What Ultra-Fresh does

Ultra-Fresh is a portfolio of antimicrobial additive technologies owned by Microban Products Company, a subsidiary of Microban International, headquartered in Huntersville, North Carolina. Established in 1955 and acquired by Microban International in 2016, the brand provides built-in antimicrobial protection for industrial manufacturers across textiles and apparel, plastics and polymers, polyurethane foam, flooring and carpet, and coatings. Its core technology combines active ingredients such as zinc pyrithione, silver, isothiazolinone treatments, thiabendazole, and quaternary ammonium compounds, with the Silpure sub-brand offering patented silver-crystal ion release for fabric applications. The company also markets synergistic blended combinations designed to lower use levels and improve performance versus single-active alternatives.

Ultra-Fresh generates revenue through three principal streams: sales of antimicrobial additive formulations to industrial manufacturers, trademark licensing of the Ultra-Fresh® and Silpure® brand names for co-marketing on treated finished goods, and complementary technical services including laboratory testing and on-site application support. Pricing is volume-based at pennies per pound of treated material, with multi-year contracts and bespoke optimization to each manufacturer's production process. Go-to-market relies on a global network of regional sales representatives in more than 50 countries, providing local technical expertise during antimicrobial program development. End markets span apparel, bedding, flooring, healthcare, automotive, aerospace, consumer cleaning, sporting goods, and HVAC, with named customers including Brooks Brothers, Puma, Jockey, Sealy, Foss Floors, Beaulieu Australia, Medline, Mr. Clean, and Sher-Wood Hockey.

The brand operates within a strict regulatory framework, holding US EPA registration, EU BPR listing, Oeko-Tex certification, bluesign® system partnership, FDA food-contact approvals, and Allergy UK / Sensitive Choice endorsements. It is also embedded in industry associations (CertiPUR-US, EUROPUR, VinylPlus, Polyurethane Foam Association, Plastics Industry Association) and works with ASTM and AATCC on standardized antimicrobial test methods. The combined Microban and Ultra-Fresh enterprise claims over 100 years of cumulative brand history and thousands of finished products protected worldwide.

Name

Ultra-Fresh

Legal name

Microban Products Company

Website

https://ultra-fresh.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1955

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Ultra-Fresh, a brand of Microban Products Company, sells antimicrobial additives and the Silpure silver-based fabric treatment to industrial manufacturers globally, serving textiles, plastics, foams, flooring, coatings, healthcare, automotive, and consumer cleaning applications.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Chemicals

NAICS

Custom Compounding of Purchased Resins (325991)

SIC

Miscellaneous Chemical Products (2890)

akta.pro primary industry

Functional Additive Compounds (UV/Antioxidant/Slip/Antiblock/Processing Aids) (IMANABAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Coating & Finishing Chemicals Application (Resins/Softening/Water-Repellent/FR/Antimicrobial) (IMAOACAD)

Keywords

• Antimicrobial additives
• Fabric treatment chemicals
• Polymer masterbatch
• Foam protection agents
• Coating preservatives

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Antimicrobial Additive Sales: Ultra-Fresh sells antimicrobial additive formulations and treatments directly to industrial manufacturers. Products are incorporated into manufacturing processes (textiles, plastics, foams, coatings, flooring) to provide built-in antimicrobial protection to finished goods.
2. Trademark Licensing: Manufacturers can use the Ultra-Fresh or Silpure brand names on treated products once a Trademark License Agreement is in place, providing a marketing tool that expresses product integrity and performance.
3. Technical Services: Laboratory testing services are offered to customers at no additional cost during initial development and ongoing quality control. On-site technical support provided during antimicrobial program development.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Ultra-Fresh develops and sells antimicrobial additive formulations and treatments that industrial manufacturers incorporate into textiles, plastics, foams, coatings, and flooring during production. These additives inhibit the growth of odor and stain-causing bacteria, mold, and mildew, and become a permanent part of the finished product's structure. The portfolio includes the Silpure silver-based fabric finish and application-specific formulations for fabric, polymers, polyurethane foam, flooring/carpet, and coatings.

Product overview

Ultra-Fresh is a portfolio of antimicrobial additive technologies sold as a platform of products to industrial manufacturers. The core offering consists of Ultra-Fresh Antimicrobial Additives and the Silpure sub-brand (silver-based fabric treatment). These technologies are applied across five key application categories: Antimicrobial Fabric Treatment, Antimicrobial Plastic & Polymers, Antimicrobial Polyurethane Foam, Antimicrobial Flooring/Carpet/Rugs, and Antimicrobial Coatings. All products are applied during the manufacturing stage and become permanent, built-in features of finished goods.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Silpure: Silpure is a silver antimicrobial fabric treatment technology that uses ultra-fine silver crystals to release silver ions at a controlled rate for built-in protection from odor-causing bacteria in textiles.

