Cee-Bee

What Cee-Bee does

Cee-Bee is a specialty chemical manufacturer and supplier of aviation maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) chemistries, organized as a division of the privately held McGean-Rohco Inc. and headquartered at the McGean corporate campus in Cleveland, Ohio. The company was founded in 1927 as Cee-Bee Laboratories and transitioned into aviation chemistry R&D between 1945 and 1950, accumulating OEM-qualified product lines that today span aircraft exterior and interior cleaners, chemical processing products (alkaline etchants, deoxidizers, degreasers, mold release cleaners), turbine engine overhaul chemistries, lavatory maintenance products and equipment, paint removal systems including environmentally friendly E-Series variants, brighteners and TPC/CIC removers, and the Met-L-Chek non-destructive testing (NDT) range following its 2019 acquisition. The portfolio is anchored by deep qualification against Boeing D6/BAC and BSS standards, Airbus CML and AIMS codes, Rolls-Royce OMat, Pratt & Whitney SPMC/SPOP/SPS, and General Electric C04 specifications, plus more than 100 Mil-Spec qualified products supporting military aviation customers.

The business operates a sales-led, B2B go-to-market model that combines direct sales (Cee-Bee Direct, with global manufacturing and technical support) and third-party distributor channels with decades-long relationships, reaching customers through quote-based procurement rather than disclosed list pricing. Geographic reach is delivered via wholly owned operating entities in the United States, the United Kingdom, Singapore (Asia-Pacific regional headquarters), and China, with a license-based relationship in Japan dating to 1955. Brand equity is concentrated in seven registered trademarks, including the proprietary Cee-Bee Cleaning Machine used in vacuum lavatory systems, and is reinforced by ISO 9001:2015, AS9100:2016, and ISO 14001:2015 certifications across regional operations.

Commercial aviation (airlines), military aviation, and MRO facilities are the three primary customer segments, all sourced through named approvals at major OEMs and carriers such as Boeing, Airbus, Air France, United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, All Nippon Airways, Rolls-Royce, Pratt & Whitney, General Electric, Air Canada, Cathay Pacific, and Lufthansa. Notable recent growth actions include the formation of Cee-Bee Aviation Materials (Xiamen) in 2017, the Met-L-Chek acquisition in 2019, and the acquisition of the Eldorado Aviation Product Line from PPG Industries in May 2022, each of which broadened the product footprint and geographic reach without disturbing the regulated, qualification-led sales model.

Name

Cee-Bee

Legal name

McGean-Rohco Inc.

Website

https://cee-bee.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1927

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Cee-Bee is a specialty chemical division of McGean-Rohco Inc. that formulates and supplies aviation MRO chemistries—cleaners, degreasers, paint removers, engine overhaul products, lavatory care, and NDT materials—to commercial airlines, military aviation, and engine OEM-qualified MRO facilities across the US, UK, Singapore, and China.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aviation Maintenance Chemicals

NAICS

Chemical Manufacturing (325), Other Chemical Product and Preparation Manufacturing (3259)

SIC

Chemicals & Allied Products (2800), Miscellaneous Chemical Products (2890)

akta.pro primary industry

Aviation MRO Parts & Consumables Distribution (TLAKAOAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Aircraft Painting & Surface Treatment (IMABALAI)

Keywords

• Aviation maintenance chemicals
• Aircraft cleaning products
• MRO chemical formulations
• Aviation paint removers
• Non-destructive testing materials

Headquarters

HQ city

Cleveland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Aviation Chemical Products Sales: Cee-Bee generates revenue through the sale of proprietary industrial chemical formulations including aircraft cleaners, engine overhaul products, paint removers, lavatory maintenance products, brighteners, and NDT inspection materials. Products are sold directly and through distribution partners globally.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Cee-Bee manufactures and supplies proprietary industrial chemical formulations for aviation maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO). The product portfolio includes aircraft cleaners, engine overhaul chemicals, paint removers, lavatory maintenance products, chemical processing materials, and non-destructive testing (NDT) inspection materials, sold to commercial airlines, military aviation operators, and MRO facilities globally.

Product overview

Cee-Bee® is a specialty chemical company offering a comprehensive portfolio of aviation maintenance chemistries organized into distinct product lines: Aircraft Cleaning Products (exterior, interior, solvent, wheel/brake cleaners, polishes, dry wash), Chemical Processing (alkaline etching, degreasing, deoxidizing, mold release cleaners), Engine Overhaul (pre-cleaning, descaling, paint/carbon/silicone removers, corrosion inhibitors, additives), Lavatory Maintenance (waste line cleaners, deodorants, fresheners, plus the Cee-Bee® Cleaning Machine), Paint Removal (acid, alkaline, peroxide-activated, environmentally-friendly E-Series, tank-type, and military formulations), Brighteners/TPC/CIC Removers, and Military-Approved products. The portfolio also includes the acquired Eldorado Aviation Product Line (Astromat cleaners, paint removers, surface treatments, corrosion removers acquired 2022) and Met-L-Chek® NDT products (fluorescent penetrants, magnetic particle inspection materials acquired 2019). Sub-brands include Honey Bee™ for lavatory products and Super Bee™ for cleaning solutions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Eldorado Products: Aircraft cleaning, paint removal, surface treatment, and corrosion remover product lines acquired from PPG Industries in 2022.
• Met-L-Chek
• Honey Bee
• Super Bee
• Astromat

