RDAbbott

What RDAbbott does

RDAbbott (R.D. Abbott Co., Inc.) is a privately held, full-service materials science, engineering, and distribution company serving the rubber and elastomer industry since 1948. The company distributes a curated portfolio of premium elastomer products — including Dow silicone rubber (SILASTIC, XIAMETER, DOWSIL), Parker LORD rubber-to-substrate adhesives and coatings (Chemlok, Flocklok, LokRelease, Sipiol), Cancarb Thermax thermal carbon blacks, ARLANXEO Keltan EPDM, TSE Millathane millable polyurethanes, Hallstar plasticizers, Alpha Technologies testing instrumentation, and DENKA acetylene black — sourced through long-standing agency agreements. Distribution is supported by North American warehousing infrastructure, with the 60,000 sq. ft. Barberton, Ohio service center serving as the hub and wholly-owned subsidiaries in Canada and Mexico extending the footprint across U.S., Canadian, and Mexican territories.

The company's business model rests on three revenue streams: (1) elastomer product distribution, (2) custom manufacturing through its NovationSi subsidiary (NovaSperse LSR compounds, PURmix HCR dispersions, and FiteBac antimicrobial-enabled compounds for medical and dental devices), and (3) technical services delivered from an ISO 9001:2015-accredited laboratory covering formulation development, material testing, process engineering, and product characterization. RDAbbott also features a German RepRap L280 Liquid Additive Manufacturing 3D printer for silicone prototyping. The go-to-market is sales-led, combining enterprise field sales, inside sales, regional warehouses, channel-partner relationships, and event-driven demand generation through webinars, trade shows (MD&M West, NPE, IEC), and rubber-group technical meetings.

RDAbbott's customer base spans automotive and EV (primary, including battery thermal management and weatherstripping), healthcare and medical devices, mining and industrial, lighting and optics, and sealing/gasket applications. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is handled via direct quote. The company is independently operated with no disclosed parent or institutional investment, and leadership includes CEO Keith Thomas and President Scott Kearns.

Name

RDAbbott

Legal name

R.D. Abbott Co., Inc.

Website

https://rdabbott.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1948

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

RDAbbott is a private North American distributor and compounder of premium elastomer materials, serving automotive, healthcare, mining, and industrial manufacturers with silicone rubber, organic elastomers, polyurethane, carbon blacks, and bonding adhesives since 1948.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Cerritos

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Elastomer Product Distribution: RDAbbott distributes premium elastomer products — including silicone rubber, organic elastomers, polyurethane, carbon blacks, bonding agents, and rubber chemicals — from leading manufacturers, stocked in warehouses throughout North America. Revenue is generated through product sales to industrial customers.
2. Technical Services and Lab Testing: The company provides technical consulting, formulation development, material testing, process engineering assistance, and product characterization services, complementing its product distribution business. These services support customers in optimizing elastomer applications and are offered alongside product sales.
3. Custom Manufacturing (NovationSi): NovationSi, RDAbbott's manufacturing subsidiary, produces custom LSR compounds and HCR dispersions sold under NovaSperse® and PURmix® brands, generating revenue through the sale of customized elastomer formulations.

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

RDAbbott is a full-service materials science, engineering, and distribution company that supplies premium elastomer products—including silicone rubber, organic elastomers, polyurethanes, thermal carbon blacks, and rubber-to-substrate bonding adhesives—to industrial manufacturers across North America. Through its NovationSi manufacturing subsidiary, the company produces custom LSR compounds (NovaSperse®) and HCR dispersions (PURmix®), and through its ISO 9001:2015-accredited laboratory, it provides formulation development, material testing, and process engineering support.

Product overview

RDAbbott is a full-service materials science, engineering, and distribution company serving the rubber industry since 1948. The company distributes a comprehensive portfolio of elastomer products through strategic partnerships with leading manufacturers. Core products include Dow SILASTIC™ liquid silicone rubber (LSR) and high consistency rubber (HCR), Cancarb Thermax® thermal carbon blacks, and Parker LORD rubber-to-substrate bonding adhesives and coatings. Through its NovationSi manufacturing subsidiary, RDAbbott offers custom LSR compounds, color dispersions (NovaSperse®), and HCR dispersions (PURmix®). Additional specialty products include TSE Industries Millathane® millable polyurethanes, FiteBac® antimicrobial technology for medical devices, and Alpha Technologies testing instrumentation. The company also provides laboratory services including formulation development, material testing, and design assistance under ISO 9001:2015.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• NovaSperse: Custom third-stream additives for LSR with antimicrobial compounds and color dispersions
• PURmix

