What XL Brands does

XL Brands manufactures and distributes installation-related products for the commercial floor covering industry, with a portfolio spanning carpet adhesives, cove base adhesives, resilient flooring adhesives, multi-purpose and seam sealer adhesives, wood flooring adhesives, specialty adhesives, and a full surface preparation line (self-leveling underlayments, primers, moisture mitigation systems, patching compounds). The company has operated in this category for over 40 years (founded circa 1984) and is a subsidiary of Bostik, the adhesives segment of Arkema, with its operating base in Dalton, Georgia. Its technology stack is rooted in proprietary chemistry: the MicroSept Advanced Antimicrobial System integrated across product lines, the patented Stix 1100 high-solids adhesive, RapidCure/Moisture Vapor Barrier systems (DriSeal ONYX, DriSeal 95, DriSeal MOISTURE MAX, LockDown EVB), CMP-formulated crack-resistant patching (DashPatch), and the recently launched InnoStix PSA bio-based pressure-sensitive adhesive (USDA BioPreferred Certified, 32% biobased content, claimed up to 34% CO2 reduction).

XL Brands makes money through two streams: (1) direct and channel sales of branded adhesives, surface prep, and installation accessory products to commercial flooring contractors and installers, distributed via regional partners such as Intermountain Wood Flooring and BPI and supported by Regional Sales Managers across US territories; and (2) private label/OEM manufacturing of adhesive solutions sold under top floor covering manufacturers' own brands. Customer segments are commercial flooring contractors and floor covering manufacturers as primary, with healthcare, education, hospitality, and food preparation facilities as a secondary vertical served by low-odor/low-VOC formulations. Go-to-market is multi-channel: toll-free phone sales, regional distribution, the XL Brands Pro App (product catalog, calculators, distributor locator, training), the Pro Rewards contractor loyalty program, and a technical library of TDS/SDS and installation documentation. The company is differentiated by ISO 14001:2015, CRI Green Label Plus, FloorScore, Cradle to Cradle (with a Platinum-level TriSeal), and USDA BioPreferred certifications, and claims over 2 billion square feet of pressure-sensitive adhesive installed with no adhesive failure callbacks.

Name

XL Brands

Legal name

XL Brands

Website

https://xlbrands.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Short description

XL Brands manufactures and distributes commercial flooring installation products — adhesives, surface preparation systems, and seam sealers — serving flooring contractors, floor covering manufacturers (via private label), and institutional end markets across North America as a Bostik/Arkema subsidiary.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Flooring Adhesives

NAICS

Paint, Coating, and Adhesive Manufacturing (3255), Adhesive Manufacturing (32552)

SIC

Adhesives & Sealants (2891)

akta.pro primary industry

Flooring Adhesives & Underlayments (IMADAOAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

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

Keywords

• Commercial flooring adhesives
• Surface preparation products
• Flooring installation solutions
• Pressure sensitive adhesives
• Subfloor preparation systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Dalton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Commercial Flooring Adhesive Sales: XL Brands generates revenue through the manufacture and sale of adhesives and installation-related products for the commercial floor covering industry. Products include carpet adhesives, resilient flooring adhesives, cove base adhesives, surface preparation products, wood flooring adhesives, and specialty products sold through distribution partners and direct sales.
2. Private Label Manufacturing: XL Brands is described as the leading manufacturer of private label adhesive solutions for top floor covering manufacturers in the industry, providing products under customers' own brand names.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

XL Brands manufactures and distributes installation-related products for the commercial floor covering industry, with a portfolio that spans carpet adhesives, resilient flooring adhesives, cove base adhesives, wood flooring adhesives, seam sealers, specialty adhesives, and a comprehensive line of surface preparation products including self-leveling underlayments, primers, moisture vapor barriers, and patching compounds. The company also offers the XL Brands Pro mobile application and serves as the leading private-label manufacturer of adhesive solutions for top floor covering manufacturers.

