Tec

What Tec does

TEC Specialty Products LLC is a US-based manufacturer of flooring and tile installation products, founded approximately 70 years ago and operating today as a wholly-owned subsidiary of H.B. Fuller. The company sells a comprehensive installation system spanning surface preparation (self-leveling underlayments, primers, moisture mitigation), flooring adhesives (universal, carpet, wood, VCT, resilient), mortars and additives (polymer-modified, fast-set, lightweight, crack isolation), mastics, grouts (sanded, unsanded, epoxy, ready-to-use, advanced performance), and a proprietary line of microbial cleaners based on MicroBlast Technology. Notable proprietary formulations include LiquiDam EZ moisture vapor barrier, Level Set 500 HF self-leveling underlayment (documented up to 20% more adhesive coverage and 66% labor cost reduction), and Fortane Zero modified silyl wood adhesive with zero VOCs and isocyanates. The company operates multiple US manufacturing plants and serves the US and Canadian markets.

TEC operates a sales-led, channel-distributed go-to-market model. Products reach end users through a network of 3,000+ retail points of sale across North America via distributors and retailers, supplemented by direct online purchasing through the company's website. The company targets professional flooring and tile installers, contractors, architects, and designers, supported by hands-on training programs, demo events, virtual training, and CEU courses. TEC maintains active partnerships with leading industry associations including NTCA, NWFA, CTEF, FCICA, INSTALL, and Starnet, and provides specification-support tools (Coverage Calculator, Build My Submittal) to embed itself in architectural workflows. The product portfolio is organized under multiple brands including TEC, Parabond, Fortane, and ProSpec, with revenue generated through specialty hardware sales at the distributor and retailer level.

Name

Tec

Legal name

TEC Specialty Products LLC

Website

https://tecspecialty.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1955

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

TEC Specialty Products is a US-based manufacturer of flooring and tile installation products — including surface preparation, adhesives, mortars, grouts, and microbial cleaners — serving professional installers, contractors, and architects across North America as a wholly-owned subsidiary of H.B. Fuller.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Flooring Installation Products

SIC

Paints, Varnishes, Lacquers, Enamels & Allied Prods (2851)

akta.pro primary industry

Flooring Installation Materials & Accessories (Adhesives, Grouts, Trims, Transitions) (IMADAJAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Floor Covering Installation Materials Manufacturing (Adhesives/Seams/Grippers/Transitions) (IMAOAJAM)

Keywords

• Flooring installation products
• Tile adhesives mortars
• Surface preparation systems
• Self-leveling underlayments
• Construction chemical products

Headquarters

HQ city

Aurora

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Flooring Installation Products: TEC generates revenue through the sale of specialty flooring and tile installation products including surface preparation, adhesives, mortars, grouts, and cleaning solutions to professional installers, contractors, and distributors.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

TEC manufactures and sells specialty flooring and tile installation products — surface preparation (self-leveling underlayments, primers, skim coats, moisture mitigation), mortars and additives, mastics, grouts, flooring adhesives (wood, carpet, resilient, VCT), caulks and sealants, preformed components, and microbial cleaners — through a 3,000+ retail/distributor network across North America. Products are designed as integrated systems for professional tile, stone, wood, carpet, and resilient flooring installations in commercial and residential construction.

Product overview

TEC Specialty Products is a manufacturer of flooring and tile installation products operating as a portfolio of specialized brands under one company. The core product line includes Surface Preparation products (self-leveling underlayments, primers, moisture mitigation), Flooring Adhesives (universal adhesives, carpet adhesives, wood adhesives, VCT adhesives), Mortars & Additives (polymer-modified mortars, fast-set mortars, lightweight mortars, crack isolation mortars), Mastics, Grouts (multiple formulations including epoxy, sanded, unsanded, ready-to-use, and advanced performance grouts), and Microbial Cleaners with MicroBlast Technology™. The company also offers sub-brands Fortane™ (wood adhesives with SMP technology) and ProSpec® (concrete repair products). Supporting tools include a Coverage Calculator and Build My Submittal tool. TEC products are designed to work together as high-quality installation systems for commercial and residential tile, stone, wood, carpet, and resilient flooring applications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Parabond: Brand under TEC Specialty Products offering flooring installation products.
• Fortane
• ProSpec

