What Inventive Resources does

Inventive Resources Inc. (IRI) is a privately-held environmental products manufacturer founded in 1984 and headquartered at 5038 Salida Blvd, Salida, California. The firm operates with a 1–10 employee base and self-funds from operations, with no disclosed outside capital, parent company, or subsidiary structure. It sells roughly twenty patented environmental products directly to three primary customer sets: municipalities and government agencies (sewer odor control and stormwater compliance); industrial and manufacturing facilities (hydraulic system protection); and environmental conservation organizations (aquatic invasive species control). Historical signals also show limited defense/aerospace exposure via the Enclosure Protector Attachment.

The product architecture is built on proprietary mechanical and chemical treatment technologies, not software or digital services. The Manhole Odor Eliminator (MOE®) is a carbon filter with a variable-volume bladder that buffers sewer gas pressure and flow, extending filter life. The Water Decontaminator uses a multi-layer blend of wood pulp, polypropylene, and activated carbon in a catch basin insert certified as a California Full Trash Capture device. OILN2® employs a heat pipe with desiccant and oxygen absorber cartridges to convert open hydraulic vents into nitrogen-blanketed closed systems; Seal'N'Dry® uses an expandable bladder and desiccant for the same closed-vent purpose. Shortwave Solutions deploys UV-C light arrays from specialized vessels to disrupt invasive plant DNA. The Enclosure Protector Attachment (EPA), launched in 2025, is a passive enclosure retrofit using bladder and dryer/oxygen absorber technology akin to a NEMA 4 rating. CNF Biofuel™, a liquid-immersion torrefaction pellet process, is currently on hold.

IRI's business model combines one-time product sales (quote-based custom sizing for MOE, Water Decontaminator, OILN2, Seal'N'Dry, EPA), recurring replacement cartridge revenue on roughly twelve-month cycles, and professional services for UV-C treatment deployments. Go-to-market is direct-to-customer via iriproducts.com, phone, contact forms, and a municipal demo/pilot program, supplemented by an authorized Filtrexx dealer relationship. Marketing relies on content/SEO, social media (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn), industry conferences (WEFTEC, CWEA, Northern California Pipe Users Group, Tahoe Economic Summit), and earned media in trade publications (Municipal Sewer & Water, Hydraulics & Pneumatics). Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is quote-based, with multi-year contracts typical for municipal deployments. John J. Paoluccio serves as President, indicating active founder-led management.

Name

Inventive Resources

Legal name

Inventive Resources Inc.

Website

https://iriproducts.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Inventive Resources Inc., founded 1984 in Salida, California, is a small privately-held manufacturer of approximately twenty patented environmental products sold directly to US municipalities, industrial facilities, and conservation agencies. Core offerings include sewer odor control (MOE®), stormwater compliance filtration (Water Decontaminator), hydraulic protection (OILN2®, Seal'N'Dry®), and UV-C invasive species treatment (Shortwave Solutions).

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Pollution Control Equipment

NAICS

Soap and Cleaning Compound Manufacturing (32561), Remediation Services (562910)

SIC

Specialty Cleaning, Polishing And Sanitation Preparations (2842), Gaskets, Packg & Sealg Devices & Rubber & Plastics Hose (3050)

akta.pro primary industry

Water Treatment & Process Specialty Chemicals (IMAEABAN)

akta.pro secondary industry

Replacement Filter Cartridges & Consumables (CRAJAJAH)

Keywords

• Stormwater filtration systems
• Sewer odor control
• Hydraulic system protection
• Aquatic invasive species treatment
• Environmental product manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Salida