Products and services

• Dow SILASTIC™ Liquid Silicone Rubber (LSR) Elastomers High-performance silicone elastomer materials for injection molding, including standard LSR, low-temperature cure (LTC) LSR, and specialty formulations for healthcare, automotive, and industrial applications.
• Dow High Consistency Silicone Rubber (HCR) Bases and Compounds Silicone rubber bases and compounds for extrusion, molding, and custom applications under the SILASTIC™ and XIAMETER™ brands.
• Dow Fluoro Silicone Rubber (FSR) Fluorosilicone elastomers offering resistance to fuels, oils, and solvents for demanding chemical environments.
• Dow Moldable Optical Silicone Rubber Silicone materials designed for optical applications including LED lighting, automotive lighting, and optical components.
• Cancarb Thermax® N990 Medium Thermal Carbon Black Medium thermal carbon black used as high-performance filler and processing aid in rubber compounding for EPDM, NBR, and other elastomers.
• Cancarb Thermax® N990CG Low PAH Thermal Carbon Black Low polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) grade thermal carbon black for food contact and consumer goods applications with FDA food contact notification.
• Parker LORD Chemlok® Rubber-to-Substrate Adhesives Industry-leading adhesives for bonding elastomers to metals and other rigid substrates during vulcanization.
• Parker LORD Sipiol® Coatings Weatherstrip coatings and dielectric coatings for electric vehicle battery pack protection.
• Parker LORD Flocklok® Flock Adhesives Single-coat flock adhesives for weatherstrip and glass applications.
• Parker LORD In-Mold Bonding (IMB™) Adhesives Adhesives for silicone-to-thermoplastic bonding in injection molding processes.
• NovaSperse® Color and Additive Dispersions Custom third-stream additives and color dispersions for LSR from NovationSi, RDAbbott's manufacturing subsidiary.
• PURmix® HCR Dispersions Custom dispersions for high consistency rubber containing FiteBac antimicrobial compounds for medical and dental applications.
• TSE Industries Millathane® Millable Polyurethanes Millable polyurethane rubber processed using conventional rubber equipment for mining, industrial, and consumer applications.
• FiteBac® Antimicrobial Technology Patented non-leaching antimicrobial molecular technology for silicone and synthetic elastomers used in medical and dental devices.
• DENKA Acetylene Black Products Acetylene black products for conductive rubber applications distributed throughout North America.
• ISO 9001:2015 Accredited Laboratory Services In-house laboratory with ISO 9001:2015 accreditation covering formulation development and optimization, material testing, process engineering assistance, product characterization, and design and development services.
• Custom LSR and HCR Compounding (NovationSi) Custom LSR compounds (NovaSperse®) and HCR dispersions (PURmix®) with third-stream additives that modify the functional properties of cured elastomer articles in situ during liquid injection molding.

