What Franmar Chemical does

Franmar Chemical (legal entity Franmar, Inc.) is a family-owned specialty chemical manufacturer founded in the early 1980s in Bloomington, Illinois, that develops soy-based, biodegradable cleaning and surface-preparation products replacing hazardous chemistries such as methylene chloride, muriatic acid and trisodium phosphate. Its technical platform centers on proprietary soy-solvent formulations using 100% American-grown soybeans, with two notable IP assets: a patented Molecular Bonding System (MBS) used in Lead Out lead-paint strippers, and a patent-pending Haze Remover ES that is the first product safe for dual-cure emulsions in screen printing. The portfolio spans three sub-brands: BLUE BEAR Commercial (industrial coatings removers, mastic removers, asphalt products, surface cleaners, form release agents and graffiti removers targeting professional contractors), BLUE BEAR Consumer (DIY retail SKUs), and a comprehensive Screen Printing line anchored by the original BEAN·e·doo plastisol ink remover.

Franmar monetizes exclusively through one-time product sales across three channels: direct phone orders under terms (1-800-538-5069), a proprietary e-commerce storefront at products.franmar.com, and a US authorized dealer network (Find a Dealer locator). It serves a diversified customer base spanning Fortune 500 enterprises (General Motors, Lockheed Martin), federal agencies (US Postal Service, US Navy, US Army Corps of Engineers), heavy industrial OEMs (Navistar in a 33,000+ truck recall), industrial contractors, screen printing shops, and DIY consumers; the firm claims both domestic and worldwide distribution.

Operationally, Franmar runs as a 11–50-employee small business with co-owner Marilyn Sliney retaining ownership after co-founder Frank H. Sliney's passing in December 2021. Leadership was professionalized in 2021–2022 with the hires of General Manager Tim Whitlock (October 2021) and National Sales Manager Craig Rogers (August 2022, ex-Valspar and Sherwin-Williams). The firm earned the Illinois Soybean Association "It's Sustainably Soy" certification in January 2024, while the highest-IP Lead Out line faced temporary supply-chain disruption on the MBS powder ingredient as of October 2025.

Name

Franmar Chemical

Legal name

Franmar, Inc.

Website

https://franmar.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Franmar Chemical is a family-owned Illinois manufacturer of 100% American-grown-soybean-based, biodegradable cleaning and surface-preparation products sold under BLUE BEAR Commercial, BLUE BEAR Consumer, and screen printing brands to industrial contractors, OEMs, government agencies, and DIY consumers via direct sales, e-commerce, and a US dealer network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Cleaning Chemicals

NAICS

Soap and Cleaning Compound Manufacturing (32561)

SIC

Industrial Organic Chemicals (2860)

akta.pro primary industry

Bio-based Adhesives, Coatings & Sealants (lignin/tannin/soy-based) (IMAMALAG)

Keywords

• Soy-based cleaning products
• Paint and coatings removers
• Screen printing cleaners
• Biodegradable degreasers
• Industrial surface cleaners

Headquarters

HQ city

Bloomington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Product Sales: Franmar generates revenue through the sale of proprietary soy-based cleaning and restoration products. The company manufactures and sells BLUE BEAR commercial and consumer product lines, as well as screen printing products. Products are sold through direct sales, dealers, and e-commerce channels.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Franmar Chemical manufactures and sells soy-based, biodegradable cleaning and restoration products organized under three product lines: BLUE BEAR Commercial (industrial coatings removers, mastic removers, asphalt products, form release agents, degreasers, graffiti removers, and lead paint strippers), BLUE BEAR Consumer (retail/DIY paint removers, mastic removers, asphalt removers, surface cleaners, and degreasers), and a Screen Printing line (BEAN·e·doo plastisol and water-based ink removers, emulsion removers, dehazers, degreasers, UV ink removers, and dip tank solutions). All formulations use 100% American-grown soybeans in place of harsh petrochemicals and are sold through direct phone sales, the products.franmar.com e-commerce site, and a U.S. authorized dealer network.

Product overview

Franmar Chemical is a family-owned manufacturer of soy-based cleaning and restoration products founded in 1980s and headquartered in Bloomington, Illinois. The company offers three main product sub-brands: BLUE BEAR Commercial (industrial-grade coatings removers, mastic removers, asphalt products, surface cleaners, form release agents, degreasers, graffiti removers, concrete treatment products, and lead paint removers), BLUE BEAR Consumer (retail/DIY paint strippers, mastic removers, asphalt removers, surface cleaners, degreasers, and graffiti removers), and a comprehensive Screen Printing Products line (plastisol ink removers, water-based ink removers, emulsion removers, haze removers, degreasers, on-press ink removers, UV ink removers, dip tank solutions, and screen reclaiming equipment). All products are formulated using 100% American-grown soybeans as the primary solvent base, replacing harsh chemicals like methylene chloride, muriatic acid, and trisodium phosphate. Key flagship products include BEAN•e•doo (the original soy-based ink remover that revolutionized the screen printing industry), Soy Gel (award-winning paint stripper), Safenol (advanced paint removal technology), Lead Out (patented molecular bonding system for lead paint encapsulation), and Emerge (biodegradable degreaser line). The company serves Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, industrial contractors, screen printers, and DIY consumers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BLUE BEAR Commercial: Industrial/commercial product line including coating removers, mastic removers, surface cleaners, asphalt products, and form release agents
• BLUE BEAR Consumer
• BEAN•e•doo
• BLUE BEAR
• Safenol
• Soy Gel
• Emerge
• Lead Out
• Soy Strip

