Clinton Instrument
Clinton Instrument Company, founded in 1952 in Clinton, Connecticut, designs and manufactures high-voltage pinhole detection and quality control equipment — spark testers, fault locators, and calibration systems — for the wire and cable, plastics, medical device, and sheet and film industries, distributed globally through regional representatives.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1952
- HeadquartersClinton, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Clinton Instrument does
Clinton Instrument Company is a privately held, US-headquartered engineering and manufacturing firm founded in 1952 in Clinton, Connecticut, that designs and produces high-voltage quality control equipment for detecting pinholes and insulation defects in non-conductive products. Its product portfolio is anchored on a family of spark testers spanning high-frequency AC (HF-15B), AC (AC-30B), DC (DC-50B, DC-XXB), and impulse (IT-30B) modalities, supplemented by the TST-10B wireless digital spark tester for twiners and double-twist bunchers, the STM-XXG multi-electrode DC tester for bunching and cabling, the FL-20A automatic and FL-8A portable cable fault locators, and the STCAL vendor-agnostic high-voltage calibration system with its STCAL-SM sensitivity-verification accessory. The IB-A Industrial Bus accessory provides integration with modern PLC ecosystems via DeviceNet, Ethernet IP, Modbus RTU/TCP, Profibus, and Profinet. Products are designed to comply with industry standards including UL 2556, UL 1581, IEC 62230, MIL-C-13777E, MIL-W-16878D, MIL-STD-2223, and NEMA specifications, and are manufactured domestically in Clinton, CT.
The company sells to four end-market verticals: wire and cable (primary), plastics (thermoformed and injection-molded parts, battery cases), medical devices (non-destructive testing), and extruded sheet and film. Its business model is hardware sales through a direct sales-led motion with no disclosed e-commerce or self-serve channel; pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Distribution is executed via an unusually broad representative network — five US regional sales and service agencies (Amaral Automation, Repco Industries, Piekunka Services, Elk Technologies, Southern Industrial Equipment) and approximately twenty international channel partners covering Latin America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, the Asia-Pacific, and Oceania, with physical repair and service centers in the US, Germany, South Africa, India, Indonesia, Thailand, Japan, and China. No parent company, private equity backing, venture capital investment, acquisitions, or public listing are indicated.
Clinton Instrument firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Clinton Instrument
- Legal name
- Clinton Instrument Company
- Website
- https://clintoninstrument.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1952
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Clinton Instrument Company, founded in 1952 in Clinton, Connecticut, designs and manufactures high-voltage pinhole detection and quality control equipment — spark testers, fault locators, and calibration systems — for the wire and cable, plastics, medical device, and sheet and film industries, distributed globally through regional representatives.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Clinton Instrument industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Industrial Quality Control Equipment
- NAICS
- Instrument Manufacturing for Measuring and Testing Electricity and Electrical Signals (334515)
- SIC
- Instruments For Meas & Testing Of Electricity & Elec Signals (3825), Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Test & Measurement Equipment (Oscilloscopes, DAQ, signal analyzers, calibration benches) (IMAGAFAC)
Keywords
Where Clinton Instrument is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Clinton
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices29 records
Markets served
Clinton Instrument business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- High-Voltage Testing Equipment Sales: Sale of spark testers, fault locators, and calibration systems for quality control in wire/cable, plastics, and medical industries. Products include HF-15B, AC-30B, DC-50B, DC-XXB, TST-10B, FL-20A, FL-8A, STCAL, IT-30B, STM-XXG, and IB-A.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Clinton Instrument product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Clinton Instrument Company designs and manufactures high-voltage quality control equipment — primarily AC, DC, impulse, and high-frequency spark testers, cable fault locators, and high-voltage calibration systems — used to detect pinholes and defects in non-conductive materials including wire insulation, plastic parts, medical device components, and extruded sheet and film. The portfolio supports in-line quality control for wire and cable, plastics, medical device, and sheet/film manufacturers worldwide.
Product overview
Clinton Instrument Company offers a portfolio of high-voltage quality control equipment for wire and cable, plastics, and medical industries. The product line centers on spark testers (HF-15B, AC-30B, DC-50B, DC-XXB, IT-30B) that detect pinholes and faults in non-conductive insulation across various voltage types (high-frequency AC, DC, impulse). Supporting products include the TST-10B wireless digital spark tester for buncher applications, fault locators (FL-20A, FL-8A) for cable fault identification, and calibration systems (STCAL, STCAL-SM) for maintaining test accuracy. The IB-A industrial bus accessory enables legacy A-series units to integrate with modern PLC ecosystems via multiple industrial communication protocols. The company was founded in 1952 and designs and manufactures products in Clinton, Connecticut, USA, with repair/service centers worldwide.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- HF-15B High-frequency AC spark tester for wire and cable quality control testing, designed for high-speed in-line testing applications. Used by wire and cable manufacturers for non-destructive pinhole detection in insulation.