Product overview

XL Brands is a manufacturer and distributor of installation-related products for the commercial floor covering industry, with over 40 years of experience in manufacturing adhesives. The company's product portfolio encompasses multiple adhesive categories including carpet adhesives (Stix Platinum, Stix 1100, HydraStix 95 Broadloom), cove base adhesives (Stix 4500, Stix 4300, CoveStix 4400), resilient adhesives (Dyna-Stix VCT, HydraStix 95 Aerosol/Resilient, HydraStix 99 ULTIMATE, Stix 5300/5500/5900, InnoStix PSA), multi-purpose adhesives (GoldStix, Stix 800, Stix Iron), seam sealers (Stix Seam, Stix Seam 10K, Stix Seam Latex), wood flooring adhesives (Dyna-Stix WDU+, Stix 6010, Stix 6999), and specialty adhesives (Stix 2099, Stix 2199, Stix 2230, Stix 2400, Stix Essential RES). Additionally, XL Brands offers a comprehensive surface preparation line including self-leveling underlayments (210, LEVEL-1, LP-1, LiquiCem, LiquiTek, PourLite), primers (AS-100, Prelude, DriSeal 95, DriSeal ONYX), concrete repair products (CR-90, Grey Patch, DashPatch, RampStar, PrepStar), moisture barriers (DriSeal MOISTURE MAX, LockDown EVB), and adhesive prep products (TriSeal). The company also provides the XL Brands Pro mobile application for product selection, technical support, and distributor locator services. XL Brands serves as a Bostik company and is the leading manufacturer of private label adhesive solutions for top floor covering manufacturers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Stix: Primary adhesive product line including Stix Platinum, Stix 1100, Stix 4500, Stix 4300, Stix 5300, Stix 5500, Stix 5900, Stix 800, Stix Iron, Stix 2099, Stix 2199, Stix 2230, Stix 2400, Stix 6010, Stix 6999, Stix Seam, Stix Seam 10K, Stix Seam Latex, Stix Essential RES
• HydraStix
• InnoStix
• Dyna-Stix
• CoveStix
• DriSeal
• GoldStix
• Pro Rewards
• XL Brands Pro App