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Environmental Product Sales: Sale of proprietary environmental products including the Manhole Odor Eliminator, Water Decontaminator, OILN2, and Seal'N'Dry systems. Products are sold directly to municipalities, commercial properties, and industrial businesses with custom sizing options.
2. Replacement Cartridge Sales: Recurring revenue from replacement filter cartridges and consumable parts for installed systems. Filter replacement recommended approximately every 12 months depending on flow levels.
3. Shortwave Solutions UV Treatment Services: UV-C light treatment services for aquatic invasive plant control, deployed through specialized vessel operations for water bodies like Lake Tahoe.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Inventive Resources designs, manufactures, and sells patented environmental hardware products — sewer odor control filters (MOE), stormwater full trash capture devices (Water Decontaminator), hydraulic reservoir protectors (OILN2 and Seal'N'Dry), UV-C aquatic invasive plant treatment vessels (Shortwave Solutions), and electrical enclosure contamination protectors (EPA). The company also offers recurring revenue through replacement filter cartridges and provides invention development, museum exhibit, and trade show display services under its Special Projects line.

Product overview

Inventive Resources Inc. offers a portfolio of environmental products centered around water treatment, odor control, and hydraulic system protection. The core product line includes the Manhole Odor Eliminator (MOE) carbon filter system for sewer gas control, the Water Decontaminator Trash Capture Unit for stormwater filtration, and the OILN2 and Seal'N'Dry hydraulic system protectors. Additional offerings include Shortwave Solutions UV-C technology for aquatic invasive species control and the Enclosure Protector Attachment for electrical panel protection. The company also provides invention development, museum exhibit, and trade show display services through Special Projects. CNF Biofuel is currently on hold.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Manhole Odor Eliminator (MOE®): Carbon filter system designed to remove odors from sewer vents, grease traps, combined sewer stormwater systems, storm drains and other vented manholes.
• Water Decontaminator
• OILN2®
• Seal'N'Dry®
• CNF Biofuel™
• Shortwave Solutions
• PRO-TEX Face Shields

Products and services

• Manhole Odor Eliminator (MOE) Patented carbon filter system with a variable-volume bladder that removes odors from sewer vents, grease traps, combined sewer stormwater systems, storm drains, and other vented manholes. Designed for municipalities and wastewater utilities.
• Water Decontaminator Trash Capture Unit (WD-TCU) Patented multi-layer catch basin insert filter certified as a Full Trash Capture device for treating stormwater. Removes total suspended solids, oil, grease, trash, and heavy metals before discharge. Available in multiple configurations including valley inlet, curb inlet, weir, square grate, high capacity, and round grate.
• OILN2 Closed Breather Vent Treatment Unit Patented hydraulic oil protection system that replaces traditional open breather vents with a closed system using a bladder, heat pipe, desiccant, and oxygen absorber to nitrogen-blanket reservoir oil and prevent oxidation and contamination.
• Seal'N'Dry Hydraulic System Protector Patented hydraulic reservoir air filter and filter/dryer breather replacement that uses an expandable bladder to convert open vent systems into closed vent systems, with a desiccant cartridge that absorbs moisture in the reservoir air chamber.
• Shortwave Solutions UV-C Treatment UV-C light technology service using specialized vessels to deploy UV-C light arrays that disrupt invasive aquatic plant DNA at the cellular level, controlling growth and reproduction without harming the lakebed or sediment. Designed for water body managers, conservation districts, and regional planning agencies.
• Enclosure Protector Attachment (EPA) Patented attachment that protects electrical and electronic panels from environmental contamination (NEMA 4-equivalent) by using a bladder to accommodate thermal expansion/contraction and a dryer/oxygen absorber to stop oxidation and corrosion of sensitive components.
• Special Projects Services Services including design, drafting, invention development, prototype and patent development assistance, museum exhibit creation (motion, sound, light, and water effects), and trade show booth displays (static and animated, lightweight and disassemblable).
• CNF Biofuel (project on hold) Sustainable torrefied wood pellets produced via patent-pending Liquid Immersion Torrefaction processing technology using conduction heat treatment in heat transfer fluid. Project is currently on hold.