Products and services

• Aircraft Cleaning Products Complete line of aircraft exterior and interior cleaning products including wet wash, dry wash, wash-without-rinse applications, polishes, wheel and brake cleaners, and specialized solvents for commercial airlines, military operators, and MRO facilities.
• Chemical Processing Products Products for processing aluminum, titanium, and other substrates prior to inspection, conversion coating and anodizing. Includes aqueous degreasers, alkaline cleaners, alkaline etchants, deoxidizers, and mold release agent cleaners for aerospace surface finishing.
• Engine Overhaul Products Turbine engine overhaul products designed to safely and effectively remove high-temperature oxides, scale, carbon, paints, greases and oils from turbine engine components prior to inspection and repair processes. Approved by Rolls-Royce, Pratt & Whitney, and General Electric.
• Lavatory Maintenance Products Lavatory maintenance products under the Honey Bee brand, including waste line cleaners, tank and component cleaners, deodorants, fresheners, and toilet cleaners for vacuum lavatory systems on commercial aircraft.
• Paint Removal Products Paint removers including acid-activated, alkaline-activated, peroxide-activated, environmentally-friendly E-Series, selectively-strippable system removers, methylene-chloride based, polysulfide and silicone removers, and tank-type paint removers for aerospace applications.
• Brighteners, TPC and CIC Removers Complete line of brighteners, temporary coating removers (TPC), and corrosion inhibiting compound (CIC/CPC) removers conforming to commercial and military specifications for aerospace surface treatment applications.
• Military-Approved Products Full line of approved Mil-Spec products for maintaining, overhauling and repairing military aircraft and components, including fuselage cleaners, component cleaners, turbine engine cleaners, and environmentally-friendly paint strippers with 100+ military-approved formulations.
• Eldorado Products Aircraft cleaning, paint removal, surface treatment, and corrosion remover product lines acquired from PPG Industries in 2022, including Astromat cleaners (IC, Astrosol DA, Astrosol D, Astrosol 37, Astrosol Orange, Astromat Orange DF), Eldorado cleaners and polishes, and Eldorado paint removers.
• Met-L-Chek NDT Products Non-destructive testing (NDT) products including fluorescent penetrant inspection (FPI) and magnetic particle inspection (MPI) materials, developers, emulsifiers, cleaners and removers. Certified to AMS, ASTM, ASME, ISO, and DoD specifications, approved manufacturer under SAE QPL AMS 2644 by the US Air Force Research Laboratory.
• Cee-Bee Cleaning Machine

Quantifiable outcome

• Improved solution life reduces operational costs for MRO facilities
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• PPG IndustriesmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 31 May 2022Cee-Bee Aviation (a division of McGean) acquired the Eldorado Aviation Product Line from PPG Industries, effective May 31, 2022. The Eldorado product line includes Astromat cleaners, paint and coating removers, surface treatments, and corrosion removers. This acquisition expanded Cee-Bee's comprehensive aviation chemistry portfolio.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves13 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Henkel (Bonderite / Turco aviation line): Henkel's Bonderite and legacy Turco product lines supply surface treatment, cleaning, and metal pre-treatment chemistry to aerospace manufacturers and MRO providers globally, directly overlapping Cee-Bee's chemical processing, cleaning, and surface treatment portfolio.
• Socomore: Socomore is a France-based specialist in surface treatment, surface preparation, paint removal, and NDT consumables for aerospace MRO and OEM customers, with overlapping Boeing/Airbus approvals and a very comparable product mix to Cee-Bee.
• Callington Group: Callington produces aviation maintenance chemicals including cleaners, degreasers, and specialty fluids for aircraft exterior and engine applications, serving airline, MRO, and military customers with a comparable product range to Cee-Bee's cleaning and engine overhaul lines.
• Chemetall (BASF Coatings): Chemetall, now part of BASF, supplies aerospace surface treatment, cleaning, and NDT chemistry to OEMs and MROs. Its product portfolio overlaps directly with Cee-Bee's chemical processing, paint removal, and Met-L-Chek-style NDT consumable offerings.
• Magnaflux (ITW): Magnaflux manufactures fluorescent penetrant and magnetic particle inspection materials used in NDT for aerospace components, competing head-to-head with Cee-Bee's Met-L-Chek brand in the same QPL AMS 2644 qualified product space.

Broad incumbents

• 3M Aerospace: 3M supplies a broad portfolio of aerospace adhesives, sealants, cleaners, and surface preparation products alongside many other industrial verticals, making it a broad incumbent overlapping with several of Cee-Bee's product lines rather than a direct niche specialist.
• PPG Aerospace: PPG Aerospace is a major coatings, sealants, and chemical solutions supplier to aircraft OEMs and MROs. Cee-Bee previously acquired its Eldorado Aviation Product Line from PPG in 2022, making PPG a former-owner/large adjacent competitor in aviation surface chemistry.
• Sherwin-Williams Aerospace Coatings: Sherwin-Williams serves the aerospace market with coatings, primers, and related surface chemistry across commercial, military, and business aviation. It is a broader coatings incumbent whose portfolio intersects with Cee-Bee's paint removal and surface treatment lines.
• AkzoNobel Aerospace Coatings: AkzoNobel Aerospace Coatings provides a wide range of aerospace coatings, paints, and surface treatment solutions to OEMs and airlines. It competes broadly in aviation coatings where Cee-Bee supplies paint removal and chemical processing chemistry.
• Quaker Houghton: Quaker Houghton is a global specialty industrial chemicals supplier with aerospace exposure in metalworking fluids and process chemistry. It is a broad incumbent that competes in adjacent specialty chemistry segments to Cee-Bee's chemical processing line.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries5 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 Cee-Bee