Products and services

• Ultra-Fresh Antimicrobial Additives

Quantifiable outcome

• 99.9% reduction in bacteria compared to untreated samples after 24 hours at body temperature
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers22 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• bluesign®coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUltra-Fresh is a bluesign® system partner, committed to producing environmentally sustainable odor control treatments. The partnership focuses on removing harmful substances and practices from the textile manufacturing process through the bluesign® Input Stream Management system.
• CertiPUR-UScoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProud supporters of CertiPUR-US, an initiative for flexible polyurethane foam that sets standards for content, emissions, and durability in foam products.
• EUROPURcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember and supporter of EUROPUR, the European association for flexible polyurethane foam manufacturers.
• VinylPlus®minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with VinylPlus and the Vinyl Sustainability Council in initiatives for the elimination of hazardous ingredients and processes from the vinyl manufacturing industry.
• The British Allergy Foundation (Allergy UK)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProud members of The British Allergy Foundation, recognizing Ultra-Fresh products for their positive impact on allergies by effectively reducing dust mite allergens.
• Polyurethane Foam AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of the Polyurethane Foam Association supporting the flexible polyurethane foam industry.
• Plastics Industry AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of the Plastics Industry Association, supporting the plastics manufacturing industry.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Lonza Group AG: Large Swiss contract manufacturer and specialty chemicals producer with a significant microbial control / hygiene ingredients business supplying biocidal actives (including isothiazolinones and quaternary ammonium compounds) to industrial customers. Broader portfolio but directly competes on antimicrobial actives and preservatives used in Ultra-Fresh's formulations.
• Microban International: Parent organization and sister brand of Ultra-Fresh; operates the broader Microban antimicrobial technology platform across consumer products, building products, and industrial applications globally. Most direct comparable as a competing antimicrobial brand within the same corporate family and category.
• BASF SE: Global chemical conglomerate with broad antimicrobial and biocide offerings sold into plastics, coatings, and textile applications. Not a specialist in built-in antimicrobials but competes at scale with greater R&D and procurement leverage, particularly on price-sensitive industrial accounts.

Direct peers

• HeiQ Materials AG: Swiss specialty materials company offering silver- and copper-based antimicrobial technologies for textiles and polymers, including HeiQ Pure (silver) and other antimicrobial finishes. Closely comparable technology platform and end-customer overlap with Ultra-Fresh in apparel, home textiles, and polymer applications.
• Sanitized AG: Swiss-headquartered specialist in antimicrobial and hygiene function treatments for textiles, plastics, coatings, and foams. Directly comparable to Ultra-Fresh in product scope (built-in antimicrobial additives for industrial manufacturers), regulatory positioning (BPR, bluesign), and licensing-based brand model.
• Sciessent (Agion / Sciessent): US-based provider of antimicrobial and odor-control solutions for textiles, healthcare, and industrial applications, including the Agion brand of silver-based additives. Directly competes in the built-in antimicrobial additive space with comparable licensing and B2B manufacturer model.
• BioCote Ltd: UK-based antimicrobial additive supplier for plastics, textiles, coatings, and consumer products, offering silver-ion and other active technologies under a licensing/trademark partner program. Comparable in scale, product breadth, and B2B manufacturer-customer model.
• Thomson Research Associates (TRA): Canadian specialty chemical company operating the Ultra-Fresh and Silpure brands historically (and competing antimicrobial lines) supplying antimicrobial and anti-odor treatments to textile, foam, and polymer manufacturers globally. Direct competitor in the same technology category and geographies.

Emerging players

• Vestagen Protective Technologies: Specialty textile technology company focused on antimicrobial and fluid-barrier fabric technologies for healthcare and worker apparel. Narrower scope than Ultra-Fresh (textile-focused, healthcare-skewed) but a relevant emerging peer in the built-in antimicrobial fabric treatment category.
• Life Material Technologies Ltd: Emerging supplier of antimicrobial additives for plastics, coatings, and textiles using silver- and zinc-based technologies. Smaller scale than Ultra-Fresh but competes in overlapping applications such as polymer and textile treatments with comparable regulatory positioning.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ultra-fresh
• Xx.com/ultrafreshTRA
• Facebookfacebook.com/UltraFreshTRA

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 Ultra-Fresh