Products and services

• BLUE BEAR Commercial Line Industrial/commercial sub-brand of Framar's soy-based cleaning and restoration products, covering coating removers, mastic removers, surface cleaners, asphalt products, form release agents, degreasers, graffiti removers, concrete treatment products, antifouling paint removers, parts washers, vinyl cleaners, and lead paint removers; sold to professional contractors, enterprises, and government agencies through the company's direct phone sales, e-commerce site, and U.S. dealer network.
• BLUE BEAR Consumer Line Retail/DIY sub-brand for homeowners and hobbyists offering paint strippers, mastic removers, asphalt removers, exterior building cleaners, degreasers, and graffiti removers; products are low-odor and positioned for safe indoor use, sold through the products.franmar.com e-commerce site and retailers in the dealer network.
• Screen Printing Products Complete line of soy-based cleaning products for textile and graphic screen printing shops, covering ink cleaners (water-based, plastisol, UV, solvent-based, on-press), emulsion removers, haze removers, degreasers, dip tank solutions, neutralizers, specialty items, and trial kits; targets screen printers historically reliant on toxic solvents and includes the patent-pending Haze Remover ES for dual cure emulsions.
• BEAN·e·doo Plastisol Ink Remover Flagship soy-based plastisol ink remover that revolutionized the screen printing industry as Franmar's founding product; low odor, non-caustic, and biodegradable replacement for toxic screen cleaning solvents used by screen printers.
• Lead Out Lead Paint Remover (Commercial and Consumer SKUs) Patented lead-based paint stripper available in commercial (690PB) and consumer variants that transforms lead into a non-hazardous compound safe for removal and disposal, addressing disposal liability for lead paint abatement projects.
• Concrete Form Release General Purpose (800GP) Soy-based concrete form release agent for commercial concrete construction; replaces petroleum-based release agents with a biodegradable, soy-derived formulation effective on wood, metal, and styrene forms.
• BEAN·e·doo Asphalt Remover (300RE Commercial and Consumer SKUs) Soy-based remover for asphalt, polymers, sealers, and top coatings from surfaces, used in commercial paving, fleet, and DIY driveway cleaning; replaces harsh solvents while covering up to 200 sq ft per gallon.

Quantifiable outcome

• Removes multiple layers of paint/urethanes/sealers/epoxies in one application
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Rust-Oleum (Sherwin-Williams):
• Spartan Chemical Company: Spartan Chemical is an established manufacturer of industrial and institutional cleaning products including degreasers and graffiti removers, competing with Franmar's BLUE BEAR Commercial line for the same industrial contractor and facilities management customers.
• 3M Industrial Adhesives and Tapes Division: 3M offers industrial cleaners, degreasers, and surface preparation products to commercial buyers globally, overlapping with Franmar's commercial degreasers and surface cleaners as a much larger incumbent with broader portfolio reach.

Direct peers

• Sunnyside Corporation: Sunnyside is a long-established U.S. manufacturer of paint thinners, strippers, and solvents serving both professional contractors and DIY consumers — directly comparable to Franmar's BLUE BEAR Commercial and Consumer paint and coatings remover lines.
• Ulano Corporation: Ulano is a global supplier of screen printing emulsion, capillary films, and screen reclaiming chemicals — a direct peer in the screen printing chemicals segment where Franmar sells its BEAN·e·doo and One Step Clear product lines.
• Sunshine Makers (Simple Green): Sunshine Makers produces Simple Green, a non-toxic, biodegradable cleaner line sold through industrial, retail, and DIY channels — directly comparable to Franmar's positioning around safer, biodegradable, soy-based cleaning products.
• Chromaline: Chromaline is a manufacturer of screen printing chemicals including emulsion removers, haze removers, and screen cleaning products — directly comparable to Franmar's Screen Printing line (BEAN·e·doo, D·HAZE, STRIP·e·doo).
• Dumond Chemicals: Dumond Chemicals produces peel-away and smart-strip paint removal systems used in lead paint abatement and historic restoration, directly competing with Franmar's Lead Out and Soy Gel products in the architectural coatings-removal market.
• Eco Safety Products: Eco Safety Products manufactures soy- and bio-based industrial degreasers, cleaners, and strippers under the Soy Technologies brand, directly competing with Franmar's BLUE BEAR line in soy-based coatings removers and degreasers for industrial and commercial buyers.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/franmarchemical
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/franmar-chemical-inc-

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Franmar Chemical