Unicel

What Unicel does

Unicel (legal entity Meissner Mfg. Co., Inc., dba UNICEL) is a US manufacturer of aftermarket replacement filter cartridges and filtration components for swimming pools, spas, and commercial pool filtration systems. Founded in the late 1950s by Richard T. Meissner and still family-owned across three generations, the company is headquartered in Chatsworth, California, where it manufactures its entire product line using exclusively USA-sourced components. Its catalog spans approximately 500 products including pleated filter cartridges, vertical and rectangular D.E. (diatomaceous earth) grids, filter discs, and spacers/adapters, all designed to be interchangeable with major OEM filter brands such as American, Hayward, Sta-Rite, Pac-Fab, Jandy, Waterway, Harmsco, Jacuzzi, Rainbow, and Swimquip.

The company's core technology is the Reemay 100% polyester spunbonded filter media, which Unicel co-developed with DuPont in the mid-1960s as a replacement for paper-based media that degraded in chlorinated pool environments. Cartridges are built with exact-OEM-spec end caps, sharp uniform pleat folds, pleat support bands, and a solid one-piece core, and are validated against NSF filtration benchmarks (the T-380 Red Top cartridge achieves 71% turbidity reduction in two water turnovers and 98% after five, exceeding the NSF 70% requirement). The 1984-launched T-380 Red Top also holds Florida Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services approval for commercial pool use.

Unicel sells through a hybrid distribution model: seven regional sales offices and independent rep groups cover 48 US states and Canada, an e-commerce storefront at products.unicelfilters.com serves residential and small commercial buyers directly, and phone/email customer care supports dealer accounts. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; products are sold as one-time purchases with a useful-life warranty, and the company targets three customer segments: residential pool/spa owners, commercial pool operators, and pool equipment dealers/service technicians who consolidate inventory around Unicel's near-universal SKU coverage. Marketing is concentrated in organic social (Instagram, TikTok), an educational Poolside Chat blog, and maintenance/FAQ content.

Name

Unicel

Legal name

Meissner Mfg. Co., Inc.

Website

https://unicelfilters.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1957

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Unicel is a family-owned US manufacturer of aftermarket replacement filter cartridges and D.E. filtration components for residential and commercial swimming pools and spas, selling ~500 interchangeable SKUs across 48 US states and Canada through regional distributors and direct e-commerce.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Swimming Pool Filter Cartridges

SIC

Miscellaneous Plastics Products (3080)

akta.pro primary industry

Replacement Filter Cartridges & Consumables (CRAJAJAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Equipment Installation & Upgrades (Automation, Covers, Sanitizers) (HSAIALAJ)

Keywords

• Pool filter cartridges
• Swimming pool filtration
• Spa filter replacements
• D.E. grid filters
• Aftermarket pool parts

Headquarters

HQ city

Chatsworth

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Filter Cartridge Sales: Unicel generates revenue through the sale of replacement filter cartridges and filtration components including pleated filter elements, D.E. grids (vertical and rectangular), filter discs, and spacers/adapters. Products are sold as one-time purchases with warranty coverage for the useful life of the product.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Unicel manufactures replacement filter cartridges and filtration components for swimming pools and spas. Its product line of nearly 500 SKUs includes pleated filter cartridges, vertical and rectangular D.E. grids, filter discs, and spacers/adapters, all built in California using proprietary Reemay 100% polyester spunbonded filter media and manufactured to exact OEM specifications for interchangeability with major brands such as Hayward, Sta-Rite, Jandy, and Pac-Fab.

