Hess Perlite

What Hess Perlite does

Hess Pumice Incorporated (referenced in the input as Hess Perlite, the name of its wholly-owned perlite subsidiary) is a privately held mining and processing company founded in 1958 and headquartered in Malad City, Idaho. The company extracts naturally calcined pumice from its deposit in southeast Idaho — described in company materials as having superior hardness, whiteness, and purity compared to any other global source — and processes it into over 70 standard and specialized grades ranging from one-inch aggregates down to smoke-consistency powders with controlled particle sizes from 3 microns upward. Core technical assets include integrated mining, micronization, and quality-testing capabilities, plus a Non-Crystalline Silica (NCS) product line positioned as a regulatory-compliant alternative to carcinogenic crystalline silica in paints, coatings, rubber, and plastics.

The company monetizes through a dual-channel go-to-market: direct B2B industrial sales of bulk pumice products (construction aggregates, pozzolans, filtration media, abrasives, functional fillers) to manufacturers worldwide, supplemented by a direct-to-consumer channel via PumiceStore.com selling samples, less-than-pallet quantities, and branded consumer goods. Industrial pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed; revenue is transactional (one-time purchases) rather than subscription-based. Customer segmentation is horizontal across at least six verticals — Construction Materials, Filtration, Abrasives and Surface Treatment, Functional Fillers, Cosmetics/Personal Care, and Horticulture/Agriculture — with a portfolio of branded sub-lines (HessPozz, UltraPozz, HessLite, Hess NCS, Hess Perlite, Dimension Grit, Magma Exfoliant, SoilRox, Ponics Stone, US Grout, CleanCut, ChillDust, Chewlas, Sedoso) targeting differentiated price points and end-use applications. Distribution is global via freight car, ocean container, pallet, or single-bag shipping, with dedicated Spanish and Italian language websites supporting international reach.

The company's strategic posture is that of an established, family-controlled specialty mineral incumbent: 65+ years of continuous operation, no disclosed funding rounds, no M&A activity, no leadership transitions in the input data, and a horizontally diversified industrial customer base. Its competitive position rests on the geological uniqueness of the Idaho deposit, scale advantages as the self-described largest global processed pumice producer, regulatory positioning around crystalline silica substitution, and a multi-brand ecosystem addressing both industrial and consumer end-markets.

Name

Hess Perlite

Legal name

Hess Pumice Incorporated

Website

https://hesspumice.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1958

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Hess Perlite (Hess Pumice Incorporated) is a privately held Idaho mining and processing company that produces over 70 grades of processed pumice and expanded perlite, serving industrial and consumer markets across construction, filtration, abrasives, functional fillers, cosmetics, horticulture, and pet care worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Minerals and Construction Materials

NAICS

Other Construction Material Merchant Wholesalers (42339)

SIC

Mining & Quarrying Of Nonmetallic Minerals (No Fuels) (1400)

akta.pro primary industry

Perlite & Vermiculite (IMAEAFAJ)

Keywords

• Expanded perlite products
• Perlite ore supply
• Industrial filtration media
• Water treatment materials
• Lightweight construction aggregate

Headquarters

HQ city

Malad City

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, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Processed Pumice Sales: The company generates revenue primarily through mining and selling processed pumice products to industrial customers worldwide. Products include various grades of pumice for construction, filtration, abrasives, cosmetics, horticulture, and functional filler applications.
2. Retail Pumice Products: Revenue from the PumiceStore.com channel selling sample quantities and consumer products including Dimension Grit texturizing grit, exfoliating products, and various pumice grades in smaller packaging.
3. Specialized Product Lines: Sales of branded specialty products including HessPozz natural pozzolan, HessLite lightweight bonding mortars, Hess NCS functional fillers, and other branded product lines for specific applications.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Hess Perlite is a wholly-owned subsidiary brand of Hess Pumice Incorporated focused on expanded perlite and perlite ore products. The parent entity (Hess Pumice Incorporated) mines and processes pumice from its southeast Idaho deposit, producing over 70 standard and specialized grades plus branded sub-lines including HessPozz (natural pozzolan), Hess NCS (non-crystalline silica functional fillers), HessLite (lightweight bonding mortars), Dimension Grit, and horticultural/pet consumer brands.

Product overview

Hess Perlite operates as the world's largest producer of processed pumice, offering a diversified portfolio of branded products. The core offering is naturally calcined pumice in over 70 grades, which serves as the foundation for specialized sub-brands including HessPozz (natural pozzolan for concrete), Hess NCS (non-crystalline silica functional fillers for industrial coatings), and HessLite (lightweight construction materials). Consumer-facing brands include Dimension Grit (texturizing additives), Pumice Store (retail samples), and various horticultural and pet care products. The company also offers expanded perlite through its Hess Perlite sub-brand. Products are sold through direct commercial channels and the Pumice Store retail platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• HessLite: Lightweight Bonding Mortars and Stuccos
• Hess Pozz
• UltraPozz
• ASR Miti-Gator
• US Grout
• Pumice Concrete
• Dimension Grit
• CleanCut
• Magma
• Ponics Stone
• SoilRox
• ChillDust
• Chewlas
• Sedoso
• Microbead Replacement

