The Cleveland Electric Laboratories

What The Cleveland Electric Laboratories does

The Cleveland Electric Laboratories is a 100+ year-old, family-owned manufacturer of high-temperature thermocouples, resistance temperature detectors (RTDs), refractory metal sensors, and fiber optic sensing systems, headquartered in Twinsburg, Ohio with a second facility in Tempe, Arizona operated as the Advanced Technologies Group. The company's core technology centers on platinum and noble metal thermocouples, Vacuum Feedthrough (VFT) assemblies, and proprietary designs including the Wire Saver Gland, Platinum Composite Sheath, and Vacuum-Tight Cold-End, supported by 10 patents across fiber optic and thermocouple technologies. It also produces fiber optic FBG-based sensors under the FiberStrike brand, targeting high-temperature, high-vibration, and electromagnetic-interference environments where conventional sensors fail.

Cleveland Electric serves aerospace and defense, power generation, industrial furnaces, glass manufacturing, metal processing mills, and (more recently) semiconductor and energy end markets. The business model is engineered-to-order: products are built and calibrated to customer specifications under ISO 9001, ISO/IEC 17025, AS9100D, ANSI/NCSL Z540, NIST traceability, and AMS 2750 compliance. Revenue mechanics combine equipment sales, NIST-traceable calibration services, and a Precious Metal Reclamation program that exchanges spent noble metal thermocouples for credit, creating a recurring closed-loop engagement. The Tempe facility (opened 2004) extends geographic reach into the Southwest aerospace and semiconductor corridors, while the company reports a global customer footprint delivered through direct sales.

Name

The Cleveland Electric Laboratories

Legal name

Cleveland Electric Laboratories, Inc.

Website

https://clevelandelectriclabs.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1920

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Cleveland Electric Laboratories is a 100+ year-old, family-owned manufacturer of high-temperature thermocouples, RTDs, refractory metal sensors, and fiber optic sensing systems serving aerospace, power generation, glass, metal processing, semiconductor, and energy customers from facilities in Ohio and Arizona.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Twinsburg

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Thermocouple Product Sales: Revenue generated from manufacturing and selling custom high-temperature thermocouples including VFT assemblies, noble metal thermocouples, industrial thermocouples, wire thermocouples, and specialty thermocouples. Products are built-to-order with various calibration types (B, C, E, J, K, N, R, S, T) and configurations.
2. Calibration and Certification Services: ISO/IEC 17025 and ANSI/NCSL Z540 accredited calibration laboratory services for thermocouples and temperature sensors from -320°F to 2800°F. Includes repair, recalibration, and certification services.
3. Machining Services: Precision machining services specializing in low-volume, highly complex configurations from difficult-to-machine materials with tight tolerances. Includes CNC milling, turning, and partner services for Wire EDM, Sinker EDM, Boring, Grinding, and Shearing.
4. Instrumentation and Turbine Engine Services: Manufacturing and refurbishment of temperature and pressure mechanical instrumentation for turbine engine test and development industry, including rakes, probes, strain gauges, and slip rings.
5. Precious Metal Reclamation Program: Exchange and reclamation programs for thermocouples containing precious metals (platinum and rhodium), allowing customers to receive new replacements at reduced cost and recover value from used thermocouples.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Cleveland Electric Laboratories manufactures custom high-temperature thermocouples and temperature sensors—including vacuum furnace, noble metal, platinum composite sheath, industrial MgO, wire, refractory metal (Type C), and RTD configurations—alongside turbine engine test instrumentation, precision machined components, and accredited calibration, certification, engineering, and precious-metal reclamation services. Products are built-to-order for aerospace, power generation, industrial furnace, glass manufacturing, and metal processing customers requiring reliable measurement from -320°F to 4200°F.

Product overview

Cleveland Electric Laboratories offers a comprehensive portfolio of high-temperature temperature sensing solutions and industrial instrumentation. The core product line centers on various thermocouple types including Vacuum Furnace Thermocouples (VFT), Noble Metal Thermocouples (platinum-based Types R, S, B), High Temp Specialty Thermocouples with platinum composite sheaths, Industrial MgO Thermocouples, and Wire Thermocouples/Bulk Wire. Supporting services include Turbine Engine Test Instrumentation (rake/probe manufacturing, strain gauges, slip rings), Precision Machining Services, and Calibration & Certification Services. The company also offers specialized programs including Exchange and Precious Metal Reclamation for platinum recovery, Engineering Services (3D modeling, component design), and Fiber Optic Technologies through its Advanced Technologies Group (ATG) subsidiary.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Advanced Technologies Group (ATG): Specialized division focusing on turbine engine test instrumentation, fiber optic sensors, precision machining services, and advanced engineering solutions. Located in Tempe, Arizona.
• FiberStrike

Products and services

• Vacuum Furnace Thermocouples (VFT Assemblies)

Quantifiable outcome

• Temperature measurement accuracy and calibration from -320°F to 2800°F
• +2 more outcomes

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• FiberStrike (Advanced Fiber Optic Technologies)coreTechnology or IntegrationCleveland Electric Laboratories operates FiberStrike as their Advanced Technologies Group (ATG), specializing in fiber optic sensor technology and FBG (Fiber Bragg Grating) sensors. The subsidiary develops portable FBG interrogators and fiber optic sensing solutions.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Omega Engineering: Omega is a major manufacturer and distributor of thermcouples, RTDs, and temperature measurement instrumentation. It serves overlapping industrial and laboratory customers with a broader catalog but overlapping product lines.
• Watlow Electric Manufacturing: Watlow is one of the largest manufacturers of industrial heaters, temperature sensors, and thermal systems. It directly competes with CEL in thermocouples, RTDs, and custom temperature assemblies for industrial furnaces, aerospace, and semiconductor applications.
• Pyromation: Pyromation is a US manufacturer of thermocouples, RTDs, and thermowells for industrial process markets. Similar built-to-order model and overlap with CEL in aerospace, power generation, and industrial furnace end markets.
• Conax Technologies: Conax manufactures temperature sensors, thermocouples, and custom feedthrough/sealing solutions for industrial and aerospace applications. Comparable to CEL's vacuum furnace and high-temperature sealed thermocouple products.
• Durex Industries: Durex Industries designs and manufactures electric heaters, temperature sensors, and thermocouples for industrial and semiconductor applications. Comparable product portfolio and target industries to CEL.
• Heraeus Electro-Nite: Heraeus Electro-Nite specializes in temperature measurement and sampling for the metals industry, including immersion thermocouples and continuous temperature sensors for steel and foundry applications. Directly comparable to CEL's metal processing thermocouple offerings.

Broad incumbents

• Chromalox: Chromalox is a large manufacturer of industrial heating and temperature control solutions including heaters and complementary sensors. It competes with CEL at the system level for industrial furnace and process heating applications.
• Endress+Hauser: Endress+Hauser is a global leader in industrial process measurement instrumentation including temperature. It competes with CEL in power generation, chemicals, and metals processing with a much broader product portfolio.
• WIKA Instrument: WIKA is a global leader in industrial measurement instruments including thermocouples, RTDs, and pressure transmitters. It competes with CEL across aerospace, power generation, and industrial process markets but operates at much larger scale with broader geographic reach.
• Honeywell Thermal Solutions: Honeywell's thermal solutions division offers temperature sensors and instrumentation for aerospace, industrial, and automotive applications. Comparable to CEL's aerospace and industrial thermocouple product lines but at far greater scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/428236

Compliance5 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries2 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 The Cleveland Electric Laboratories