KMI Cleaning Solutions

What KMI Cleaning Solutions does

KMI Cleaning Solutions, LLC is a family-owned, Battle Creek, Michigan-based specialty chemical manufacturer serving the bulk container and cleaning industries across the United States and parts of Canada. Founded in 1979 as Kleen Machine, Inc. (an industrial cleaning services firm) by Russell Bloch and Dave Lafler, the company pivoted to chemical manufacturing in 1989 under the KMI brand, expanded into IBC and bulk transport tank cleaning consulting in 1995, and acquired Houston-based Advanced Formulas, Inc. in 2015 to establish a second blending and packaging facility serving the Gulf Coast and West Coast. The core product portfolio covers fleet wash chemicals (brighteners, truck wash detergents, degreasers, cab interior products) and tank cleaning chemicals (boosters, defoamers, degreasers, deodorizers, detergents, food-grade products, passivation compounds, and presolves/strippers), with 14 products certified Kosher and Pareve by the Council of Orthodox Rabbis of Greater Detroit for food, beverage, and pharmaceutical buyers.

The company's underlying technology is rooted in proprietary specialty cleaning formulations manufactured in small batches at its two plants, with differentiated lines including eco-friendly all-naturally-derived degreasers and Kosher-certified passivation compounds. The business model combines product sales (chemicals sold directly through phone/email ordering from the website), private labeling services for cleaning products, professional services (chemical management, 24/7 support, consulting, field services and maintenance, industrial services), and supplies (foggers, pressure washers, floor scrubbers, containers, parts). Pricing is quote-based and customized per client application, with go-to-market executed through a small direct sales team providing technical support for both automated drive-through and hand-held vehicle washing equipment and direct consulting for tank cleaning operations. The company is privately held with no institutional investors, no disclosed funding, and 1–10 employees, indicating a focused, owner-operated specialty chemicals business rather than a venture-backed growth company.

Name

KMI Cleaning Solutions

Legal name

KMI Cleaning Solutions, LLC

Website

https://kmicleaningsolutions.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

KMI Cleaning Solutions is a family-owned specialty chemical manufacturer producing fleet wash and tank cleaning compounds, including Kosher-certified products, from facilities in Battle Creek, MI and Houston, TX, serving industrial, transportation, and food/beverage customers across the United States and parts of Canada.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Cleaning Chemicals

NAICS

Soap and Cleaning Compound Manufacturing (32561), Soap, Cleaning Compound, and Toilet Preparation Manufacturing (3256)

SIC

Specialty Cleaning, Polishing And Sanitation Preparations (2842), Wholesale-Chemicals & Allied Products (5160)

akta.pro primary industry

Chemical Tank Cleaning, Decontamination & Turnaround Waste Services (BPALAHAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Industrial Vacuum & Tank Cleaning Services (Non-hazardous) (EUAIAGAL), Heavy Equipment, Fleet & Dumpster Pad Washing (HSAIAMAJ), Industrial & Manufacturing Facility Cleaning (IMAIADAB)

Keywords

• Industrial cleaning chemicals
• Tank cleaning chemicals
• Fleet wash chemicals
• Specialty chemical manufacturing
• Kosher certified cleaning products

Headquarters

HQ city

Battle Creek

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, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Chemical Manufacturing and Sales: Manufacturing and selling specialty cleaning compounds, tank cleaning chemicals, fleet wash products, and industrial cleaning solutions. Products shipped from Midwest plant in Michigan and Gulf Coast plant in Houston.
2. Private Labeling: Private labeling services for cleaning products and chemicals
3. Services: Chemical management, consulting, field services and maintenance, industrial services, and 24/7 support
4. Supplies: Sale of equipment (foggers, pressure washers, floor scrubbers), containers (buckets, drums, totes), and parts and supplies

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

KMI Cleaning Solutions manufactures and sells specialty industrial cleaning compounds for tank cleaning (land, marine, intermodal, and bulk transport) and fleet washing (tractor trailers, rental cars, commercial vehicles). The company blends and packages chemicals at facilities in Battle Creek, Michigan and Houston, Texas, and also offers chemical management, consulting, field services, private labeling, 24/7 support, and related cleaning equipment, containers, and supplies. Its portfolio includes Kosher and Pareve certified products for food, beverage, and pharmaceutical processors.

