Permawick
The Permawick Company, founded in 1956 and headquartered in Birmingham, Michigan, manufactures specialty permanent lubrication systems — including proprietary fiber-reservoir wicks, gel-based lubricants, greases, oils, and integrated bearing assemblies — for OEMs in transportation, electric motors, home appliances, food service, and industrial equipment, distributed globally through direct sales engineers and an international agent network.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1956
- HeadquartersBirmingham, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
Permawick firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Permawick
- Legal name
- The Permawick Company
- Website
- https://permawick.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1956
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Permawick Company, founded in 1956 and headquartered in Birmingham, Michigan, manufactures specialty permanent lubrication systems — including proprietary fiber-reservoir wicks, gel-based lubricants, greases, oils, and integrated bearing assemblies — for OEMs in transportation, electric motors, home appliances, food service, and industrial equipment, distributed globally through direct sales engineers and an international agent network.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Permawick industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Specialty Industrial Lubricants
- NAICS
- Petroleum Lubricating Oil and Grease Manufacturing (324191), Ball and Roller Bearing Manufacturing (332991)
- SIC
- Ball & Roller Bearings (3562)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Industrial & Heavy-Duty Lubricants (IMAEAMAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Greases & Specialty Lubricants (Greases, Pastes, Chain Oils, Silicone/Fluoro) (EUALAJAJ), Lubricants, Fluids & Chemical Products Distribution (Oils, Coolants, AdBlue/DEF, Cleaners) (TLAKAOAL)
Keywords
Where Permawick is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Birmingham
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices10 records
Markets served
Permawick business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Lubricant Products: Sale of mineral and synthetic lubricating oils including PermaOil, PermaGrease, and specialized formulations for bearing applications. Products are sold directly and through authorized distributors for aftermarket replacement.
- Reservoir Materials: Sale of PermaWick fiber-based and PermaGel gel-based fluid reservoir materials that store and deliver lubricants on a controlled-release basis.
- Integrated Lubrication Systems: Sale of complete permanent lubrication systems (PLS) comprising bearings, oils, reservoir materials, transfer wicks, and components as single assemblies or sub-components.
- Bearing Cartridges: Sale of the proprietary Bearing Cartridge (PBC) product combining ball bearing performance with sleeve bearing economy.
- Aftermarket Products: Smaller quantity packaging of oils and wicking materials for maintenance and re-saturation of existing bearing systems through distributors and Amazon.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Custom industrial product pricing |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels3 records
Permawick product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Permawick Company manufactures premium mineral and synthetic lubricating oils, engineered fiber and gel-based fluid reservoir materials, specialty greases, and fully integrated permanent lubrication systems from its ISO9001/ISO14001 certified facility in Columbus, Indiana. Products are custom designed for long-life, maintenance-free lubrication of bearings and fractional horsepower motors in transportation, food service, exercise equipment, office equipment, outdoor power equipment, electric motor, and home appliance applications. The company also supplies smaller aftermarket packaging of oils and wicking materials for maintenance and re-saturation of existing bearing systems through distributors and online channels.
Product overview
Permawick manufactures a comprehensive portfolio of specialty lubricants and lubrication systems from their ISO9001/ISO14001 certified facilities. The core product line includes PermaOil (mineral and synthetic lubricating oils), PermaWick (fiber-based fluid reservoir material), PermaGel (gel-based lubricant for sintered bearings), PermaGrease (specialty greases for gears and shafts), PermaTrac (chain lubricants), and Bearing Cartridge (PBC) components. These products integrate into Permawick Systems (PLS) - permanently lubricated assemblies combining bearings, oils, reservoir materials, transfer wicks, and metal/plastic components. The portfolio serves transportation, food service, exercise equipment, office equipment, outdoor power equipment, electric motor, and home appliance industries. Aftermarket products include packaged PermaOil and PermaWick materials in various sizes for maintenance and re-saturation.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- PermaOil: Complete line of lubricating oils designed to provide ultimate performance in reducing friction, maximizing life, and eliminating vibration and noise.
- PermaGel
- PermaWick
- PermaGrease
- PermaTrac
- Bearing Cartridge
Products and services
- PermaOil
Quantifiable outcome
- Motor life typically doubled with PermaGel in typical applications
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Permawick
Customer profileSegments7 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Permawick technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Permawick partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Essex Brownell LLCcoreAuthorized distributor located at 160 E. Brown Street, Ft. Wayne, IN 46802. Provides aftermarket PermaOil and PermaWick products to customers in the US market. Phone: 800-774-4643.
- ALLTEMP PRODUCTS CO., LTD.coreAuthorized distributor in Canada at 905 Sandy Beach Rd #2, Pickering, ON L1W 1Z5. Provides aftermarket products. Phone: 800-263-4624. Website: www.alltemp.ca
- S-S ELECTRIC REPAIR SHOP, INC.coreAuthorized distributor at 2470 Seneca Street, Buffalo, NY 14210. Provides aftermarket lubrication products. Phone: 716-823-1232.
- EIS (Engineered & Industrial Solutions)coreAuthorized distributor at 8005 S 266th St, Suite 108, Kent, WA 98032. Provides industrial lubrication solutions. Phone: 425-251-1624.
- AmazoncoreMarketplace seller for aftermarket PermaOil and PermaWick products in various sizes (1oz, 2oz, 4oz, 16oz) for small-scale maintenance needs.
