Certified Labs

What Certified Labs does

Certified Labs, founded in 1949 in Fort Worth, Texas and headquartered in Irving, Texas, is a private industrial chemicals company and the self-described largest independent lubricant manufacturer in North America. It operates as a subsidiary of NCH Corporation, which itself was integrated into Solenis in 2026. The company manufactures and distributes a broad portfolio of industrial lubricants — greases (PREMALUBE family including Red, Xtreme, Xtreme Green, Elite, FG food-grade, Arctic), motor oils (SPECTRA XTREME CK-4, SPECTRA NGEO), gear and transmission oils (CERTOP, TO-4), hydraulic oils (OIL-ALL Xtreme, HOC Xtreme, HI-TOP, LUBRA-LIFT), fuel treatments (DIESEL-MATE series, FIRE-UP!, THAW-OUT), coolants, heat transfer oils, compressor oils, environmentally acceptable lubricants, metalworking fluids, aerosols, and cleaners. Underlying technology centers on proprietary synthetic blends, calcium sulfonate and aluminum complex grease bases, extreme-pressure additive packages, and patented specialty formulations (LUBRA-LIFT Patent #5,700,765; BEARING PURGE Patent #7,241,723; HEAT SHIELD Patent for high-temperature grease). R&D is staffed by over 100 scientists and technicians who are active in NLGI, STLE, SAE, ASTM, and NORIA.

The company monetizes through direct sales of lubricants and application equipment, plus a value-added services layer that includes the Certif-ID Tagging Program, On-Site Industry Training, Value Recognition Reports (ROI documentation), Root Cause Analysis, MOHAWK Diesel Fuel and Oil Analysis, Plant Reliability assessments, and a Customer Portal integrated with ALS laboratory services. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is delivered through personalized quotes via the direct sales channel. Go-to-market is a 500-rep field sales force providing on-site expert service across 11+ verticals: mining, oil and gas, construction, manufacturing, fleet, rail, maritime, forestry, waste/scrap, bio-mass, and agriculture. Manufacturing runs from two facilities (Irving, TX and Indianapolis, IN), with a dedicated Irving distribution center established in 2020 and ongoing Indianapolis capacity expansion through 2023. Customer base is entirely enterprise; documented savings outcomes range from approximately $28K to $1.3M+ annually per account, driven by extended drain intervals and reduced unplanned downtime.

Name

Certified Labs

Legal name

Certified Labs

Website

https://certifiedlabs.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1949

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

Certified Labs is the largest independent industrial lubricant manufacturer in North America, producing greases, motor oils, gear oils, hydraulics, and fuel treatments, sold through a 500-rep direct field force to enterprise customers across mining, oil and gas, construction, manufacturing, fleet, rail, maritime, and other heavy-industrial verticals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Irving

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Lubricant Products: Sale of industrial lubricants including greases, motor oils, gear oils, hydraulic oils, fuel additives, and specialty products. Products are formulated to solve customers' equipment problems and exceed expectations, lasting 2 to 10 times longer than other available products.
2. Application Equipment: Sale and distribution of application equipment for lubricant delivery and management.
3. Value-Added Services: Comprehensive value-added services including on-site industry training, oil & fuel analysis, equipment reliability surveys, failure analysis, and equipment & inventory tagging programs.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Certified Labs manufactures and distributes industrial lubricants — including greases, motor oils, gear oils, hydraulic oils, transmission fluids, fuel treatments, coolants, and metalworking fluids — and pairs them with on-site value-added services such as lubrication surveys, oil and fuel analysis, and reliability consulting delivered by a 500-person direct field-sales force to heavy industrial customers. Products are engineered to last 2–10 times longer than competing lubricants, with multiple patented formulations (LUBRA-LIFT, BEARING PURGE, HEAT SHIELD) anchoring the technical differentiation.

