What Sandstrom Products does

Sandstrom Products Company is a privately held specialty coatings manufacturer founded in 1946 and headquartered in Port Byron, Illinois. The company formulates and produces dry film lubricants (DFL), solid film lubricant (SFL) coatings, PTFE-based coatings, and related industrial coatings used in aerospace, defense, automotive, and high-performance industrial applications. Its flagship product, Sandstrom 28A, is qualified to MIL-L-23398 Types I & II and MIL-PRF-46147 Type I and is described as the company's most-used product by the U.S. Department of Defense. The portfolio also includes Sandstrom #099, 9A, LC-300, and the Poxylube line (E859 waterborne PTFE, E955 PFAS-free, CP-200, #820, #845, #859 Black, #887), alongside heat-resistant, conductive, spectral reflective, marker, and floor coatings marketed under sub-brands including Tuf-Trac, Perm-Epox, Crack-Attack, Oncrete, Sanseal, Silver Lining, Sancryl, and Glazon.

The company operates from a ~50,000 sq ft manufacturing facility with tank capacities from 1 to 5,000 gallons and runs five distinct revenue streams: proprietary product sales (in bulk, aerosol, and marker formats), toll manufacturing for other coating and adhesive producers since the 1960s, private label manufacturing for major national retailers for over 50 years, lab testing and custom formulation through a Solutions Center, and repacking/fulfillment services. Pricing is quote-based, with minimum order quantities on certain products (e.g., Silver Lining 5-gallon minimum, automotive gasket coatings sold by manufacturer's batch) and a $200 minimum plus $150 export fee on international orders. Sandstrom is ISO 9001:2015 and AS9100:2016 certified with design extension, holds QPL listings across multiple MIL-SPEC and SAE specifications, and has secured National Stock Numbers for products including the 28A Marker and Poxylube #859 Black.

Distribution is multi-channel: direct sales from headquarters with regionally dedicated representatives (Eric Berube for Eastern US, Dave Lentz for Automotive/Central US), US regional distributors (Associated Industries, SkyMart, David H. Sutherland & Co., MIL-Spec Coatings, Trac Lubricants, Aktion Supply), international distributors in 24+ countries (Aviochem in Italy, Bill-Anda in China, KBK in Japan, FlyPal World across Asia, LSM Technologies in Israel, RJ Aviation in Canada), and an accredited applicator network of NADCAP/ISO-certified coating applicators across North America. The company remains management-owned with no disclosed external funding, no M&A activity, and leadership continuity beyond the February 2017 onboarding of retired US Army ARDEC corrosion specialist Joe Menke as a consultant.

Name

Sandstrom Products

Legal name

Sandstrom Products Company

Website

https://sandstromproducts.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1946

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Sandstrom Products Company is a privately held specialty coatings manufacturer founded in 1946 in Port Byron, Illinois, formulating MIL-SPEC qualified dry film lubricants, PTFE coatings, and industrial coatings for aerospace, defense, automotive, and industrial customers across more than 24 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Specialty Coatings

NAICS

Paint and Coating Manufacturing (325510), Coating, Engraving, Heat Treating, and Allied Activities (3328), Petroleum Lubricating Oil and Grease Manufacturing (324191)

SIC

Paints, Varnishes, Lacquers, Enamels & Allied Prods (2851), Industrial Organic Chemicals (2860), Miscellaneous Chemical Products (2890)

akta.pro primary industry

Surface Treatment & Finishing Equipment (Coating, Plating, Deburring, Shot Blasting) (IMAHADAJ)

Keywords

• Dry film lubricants
• Industrial coatings
• PTFE coatings
• Military spec coatings
• Contract manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Port Byron

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Coating Products Sales: Sale of proprietary coating products including dry film lubricants, PTFE coatings, military spec coatings, and industrial coatings. Products sold in various forms including bulk dispersion, aerosol cans, and marker pens.
2. Toll Manufacturing: Contract manufacturing services provided since the 1960s. Sandstrom processes raw materials and packages finished goods for other coating and adhesive manufacturers according to their formulas and specifications.
3. Private Label Manufacturing: Private label manufacturing for major national retailers for over 50 years. Includes range of retail, commercial and industrial coatings and adhesives.
4. Lab Services: On-site lab services including physical and performance testing, color matching, troubleshooting, and formulation adjustments.
5. Repacking/Fulfillment Services: Fulfillment services including mixing, kitting, shipping, rework, and labeling with quick turnarounds.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Sandstrom Products Company manufactures dry film lubricants (DFLs), PTFE and PFAS-free coatings, conductive coatings, weapons coatings, spectral reflective coatings, heat and chemical resistant coatings, automotive OEM coatings, and floor coatings for aerospace, defense, automotive, and industrial markets. The company also offers contract/toll manufacturing, private label manufacturing, repackaging/fulfillment, custom R&D through its Solutions Center, and on-site lab testing services from its Port Byron, Illinois facility.