- AC-30B AC spark tester for wire and cable quality control testing, supporting high-speed in-line testing compliant with industry standards. Used by wire and cable manufacturers for pinhole detection in insulation.
- DC-50B DC spark tester for high-speed applications, heavy loads, and delicate insulation such as foam. Meets industrial specifications including UL 2556, UL 1581, and IEC 62230. Used by wire and cable manufacturers.
- DC-XXB DC spark tester ideal for very high-speed applications, testing multiple conductors, heavy loads, or very delicate insulation such as foam. Meets UL 2556, UL 1581, and IEC 62230 specifications when properly applied.
- TST-10B Wireless digital spark tester ideal for testing faults inside a twinner or double twist buncher where the take-up is on the cradle. Communicates wirelessly with its controller and requires only a single slip ring for 24V power and ground.
- FL-20A Automatic cable fault locator that makes all necessary adjustments and determines the location of a failure once connected by the operator, removing the need for specialized training. 500V-20kV range with accuracy better than 1% of total cable length.
- FL-8A Portable fault locator designed for applications where power is not readily available, such as offshore oil drilling. Battery-operated with a 6-inch backlit color TFT touch screen display and 500V-8kV test range.
- STCAL High voltage calibration system that automatically calibrates newer Clinton units and provides on-screen instructions for older equipment. Can calibrate any AC, DC, or high-frequency spark tester regardless of manufacturer and generates traceable certificate of calibration.
- IT-30B Impulse spark tester designed as an alternative to the wet dielectric test, primarily used when testing wire to specifications that have not adopted the high frequency spark test such as MIL-C-13777E, MIL-W-16878D, and some NEMA specifications. Features 3-30kV negative peak voltage.
- STM-XXG Multi-electrode DC spark tester used for testing individual conductors during bunching and cabling operations. Can connect up to seven test modules with individual fault outputs for each channel. Available in 10kV and 20kV models.
- IB-A Industrial Bus accessory created for Clinton A series units to support easier integration with modern PLC ecosystems. Supports DeviceNet, Ethernet IP, Modbus RTU/TCP, Profibus, and Profinet communications.
- STCAL-SM Optional accessory for the STCAL that adds sensitivity verification. Verifies spark tester functionality by determining that the system is detecting all necessary faults. Meets requirements of IEC-62230, EN 50356, and NEMA WC-56.
Companies that use Clinton Instrument
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Clinton Instrument technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration6 records
Feature9 records
Clinton Instrument partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
18 partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Amaral Automation AssociatescoreRegional sales representative covering East Region (CT, RI, NH, VT, MA, ME, NY, NJ, PA, DE, MD). Located in Attleboro, MA.
- Repco Industries, LLCcoreRegional sales representative covering Southern Region (AL, FL, GA, MS, NC, SC, VA). Located in Tavares, FL.
- Piekunka Services, Inc.coreRegional sales representative covering West Region (CA, AZ, OR, NV, UT, WA). Located in Montrose, CA.
- Elk TechnologiescoreRegional sales representative covering Midwest Region (OH, MI, WI, IL, MN, IA, IN, MO, IN, KY, TN, WV). Located in Dayton, OH.
- Southern Industrial Equipment, Inc.coreRegional sales representative covering Southwest Region (TX, OK, AR, LA, KS). Located in Tyler, TX.
- T. Fukase & Co. Ltd.coreRegional representative covering Japan, Korea, China, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, and Philippines. Located in Chiba, Japan.
- Wenling Enterprises, Ltd.coreTaiwan regional representative and China service center partner. Located in Taichung, Taiwan.
- Metix TechnologiescoreIndia, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka regional representative. Located in New Delhi, India.
- GMCEO Engineering ServicescoreAfrica regional representative covering South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Angola, Namibia, Botswana, Mozambique, and Kenya.
- Extrusionstechnik Gero WiegardcoreEuropean representative covering Germany, Czech Republic, Austria, Poland, Netherlands, Switzerland, Hungary, and Romania. Located in Horhausen, Germany.
