What Monroe Fluid Technology does

Monroe Fluid Technology is a privately held specialty chemical manufacturer founded in 1958 and headquartered at 36 Draffin Road, Hilton, New York, outside Rochester. The company formulates and produces a broad portfolio of metalworking fluids, industrial cleaners, and rust preventatives for industrial metalworking operations across cutting, grinding, forming, EDM, tapping, and thread cutting applications. Its product architecture spans three brand families - ASTRO (coolants, cleaners, drawing fluids, rust preventatives, dielectric EDM fluids, Swiss machining and sawing fluids under product lines such as ASTRO-CUT, ASTRO-CLEAN, ASTRO-DRAW, ASTRO-GRIND, ASTRO-KOTE, ASTRO-EDM, ASTRO-SWISS, ASTRO-MIST, ASTRO-SAW, ASTRO-SOL, ASTRO-TAP, and ASTRO-THREAD), MONROE (cutting, drawing, grinding, honing, vanishing oils, hydraulic oils, and chlorine-free Swiss/neat oils), and Cool Tool (the original COOL TOOL II introduced in 1958 and the newer biobased Cool Tool Green). Underlying technical capability is anchored by an on-site ISO-accredited development laboratory equipped with Anton Paar density meters, Karl Fischer water content testers, Bruker XRF, Cannon viscometers, and Nicolet FTIR, supported by staff with over 100 years of combined hands-on formulation experience and 50 years of combined sample analysis experience, handling over 10,000 samples per year.

The business model layers multiple revenue streams: branded product sales across 90+ SKUs (packaged from pints through IBCs to tank wagons) sold under Monroe, ASTRO, and Cool Tool labels; toll blending services offering 500 to 50,000-gallon custom batches including hot compound mixing up to 250°F; private label manufacturing enabling distributors and resellers to market Monroe-formulated fluids under their own brands; and value-added technical services including free coolant sample analysis (concentration, pH, biological activity, contaminant testing) and tele-consulting. Distribution is indirect through a domestic industrial distributor network with a published distributor locator, supplemented by direct sales contact (toll-free 1-800-828-6351). The company markets itself to machine shops and job shops, precision manufacturers requiring Swiss-type machining fluids, metal forming operations (stamping, drawing, blanking, forging), and verticals such as automotive component manufacturing, defense and aerospace, and medical device production across the United States. Certifications include ISO 9001 (since November 1994), Climate Neutral Company, USDA Certified 100% Biobased (Cool Tool II), and Made in USA.

Customer acquisition relies on the company's website and distributor locator, organic social presence across LinkedIn, Facebook, X, and Instagram, technical content marketing (SDS portal, coolant management guides, troubleshooting documentation), free sample offers, and trade engagement. Pricing is not publicly disclosed. Management is led by President Alan Christodaro and Technical Manager Nelson Fischer, with no reported external institutional ownership, indicating an independently held operator. The company operates from a single Hilton, NY facility with no subsidiaries, no public listing, and no disclosed funding rounds.

Name

Monroe Fluid Technology

Legal name

Monroe Fluid Technology

Website

https://monroefluid.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1958

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Monroe Fluid Technology is a privately held specialty chemical manufacturer founded in 1958 in Hilton, New York that formulates metalworking fluids, industrial cleaners, and rust preventatives for machine shops, precision manufacturers, and industrial metalworking operations across the United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Hilton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Metalworking Fluid Sales: Direct sales of proprietary metalworking fluid products including cutting oils, grinding fluids, metal forming lubricants, and industrial cleaners under MONROE and ASTRO brand names. Products are sold in various packaging sizes from pints to Intermediate Bulk Containers (IBCs) to tank wagons.
2. Private Label Manufacturing: Monroe provides complete private labeling of metalworking fluids for companies wanting to expand their product lines. Full lineup of water dilutable, neat oil, and rust preventatives available for private label.
3. Toll Blending Services: Custom blending of metalworking fluids with capacity from 500 to 50,000 gallons. Services include cold and hot compound mixing up to 250°F, multiple phase blending, packaging, filling, and labeling. Customers may provide formulas or have Monroe design formulations.
4. Free Coolant Analysis Services: Lab personnel provide technical consulting and free sample analysis for Monroe products including biological activity, concentration, contaminant level, and pH testing. This service supports product sales and customer retention.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Monroe Fluid Technology manufactures and sells a complete line of specialty fluids for the metalworking industry under the MONROE, ASTRO, and COOL TOOL brand families, including straight oils, soluble oils, semi-synthetics, synthetics, micro-emulsions, metal forming fluids, dielectric EDM fluids, industrial cleaners, and rust preventatives. The company also offers custom toll blending (500-50,000 gallon batches), private label manufacturing, and free in-house laboratory coolant analysis and technical consulting, serving machine shops, metal forming operations, automotive, aerospace, medical device, and precision manufacturing customers across the United States.