Product overview

Sandstrom Products is a coatings manufacturer offering a comprehensive portfolio of dry film lubricants and industrial coatings. The product lineup centers on Solid Film Lubricants (SFL) including the flagship 28A, #099, 9A, and LC-300 products, alongside the Poxylube PTFE coating family (E859, E955 PFAS-Free, #800, #820, #835, #845, #874, #887, #320, #303, R303). The company serves aerospace, defense, automotive, and industrial markets with specialized coatings including heat-resistant (L277, L278, L279, HI-T 650), conductive (Silver Lining, #75C), weapons coatings, spectral reflective coatings (E875, Plexon II), and floor coatings (Tuf-Trac). Supporting services include lab testing, R&D Solutions Center, toll production, private label manufacturing, and repacking.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Poxylube®: Brand name for Sandstrom's PTFE-based dry film lubricant products including Poxylube® CP-200, Poxylube® #859, Poxylube® #820, and others.
• Tuf-Trac®
• Perm-Epox™
• Crack-Attack®
• Oncrete®
• Sanseal®
• Silver Lining®
• Sancryl®
• Glazon®

Products and services

• Sandstrom 28A Solid Film Lubricant Air-dry lacquer-like coating containing molybdenum disulfide and corrosion-inhibiting pigments; prevents corrosion, galling, seizing, and fretting; operates at -320°F to +300°F under loads exceeding 100,000 psi; QPL-listed for MIL-L-23398 Types I & II (NATO Code S-749) and MIL-PRF-46147 Type I; only completely toxic-heavy-metal-free and HAPs-free QPL coating.
• Sandstrom #099 Dry Film Lubricant Heat-cured paint-like coating containing molybdenum disulfide and corrosion-inhibiting pigments; prevents corrosion, galling, seizing, and fretting; operates at -320°F to +500°F under loads exceeding 100,000 psi; qualified to MIL-PRF-46010 and SAE AS5272 Type III.
• Sandstrom 9A Dry Film Lubricant Heat-cured molybdenum disulfide coating with excellent corrosion resistance; operates at -320°F to +500°F under loads exceeding 100,000 psi; qualified to SAE AS5272 Type II.
• Sandstrom LC-300 Dry Film Lubricant Lead-free lacquer-like heat-cured DFL containing molybdenum disulfide; prevents corrosion, galling, seizing, and fretting; operates at -320°F to +400°F; qualified to SAE AS5272 Type I & II.
• Poxylube CP-200 / Lock Lube Hard-wearing dry film lubricant that cleans and protects locks and precision moving parts; coats metallic and nonmetallic surfaces, impervious to water/humidity, unaffected by temperature fluctuations; trusted by professional locksmiths and used by schools, apartments, and prisons.
• Poxylube E859 Waterborne PTFE Coating Heat-cure waterborne PTFE coating with excellent chemical/mar resistance and corrosion protection; 2,500+ hours aluminum and 700 hours steel corrosion resistance; operating range -320°F to +500°F; contains no graphite; NSN 9150-01-628-3998 for E859-B26 Gallons.
• Poxylube E955 PFAS-Free Dry Film Lubricant PFAS-Free dry film lubricant built on the proven resin system of E859; waterborne, low-VOC, RoHS compliant; maintains performance properties like PTFE coatings while eliminating long-term PFAS hazards.
• Silver Lining Conductive Coating All acrylic latex conductive coating for EMI/RFI shielding and satellite dish applications; sold in manufacturer batch size volumes with 5-gallon minimum order.
• Spectral Reflective Coatings (E875 / Plexon II) Infrared and Near-Infrared reflective dry film lubricants for military and industrial visual signature management; includes E875 (heat-cure waterborne, ITAR controlled, US customers only) and Plexon II (air-dry, low VOC).
• Tuf-Trac Pickleball & Tennis Court Coatings Skid-resistant Tuf-Trac coatings for concrete and asphalt surfaces including tennis courts, pickleball courts, walkways, bike paths, and ramps, with primers, line striping, epoxy repair compounds (Bond N Seal, Crack-Attack), and surface cleaners.
• Toll Production Services Contract manufacturing services using raw materials and packaging finished goods for other coating and adhesive manufacturers according to their formulas and specifications at Sandstrom's ISO 9001-certified, nearly 50,000 sq ft facility with tanks from 1–5,000 gallons.
• Private Label Manufacturing Private label manufacturing of retail, commercial, and industrial coatings and adhesives for major national retailers, ongoing for over 50 years.
• Lab Services and Capabilities Comprehensive on-site lab testing including accelerated stability, adhesion, chemical resistance, corrosion resistance, exterior durability, lubricity, viscosity, and VOC testing per ASTM standards, plus physical and performance testing, color matching, troubleshooting, and formulation adjustments.
• Solutions Center (Custom R&D) Research and development services for custom coating formulations; staffed with chemists experienced in multiple resin systems, functional pigmentation, organic/inorganic binders, and wetting agents.
• Repacking / Fulfillment Services Fulfillment services including mixing, kitting, shipping, rework, and labeling with quick turnarounds.