Products and services

• Level Set 500 HF Self-Leveling Underlayment High-flow self-leveling underlayment for fast-track renovations, pours from 1/4" to 2" without extension, delivers high compressive strength and ultra-low shrinkage, and is targeted at professional flooring installers seeking faster pours with up to 20% greater adhesive coverage.
• Level Set 350 Self-Leveling Underlayment High-performance hybrid self-leveling underlayment designed for fast-track renovations and multi-family housing, pourable from 1/4" to 2" without extension.
• Multipurpose Smoothing Mortar Ultra-high-performance cementitious mortar for smoothing, leveling, ramping, and rendering applications for floors, walls, and ceilings, including interior/exterior use such as pools, facades, and balconies.
• Feather Edge Skim Coat High-quality cement-based compound for skim coating, smoothing, and leveling irregularities from feather edge up to 1/2" (12mm), rapidly setting for flooring installation in 15-20 minutes.
• Multipurpose Primer Acrylic latex-based primer for use with TEC brand self-leveling underlayments, priming substrates prior to underlayment pours.
• LiquiDam EZ Moisture Vapor Barrier 1-part polymeric emulsion moisture mitigation formula providing moisture vapor protection up to 100% RH and 25 lbs MVER with two coats, functioning as primer and alkalinity blocker on concrete as little as 48 hours old.
• Wood Perfect Moisture & Sound Control Adhesive All-in-one wood flooring adhesive delivering powerful bonding, sound control, and lasting durability for wood floor installations by professional installers.
• Wood Secure Premium Wood Adhesive Ultra-high-performance wood flooring adhesive offering 7-10x better moisture control than reactive adhesives, robust adhesion, and drill-free hollow spot repair.
• Flexera 2K PSA Hybrid Adhesive Two-part water-based hybrid adhesive combining the easy PSA installation method with the durability of epoxy adhesives, offering 10 hours of pot life and up to 4 hours of open time.
• Flexera Premium Universal Adhesive High-performance resilient adhesive offering repositionability and ultra-fast bond strength development, with up to 12 hours of working time and moisture tolerance up to 99% RH.
• Flexera High Tack Premium Universal Adhesive Ultra-aggressive PSA adhesive formulated for installation of dimensionally stable LVT/LVP, VCT, and vinyl-backed resilient sheet flooring, with high moisture tolerance and immediate foot traffic capability.
• Vinyl Composition Tile Adhesive Permanent pressure-sensitive adhesive for interior installation of Vinyl Composition Tile (VCT), dries clear for a clean finished look.
• Contract Multipurpose Adhesive Multipurpose adhesive for sheet goods and carpet to approved substrates, providing value and performance for many installation types.
• The Perfect Putdown Premium Carpet and Flooring Adhesive Premium adhesive for installation of most carpet and mineral felt-backed, fiber-backed, and paper-backed resilient sheetgoods with 20 to 40 minutes working time.
• Double-Stick Carpet Adhesive Carpet adhesive with extended open time for installation of pattern-matched goods, withstands 90% RH or up to 8 lbs MVER.
• Releasable Pressure Sensitive Adhesive Releasable pressure-sensitive adhesive for modular carpet tiles and Double Bond carpet cushions, with durable tack yet releasable for ease of replacement.
• Premium Fast Grab Carpet Adhesive Carpet and fiber-backed sheet goods adhesive for all approved substrates, withstands 86% RH or up to 8 lbs MVER in new concrete; CRI Green Label Plus certified.
• TEC 975 Indoor/Outdoor Carpet Adhesive Adhesive specifically designed for installation of most outdoor carpets, water resistant when cured.
• Stair Tread Adhesive Solvent-free plasticizer-resistant adhesive for installing rubber or vinyl stair tread, radial tile, or rubber sheet flooring over porous and non-porous surfaces.
• Wood Endure Advanced Performance Wood Flooring Adhesive Modified silyl technology adhesive delivering superior bond strength, sound control properties, and moisture protection with no pre-installation moisture testing required.
• Wood Go Urethane Wood Flooring Adhesive Everyday urethane adhesive for wood flooring with superior ridge retention to keep wood aligned during installation and prevent hollow spots.
• Fortane Zero Flooring Adhesive One-component wood floor adhesive based on Modified Silyl Technology that also functions as a moisture vapor retarder with zero VOCs and zero isocyanates and no pre-installation moisture testing required.
• Fortane LD Polyurethane Wood Floor Adhesive High-performance one-component moisture-cure urethane adhesive for glue-down installations on all grades of wood flooring with NO HOLLOW SPOT technology.
• Type 1 Mastic Adhesive for installing ceramic, porcelain, natural stone, quarry, and mosaic tile on interior floors and walls, suitable for floor applications up to 8" x 8".
• Double Duty Plus Ceramic Tile Adhesive Premium ready-to-use white tile adhesive for installing marble and ceramic tile over interior walls and floors.