Product overview

Monroe Fluid Technology is a single-source supplier of metalworking fluids, industrial cleaners, and rust preventatives. The product portfolio includes three flagship brand families: the ASTRO product line (ASTRO-CUT cutting fluids, ASTRO-CLEAN industrial cleaners, ASTRO-DRAW forming fluids, ASTRO-GRIND grinding fluids, ASTRO-KOTE rust preventatives, ASTRO-EDM dielectric fluids, ASTRO-SOL soluble oils, ASTRO-SWISS Swiss machining oils, ASTRO-TAP and ASTRO-THREAD tapping/threading oils, ASTRO-MIST and ASTRO-SAW specialty fluids), the MONROE brand (MONROE CUT, MONROE DRAW, MONROE GRIND, MONROE HONE cutting/grinding/honing oils, MONROE VANISHING oils, MONROE NC chlorine-free products, hydraulic oils, and MONROE SWISS oils), and the COOL TOOL family (Cool Tool II and Cool Tool Green cutting fluids). The company also offers ancillary products like DEFOAMER MS-D defoamer, HD WAYLUBE way lubricants, X-15 MIST portable misting units, dust control products (PM 50, PM 100), and specialized calibration fluids. Services include toll blending (500-50,000 gallon batches), private label manufacturing, free coolant lab analysis, technical consulting, and coolant management/troubleshooting support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Cool Tool: Product line of cutting and tapping fluids including Cool Tool II and Cool Tool Green
• ASTRO
• MONROE