Quantifiable outcome

• LAM 3D printed parts have been validated to match the physical and dynamic properties of injection-molded LSR parts, enabling easy transition to high-volume manufacturing.
• +2 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• DENKAminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 23 July 2025RDAbbott signed a North American distribution agreement with DENKA, one of the world's largest producers of acetylene black, covering select acetylene black products throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
• Cancarb LimitedcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 25 June 2023RDAbbott serves as Cancarb's exclusive distributor for Thermax® brand medium thermal carbon black in Mexico, facilitated by RDAbbott de México S. de R.L. de C.V. RDAbbott has represented Cancarb products in the United States and Canada since 2017. Cancarb is a subsidiary of Tokai Carbon Co. Ltd.
• FiteBac DentalminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 November 2021RDAbbott and NovationSi collaborate with FiteBac Dental to provide broad-spectrum antimicrobial protection in silicone and synthetic elastomers for medical and dental devices. FiteBac's non-leaching, durable antimicrobial molecular technology is incorporated into NovaSperse® and PURmix® products.
• Parker LORD CorporationcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 November 2021RDAbbott expanded its distribution agreement with Parker LORD (formerly LORD Corporation) to cover the U.S. Midwest from its Barberton, Ohio service center, shipping to customers in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. The relationship dates back to 1958. RDAbbott distributes LORD Chemlok®, Autoseal®, Flocklok®, IMB™, LokRelease™, and Sipiol® brands.
• LORD Corporation (now Parker LORD)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2019RDAbbott expanded its LORD Corporation distribution to Canada, managed through its newly established RDAbbott Canada, Ltd. division in Burlington, Ontario. The agreement covers Chemlok®, Flocklok®, IMB™, Co-Laminated Chemlok® Film, LokRelease™, and Sipiol® brands for mining, automotive, oil, gas, and energy industries.
• NovationSicoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2018NovationSi is RDAbbott's manufacturing subsidiary specializing in custom LSR compounds (NovaSperse® brand), modifiers and additives for silicone (including FiteBac antimicrobial technology), and highly specialized elastomer products. Headquartered at RDAbbott's Barberton, Ohio facility. RDAbbott distributes NovationSi products.
• Dow Performance Silicones (The Dow Chemical Company)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRDAbbott represents Dow Performance Silicones products including SILASTIC™ and XIAMETER™ brand silicone elastomers (LSR, HCR, fluoroelastomers), DOWSIL™ moldable optical silicones, and specialty silicone materials. Dow is investing $100 million to expand specialty silicones capacity globally.
• TSE IndustriescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRDAbbott represents TSE Industries' Millathane® millable polyurethane products, including bio-based grades developed for sustainability. Millathane polyurethanes are used in mining, golf grips, and high-abrasion environments.
• ARLANXEOcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRDAbbott represents ARLANXEO synthetic elastomers including Keltan® EPDM and X_Butyl® bromobutyl, used in automotive profiles, hydrogen fuel cells, and industrial sealing applications.
• Alpha TechnologiescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRDAbbott represents Alpha Technologies, the world leader in rubber and polymer testing instrumentation, specializing in rheometers and testing equipment built on the pillars of test sensitivity, repeatability, and reproducibility.
• HallstarcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRDAbbott represents Hallstar ester plasticizers for elastomers, a market leader in specialty plasticizers with knowledgeable synthesis and application labs, serving the rubber industry with plasticizer solutions.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Hexpol: Global rubber compounding company headquartered in Sweden that develops and distributes advanced polymer compounds (including silicone, EPDM, and other elastomers) to industrial customers worldwide. It is the most directly comparable compounder/distributor in the elastomer space.
• Akrochem: US-based distributor of rubber chemicals, additives, and processing aids supplying the rubber and plastics industry — closely mirrors RDAbbott's specialty distribution model with a comparable North American customer base.
• HB Chemical: North American distributor of rubber and plastic chemicals, colorants, and compounding additives. Operates with similar sales-led distribution plus technical service model targeting industrial rubber processors.
• Ellsworth Adhesives: Specialty industrial distributor of adhesives, sealants, silicone materials, and dispensing equipment serving medical, automotive, and industrial markets — directly comparable business model and product overlap with RDAbbott's adhesive and silicone distribution.

Broad incumbents

• Avient Corporation: US-headquartered specialty engineered materials company offering polymer formulations, colorants, and elastomer compounds serving industrial, transportation, and healthcare markets — broader incumbent with overlapping elastomer portfolio.
• Trelleborg: Sweden-based engineered polymer solutions group whose rubber products and components division serves automotive, aerospace, and industrial customers — global incumbent with overlapping elastomer and sealing applications.
• Momentive Performance Materials: US-headquartered silicone and specialty materials manufacturer with global direct sales. Operates upstream as a competitor to RDAbbott's silicone distribution franchise (which also handles Dow as a competing principal).
• Wacker Chemical: Germany-based silicone polymer and specialty chemical manufacturer with global direct distribution — competes as an upstream supplier adjacent to RDAbbott's silicone distribution segment.
• Bostik (Arkema): Global industrial adhesives, sealants, and coatings business within Arkema with broad industrial and automotive applications — overlaps with RDAbbott's Parker LORD rubber-to-substrate adhesive and coating distribution.

Emerging players

• Specialty Silicone Products: US-based niche silicone elastomer manufacturer producing custom compounds and parts for medical, industrial, and aerospace applications — overlapping niche focused on silicone elastomer custom compounding comparable to NovationSi.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/rdabbottco
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCXY9YlF8Sij4qriHEgIF0Ig
• Facebookfacebook.com/rdabbottco
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/r-d-abbott-company-inc-

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&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about RDAbbott