Product overview

Certified Labs is a lubricant manufacturing company offering a comprehensive portfolio of industrial lubricants, greases, fuel treatments, coolants, and related products. The product line centers on the PREMALUBE grease family (including Premalube Red, Premalube Xtreme, Premalube Xtreme Green, Premalube Elite Red, and Premalube FG food-grade variants), SPECTRA motor oils (including SPECTRA Xtreme CK-4, SPECTRA Xtreme D1, STRATA, and SPECTRA NGEO for natural gas), CERTOP gear and transmission oils, hydraulic oils (OIL-ALL Xtreme, HOC Xtreme, HI-TOP), fuel quality products (DIESEL-MATE series, FIRE-UP!, THAW-OUT), radiator coolants (RAD-COOL), heat transfer oils (Pyro-Therm), compressor oils (SYNCOM, MULTOIL), EAL environmentally acceptable products, metal working fluids (LONG-LIFE series), and industrial cleaners (AQUA-SOL, BLUE BEAST). Value-added services include the Certif-ID Tagging Program, On-Site Industry Training, Value Recognition Reports, Root Cause Analysis, Diesel Fuel and Oil Analysis, Plant Reliability assessments, and a Customer Portal. The company serves multiple industries including agriculture, construction, bio-mass, manufacturing, forestry, oil and gas, mining, fleet, maritime, waste and scrap, and rail.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• PREMALUBE Grease Family Multi-purpose, heavy load, extreme pressure, high temperature grease line in aluminum complex and calcium sulfonate bases (PREMALUBE, PREMALUBE Red, PREMALUBE Xtreme, PREMALUBE Xtreme Green, Premalube Elite Red, PREMALUBE XTREME FG food-grade, ARCTIC PREMALUBE, PM PREMALUBE Xtreme Green for pellet mills). Designed for heavy industrial, construction, food processing, and arctic applications.
• SPECTRA Motor Oil Family Advanced performance motor oils (SPECTRA XTREME CK-4, SPECTRA XTREME D1 GM DEXOS1, STRATA single-grade, STRATA PLUS performance improver, SPECTRA NGEO natural gas engine oil) formulated for severe duty and extended drain intervals in diesel, gasoline, and natural-gas-powered engines.
• CERTOP Gear & Transmission Oils Heavy-duty synthetic and conventional gear, bearing, and transmission oils (CERTOP, CERTOP SN synthetic long life, CERTOP INDUSTRIAL, CERTOP 600 PAO, LF CERTOP FG food grade, TO-4, TO-4 MG XTREME All Seasons, TORQUE-GLIDE synthetic ATF). For heavy equipment, final drives, gearboxes, and automatic transmissions.
• Hydraulic Oils (OIL-ALL Xtreme, HOC Xtreme, HI-TOP, LUBRA-LIFT) Advanced hydraulic fluids including universal transmission hydraulic fluid (OIL-ALL Xtreme), synthetic hydraulic oils (HOC Xtreme), multi-viscosity hydraulic oils (HI-TOP), food-grade (HI-TOP FG), biodegradable (HI-TOP BIO), and the patented LUBRA-LIFT hydraulic oil improver (Patent #5,700,765) which extends hydraulic oil service life by up to 2,000 hours.
• DIESEL-MATE Fuel Treatment Family Diesel fuel quality assurance and treatment products (DIESEL-MATE All Seasons, DIESEL-MATE 2000 All Seasons, BIO DIESEL-MATE, ARCTIC DIESEL-MATE, TANK TONIC biocide/fungicide, DZL CLEAN fuel system cleaner, FIRE-UP! cold flow improver, THAW-OUT emergency de-icing agent).
• RAD-COOL Coolants Pre-diluted and extended-life coolants/anti-freezes for heavy-duty and automotive engines (RAD-COOL 50/50, RAD-COOL RED ELC 50/50).
• Pyro-Therm Heat Transfer Oils Extended-life heat transfer fluids for circulating hot oil systems (Pyro-Therm ASP, food-grade Pyro-Therm 600 NSF certified).
• Compressor and Industrial Oils (SYNCOM, TWIN-LUBE, MULTOIL) Synthetic and conventional compressor and industrial oils: SYNCOM premium synthetic diester compressor oils, TWIN-LUBE multi-grade rotary air-compressor lubricant, and MULTOIL zinc-free hydraulic/turbine/bearing oil.
• Enviro EAL Lubricants Environmentally Acceptable Lubricants meeting Vessel General Permit (VGP) requirements: Enviro HOC Xtreme EAL hydraulic oil, ENVIROCAL EAL bio-based grease, Enviro Certop Xtreme EAL PAG gear/bearing oil, and Enviro HOC Xtreme EAL PG. Targeted at maritime, ports, and environmentally sensitive operations.
• LONG-LIFE Metalworking Fluids Super-synthetic and semi-synthetic metalworking fluids (LONG-LIFE 20/20 PLUS, LONG-LIFE 4400) for high-speed machining, high temperatures, and heavy chip load operations.
• Industrial Cleaners and Aerosol Specialty Products (AQUA-SOL, BLUE BEAST, HYDRO SOLV Xtreme, FREE, DRI-LUBE PLUS, LOK-CEASE, LUBE-TRAC, CHAINMASTER, BEARING PURGE) Industrial cleaners/degreases (AQUA-SOL water-soluble solvent, BLUE BEAST triple-duty cleaner, HYDRO SOLV Xtreme water-based parts washing solution) and aerosol specialty lubricants (FREE penetrant, DRI-LUBE PLUS moly dry film, LOK-CEASE 20/20 anti-seize, LUBE-TRAC open-gear lubricant, CHAINMASTER/CHAINMASTER FG chain oils, patented BEARING PURGE compound Patent #7,241,723).
• Certif-ID Tagging Program Lubricant identification program that displays correct products for each equipment asset, organizes lubricant storage facilities, and supports inventory/utilization improvements on customer sites.
• On-Site Industry Training Lubrication seminars delivered on customer sites covering lubrication fundamentals, proactive maintenance, fluid evaluations, and best practices to improve equipment uptime and reliability.
• Certified Value Recognition Reports (VRRs) ROI documentation service that quantifies annual customer savings in lubricant, parts, labor, and downtime resulting from Certified Labs' lubrication programs, supported by real-time reliability results.
• Root Cause Analysis Product and equipment evaluation program designed to increase lubrication reliability, including quality assurance, product optimization, and dedicated support.
• Diesel Fuel and Oil Analysis (MOHAWK) Comprehensive diesel fuel and used-oil analysis monitoring cetane rating, water content, bacterial growth, bio-diesel content, wear metals, and contamination for year-round fuel protection and equipment health.
• Plant Reliability Assessment On-site evaluation of a plant's lubrication program strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, using a stepwise approach to achieve lubrication excellence.
• Customer Portal Online customer portal integrating with ALS for real-time test results, oil analysis, fuel analysis, order history, performance data across multiple locations, and maintenance scheduling.
• Lubricant Application Equipment Sale and distribution of application equipment for lubricant delivery and management, supplied alongside lubrication programs by field sales representatives.

