What Worthen Industries does

Worthen Industries, Inc. is a privately held, family-owned specialty chemicals manufacturer founded in 1866 and headquartered in Nashua, New Hampshire. The company operates three core divisions: Adhesives and Coatings (solvent-based, water-based, and 100% solids formulations), Coated Products (adhesive-coated flexible substrates and performance-coated fabrics), and Extruded Products (thermoplastic films and profiles in olefins, TPU, copolyesters, and elastomers). Across these divisions, Worthen maintains a catalog of 1,200+ products and serves 18+ end markets including aerospace, automotive, medical, footwear, construction, textiles, military, furniture, renewable energy, and packaging. Technical capabilities include custom formulation, film extrusion, web coating, and toll manufacturing, supported by ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015, Bluesign, and Mil-DTL-32075 certifications.

The company employs 251-500 people and operates a global footprint through wholly-owned regional subsidiaries (UPACO entities in China, Hong Kong, Vietnam, India, and Mexico), channel partners across the Americas and Europe, and offices in Morocco and the Dominican Republic. Its go-to-market is sales-led B2B, combining direct enterprise engagement for custom formulation work with regional distribution for established product lines such as Sampson Rib and Machinery (insole rib and rib attaching machinery for Goodyear Welted footwear manufacturers). Revenue is generated through one-time purchase of custom and catalog adhesives, coated products, extruded films, and footwear manufacturing equipment, with quote-based pricing on bespoke formulations.

Worthen's brand portfolio includes Sampson, Prime Manufacturing, Ecobond (footwear films), Perception (printable coated canvases), and UPACO (regional coated fabrics). The company is led by founder David Worthen (CEO and President) and Eric Worthen (President), with no disclosed private equity or institutional ownership, reflecting a multi-generational family stewardship model across its 150+ year operating history.

Name

Worthen Industries

Legal name

Worthen Industries, Inc.

Website

https://worthenind.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1866

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Adhesives & Coatings

NAICS

Paint, Coating, and Adhesive Manufacturing (3255), Paint and Coating Manufacturing (325510), Paint and Coating Manufacturing (32551), Adhesive Manufacturing (32552), Plastics Packaging Film and Sheet (including Laminated) Manufacturing (326112)

SIC

Paints, Varnishes, Lacquers, Enamels & Allied Prods (2851), Adhesives & Sealants (2891), Plastic Material, Synth Resin/Rubber, Cellulos (No Glass) (2820), Plastics Products, Nec (3089)

akta.pro primary industry

Industrial & Protective Coatings (IMAEAGAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Label Stock, Inks, Coatings & Laminates (Materials Supply) (IMALAKAL), Packaging & Can Coatings (IMAEAGAF), Sustainable Labels, Adhesives & Inks (Wash-Off Labels, De-inkable Inks, Low-VOC) (IMALAMAJ), Colored, Art & Premium Paper Manufacturing (IMAMAEAG)

Keywords

• Industrial adhesives
• Specialty coatings
• Coated flexible substrates
• Thermoplastic extrusion
• Footwear manufacturing supplies

Headquarters

HQ city

Nashua

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Adhesives and Coatings Sales: Direct B2B sales of specialty adhesives, industrial coatings, and laminating adhesives to manufacturers across multiple industries. Products include solvent-based, water-based, and 100% solids formulations.
2. Coated Products: Sale of adhesive coated products including medical fabrics, medical foams, medical films, single and double face tapes, carpet tile tapes, and custom coated PSA products.
3. Extruded Films: Sale of extruded films including polyolefins, thermoplastic urethanes, copolyesters, and elastomers for various industrial applications.
4. Footwear Products and Machinery: Sale of EcoBond Films for footwear, adhesives, primers, waterproofing products, and rib attaching machinery (Sampson brand).

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Worthen Industries manufactures specialty adhesives, industrial coatings, coated flexible substrates, and thermoplastic extrusion products for industrial customers across diverse sectors. The company operates three core divisions: Adhesives & Coatings (solvent-based, water-based, and 100% solids formulations), Coated Products (adhesive-coated substrates and performance-coated fabrics), and Extruded Products (films, tubing, and profiles in olefins, TPU, copolyesters, and elastomers). Worthen also offers custom formulation, toll manufacturing, and specialized sub-brands such as EcoBond Films, Sampson Rib & Machinery, and Perception.

Product overview

Worthen Industries is a diversified manufacturer of specialty adhesives, coatings, coated flexible substrates, and thermoplastic extrusion products. The company operates as a single unified product portfolio organized into three core divisions: Adhesives & Coatings (solvent-based, water-based, and 100% solids formulations), Coated Products (adhesive-coated substrates and performance-coated fabrics), and Extruded Products (films and profiles). Within these divisions, Worthen serves specific industry verticals through focused product lines including the EcoBond Films for footwear, Printable Fabric Solutions for labeling and printing applications, Staple & Nail Products for fastener applications, and the Sampson Rib & Machinery sub-brand for footwear manufacturing equipment. The company also offers custom formulation and toll manufacturing capabilities alongside its standard product offerings. Worthen serves diverse end markets including aerospace, automotive, medical, footwear, furniture, textiles, military, construction, and renewable energy sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sampson Rib & Machinery: One of the most preferred Rib Attaching machinery brands in the world, supplying INSOLE RIB and RIB ATTACHING MACHINERY to top manufacturers of Goodyear Welted Footwear worldwide. Also known as Sampson.
• Prime Manufacturing
• Perception
• Ecobond
• UPACO