- Aurotek CorporationcoreDistributor in Japan at 2F. Akihabara Seishin Building, 1-7-8, Kanda Suda-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-0041 Japan. Phone: 81-3-5297-7028.
- GORACO srlcoreDistributor for European Union and Switzerland. Contact: Mr. Maurizio Chiesa. Phone: 0039-02-2578297. Website: www.goraco.com
- Permawick Technology Trading Shanghai Co. LTDcoreDistributor in China at Room 1201B, No.12 Building, Baolong Center, No.1-88 Alley Talimu Road, Jiading District, Shanghai China. Contact: Sandy Gao. Email: [email protected]
- Far East Commercial LtdcoreDistributor in South Korea at Room #410, Kolon Digital Tower Aston, 212 Gasan Digital 1-Ro, Geumcheon-Gu, Seoul, Korea 153-708. Contact: Mr. Kim Dong Jin. Phone: 011-82-2-2113-2600.
- Plenty Island (Thai) CO. LTD.coreDistributor for Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand & Philippines at 3 Soi Charoenrat 10, Bangkhlo, Bangkorlaem, Bangkok, 10120 - Thailand. Contact: Jackson Hsueh. Tel: 662 291 9933.
- Shree Krishna Controls Pvt. Ltd.coreDistributor for South, East & West India at Shailesh Udyog Nagar, Opp. Nicholas Garage, Sativali Road, Vasai (E), 401208, Maharashtra. Contact: Mr. Amit Thakkar.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Permawick competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Molykote (DuPont): Molykote produces specialty lubricants including pastes, greases, and bonded coatings for bearings and sliding contacts, directly overlapping with Permawick's PermaGrease and specialty lubrication offerings.
- Klüber Lubrication: Klüber is a specialty industrial lubricant manufacturer serving nearly identical end markets — electric motors, gears, bearings, appliances, and food-grade applications — making it the closest direct comp to Permawick's premium synthetic and mineral lubricant lines.
- Quaker Houghton: Quaker Houghton is a global specialty industrial lubricant and fluids manufacturer, comparable in scale and product breadth to Permawick's industrial lubricant and grease portfolio across metalworking, hydraulics, and bearing applications.
Broad incumbents
- NSK Ltd. NSK is a major global bearing and motion-control manufacturer serving appliance, automotive, and industrial motor markets, with lubrication offerings comparable to Permawick's bearing-lubrication portfolio.
- NTN Corporation: NTN manufactures bearings and lubrication-related components for industrial motors, appliances, and automotive applications — a comparable incumbent in Permawick's primary customer verticals.
- SKF Group: SKF is a global bearing manufacturer with its own integrated lubrication solutions; it competes broadly with Permawick's bearing-cartridge and PLS integrated lubrication systems across industrial and electric motor applications.
- Mobil Industrial Lubricants (ExxonMobil): Mobil Industrial supplies a comprehensive line of bearing oils, greases, and gear lubricants globally, competing with Permawick across industrial OEM and maintenance end markets.
- Timken Company: Timken manufactures bearings and engineered lubricants (including Timken food-grade and industrial greases), comparable to Permawick's combination of bearing products (PBC) and specialty lubricants (PermaGrease, PermaOil).
- Schaeffler Group (INA/FAG): Schaeffler manufactures bearings and offers associated lubrication products; its INA/FAG bearing lines and lubrication accessories overlap with Permawick's Bearing Cartridge (PBC) and integrated systems.
- Castrol (BP): Castrol produces a broad portfolio of industrial and bearing lubricants including greases and gear oils, making it a wide-incumbent peer overlapping with Permawick's industrial lubricant offerings.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Permawick compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance5 records
Permawick financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Permawick leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Permawick subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Permawick funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Permawick M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Permawick
What does Permawick do?
The Permawick Company manufactures premium mineral and synthetic lubricating oils, engineered fiber and gel-based fluid reservoir materials, specialty greases, and fully integrated permanent lubrication systems from its ISO9001/ISO14001 certified facility in Columbus, Indiana. Products are custom designed for long-life, maintenance-free lubrication of bearings and fractional horsepower motors in transportation, food service, exercise equipment, office equipment, outdoor power equipment, electric motor, and home appliance applications. The company also supplies smaller aftermarket packaging of oils and wicking materials for maintenance and re-saturation of existing bearing systems through distributors and online channels.
Is Permawick a public or private company?
Permawick is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Permawick founded?
Permawick was founded in 1956. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Permawick based?
Permawick is headquartered in Birmingham, United States, in the North America region.
How does Permawick make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Lubricant Products are the primary driver. The others are reservoir Materials, integrated Lubrication Systems, bearing Cartridges and aftermarket Products.
Who are Permawick's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Molykote (DuPont), Klüber Lubrication and Quaker Houghton. Broad incumbents are NSK Ltd., NTN Corporation, SKF Group, Mobil Industrial Lubricants (ExxonMobil), Timken Company, Schaeffler Group (INA/FAG) and Castrol (BP).
Does Permawick have an API?
No public API is recorded for Permawick.
What industry is Permawick in?
Permawick's product category is Specialty Industrial Lubricants. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAEAMAB, Industrial & Heavy-Duty Lubricants, with a secondary code of EUALAJAJ, Greases & Specialty Lubricants (Greases, Pastes, Chain Oils, Silicone/Fluoro). Its NAICS code is 324191 and its SIC code is 3562.