Quantifiable outcome

• Removes up to 95% of odor-causing gases including hydrogen sulfide
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• FiltrexxminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInventive Resources, Inc. is an authorized dealer of Filtrexx products, offering their filtration products alongside their proprietary product line.
• University of the Pacific School of Engineering and Computer SciencecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTesting and evaluation conducted at University of the Pacific in Stockton, California. The MOE® won the 2012 San Joaquin Entrepreneur Challenge. Test units installed in Stockton, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas.
• Valley Sierra Small Business Development Center (SBDC)minorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerIRI refers customers to Valley Sierra SBDC for invention development assistance and business development services.
• Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative work with TRPA on preventing spread of aquatic invasive species through UV-C treatment technology designed for Tahoe Basin conditions.
• Tahoe Resource Conservation District (TRCD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPilot program partnership deploying UV-C light technology to manage Aquatic Invasive Plants through specialized vessel operations in Lake Tahoe.
• Tahoe Prosperity CenterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIRI exhibited at the 2026 Tahoe Economic Summit in the Innovation Exchange, sharing UV treatment systems and conservation work.
• San Joaquin Engineer's CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSponsorship partner for San Joaquin Valley MathCOUNTS program, supporting STEM education at elementary and middle school levels.
• STEM San JoaquinminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit organization providing gateway STEM experiences to middle and high school girls. IRI volunteers at local San Joaquin Expanding Your Horizons program held at University of the Pacific.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Des-Case Corporation: Des-Case is a leading manufacturer of desiccant breathers and contamination-control products for industrial hydraulic and lubricant systems. Its breather/dryer product line is the most direct functional analog to IRI's OILN2® and Seal'N'Dry® units, targeting the same problem (airborne contamination of hydraulic reservoirs) with similar nitrogen-blanketing and desiccant technology.
• Bio Clean Environmental Services: Bio Clean manufactures catch basin filter inserts and hydrodynamic separation devices for municipal stormwater treatment. Its Media Filtration System and similar catch basin products compete head-to-head with IRI's Water Decontaminator for California trash capture compliance budgets.
• Hydro International: Hydro International manufactures stormwater separation and filtration systems, including catch basin inserts and full trash capture devices. It is a direct competitor to the Water Decontaminator in the municipal stormwater treatment market, including for California Full Trash Capture compliance.
• Filterra: Filterra (now part of Contech) is a bioretention stormwater filtration system targeting municipal trash capture and TMDL compliance. It is a direct functional analog to IRI's Water Decontaminator in California compliance-driven specification.

Broad incumbents

• Xylem: Xylem is a global water technology company with a broad portfolio including UV disinfection (Wedeco), stormwater management, and water treatment equipment. It represents a broad incumbent competitor across multiple IRI product lines, particularly Shortwave Solutions and Water Decontaminator.
• Trojan Technologies: Trojan Technologies (a Veralto/Danaher operating company) is a global leader in UV water treatment systems for municipal, industrial, and environmental applications. It is the most established peer to IRI's Shortwave Solutions UV-C technology, though Trojan's scale, geographic reach, and channel are far larger.
• Advanced Drainage Systems (ADS): ADS is a publicly traded leader in water management solutions, including stormwater retention, detention, and treatment products. Its StormTech and broader drainage portfolio competes with IRI's stormwater offering and sets the scale benchmark in adjacent municipal channels.
• Oldcastle Infrastructure: Oldcastle Infrastructure (a CRH company) is one of the largest North American providers of stormwater management and drainage products, including catch basin filters and treatment devices. It competes with IRI's Water Decontaminator across municipal and commercial stormwater channels.
• Contech Engineered Solutions: Contech is a major provider of stormwater, sanitary, and civil infrastructure solutions including bioretention (Filterra) and mechanical treatment devices. As a broad incumbent, it competes in the same municipal compliance market as IRI's Water Decontaminator with deeper distribution and a wider product portfolio.

Emerging players

• AquiPor Technologies: AquiPor develops permeable concrete technology for managing stormwater and invasive species in waterways. It is an emerging player addressing overlapping environmental/waterway problems to IRI's Shortwave Solutions UV-C invasive species program, though with a materially different technical approach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php?id=100064762731684
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/inventive-resources-inc
• Instagraminstagram.com/inventiveresourcesinc

Compliance2 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 Inventive Resources