Quantifiable outcome

• Hydraulic Fracturing customer achieved $1,319,154.72 in annual savings with extended power end life to 1000+ hours
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments12 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature6 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Solenisflagship - corporate integrationStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026NCH Corporation (parent company of Certified Labs) has become part of Solenis as of 2026. This is described as 'Forward As One' integration, bringing together NCH's maintenance, repair, and supply products with Solenis's portfolio. Certified Labs operates under the Solenis umbrella with continued operations from Irving, TX headquarters.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Castrol (BP): Castrol is BP's global lubricants brand serving industrial and automotive markets with greases, gear oils, and hydraulic fluids, broadly overlapping with Certified Labs's industrial-lubricants portfolio as an established incumbent.
• Calumet Specialty Products Partners: Calumet is a US specialty oils and lubricants producer offering formulated lubricants and base oils across industrial and consumer markets, comparable to Certified Labs's lubricant formulation and blending capabilities.
• ExxonMobil Lubricants: ExxonMobil's Mobil brand is a global lubricants leader with extensive heavy-duty and industrial offerings (greases, gear oils, hydraulic fluids), overlapping with Certified Labs's heavy-industrial product lines as a broad incumbent.
• Shell Lubricants: Shell is a global lubricants incumbent selling Rotella, Pennzoil, and a broad industrial range, directly competing with Certified Labs in heavy-duty engine oils and industrial lubricants as part of a much wider portfolio.
• Chevron Lubricants: Chevron's Delo and Techron brands serve heavy-duty diesel and industrial markets with motor oils, hydraulic fluids, and greases, providing broad-based competition to Certified Labs's heavy-equipment and fleet lubricants.

Direct peers

• Petro-Canada Lubricants (Suncor): Petro-Canada Lubricants is a major North American manufacturer of industrial and heavy-duty lubricants with a deep heavy-equipment portfolio and direct-sales channels, directly comparable to Certified Labs's industrial reliability offerings.
• Valvoline: Valvoline is a US-headquartered independent lubricants and oil-change company that formulates and sells motor oils, gear oils, and greases through branded channels, directly comparable to Certified Labs's branded industrial-lubricants portfolio.
• Quaker Houghton: Quaker Houghton is a global specialty chemicals and industrial-fluid leader focused on metalworking fluids, hydraulic oils, and grease technologies for heavy industry — directly comparable to Certified Labs's industrial-fluids and value-added-services offering.
• Fuchs Petrolub: Fuchs is the world's largest independent manufacturer of lubricants and related specialties, with a heavy-industrial focus closely mirroring Certified Labs's broad industrial-lubricants portfolio across greases, motor oils, gear oils, hydraulic fluids, and metalworking fluids.
• Lubrication Engineers: Lubrication Engineers is an independent, US-based specialty lubricant manufacturer focused on industrial greases, gear oils, and reliability-driven programs, closely matching Certified Labs's direct-sales heavy-industrial model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/certifiedlabs

Compliance4 records

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 Certified Labs