Products and services

• Stix Platinum Supreme Grade Wet Set Carpet Adhesive designed for permanent installation of heavy-backed commercial carpets including barrier backed carpets over approved substrates. Features MicroSept Advanced Antimicrobial System.
• Stix 1100 Solvent-free indoor/outdoor carpet adhesive based on the original patented high solids formula, designed for both outdoor environments and demanding indoor applications including rubber-backed and urethane-backed artificial grass carpet, outdoor unitary latex, and marine back carpets.
• HydraStix 95 Broadloom Adhesive designed for breathable broadloom carpet applications.
• Stix 4500 Premium cove base adhesive for bonding difficult vinyl (PVC), rubber, and specialty cove base on clean, dry interior walls. Features high grab and wet strength.
• Stix 4300 Professional grade cove base adhesive designed to bond most vinyl and rubber cove base on clean, dry interior walls.
• CoveStix 4400 Premium lightweight cove base adhesive, significantly lighter than conventional heavy cove base adhesives; a four-gallon pail weighs approximately 30 lbs.
• TriSeal Light-colored, high-strength acrylic polymer compound designed to isolate old cutback and other adhesive residues that could discolor or affect the bond of new flooring installations.
• Prelude Primer for alkaline or porous substrates designed to enhance flooring substrates before applying floor-covering adhesives.
• DriSeal 95 Moisture vapor reduction system for interior porous concrete substrates, protecting flooring installations against moisture readings up to 95% RH, moisture vapor emission rates up to 10 lbs., and pH levels up to 11.0.
• HydraStix 95 Aerosol Solvent-free aerosol adhesive ideal for challenging installations of commercial vinyl flooring and VCT in areas with heavy traffic or rolling loads, offering aggressive grab and exceptional shear bond strength.
• HydraStix 95 Resilient Multi-use resilient adhesive for installing vinyl tiles and planks, VCT, solid vinyl tile, cork, non-PVC-backed carpet tile, and vinyl sheet flooring over porous and non-porous substrates.
• HydraStix 99 ULTIMATE Rapid-curing resilient flooring adhesive for heavy rolling loads, designed for fast-track installations; forms a tight moisture-resistant bond with solid vinyl plank, tile, sheet goods, and rubber sheet and tile flooring.
• Dyna-Stix VCT High moisture vinyl composition tile adhesive with aggressive tack that allows installers to work off tiles efficiently, suitable for occupied environments such as hospitals, schools, and nursing homes.
• Stix 5300 Acrylic flooring adhesive with extremely aggressive tack designed to provide high shear and peel strength for installing LVT, vinyl plank, vinyl sheet flooring, vinyl-backed and non-vinyl backed modular carpet tile, and VCT.
• Stix 5500 Premium high strength vinyl flooring adhesive designed for installing sheet vinyl, vinyl tiles, and dimensionally stable vinyl plank over both porous and non-porous substrates.
• Stix 5900 High shear vinyl flooring adhesive with high bond strength and shear resistance for installing luxury vinyl sheet, tile, and plank flooring; transitions from pressure-sensitive to firm bond.
• InnoStix PSA Bio-based pressure sensitive adhesive with 32% biobased content, USDA BioPreferred Certified, designed for installation of carpet tile and vinyl flooring materials with moisture resistance up to 95% RH and pH 10.0.
• GoldStix Premium multi-purpose adhesive for direct glue-down interior carpet installations, bonding carpet to pad in double-stick systems, and adhering mineral or fibrous-backed resilient sheet goods.
• Stix Iron Multi-purpose adhesive recommended for most commercial and residential carpets in direct glue and double stick installations, featuring extended open time for pattern matching carpet.
• Stix Seam Solvent-free seam sealer designed for joining carpets to prevent seam unraveling, with superior wet tack and rapid setting speed.
• Stix Seam 10K Universal seam sealer with superior bond and tensile strength; passes the Water Penetration Test at 10,000+ cycles on prepared carpet seams.
• Stix Seam Latex Multi-use latex adhesive for applying plain webbing or pin type seaming tapes, replacing damaged carpet nap, securing carpet binding, patching carpets, and sealing raw edges.
• 210 Self-Leveling Underlayment Premium cement-based self-leveling underlayment and topping, calcium aluminate-based interior product designed to create smooth, flat, or level surfaces before installing floor coverings.
• AS-100 Premium interior and exterior acrylic primer designed for use with a comprehensive range of underlayments and toppings, bonding to both porous and non-porous substrates.
• CR-90 Premium cement-based concrete resurfacer, high-performance quick-turnaround product suitable for both horizontal and vertical applications; achieves 5,500 psi strength.
• DashPatch Premium gypsum-based skimcoat for preparing finished floor coatings, smoothing cracks, joints, and other imperfections up to 1/2 inch in depth on properly prepared surfaces.
• DriSeal MOISTURE MAX High-performance moisture-vapor barrier and primer; water-based one-component system that reduces substrate moisture-vapor emissions, primes floors, and blocks concrete alkalinity, meeting ASTM F3513-24.
• Grey Patch Economical cement-based skimcoat, polymer-modified calcium-aluminate rapid-setting interior patching compound that accepts flooring in as little as 1 hour.
• LEVEL-1 Economical cement-based self-leveling underlayment designed to create smooth, flat, or level surfaces before installing floor coverings, producing a hard, durable surface.
• LiquiCem Economical self-smoothing and leveling compound designed for preparing finished floor coverings; can be installed from 1/16 inch to 1 inch thickness.
• LiquiTek Advanced fiber-reinforced hybrid self-smoothing and leveling underlayment that combines a gypsum/cement formulation with extremely fast hydration.
• LockDown EVB 100% solids moisture-vapor-barrier coating with a single-coat two-component epoxy formulation, meeting ASTM F3010-18; zero VOC and low odor.
• LP-1 Premium hybrid gypsum and cement-based self-leveling underlayment that can be installed from 1/4 inch up to 3 inches without extension; ideal for radiant or in-floor heating systems.
• PourLite Super lightweight calcium-aluminate-based self-leveling underlayment designed for applications where the weight of conventional products exceeds allowable load; only 75 lbs. per cubic foot.
• PrepStar High-performance trowelable premium finishing underlayment; cement-based rapid-drying skimcoat that can accept many floor coverings in as little as 15 minutes.
• RampStar Cement-based screeding, ramping and patching compound; quick-setting interior underlayment with excellent workability for screeding, ramping, or patching applications.
• DriSeal ONYX Ultimate moisture-vapor-barrier coating and primer suitable for both concrete and wood substrates, accommodating a wide range of flooring types with a quick drying time of 3-4 hours.
• Stix 2099 Pressure-sensitive high-moisture adhesive for installing non-vinyl backed modular carpet tile, LVT, vinyl plank and sheet flooring, VCT, and fiberglass reinforced vinyl sheet.
• Stix 2199 Transitional multi-use adhesive with aggressive tack for installing vinyl- and non-vinyl-backed modular carpet tile, LVT, LVP, VCT, vinyl sheet flooring, and fiberglass-reinforced vinyl sheet.
• Stix 2230 Pressure sensitive adhesive for installing vinyl-backed and non-vinyl-backed modular carpet tile, LVT, LVP, VCT, vinyl sheet flooring, and fiberglass-reinforced vinyl sheet.
• Stix 2400 Solvent-free adhesive with aggressive tack for installing vinyl-backed and non-vinyl-backed modular carpet tile, LVT, LVP, VCT, vinyl sheet flooring, and fiberglass-reinforced vinyl sheet.
• Stix Essential RES Aerosol flooring adhesive for installing most modular carpet tiles and resilient flooring including luxury vinyl tile, plank, sheet goods, VCT, and modular carpet tiles.
• Dyna-Stix WDU+ High moisture urethane wood flooring adhesive; low-VOC one-component moisture-cured urethane adhesive for use on high moisture slabs, ideal for installing multi-ply engineered wood, solid wood flooring, parquet, and bamboo.
• Stix 6010 Wood flooring adhesive using high-polymer technology for installing engineered and acrylic impregnated wood plank, and approved solid wood flooring over various substrates.
• Stix 6999 Wood flooring repair adhesive designed to address common installation problems with engineered flooring such as hollow spots and weak bonds; includes a complete repair kit with syringe and accessories.
• XL Brands Pro App Mobile application for iOS and Android providing searchable product catalogs, surface prep calculator, product best-by calculator, distributor locator, TDS/SDS documents, training and event schedule, and access to the Pro Rewards loyalty program for professional contractors.
• Private Label Adhesive Manufacturing OEM/private label manufacturing of adhesive solutions for top floor covering manufacturers, enabling them to sell XL Brands-formulated products under their own brand names.
• Pro Rewards Contractor Loyalty Program Contractor loyalty program that rewards purchases of XL Brands products with points; new distribution partnerships offer triple (3X) points during initial 90-day periods.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 2 billion square feet installed without adhesive failure callback
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 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