Products and services

• Cool Tool II Universal cutting and tapping fluid introduced in 1958; USDA Certified 100% Biobased product effective on all metals and does not contain 1,1,1 Trichloroethane. Also offered in aerosol packaging.
• Cool Tool Green Eco-friendly cutting fluid combining innovative technology with bio-based ingredients for sustainable machining, designed to deliver optimal performance without compromising user safety.
• ASTRO-CUT Metalworking Coolants Full family of BIOSTABLE metalworking coolants including semi-synthetic, synthetic, micro-emulsion, soluble oil, high pressure, amine-free, rust-protected, and EDM variants for heavy-duty, medium-duty, and Swiss machining on all metals.
• ASTRO-CLEAN Industrial Cleaners Industrial cleaners for metalworking plants including low-foam alkaline (ASTRO-CLEAN A), mild alkaline (ASTRO-CLEAN D), biodegradable citrus solvent degreaser (ASTRO-CLEAN E), water-extendable floor cleaner (ASTRO-CLEAN FLOOR), fast-acting alkaline maintenance cleaners (FSC, HD, RIG).
• ASTRO-DRAW Metal Forming Fluids Water-soluble and synthetic drawing, forming and stamping fluids including heavy-duty water-soluble drawing oil (ASTRO-DRAW A) and heavy-duty synthetic oil-free drawing, forming and stamping fluid (ASTRO-DRAW SYN FP).
• ASTRO-GRIND Grinding Fluid Oil-free, nitrite-free, water-extendable synthetic grinding fluid (ASTRO-GRIND A) for precision grinding operations.
• ASTRO-KOTE Rust Preventatives Solvent-based and synthetic water-based rust preventative coatings (A, A-OF, C, C-XBP, HF, LDP, LT, PM, R) for short-term, long-term, and in-plant protection of ferrous and non-ferrous metals during storage and transit.
• ASTRO-EDM Dielectric Fluids Low odor dielectric fluids (ASTRO-EDM A and ASTRO-CUT EDM) designed to offer superior performance in electrical discharge machining.
• ASTRO-SOL Soluble Oils Medium-to-heavy duty biostatic soluble oil concentrates for general and extreme-duty machining operations (ASTRO-SOL A-XBP, ASTRO-SOL C HD, ASTRO-SOL N).
• ASTRO-SWISS Swiss Machining Oils Swiss neat cutting oils (ASTRO-SWISS HD MV) designed for the most demanding Swiss-style CNC machining operations.
• ASTRO-TAP / ASTRO-THREAD Tapping and Threading Oils High performance cutting oils (ASTRO-TAP GP, ASTRO-THREAD A) formulated for difficult cutting, tapping, and threading operations requiring superior performance.
• ASTRO-MIST and ASTRO-SAW Specialty Fluids Oil-free, nitrite-free, water-extendable grinding fluid for misting applications (ASTRO-MIST A) and a heavy-duty oil-free coolant concentrate for sawing operations (ASTRO-SAW A).
• MONROE CUT Cutting Oils Full line of general purpose and high performance cutting oils for CNC and conventional machining (MONROE 40-S, MONROE CUT 50 EPS, 80 CPS, 80 CS, 100 CF, 110 SF, 130 CS, 150 C, 150 EPS, 160 SF, 200 EPS, 240 CFS, NC 80 CS, NC MO, NC MXLP, NC SH-1, NC SH-2) including chlorine-free and extreme pressure variants.
• MONROE DRAW Metal Forming Oils Heavy-duty drawing, stamping, and forming oils for aluminum and other metals including water-rinseable aluminum drawing oil (MONROE DRAW 400 AL), extreme-pressure neat drawing oils (400 EP, 500 EP, 500 EP-EM), medium-duty (450 EM), low-odor general drawing (90 CF), and odorless low-viscosity vanishing oils (140, 140 E5, 145-50).
• MONROE GRIND Grinding Oils High-performance cutting and grinding oils for heavy grinding on all metals including aluminum and stainless steel, with extreme pressure additives (MONROE GRIND 50 E, 60, 70 EP, 170 EP) and light-duty petroleum-based option (MONROE GDO LIGHT).
• MONROE HONE Honing Oils High performance straight oils (MONROE HONE 15 SF, MONROE HONE 30 ES) recommended for metal honing, cutting and forming operations.
• MONROE SWISS Swiss Cutting Oils Swiss cutting oils (MONROE SWISS OIL NG 500 R-L, MONROE SWISS OIL NG 500R) designed for demanding CNC Swiss-type machining operations with extended sump life.
• MONROE CUT RR Rifle Reloading Fluids High performance cutting fluids (MONROE CUT RR-10, MONROE CUT RR-22) designed for use in rifle reloading operations.
• Monroe AW Hydraulic Oil Premium-quality anti-wear hydraulic oils with excellent stability designed for industrial hydraulic systems.
• HD WAYLUBE 68 Specifically formulated product developed for lubrication of machine way surfaces on machine tools.
• DEFOAMER MS-D High performance antifoam agent designed for tankside addition to control foam in coolant systems.
• GLASGRIND 100 Oil-free grinding fluid concentrate containing wetting agents for glass grinding operations.
• Concrete Oil Release Ready-to-use concrete form release agent for construction applications.
• PM 50 and PM 100 Dust Control Products Ready-to-use dust control products: PM 50 for unpaved roads, parking areas, and construction sites; PM 100 for stabilizing slopes and hydro-seeding applications.
• X-15 Mist Application System Portable air-operated mist application system (X-15 MIST UNIT and X-15 Mist) with flexible delivery tube for hands-free coolant mist delivery to boring, milling, grinding, and drilling operations.
• PL Injector Calibration Fluids Injector calibration fluids (#52630 and #526) for precision fuel injector testing equipment.
• PRIME CUT Coolant Heavy duty soluble oil concentrate containing chlorinated additive for difficult machining operations on all metals except magnesium.
• Toll Blending Services Custom blending of metalworking fluids with capacity from 500 to 50,000 gallons at the Hilton, NY facility. Includes cold and hot compound mixing up to 250°F, multiple phase blending, packaging, filling, and labeling. Customers may provide formulas or have Monroe design formulations.
• Private Label Metalworking Fluids Complete private labeling of metalworking fluids for companies wanting to expand their product lines; full lineup of water dilutable, neat oil, and rust preventatives available for private label with no capital investment required from the customer.
• Technical Services Tele-consulting for product selection, application, safety, handling, and maintenance of metalworking fluids, plus free coolant analysis for Monroe products.
• Lab Analysis of Customer Samples Free coolant sample analysis at the on-site laboratory, including biological activity, concentration, contaminant level, pH, bacteria, fungal testing, and water condition assessment. Handles over 10,000 samples per year.