Quantifiable outcome

• Operating temperature range: -320°F to +750°F
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers9 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

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• David H. Sutherland & Co., Inc. (DHSCO)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 23 October 2013West region distributor since at least 2013. Sandstrom's Director of Sales conducted product training with DHSCO staff covering Sandstrom's History, Basic DFL Formulation, Performance Capabilities, Uses, and Product Support Data. Associates in warehouse and shipping departments trained on shelf life, storage temperature limitations and stock rotation.
• Imagineering Finishing TechnologiescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAccredited applicator displaying at 2018 Shot Show featuring Sandstrom's E859 weapons coatings. Located in South Bend, IN.
• Joe Menke (Consultant)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRetired from US Army ARDEC in August 2016 after 50 years as chief corrosion control chemist. Brought on as consultant for surface pretreatments, coatings and corrosion control. Holds 50+ years experience, 30 published papers, and 3 treatment process patents.
• David H. Sutherland & Co., Inc.coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWest region distributor providing domestic and international customer support and external sales force.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Hohman Plating & Manufacturing: Hohman Plating is a US-based applicator and formulator of dry film lubricant coatings and metal surface treatments for aerospace and defense customers. Competes with Sandstrom in DFL application services and MIL-spec coating supply.
• Everlube Products (Curtiss-Wright Surface Technologies): Everlube Products is a long-standing direct competitor in dry film and solid film lubricants, including MIL-spec and PTFE-based coatings serving aerospace and defense markets. Both companies compete head-to-head on QPL-listed military solid film lubricant formulations and accredited applicator networks.
• Endura Coatings: Endura Coatings is a UK-based specialty coatings manufacturer producing high-performance coatings including dry film lubricants, PTFE coatings, and corrosion-resistant finishes for aerospace, defense, and industrial markets. Comparable product portfolio and customer base to Sandstrom.
• Miba Coatings: Miba's Coatings division applies PVD coatings and surface treatments for industrial, automotive, and aerospace components. Competes with Sandstrom's DFL products in wear and friction-reduction applications, particularly for powertrain and high-load components.
• General Magnaplate: General Magnaplate applies and supplies specialized surface treatments and dry film lubricant coatings, including synergistic and PTFE-based coatings. Comparable offerings and customer base in aerospace, defense, and industrial markets.
• Poeton Industries: Poeton Industries is a UK-based specialist in high-performance surface coatings including dry film lubricants, PTFE, and corrosion-resistant coatings for aerospace and defense. Comparable specialty niche with similar MIL-spec and OEM customer focus.

Broad incumbents

• Henkel (Acheson Industries): Henkel (parent of Acheson Industries) is a global adhesives and coatings conglomerate that historically supplied dry film lubricants and industrial coatings under the Acheson brand. Serves overlapping automotive, industrial, and aerospace customers with much broader product portfolios.
• Chemours: Chemours is the primary global supplier of Teflon/PTFE raw materials and finished coatings, serving industrial, automotive, and aerospace markets. While a chemistry supplier upstream of Sandstrom, Chemours also competes in finished PTFE-based coating applications.
• Whitford (PPG): Whitford (acquired by PPG) is a major manufacturer of fluoropolymer and PTFE-based coatings serving industrial and consumer applications. PPG's industrial coatings division competes broadly with Sandstrom in non-stick, low-friction, and corrosion-resistant coating categories.
• Oerlikon Balzers (Surface Solutions): Oerlikon Balzers provides PVD and PACVD thin-film coatings for automotive, aerospace, and industrial tools and components. Overlaps with Sandstrom in functional surface coatings for friction reduction and wear protection across similar end markets.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@SandstromProductsCompany
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sandstrom-products-company

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 Sandstrom Products