CAIG Laboratories

What CAIG Laboratories does

CAIG Laboratories, Inc. is a privately held specialty chemical manufacturer founded in 1956 and headquartered at 12200 Thatcher Court, Poway, California. The company develops, manufactures, and distributes the DeoxIT® family of contact treatments, lubricants, greases, conductive coatings, soldering fluxes, and related accessories designed to clean, deoxidize, lubricate, and protect metal electrical and electronic connections. Core technology centers on chemical-action deoxidizing formulations — notably the DeoxIT D-Series at approximately 20% deoxidizing action, the Gold G-Series with molecular bonding to plated and base metals (gold, silver, rhodium, copper, bronze, nickel), and lithium-based greases infused with the D100L formula — that dissolve oxidation and sulfides on contact surfaces and leave a residual protective layer. Manufacturing and warehousing operations now span California, Texas, and Pennsylvania, governed under ISO 9001:2015 certification.

CAIG distributes through two channels: a global authorized distributor network serving enterprise accounts and a direct e-commerce storefront at caig.com serving smaller customers and individual technicians. The customer base spans more than 25 named enterprises across electronics manufacturing (Foxconn, Intel, Xerox, Tektronix, Microsoft, Google), audio/visual (Bose, McIntosh, Harman Kardon, Roland, Peavey), automotive (BMW, Ford, Honda), aerospace and defense (Boeing, Airbus, NASA, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, General Dynamics, Honeywell), transportation (American Airlines, Delta, Union Pacific), and industrial (Caterpillar). Identified primary segments are OEM manufacturers and service/maintenance professionals, with secondary verticals covering avionics, marine/RV, security, communications, energy, and medical applications.

The product portfolio comprises twelve distinct lines: four DeoxIT core variants (D-Series, Gold G-Series, Shield S-Series, Fader F-Series), specialty and marine greases (L260/SM22, L27-MM/L27-ME), rosin soldering fluxes meeting DOD-STD-2000 and IPC-J-004 standards, contact cleaners and degreasers, conductive inks and coatings (CircuitWriter, CaiKote 44, CircuitSealer), precision lubricants, application accessories, and pre-configured kits. Revenue is generated through one-time product sales with distributor- or quote-based pricing rather than subscriptions or recurring contracts. CAIG holds 10 registered trademarks, has maintained continuous operation for nearly 70 years with no disclosed venture capital, private equity, or institutional ownership, and presents no public financials, M&A activity, or leadership transitions in the available source material.

Name

CAIG Laboratories

Legal name

CAIG Laboratories, Inc.

Website

https://caig.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1956

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CAIG Laboratories is a privately held specialty chemical manufacturer founded in 1956, producing the DeoxIT® line of contact treatments, lubricants, greases, and conductive coatings for electronics, audio/video, aerospace, defense, automotive, and industrial customers worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Electronic Maintenance Chemicals

NAICS

Chemical Manufacturing (325)

SIC

Miscellaneous Chemical Products (2890)

akta.pro primary industry

PCB & Electronics Manufacturing Chemicals (Desmear, micro-etch, plating, fluxes) (IMAEAKAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Electroplating & Metallization Chemicals (Cu/Ni/Au plating, additives) (IMAEAKAK), Hard Surface & Multi-Purpose Cleaners (All-purpose, Floor, Bathroom, Kitchen) (CRADAKAG)

Keywords

• Contact cleaners
• Electronic chemicals
• Deoxidizing solutions
• Contact lubricants
• Conductive coatings

Headquarters

HQ city

Poway

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Product Sales: CAIG generates revenue through the sale of proprietary chemical formulations including DeoxIT cleaners, lubricants, greases, and accessories. Products are sold in various sizes and applicator formats ranging from small squeeze tubes to bulk containers for industrial use.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

CAIG Laboratories develops and manufactures proprietary chemical formulations under the DeoxIT® brand for cleaning, deoxidizing, lubricating, and protecting metal electrical contacts and electronic connections. The company sells contact cleaners, greases, soldering fluxes, conductive coatings, and application accessories through a global authorized distributor network and a direct e-commerce storefront at caig.com.

Product overview

CAIG Laboratories offers an extensive line of DeoxIT® branded chemical products for electronic, electrical and mechanical applications. The portfolio centers on the DeoxIT® family of contact treatments (D-Series for heavy-duty deoxidizing, Gold G-Series for plated contacts, Shield S-Series for severe environments, Fader F-Series for moving contacts), supplemented by specialized greases (L260/SM22 series, Marine L27 series), soldering fluxes, cleaners, conductive coatings, and application accessories. The products are designed to clean, protect, lubricate and enhance conductivity on metal connections and are used across industries including electronics, audio/video, computers, communications, avionics, marine, medical, security, photography, and energy. Manufacturing and warehousing facilities are located in California, Texas and Pennsylvania.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• DeoxIT®: Main product line of contact cleaners, rejuvenators, and protectors for electronic and electrical connections. Includes D-Series (deoxidizer), Gold G-Series (enhancer), Shield S-Series (lubricant/protectant), Fader F-Series (moving contact lubricant), and Grease products.
• HAND-E-GLOVE®
• CaiKleen™
• CircuitWriter™
• CircuitSealer™
• CaiKote 44™
• MechanicALL™
• Perfect-Straw™
• FLEX-TIP™
• Val-U Series