• Double Duty Ceramic Tile Adhesive Ready-to-use adhesive for installing ceramic tile over interior walls and floors.
• Ultimate Premixed Mortar Premium ready-to-use adhesive for wall and floor applications with tile up to 20" x 20", lightweight with easy troweling and non-slip wall performance.
• 3N1 Performance Mortar Lightweight polymer-modified mortar combining medium bed and non-sag features for installing gauged porcelain panels.
• SturdiLight Lightweight Latex-Modified Thin Set Mortar Lightweight polymer-modified mortar for everyday applications over plywood and cementitious surfaces, providing twice the coverage per pound compared to traditional mortars.
• IsoLight Lightweight 1/8" Crack Isolation Mortar Lightweight polymer-modified mortar that protects tile from up to 1/8" substrate cracking caused by in-plane horizontal substrate movement.
• Quik Flex Accelerated Thin Set Mortar Polymer-modified fast-setting general-purpose mortar designed for a wide range of applications with grout in as little as 3 hours.
• Fast Set Ultimate Large Tile Mortar Polymer-modified mortar ideal for medium bed applications with heavy and large-format tile in interior and exterior applications.
• Fast Set 3N1 Performance Mortar Fast-set and lightweight premium mortar combining polymer-modified, medium bed, and non-sag features, ready for grouting in 3-4 hours.
• Uncoupling Membrane Mortar Unmodified dry-set medium bed mortar for use with uncoupling membrane and waterproofing membrane installations.
• PermaSet 200 Flooring Mortar Unmodified Portland cement-based dry-set mortar designed for ceramic tile floor applications in interior or exterior installations.
• Full Set Plus Unmodified Thin-Set Mortar High-strength, quick-grab unmodified formulation ideal for wall installations of non-porous or semi-porous tile and floors.
• Ultimate Large Tile Mortar Polymer-modified mortar ideal for installing large format tile over plywood, cementitious surfaces, and other substrates for medium bed applications.
• Ready to Use Grout Premixed durable, stain-resistant grout developed for residential use in intermittently wet and dry areas, formulated with fine sand particles for joints as small as 1/16".
• Pure-Color RTU Grout Ready-to-use grout delivering durability and excellent resistance to common cleaning chemicals, engineered for interior/exterior installations including wet and submerged applications.
• InColor Advanced Performance Tile Grout Ready-to-use grout that is stain-proof, mold and mildew resistant, color-consistent, crack resistant, and requires no sealing for floors and walls.
• Power Grout Grout with a unique formulation providing increased stain protection and resistance to common stains, with strong, color-consistent joints resistant to shrinking and cracking.
• Design FX Grout Ready-to-use, stain-proof grout that accentuates the natural beauty of glass, mosaic, and metal tiles plus ceramic, porcelain, and natural stone tile, rated up to moderate commercial use.
• AccuColor Premium Sanded Grout Polymer-enhanced Portland cement grout specifically formulated for highly wear-resistant, color-consistent joints in extra heavy commercial applications.
• AccuColor Premium Unsanded Grout Polymer-enhanced Portland cement grout specifically formulated to provide highly wear-resistant and color-consistent narrow joints.
• AccuColor Plus Grout Fast-setting grout that is efflorescence-resistant, suitable for joints from 1/16" to 1/2".
• AccuColor EFX Epoxy Special Effects Grout Dual-purpose 100% solids epoxy grout and mortar designed for tile and stone installations on floors, walls, and countertops with over 700 special-order colors.
• Microbial Acrylic Adhesive Remover Advanced ready-to-use non-hazardous surface preparation solution that effectively removes existing pressure-sensitive adhesives without requiring shot blasting or grinding.
• Microbial Daily Floor Cleaner Advanced non-hazardous ready-to-use cleaner specially formulated to remove dirt and grime from resilient floor coverings, with neutral pH and zero VOC.
• Microbial Carpet Cleaner Advanced ready-to-use cleaning solution that effectively removes residual dirt, grease, and grime from all types of carpeting; CRI-approved.
• Microbial Spot Cleaner Advanced ready-to-use spot cleaning solution that effectively removes residual dirt, grease, and grime from carpeting and fabrics.
• Microbial Asphalt Walk-Off Cleaner Powerful, easy-to-use spot cleaner to remove asphalt walk-off contaminates from all carpeting.
• Microbial Rubber Floor Deep Cleaner Non-hazardous ready-to-use cleaner that removes wax and residual detergents from previous cleaners as well as dirt and grime from rubber flooring.
• Microbial Sports Floor Cleaner Non-hazardous ready-to-use cleaner formulated to remove dirt and grime from resilient sports and fitness flooring surfaces.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 20% more adhesive coverage with Level Set 500 HF self-leveling underlayment
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

