What Kano Laboratories does

Kano Laboratories LLC is a Nashville-headquartered, Delaware-incorporated specialty chemicals manufacturer founded in 1939, producing professional-grade penetrating oils, synthetic lubricants, greases, and maintenance cleaners for industrial, commercial, and residential maintenance, repair, and operations (MRO) professionals. Its portfolio is organized around three brand families: Kroil (the legacy penetrant line, positioned as the industry standard for MRO chemical solutions), Super Lube (premium NSF H1-certified food-grade synthetic lubricants acquired from Synco Chemical Corporation in January 2024), and DeoxIT (high-performance maintenance chemicals for electronics, electrical systems, and precision mechanical applications, acquired from CAIG Laboratories in January 2026). Core technology is rooted in proprietary chemical formulations developed and refined over decades of industrial use, with no software platform, API, or digital product layer.

The company's revenue model is straightforward hardware/product sales of physical chemical SKUs, with no disclosed pricing tiers or subscription elements. Products are sold direct-to-consumer through brand-specific e-commerce sites (kroil.com, super-lube.com, caig.com) and through third-party retailers and preferred partner distributors, reaching both individual/SMB buyers and enterprise/industrial accounts. Customer segments are horizontally diversified across MRO professionals, food processing and industrial manufacturing operators, and electronics/precision equipment technicians. Kano was acquired by L Squared Capital Partners in December 2024 as a platform investment under Fund IV, with the stated strategy of accelerating growth through additional acquisitions, of which CAIG Laboratories is the most recent example. The company operates with 11–50 employees and remains privately held.

Name

Kano Laboratories

Legal name

Kano Laboratories LLC

Website

https://kanolabs.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1939

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Kano Laboratories is a 1939-founded, Nashville-based specialty chemicals manufacturer producing professional-grade penetrating oils, food-grade synthetic lubricants, and electronics maintenance chemicals under the Kroil, Super Lube, and DeoxIT brands for industrial, commercial, and residential MRO professionals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Lubricants and Specialty Chemicals

NAICS

Chemical Manufacturing (325), Other Chemical Product and Preparation Manufacturing (3259), Chemical and Allied Products Merchant Wholesalers (4246)

SIC

Chemicals & Allied Products (2800), Miscellaneous Chemical Products (2890), Specialty Cleaning, Polishing And Sanitation Preparations (2842)

akta.pro primary industry

Aftermarket Fluids, Lubricants & Chemical Products Manufacturing (Oils/Coolants/Additives/Cleaners) (IMACANAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Fuel Additives & Lubricant Additives (IMAEAMAL), Lubricant Additives & Performance Chemicals (EUALAJAB), Lubricants, Fluids & Chemical Products Distribution (Oils, Coolants, AdBlue/DEF, Cleaners) (TLAKAOAL)

Keywords

• Industrial penetrating oils
• Synthetic lubricants
• Food-grade greases
• Maintenance chemicals
• MRO specialty products

Headquarters

HQ city

Nashville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Product Sales (Penetrating Oils, Lubricants, Greases, Cleaners): Kano Laboratories generates revenue through the sale of physical chemical products including penetrating oils (Kroil), synthetic lubricants (Super Lube), and maintenance chemicals (DeoxIT). Products are sold directly through brand websites and through third-party retailers and distributors. The company serves industrial, commercial, and consumer markets with professional-grade chemical solutions.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Kano Laboratories manufactures and sells professional-grade chemical solutions organized around three core brands: Kroil (penetrating oils and specialty chemicals for maintenance, repair, and operations professionals), Super Lube (food-grade synthetic lubricants with NSF H1 certification for industrial and mechanical settings), and DeoxIT (high-performance maintenance chemicals for electronics, electrical systems, and precision mechanical applications). Products are sold through brand-specific e-commerce websites and third-party retailers/distributors to industrial, commercial, and consumer markets.