Products and services

• Hess Perlite Expanded Perlite and Perlite Ore Expanded perlite and raw perlite ore products supplied as a wholly-owned subsidiary brand of Hess Pumice Incorporated, serving industrial markets.
• Hess Pumice Products (Processed Pumice) Naturally calcined pumice stone mined and processed in Southeast Idaho, available in over 70 standard and specialized grades from one-inch nuggets to smoke-consistency powder. Sold to industrial manufacturers across construction, filtration, abrasives, horticulture, cosmetics, and industrial coating applications.
• HessPozz (Natural Pozzolan) Natural pumice pozzolan used to improve concrete performance while replacing a portion of Portland cement in concrete mix designs; also used in cementitious grouts.
• Hess NCS (Non-Crystalline Silica) Functional Fillers Micronized non-hazardous amorphous silica products used as functional fillers and extenders in paints, coatings, caulking, rubber, and plastics. Available in NCS-3, NCS-5, NCS-8, NCS-10, and NCS-12 grades ranging from 3 to 12 microns particle size; crystalline silica free to the detectable limit of .05%.
• HessLite Blended Products Lightweight bonding mortars and stuccos formulated with pumice aggregates for construction applications.
• US Grout (Ultrafine Cementitious Grout) Ultrafine cementitious grout products for construction and infrastructure applications.
• Pumice Concrete Lightweight insulating concrete products using foamed-stone pumice aggregates.
• Dimension Grit Texturizing Grit Pumice texturizing grits that can be stirred into paints, coatings, primers, and gessos to provide grip or aesthetic texture. Available in grades #0, #1, #2, #3, #5, #7, and #10.
• Pumice Store Retail Platform Online retail platform selling various grades of pumice in quantities from one-pound sample packs to full-sized production bags, serving sample and less-than-pallet buyers.
• Ponics Stone Soilless Grow Media Soilless grow media product using pumice for hydroponics and horticultural applications.
• SoilRox Horticultural Pumice Horticultural pumice products for soil conditioning and aeration in gardening and landscaping applications.
• ChillDust Pet Bathing Dust Bathing dust product for pets using finely ground pumice.
• Chewlas Pet Chew Stones Chew stones for pets made from pumice.
• Magma Exfoliant Mix-in exfoliating pumice grit for face creams and skin cleansers.
• CleanCut Pumice Scrub Household pumice scrub powder for cleaning applications.
• Sedoso Finish Grit Fine wood sanding and finish-rub polishing pumice grit for woodworking applications.

Quantifiable outcome

• NCS products rated 84 on GE brightness scale - whitest commercially available functional filler
• +3 more outcomes

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Hess AgroxminorOthersRelated brand focused on pumice applications in agricultural and horticultural markets. Part of the Hess family of brands.
• Hess Pozz and UltraPozzminorOthersBrand dedicated to natural pozzolan products made from pumice for concrete and cement applications. Part of the Hess family of brands.
• HessLite Blended ProductsminorOthersBrand focused on lightweight bonding mortars and stuccos using Hess pumice. Part of the Hess family of brands.
• Hess NCSminorOthersBrand focused on Non-Crystalline Silica micro grades for functional filler applications. Part of the Hess family of brands.
• Ponics StoneminorOthersConsumer brand for soilless grow media using pumice. Part of the Hess family of brands serving horticultural markets.
• SoilRoxminorOthersConsumer brand for horticultural pumice products. Part of the Hess family of brands serving gardening and landscaping markets.
• Dimension GritminorOthersConsumer-direct brand for pumice texturizing grits that can be stirred into paints, coatings, primers, and gessos. Available through pumicestore.com.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Direct peers

• General Pumice Products: Long-standing US pumice miner and processor serving industrial and consumer applications, competing head-to-head with Hess on construction aggregates, filtration media, and specialty grades.
• CR Minerals Company: US-based pumice and volcanic mineral producer serving filtration, construction, and industrial filler applications with comparable product grades and direct overlap with Hess's core pumice mining and processing business.
• Copia International: Direct competitor in processed pumice production, supplying similar industrial grades for abrasives, filtration, cosmetics, horticulture, and construction uses from a comparable mining-and-processing model.

Broad incumbents

• U.S. Silica Holdings: Large-scale silica products producer supplying frac sand, industrial silica, and ground silica for fillers; competes most directly with Hess NCS in functional filler and extender end-uses.
• BASF: Global chemicals incumbent with functional additives and filler portfolio serving paints, coatings, plastics, and construction chemicals; overlaps with Hess NCS in industrial filler applications.
• Imerys: Global industrial minerals leader with a broad portfolio spanning functional fillers, perlite, pumice, and construction additives; competes with Hess in functional fillers and filtration, though much larger and more diversified.
• Minerals Technologies Inc. Specialty minerals company producing functional fillers, precipitated calcium carbonate, and bentonite-based products that compete with Hess NCS in paints, coatings, and plastics filler applications.
• EP Minerals (Imerys Filtration): Major producer of filtration media including perlite, diatomite, and pumice-based products, now part of Imerys; directly comparable in water/beverage filtration and serves overlapping industrial customers.
• SCR-Sibelco: Global industrial minerals producer including silica, nepheline, and feldspar for fillers, glass, and ceramics; adjacent competitor in functional filler markets served by Hess NCS.

Regional players

• Kansas Minerals: US pumice and volcanic mineral producer focused on abrasives, filtration, and industrial applications; comparable feedstock and grades to Hess, with a primarily North American distribution footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hess-pumice-products

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries3 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 Hess Perlite