Quantifiable outcome

• Free coolant sample analysis reduces downtime and extends sump life by enabling proactive maintenance
• +2 more outcomes

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• TotalEnergies Lubricants: TotalEnergies' lubricants division markets metalworking fluids and industrial lubricants under the Total and Elf brands, with direct overlap to Monroe's cutting oil and soluble oil categories. As an integrated oil major, it offers broader product portfolios and global service capabilities.
• Shell Lubricants: Shell's lubricants business sells metalworking fluids, cutting oils, and industrial fluids under the Shell and Shell Spirax brands. It competes with Monroe for the same machine shop and industrial customers, with the advantage of global brand recognition, integrated supply, and digital procurement platforms.
• Castrol Industrial (BP): Castrol, owned by BP, is a major global lubricants brand with an industrial metalworking fluids portfolio including cutting oils, soluble oils, and forming lubricants. It competes with Monroe across the same end customers but as part of a much broader lubricants and motor oil portfolio, giving it greater scale and marketing resources.
• Mobil Industrial (ExxonMobil): ExxonMobil's Mobil Industrial division sells metalworking fluids, way lubricants, and hydraulic fluids overlapping Monroe's offerings (notably Monroe has products marketed as direct Mobilmet replacements). As a global integrated major, Mobil brings vastly greater scale, R&D, and direct enterprise sales capabilities.
• Chemetall (BASF): Chemetall, a BASF surface treatment unit, supplies metalworking fluids, cleaners, and corrosion protection chemicals serving aerospace, automotive, and industrial customers — overlapping with Monroe's ASTRO-CLEAN and rust preventative lines. As part of BASF, Chemetall offers broader chemistry capabilities and global reach.

Direct peers

• Quaker Houghton: Quaker Houghton (NYSE: KWR) is the global leader in metalworking fluids and a direct peer to Monroe Fluid Technology. Both companies formulate and sell cutting fluids, grinding fluids, metal forming lubricants, and rust preventatives to machine shops and OEMs, though Quaker Houghton operates at vastly greater scale with thousands of employees and a global footprint.
• Fuchs Petrolub: Fuchs is one of the world's largest independent lubricants manufacturers, with a substantial metalworking fluids division offering cutting oils, forming lubricants, and corrosion preventatives comparable to Monroe's product portfolio. It is a direct peer in industrial fluid formulation and global distribution, though operating at much larger scale.
• Hangsterfer's Laboratories: Hangsterfer's is a privately held, US-based specialty manufacturer of metalworking fluids, cutting oils, and industrial lubricants — closely comparable to Monroe in size, ownership profile, and product mix. Both companies serve precision machine shops with formulated fluids and emphasize technical service and custom formulation as differentiators.
• Master Chemical Corporation: Master Chemical is a US-based specialty manufacturer of metalworking fluids and coolants, including the widely used TRIM brand. It directly competes with Monroe in machine shop coolant and cutting fluid categories, with comparable mid-sized independent operations and emphasis on technical support services.
• Blaser Swisslube: Blaser Swisslube is a Swiss-based global manufacturer of metalworking fluids with strong penetration in Swiss-type and precision CNC machining — directly overlapping Monroe's ASTRO-SWISS and precision cutting oil lines. It is comparable in product depth and technical orientation, though with greater international presence.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Monroefluid
• Facebookfacebook.com/monroefluidtechnology
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/monroe-fluid-technology
• Instagraminstagram.com/monroe_fluid

Compliance2 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 Monroe Fluid Technology