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Intermountain Wood FlooringcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 2 May 2024Starting May 2, 2024, XL Brands products became available for purchase through Intermountain Wood Flooring distributors. Contractors and pro installers can find the full line of Bostik's XL Brands products at Intermountain locations in Idaho, Colorado, and Utah. Partnership reinforces the message to 'STICK with the brand you KNOW and TRUST'. Customers purchasing XL Brands products during first 90 days earn triple (3X) points as part of Pro Rewards loyalty program.
• BPI (Building Products, Inc.)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 15 April 2024Starting April 15, 2024, XL Brands became available for purchase through BPI. Contractors and pro installers can find the full line of XL Brands and Bostik Wall & Floor products at BPI locations covering Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. Partnership demonstrates Bostik's commitment to providing best possible experience to contractors who value consistent quality from proven market products.
• Bostik (Arkema)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerXL Brands is a Bostik company and part of the Arkema group. As part of Bostik, XL Brands enhances one of the most comprehensive ranges of professional-grade adhesives available to architects, designers, distributors, and contractors worldwide. Bostik develops multifunctional sealing and bonding solutions and is recognized globally for innovation and performance across construction and industrial markets.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• MAPEI Corporation: Italian-headquartered global manufacturer with a major North American flooring installation business, producing carpet, resilient and wood adhesives plus surface preparation products that directly compete with the XL Brands product portfolio for the same commercial flooring contractor and OEM customer base.
• Ardex Americas: Subsidiary of the German Ardex Group, manufacturing high-performance flooring adhesives, self-leveling underlayments, and surface preparation systems for commercial flooring installations; competes head-to-head with XL Brands in resilient, wood, and surface prep categories.
• LATICRETE International: Manufacturer of installation systems including adhesives, self-leveling underlayments, and surface preparation products for commercial tile and resilient flooring applications, overlapping substantially with XL Brands' surface prep and resilient adhesive lines.
• Custom Building Products: Manufacturer of flooring preparation and installation products (levelers, mortars, grouts, adhesives), with comparable distribution channels through flooring distributors and direct sales to commercial contractors.
• TEC Specialty (H.B. Fuller): H.B. Fuller's commercial flooring specialty brand, manufacturing carpet, resilient, wood and ceramic adhesives along with surface preparation products targeting the same commercial flooring contractor customers XL Brands serves.

Broad incumbents

• H.B. Fuller Company: Large global specialty adhesives and sealants manufacturer that owns the TEC flooring brand; operates a much broader industrial adhesives portfolio while serving overlapping commercial flooring customers.
• Sika AG: Swiss-listed specialty chemicals company with a sizable flooring systems business (including Schönox brand of surface preparation products), competing with XL Brands in commercial flooring installation and surface prep categories as part of a much larger, multi-segment portfolio.
• DAP Products Inc. North American manufacturer of sealants, adhesives, and patching products with flooring-adjacent offerings; broader DIY/pro channel exposure but overlapping commercial contractor use cases for surface preparation and resilient installation products.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance10 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 XL Brands