Product overview

Kano Laboratories offers a portfolio of professional-grade chemical solutions organized around three core brands: Kroil (penetrating oils and specialty chemicals for MRO professionals), Super Lube (food-grade synthetic lubricants with NSF H1 certification for industrial/mechanical applications), and DeoxIT (maintenance chemicals for electronics and electrical systems acquired from CAIG Laboratories). The company was founded in 1939 and has grown through strategic acquisitions including Synco Chemical Corporation (2024) and CAIG Laboratories (2026). The product portfolio centers on chemical solutions for industrial, commercial, and consumer maintenance applications rather than a software platform architecture.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Kroil: Industry standard chemical solutions for Maintenance, Repair and Operations professionals. Premium penetrating oils and specialty products formulated for optimal performance.
• Super Lube
• DeoxIT

Products and services

• Kroil Industry-standard penetrating oils and specialty chemical solutions formulated for Maintenance, Repair and Operations (MRO) professionals. Proven effective across multiple industries for tackling tough mechanical problems including seized or rusted components.
• Super Lube Premium food-grade synthetic lubricants with NSF H1 certification for industrial and mechanical settings. Products keep mission-critical equipment operational, reduce downtime, speed maintenance tasks, and provide regulatory-compliant lubrication solutions.
• DeoxIT High-performance maintenance chemicals designed for electronics, electrical systems, and precision mechanical applications. Trusted by technicians and engineers to clean, protect, and optimize critical electrical connections.
• Aerokroil with SprayTech New product design featuring SprayTech aerosol delivery technology, representing an innovation within the Kroil penetrating oil product line.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• CAIG LaboratoriescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 January 2026Kano Laboratories acquired CAIG Laboratories, the creator of DeoxIT, in January 2026. CAIG Laboratories, founded in 1956, developed the DeoxIT line of high-performance maintenance chemicals for electronics, electrical systems, and precision mechanical applications.
• Synco Chemical CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 January 2024Kano Laboratories acquired the operating assets of the Super Lube and Synco brands from Synco Chemical Corporation in January 2024. The acquisition expands Kano's product portfolio of premium lubricants and greases, aligning with its market strategy.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• WD-40 Company: Public specialty chemicals company best known for its penetrating oil and multi-purpose maintenance products. Directly comparable to Kano in MRO and penetrant categories, with a larger global distribution footprint.
• CRC Industries: Manufacturer of specialty chemicals for maintenance, repair, and operation of equipment, including penetrants, lubricants, cleaners, and degreasers. Closely aligned with Kano's product portfolio and end customers.
• LPS Laboratories: Specialty MRO chemical brand (now under ITW) producing penetrants, lubricants, cleaners, and corrosion inhibitors. Direct competitor in Kano's core MRO channel with overlapping industrial customers.
• B'laster (Blaster Corporation): Manufacturer of penetrants, lubricants, and rust inhibitors; flagship PB Blaster penetrant competes head-to-head with Kroil in the same channel and end-use cases.
• Sprayon (Sherwin-Williams): Industrial MRO coatings and chemical products brand, including lubricants and cleaners, sold through industrial distribution — overlapping channel and product mix with Kano.
• Permatex (Illinois Tool Works): Manufacturer of adhesives, sealants, gasket makers, and threadlockers for automotive and industrial MRO. Adjacent specialty chemicals portfolio sold through the same distributor and retail channels as Kano.

Broad incumbents

• 3M: Diversified industrial conglomerate with a broad MRO adhesives, cleaners, and lubricants portfolio. Competes with Kano through scale, R&D, and distribution, but is not specialized in penetrants.
• Henkel: Global adhesives, sealants, and functional coatings company with a sizeable industrial MRO and maintenance chemicals business. A broader incumbent competing in adjacent categories.

Emerging players

• Jet-Lube: Specialty lubricants and thread compounds focused on industrial and oilfield applications. Comparable to Kano's Super Lube line in customer type and product positioning, though narrower in scope.
• Camie-Campbell: Manufacturer of industrial chemicals, release agents, and specialty cleaners. A smaller specialist in the same MRO chemical category as Kano with overlapping industrial customers.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kano-laboratories

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A3 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kano Laboratories