Products and services

• DeoxIT® D-Series Contact/connector treatment that dissolves oxides and sulfides on metal surfaces, restores contact integrity, and leaves a protective layer. Designed for OEMs, service technicians, and electronics professionals.
• DeoxIT® Gold G-Series Contact enhancer and conditioner that molecularly bonds to gold, silver, rhodium, copper, bronze, and nickel surfaces. Provides approximately 0.5% deoxidizing action with long-lasting protection.
• DeoxIT® L260 and SM22 Grease Lithium-based greases infused with DeoxIT D-Series that provide cleaning, deoxidizing, protection and lubrication in a semi-solid form for mechanical and electrical applications.
• DeoxIT® Shield S-Series Lubricant and protectant for severe environments with pollution, sulfur, salts and acids. Operating temperature range of -34°C to 210°C with zero deoxidizing action.
• DeoxIT® Fader F-Series Specialized lubricant for moving contact surfaces including faders, switches, potentiometers, and conductive plastic controls. Temperature range: -26°C to 150°C.
• Marine Grease (L27-MM Mechanical and L27-ME Electrical) Marine-specific greases designed for mechanical and electrical applications, addressing saltwater oxidation and corrosion. Operating temperatures: -40°C to 260°C.
• Flux & Tip Tinner (RSF-R80 and RSF-R39) Rosin soldering fluxes including mildly-activated rosin (RSF-R80) and no-clean flux (RSF-R39) for electrical/electronic applications and P.C.B. repair.
• CAIG Cleaners, Solvents & Protectants Contact cleaners, degreasers, and flux removal solvents including Val-U Series, screen cleaners, vinyl record cleaners, equipment cleaners, and etchant solutions. RoHS and VOC compliant.
• Conductive Compounds & Coatings Conductive inks (CircuitWriter pens), circuit sealant (CircuitSealer), CaiKote 44 conductive coating, and HSC67 silicone heat sink compound for thermal management.
• CAIG Accessories Application accessories including FLEX-TIP, Perfect-Straw extension tubes, pen tips, cleaning brushes, lint-free cloths, precision foam swabs, pointer swabs, and application kits.
• Lubes & Specialty Products Specialty lubricants including DeoxIT® X10S precision lubricant and MechanicALL general-purpose mechanical lubricant.
• CAIG KITS Pre-configured product bundles including Audio/Video Survival Kit, Technicians' Survival Kit, Laptop Maintenance Kit, and DeoxIT Gold Vacuum Tube Kit.

Quantifiable outcome

• Clean room environments: 10+ years protection; Average environments: 5+ years; High humidity/coastal: 2+ years; High pollution/industrial: 1+ year

Named customers26 records

Segments10 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

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• 3M: Diversified industrial conglomerate whose Novec and electrical contact cleaning products compete with CAIG's DeoxIT line in OEM and MRO markets. Massive R&D and global sales coverage dwarf CAIG.
• Henkel (Loctite): Global specialty chemical giant whose Loctite brand covers threadlockers, conductive coatings, and electronic assembly chemicals — competing with CAIG in OEM electronics and industrial maintenance channels.
• Permatex (ITW): ITW-owned maker of specialty chemicals for automotive and industrial maintenance, with overlap in conductive greases, lubricants, and protective coatings that compete with CAIG's grease and DeoxIT lines.
• WD-40 Company: Iconic specialty chemical company with broad product portfolio including contact cleaners, lubricants, and degreasers sold through the same industrial distribution channels as CAIG's DeoxIT products. Much larger but competes in overlapping maintenance chemistry categories.
• CRC Industries: Major manufacturer of specialty chemicals for maintenance and repair, with a strong contact cleaner and degreaser portfolio directly competing with DeoxIT in electrical/electronic maintenance channels.
• Sprayon (Sherwin-Williams): Industrial coatings and lubricants brand owned by Sherwin-Williams, with contact cleaners and protectants that overlap CAIG's DeoxIT and Shield product lines in MRO distribution channels.

Direct peers

• TechSpray: Specialty manufacturer of cleaning and contact treatment chemicals for electronics manufacturing and field service, directly comparable to CAIG's DeoxIT and CaiKleen product lines.
• MG Chemicals: Direct competitor manufacturing electronic maintenance chemicals, soldering fluxes, conductive coatings, and cleaners for electronics manufacturing and repair — overlapping nearly one-to-one with CAIG's product portfolio.
• Chemtronics (ITW): ITW-owned manufacturer of precision cleaning and contact treatment products for electronics; one of the closest direct competitors to CAIG in contact cleaners, flux removers, and ESD-safe solvents.

Regional players

• Kontakt Chemie (CRC Industries): European specialty electronics chemicals brand (now under CRC) with overlapping contact cleaners, lubricants, and protective sprays; competes with CAIG primarily outside North America.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/caiglabs

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 CAIG Laboratories