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

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• ARCATminorOthersIndustry partner providing architectural content and resources integration.
• CTDA (Ceramic Tile Distributors Association)minorOthersTrade association for ceramic tile distributors supporting industry standards and distribution channels.
• CTEF (Ceramic Tile Education Foundation)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProvides training and certification for tile installation professionals, supporting TEC's technical education initiatives.
• FCICA (Floor Covering Installation Contractors Association)minorOthersAssociation representing floor covering installation contractors, supporting industry best practices.
• NWFA (National Wood Flooring Association)coreOthersTrade association for wood flooring professionals providing certification, training, and industry standards alignment.
• NTCA (National Tile Contractors Association)coreOthersLeading trade association for tile contractors representing the largest segment of ceramic tile contractors in the United States.
• StarnetcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCommercial flooring contractor network providing preferred vendor partnership for TEC commercial installation products.
• INSTALLcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerTraining organization for floor covering installers providing standardized installation training that aligns with TEC product specifications.
• H.B. FullercoreOthersParent company H.B. Fuller provides corporate infrastructure, R&D support, and manufacturing capabilities for TEC Specialty Products LLC operating in the United States and Canada.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Sika AG: Global specialty chemicals company with a broad construction portfolio including flooring adhesives, sealants, mortars, and waterproofing systems. Overlaps with TEC in tile and flooring installation, but operates across many broader construction categories.
• Wacker Chemie AG: Specialty chemicals company with construction polymers (Vinnapas) used in tile adhesives, grouts, mortars and self-leveling systems. A chemistry/input supplier overlap rather than direct channel competitor, but competes for the same end-user specification.
• H.B. Fuller: Parent company of TEC and a global manufacturer of adhesives, sealants, and coatings across hygiene, packaging, construction, and durable goods. Provides corporate scale, R&D, and manufacturing infrastructure but addresses many other end markets beyond flooring installation.

Direct peers

• Mapei: Global manufacturer of adhesives, sealants, mortars, grouts and chemical products for the building industry. Closely comparable product portfolio (installation systems for tile, stone, wood, resilient, and carpet flooring) and overlapping professional installer customer base across North America.
• Ardex Americas: Specialty building products manufacturer focused on self-leveling underlayments, mortars, grouts, and surface preparation systems for flooring and tile installations. Direct overlap with TEC's Level Set and surface preparation product categories.
• Bostik: Global adhesives manufacturer (part of Arkema) with a dedicated flooring and construction adhesives business covering resilient, wood, and carpet adhesives. Comparable adhesive chemistry portfolio and strong distributor relationships.
• Schluter Systems: Manufacturer of tile installation products including uncoupling membranes, waterproofing, profiles, and drain systems, plus affiliated installation mortars. Comparable systems-based installer focus, particularly in tile underlayments and uncoupling membranes.
• LATICRETE International: Family-owned manufacturer of tile and stone installation systems, including surface preparation, mortars, grouts, adhesives and waterproofing membranes. Closely comparable systems-based selling approach targeting professional tile contractors and specifiers.
• Royal Adhesives & Sealants: US-focused formulator of specialty adhesives and sealants serving construction and industrial markets including flooring. Comparable specialty adhesive chemistry and professional installer customer overlap.
• Custom Building Products: North American manufacturer of surface preparation, mortars, grouts, mastics, and waterproofing/crack isolation products for tile and stone installation. Directly overlapping product range and channel presence in flooring and tile specialty retailers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/installwithtec
• Facebookfacebook.com/TECInstallationSystems
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tec-installation-systems

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

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 Tec