Products and services

• Adhesives & Coatings Industrial adhesives and coatings formulations including solvent-based, water-based, and 100% solids products for manufacturers across aerospace, automotive, medical, footwear, construction, and other industrial sectors.
• Coated Products Adhesive-coated flexible substrates and performance-coated fabrics for medical, industrial, and consumer applications, including medical fabrics, foams, films, single and double face tapes, and custom coated PSAs.
• Extruded Products Thermoplastic extrusion products including films, tubing, and profiles in olefins, TPU, copolyesters, and elastomers for various industrial applications.
• Extruded Films Extruded polymer films including olefins (polyethylene, polypropylene, copolymers), TPU (thermoplastic urethane), copolyesters with low-temperature softening points, and TPR/TPV elastomers.
• Laminating Adhesives & Coatings Primers, lacquers, heat seal coatings, industrial adhesives, and food/medical/cosmetic packaging adhesives for laminating applications.
• EcoBond Films Sole and midsole attaching films and stitchless films for footwear manufacturing, providing waterproofing and bonding solutions.
• Printable Fabric Solutions Coated fabrics for printing applications including apparel care labels, tag and PSA stock, military fabric labels, automotive interior labels, mattress and furniture labels, printable fabric arts and crafts, and medical/biolab consumables.
• Staple & Nail Products Collating tapes, fastener coatings, and staple and wire band adhesives for the fastener industry.
• Adhesive Coated Products Medical fabrics, medical foams, medical films, single and double face tapes, carpet tile tapes, woven poly tapes, and custom coated PSAs.
• Performance Coated Fabrics Custom coated fabrics, specialty coatings and compounds, specialty covers and tarps, HVAC/duct work, soft wall/tent structure, and flexible ducting products.
• Sampson Rib & Machinery Insole rib products and rib attaching machinery for Goodyear Welted Footwear, including over 100 variations of insole rib and the Sampson rib attaching machines.
• Collating Tapes Heat sealable tapes for collating staples, nails, c-rings and specialty fasteners, available in various thicknesses, slit widths, and activation temperatures.
• Fastener Coatings Nail coatings designed to facilitate drivability while maximizing holding power, with both water-based and solvent-based options providing corrosion resistance.
• Staple & Wire Band Adhesives Adhesives providing exceptional metal adhesion and impact resistance for collating on band-line, multi-wire/inline press, single, and polywire machines.
• Perception Brand Canvas Custom-coated canvases and fabrics under the Perception brand for graphic art products, designed to raise and re-establish industry standards.

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and regional.

• ASC (Adhesive and Sealant Council)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry association membership providing access to adhesive and sealant industry best practices, networking, and standards development.
• PSTC (Pressure Sensitive Tape Council)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry association for pressure-sensitive tape manufacturers, providing standards development and industry collaboration.
• BluesigncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSystem partner for sustainable textile production, particularly for printable fabric solutions and coated fabrics.
• BCertminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCertification partner for product quality and compliance standards.
• SFS AssociatesregionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional distribution partner for Sampson Rib products covering Missouri and Arkansas territory.
• Maristany ExportregionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInternational distribution partner covering Central America, South America, Europe, and select countries for rib products.
• Milton InternacionalregionalChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMexican distribution partner for rib products and adhesives, Leon, GTO Mexico.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Avery Dennison: Global leader in pressure-sensitive adhesives, label materials, and coated films. Direct overlap with Worthen's printable fabric solutions, adhesive coated products, and label stock serving medical, automotive, and apparel labels.
• Bostik (Arkema): World-leading specialty adhesives business of Arkema, serving industrial assembly, packaging, construction, and footwear with similar formulation capabilities and global manufacturing footprint.
• H.B. Fuller: Global specialty adhesives manufacturer serving similar industrial segments including packaging, hygiene, construction, automotive, and footwear. Most direct competitor in industrial adhesives formulation and custom coating solutions.
• Royal Adhesives & Sealants: Former independent specialty adhesives and sealants manufacturer (now part of H.B. Fuller) with historic focus on aerospace, defense, and industrial bonding - very comparable in custom formulation and regulated-market positioning.

Broad incumbents

• RPM International: US-listed specialty coatings and sealants holding company with operating companies in industrial coatings, roofing systems, and sealants. Comparable in industrial coatings focus but at much larger scale and broader portfolio.
• ITW (Illinois Tool Works): Diversified industrial manufacturer with polymer and adhesives segments serving automotive, construction, and packaging. Comparable mid-market industrial customer profile and custom formulation model.
• Sika AG: Swiss specialty chemicals company with strong industrial bonding, sealing, and coating portfolios serving automotive, construction, and renewable energy—several overlapping verticals with Worthen's adhesives and coatings business.
• Henkel Adhesive Technologies: Largest industrial adhesives competitor globally, with deep coverage of automotive, electronics, packaging, footwear, and consumer applications. Massive R&D budget and global technical service network position it as the dominant incumbent Worthen competes against.
• 3M Industrial Adhesives and Tapes: Diversified industrial giant with major industrial adhesives, tapes, and coatings businesses serving automotive, aerospace, electronics, and consumer markets. Significantly larger and broader but overlapping product portfolio.

Emerging players

• Adchem Corporation: US-based specialty manufacturer of adhesive tapes, films, and coated products serving medical, automotive, and industrial markets. Similar size and scope as Worthen's coated products division with overlapping customer base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

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Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries8 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 Worthen Industries