Product overview

Unicel is a manufacturer of swimming pool and spa filter replacement products, operating as Meissner Mfg. Co., Inc. dba UNICEL. The company produces approximately 500 products including Filter Cartridges (replacement pleated elements using Reemay 100% polyester fabric), Vertical D.E. Grids, Rectangular D.E. Grids, Filter Discs, and Spacers/Adapters. All products are manufactured in California with components sourced exclusively in the USA. The UNICEL brand was introduced in 1985 as aftermarket replacements for OEM filter products, and parts are interchangeable with all major filter brands including Harmsco, American, Hayward, Sta-Rite, Jandy, Jacuzzi, Pac Fab, Rainbow, Swimquip, and others.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• T-380 Red Top: The first filter cartridge sold under the Unicel label, introduced in 1984. It was the vanguard of the entire Unicel replacement line and the first filter cartridge to use DuPont's T-380 grade, 4 oz. Reemay material. Developed specifically for cluster-type filter housings.

Products and services

• Filter Cartridges Replacement pleated filter elements for swimming pool and spa cartridge filter systems, made with Reemay 100% polyester fabric featuring sharp uniform pleat folds for maximum flow and filtration efficiency. Compatible with major filter brands.
• Vertical D.E. Grids Replacement vertical grids for up-flow and down-flow Diatomaceous Earth (D.E.) filter systems, compatible with American, Astral, Hayward, Jandy, Pac Fab, Premier Atlas, Purex, Sta-Rite, and Waterway brands.
• Rectangular D.E. Grids

Quantifiable outcome

• T-380 Red Top cartridges achieve 71% turbidity reduction in only two water turnovers, reaching 98% after five turnovers (NSF requirement is 70% in five turnovers)
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• DuPontcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn the mid-1960s, Unicel (through its parent company Meissner Mfg.) engineered Reemay filter media in partnership with DuPont to replace paper-based materials that did not hold up in swimming pool environments. Reemay was engineered to balance durability, cleanability, and efficiency of filtration.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Hayward Industries: Hayward is a leading OEM manufacturer of pool equipment including pumps, filters, heaters, and automation — selling both OEM-branded replacement cartridges and complete filtration systems that drive the aftermarket demand Unicel serves.
• Pentair: Pentair is a major pool equipment OEM (including the Sta-Rite brand) offering complete filtration systems and proprietary replacement cartridges, representing both a channel partner (their cartridges are interchangeable with Unicel) and a competitive threat.
• Jandy (Fluidra): Jandy, now part of Fluidra, manufactures pool/spa equipment and OEM replacement filter cartridges under brands like Zodiac and Jandy, providing both compatible cross-reference competition to Unicel and OEM cartridge alternatives.

Emerging players

• Inyo Pools: Inyo Pools is an online retailer specializing in pool parts and replacement components, distributing Unicel and competitor cartridges (Pleatco, Filbur) directly to pool owners and service technicians — a channel partner that increasingly competes with Unicel's direct e-commerce.

Direct peers

• Harmsco: Harmsco manufactures pleated filter cartridges for pool, spa, and industrial water applications, competing with Unicel in both residential pool/spa and commercial filtration segments with comparable cartridge technology.
• Waterway Plastics: Waterway Plastics manufactures pool and spa components including filter cartridges, pumps, and fittings, competing with Unicel in aftermarket pool/spa filtration and serving the same OEM and service technician channel.
• Filbur Filters: Filbur manufactures aftermarket pool and spa replacement filter cartridges designed to OEM specifications, competing head-to-head with Unicel in the dealer/service technician channel with comparable product breadth and pricing positioning.
• Pleatco Filter Cartridges: Pleatco is a direct competitor manufacturing aftermarket pleated pool and spa filter cartridges using spunbond polyester media, with comparable product breadth, OEM cross-compatibility, and similar distribution through pool dealers and online channels.

Others

• Doheny's Water Warehouse: Doheny's is a pool equipment and supplies retailer/distributor carrying Unicel and competing aftermarket cartridge brands, representing the traditional dealer channel through which pool owners purchase replacement filters.

Regional players

• Pool Supplies Canada: Pool Supplies Canada is a Canadian online pool supplies retailer, representing the regional distribution channel through which Unicel serves the Canadian market via its Mitchell Marketing partnership.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/unicelfilters
• TikToktiktok.com/@unicelfilters
• Xx.com/UnicelFilters

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Unicel