner Inc. produces mold release agents, lubricants, and cleaners for plastics, rubber, composites, and industrial manufacturing under the Stoner, TraSys, and Ejector brands. It competes head-to-head with AXEL in rotational molding and injection molding release applications.
- Wacker Chemie AG: Wacker Chemie supplies silicone-based mold release agents and process additives for rubber, plastics, and polyurethane molding. Its silicone release emulsions and compounds compete directly with AXEL's external and internal mold release products in similar molding applications.
- Momentive Performance Materials: Momentive produces silicone mold release agents, fluids, and specialty additives for rubber, plastics, and polyurethane under the Silopren and other brands. It competes with AXEL in silicone-based and specialty release chemistries serving similar industrial customers.
- Daikin Industries (Chemical Division): Daikin's chemical division manufactures fluorochemical and specialty mold release agents (Dai-EL, Moldspat) for rubber, plastics, and urethane molding. Its high-performance fluorinated release technology competes with AXEL's premium specialty releases, particularly in demanding rubber molding applications.
- Franklynn Industries: Franklynn Industries produces mold release agents and processing aids for plastics, rubber, polyurethane, and rotational molding under the Franklynn and Indusco brands. It is a smaller, more US-centric direct competitor to AXEL with comparable product breadth.
- Release Coatings of New York (Huron Industries): Release Coatings of New York (a Huron Industries company) supplies semi-permanent and sacrificial mold release agents for plastics, composites, and rubber molding. Its product line and customer base overlap directly with AXEL's XTEND and MoldWiz portfolios.
Broad incumbents
- Henkel AG (Adhesive Technologies): Henkel's Adhesive Technologies division offers Frekote and Bonderite mold release agents and process aids for composites, plastics, and metal forming, among a much broader portfolio of adhesives, sealants, and functional coatings. As a global chemicals conglomerate, it is a much larger incumbent overlapping with AXEL's release agent business.
- BYK (ALTANA AG): BYK-Chemie manufactures specialty additives for plastics, composites, and coatings including wetting and dispersing agents, mold release additives, and processing aids. As part of ALTANA, it serves similar plastics and composites end markets to AXEL with a broader additives portfolio.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
AXEL Plastics social profiles
Digital presenceAXEL Plastics compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance5 records
AXEL Plastics financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
AXEL Plastics leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
AXEL Plastics subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
AXEL Plastics funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
AXEL Plastics 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 AXEL Plastics
What does AXEL Plastics do?
AXEL Plastics Research Laboratories manufactures and sells mold release agents and process aid additives for the plastics, composites, rubber, polyurethane, and rotational molding industries. The company offers a full systems approach across product lines including XTEND semi-permanent releases, MoldWiz internal mold releases, PasteWiz polymer paste waxes, CleanWiz mold cleaners and strippers, RO-59 bonded lubricants, and TBF Environmental solvents, alongside custom contract manufacturing services.
Is AXEL Plastics a public or private company?
AXEL Plastics is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was AXEL Plastics founded?
AXEL Plastics was founded in 1941. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is AXEL Plastics based?
AXEL Plastics is headquartered in Monroe, United States, in the North America region.
How does AXEL Plastics make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Mold Release Products are the primary driver. The others are process Aid Additives and contract Manufacturing Services.
Who are AXEL Plastics's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Chem-Trend (Freudenberg Chemical Specialties), McGee Industries (MCLUBE), Stoner Inc., Wacker Chemie AG, Momentive Performance Materials, Daikin Industries (Chemical Division), Franklynn Industries and Release Coatings of New York (Huron Industries). Broad incumbents are Henkel AG (Adhesive Technologies) and BYK (ALTANA AG).
Does AXEL Plastics have an API?
No public API is recorded for AXEL Plastics.