- Neue Gesellschaft S.A. de C.V.coreMexico representative covering Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Panama, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Cuba, Jamaica, and Puerto Rico. Located in Naucalpan de Juárez, Mexico.
- MSK Consultoria e Comercia LDTAcoreBrazil representative. Located in São Paulo, Brazil.
- Rheintek ChilecoreRegional representative covering Chile, Argentina, Peru, Colombia, Costa Rica, Bolivia, and Ecuador. Located in Santiago, Chile.
- ACM ABcoreScandinavian representative covering Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, and Estonia. Located in Bromma, Sweden.
- S.I.F.E.McoreRegional representative covering France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and North Africa. Located in Paris, France.
- Control Metrix Ltd.coreUK representative. Located in Wellington, Somerset, UK.
- Maplas Pty. Ltd.coreAustralia and New Zealand representative. Located in Bayview, NSW, Australia.
- KunShan DEJU Mechanical and Electrical Co.,Ltd.coreChina service center partner. Located in Kunshan City, Jiangsu Province, China.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Clinton Instrument competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Haefely AG: Swiss manufacturer of high-voltage test equipment including spark testers and hipot testers. Competes directly with Clinton's high-voltage spark testing product line for wire/cable and electrical equipment manufacturers.
- Vitrek: US manufacturer of hipot, electrical safety, and power quality test equipment. Overlaps with Clinton's high-voltage testing products for industrial, laboratory, and compliance applications.
- Sikora AG: German manufacturer of online measuring, control, and inspection systems for wire and cable, plastics, and pipe industries. Direct competitor to Clinton in inline QC equipment for cable manufacturing lines.
- Megger: UK-based global manufacturer of electrical test equipment including insulation testers, low-voltage hipot equipment, and cable fault locators. Overlaps with Clinton's fault location and insulation testing portfolio serving utilities and cable manufacturers.
- Zumbach Electronics: Swiss manufacturer of inline measurement and quality control systems for wire and cable, plastics, and pipe industries. Directly competes with Clinton's spark testing and fault location products serving the same cable OEM customer base.
Emerging players
- Chroma Systems Solutions: US maker of electrical safety testers, hipot equipment, and test instrumentation. Partial overlap with Clinton's high-voltage testing portfolio, particularly in product safety compliance and laboratory applications.
- Magtrol: Swiss/US manufacturer of motor testing, load testing, and industrial test equipment. Adjacent competitor in industrial test equipment serving similar manufacturing and OEM customers.
Broad incumbents
- Fluke Corporation: Major US-based test and measurement company (Fortive subsidiary) with a broad electrical and industrial instrumentation portfolio. Larger incumbent competing in adjacent test categories though not specialized in wire/cable spark testing.
- Kistler Group: Swiss manufacturer of industrial measurement sensors and systems with a broad portfolio. Larger incumbent in industrial measurement with overlapping presence in cable and plastics manufacturing quality control.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Clinton Instrument social profiles
Digital presenceClinton Instrument financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Clinton Instrument leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Clinton Instrument funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Clinton Instrument M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Clinton Instrument
What does Clinton Instrument do?
Clinton Instrument Company designs and manufactures high-voltage quality control equipment — primarily AC, DC, impulse, and high-frequency spark testers, cable fault locators, and high-voltage calibration systems — used to detect pinholes and defects in non-conductive materials including wire insulation, plastic parts, medical device components, and extruded sheet and film. The portfolio supports in-line quality control for wire and cable, plastics, medical device, and sheet/film manufacturers worldwide.
Is Clinton Instrument a public or private company?
Clinton Instrument is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Clinton Instrument founded?
Clinton Instrument was founded in 1952. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Clinton Instrument based?
Clinton Instrument is headquartered in Clinton, United States, in the North America region.
How does Clinton Instrument make money?
One revenue line is on record: high-Voltage Testing Equipment Sales.
Who are Clinton Instrument's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Haefely AG, Vitrek, Sikora AG, Megger and Zumbach Electronics. Emerging players are Chroma Systems Solutions and Magtrol. Broad incumbents are Fluke Corporation and Kistler Group.
Does Clinton Instrument have an API?
No public API is recorded for Clinton Instrument.
What industry is Clinton Instrument in?
Clinton Instrument's product category is Industrial Quality Control Equipment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAGAFAC, Test & Measurement Equipment (Oscilloscopes, DAQ, signal analyzers, calibration benches). Its NAICS code is 334515 and its SIC code is 3825.