Product overview

KMI Cleaning Solutions is a chemical manufacturer offering a unified portfolio of cleaning products and services for the bulk container and cleaning industries. The core product lines include Fleet Wash Chemicals (brighteners, truck wash detergents, degreasers, and detail products) and Tank Cleaning Chemicals (boosters, defoamers, degreasers, deodorizers, detergents, food grade products, passivation compounds, and presolve/stripper products). Kosher-certified products include 191 Performance, Alligator, Breakaway Detergent, Citra Clean, Citric Passivator, D-8000 Powdered Detergent, Kleen Strip Powder, Metal Prep, Orange Gator, Passivator, Swish, TW-22, Work Horse, and X-20. The company also provides services including chemical management, 24/7 support, consulting, field services, industrial services, and private labeling. Supplies include equipment (foggers, pressure washers, floor scrubbers), containers (buckets, drums, totes), and parts & supplies. Products are manufactured in small batches at facilities in Battle Creek, Michigan and Houston, Texas.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fleet Wash Chemicals Chemical product line for fleet washing applications including brighteners, truck wash detergents, water- and solvent-based degreasers, and cab interior detail products, sold to commercial fleet operators running automated drive-through and hand-held vehicle washing equipment.
• Tank Cleaning Chemicals Specialty cleaning compounds for land-based, bulk transport, intermodal, and marine tank cleaning applications, including boosters, defoamers, degreasers, deodorizers, detergents, food grade products, and passivation compounds, sold to industrial tank cleaning operators.
• Kosher Certified Cleaning Products Cleaning products certified Kosher and Pareve by the Council of Orthodox Rabbis of Greater Detroit, sold to food processing, beverage, and pharmaceutical facilities that require certified sanitation chemistry for regulatory and food safety compliance.
• Chemical Management Services Ongoing chemical management services for industrial cleaning operations, providing oversight and optimization of chemistry usage across customer sites.
• Consulting Services Chemistry and consulting services for IBC and bulk transport tank cleaning customers, including local-level assessment to determine best-suited presolve, pretreatment, and stripper products while maintaining auditing and regulatory standards.
• Field Services & Maintenance On-site field services and maintenance for cleaning equipment and customer cleaning operations, delivered alongside KMI's chemical product lines.
• Private Labeling Services Private labeling services enabling other companies to sell KMI-manufactured cleaning products and chemicals under their own brands.
• Cleaning Equipment Supplies Cleaning equipment including foggers, pressure washers, floor scrubbers, and related tools supplied to customers to support their cleaning operations.
• Cleaning Containers Cleaning product containers offered in buckets, drums, and totes for customers' chemical handling and storage needs.
• Parts & Supplies Various parts and supplies sold to support cleaning operations and equipment maintenance at customer sites.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Council of Orthodox Rabbis of Greater DetroitcoreOthersKMI's cleaning products are certified Kosher and Pareve under the supervision of the Council of Orthodox Rabbis of Greater Detroit. This certification enables KMI to serve food processing, beverage, and pharmaceutical industries requiring Kosher-certified cleaning products.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Ecolab: Global leader in water, hygiene, and infection prevention solutions serving food processing, hospitality, and industrial customers. Overlaps with KMI in industrial cleaning chemistry, food-and-beverage sanitation, and vehicle/fleet wash programs, but operates at massive scale with a national direct sales force.
• Chemetall (BASF Coatings): Global surface treatment and cleaning chemistry supplier serving aerospace, automotive, and industrial manufacturing. Overlaps with KMI's passivation compounds and industrial cleaning chemistry, but at much larger scale as part of BASF.

Direct peers

• Zep Inc. Manufacturer of industrial and institutional cleaning and maintenance products, including degreasers, detergents, deodorizers, and specialty cleaners. Directly comparable to KMI's tank cleaning and fleet wash chemistry portfolio with similar mid-market B2B customer base.
• Birko Corporation: Specialty chemical manufacturer focused on food safety, protein processing, and industrial cleaning chemistry — including Kosher considerations. Highly comparable niche overlap with KMI's food-grade tank cleaning and Kosher-certified product lines.
• Spartan Chemical Company: Privately held manufacturer of specialty cleaning and sanitation products for industrial, institutional, and food service markets. Comparable to KMI in product mix (degreasers, detergents, sanitizers) and in family-owned/private positioning.
• National Chemical Laboratories (NCL): Manufacturer of professional cleaning and maintenance products including degreasers, disinfectants, and specialty industrial cleaners. Closely comparable to KMI's product categories and B2B distribution approach.
• Arrow Chemical: Manufacturer of industrial cleaning compounds, degreasers, and specialty chemical formulations. Directly comparable mid-sized blender overlapping with KMI in industrial degreasing and tank cleaning chemistry.

Emerging players

• EnviroTech Chemical Services: Specialty manufacturer of ice-melting, dust control, and industrial cleaning chemicals. Comparable as a smaller specialty chemical blender competing against larger incumbents in niche industrial markets.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/kmicleaningsolutionsinc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kmi-cleaning-solutions-inc-

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 KMI Cleaning Solutions