What American Custom Technologies does

American Custom Technologies (ACT) is a privately held, custom contract manufacturer of topical and transdermal patches founded in 1998 and operated from a 20,000+ square foot FDA-registered facility in Oceanside, California. The company produces patches to customer specifications rather than offering white-label products, serving nutraceutical, over-the-counter pharmaceutical, and cosmetic brand customers with custom size, shape, ingredient, and packaging requirements. Core manufacturing capabilities include monolithic (ingredient-in-adhesive) patches with up to 36-hour wear, pad/reservoir patches with up to 7-day wear, dry pad patches for customer loading (commonly used by THC patch manufacturers), and OTC drug patches in compliance with FDA monograph regulations. Underlying technology rests on a proprietary excipient and permeation enhancer blend, an occlusive barrier design, medical-grade adhesive systems, and supporting analytical services including Franz Diffusion Cell testing and ICH stability studies. The business operates on a quote-based pricing model that the company attributes to volatile active ingredient markets, with revenue generated through one-time custom production runs, formulation development services, third-party testing arrangements, custom packaging services, and off-the-shelf dry pad sales. Go-to-market is direct B2B sales via phone, email, and facility tours, supported by an educational content marketing blog. ACT holds ISO 9001:2015 certification and operates under cGMP (21CFR820), and is registered with the state of California as a cosmetic manufacturer. The company is bootstrapped with no disclosed institutional investors, no funding history, no M&A activity, and no leadership changes. A referral partnership with Topical Patch Supply directs sub-minimum-order customers to that partner for common formulations. The company does not export directly and serves only US customers, requiring a US shipping address for fulfillment.

Name

American Custom Technologies

Legal name

American Custom Technologies

Website

https://americancustomtech.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

American Custom Technologies is a private, FDA-registered custom contract manufacturer founded in 1998 that designs and produces topical and transdermal patches for nutraceutical, OTC pharmaceutical, and cosmetic brand customers from its Oceanside, California facility.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Contract Patch Manufacturing

NAICS

Surgical Appliance and Supplies Manufacturing (339113)

SIC

Perfumes, Cosmetics & Other Toilet Preparations (2844)

akta.pro primary industry

Primary Packaging (Bottles, Jars, Tubes, Jugs) (IMALAJAA)

Keywords

• Contract manufacturing
• Topical patches
• Transdermal delivery
• FDA compliant manufacturing
• Custom packaging

Headquarters

HQ city

Oceanside

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Custom Contract Manufacturing: Custom manufacturing of topical patches for nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic applications. Each order is unique and made to customer specifications. Revenue generated through one-time production runs with pricing based on patch type, size, shape, active ingredients, and packaging requirements. No off-the-shelf or white-label products.
2. Formulation Development Services: Expert consultation and formulation services to help customers develop custom patch formulations. Includes written formulations, ingredient guidance, and regulatory compliance advice.
3. Testing Services: Third-party lab arrangement for Certificate of Analysis (CoA) testing on finished products, Franz Diffusion Cell studies, and stability testing for additional fees.
4. Custom Packaging Services: Full range of packaging services from formulation stage to drop-shipping to distribution points. Includes custom printing and artwork integration.
5. Dry Pad Patches: Sale of blank dry pad patches for customers who want to load their own formulations (commonly THC patch manufacturers). These are off-the-shelf products.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

American Custom Technologies is a custom contract manufacturer that designs, develops, and manufactures topical patches to customer specifications for nutraceutical, pharmaceutical (OTC drug), and cosmetic applications. The company produces monolithic, pad/reservoir, and dry pad patches using proprietary excipient blends and occlusive barrier technology, complemented by formulation development, third-party testing (Franz Diffusion Cell, stability studies), and custom packaging services.

Product overview

American Custom Technologies is a custom contract manufacturer specializing in topical patch manufacturing since 1998. Their product portfolio centers on three main patch types: Monolithic Patches (ingredient-in-adhesive, worn up to 36 hours), Pad/Reservoir Patches (longer wear with more active ingredient contact), and Dry Pad Patches (for customer loading). They produce OTC Drug Patches (Lidocaine, Menthol, Capsaicin, etc.), Vitamin Patches (B-series, C, D, E, K), Herbal Patches (Ashwagandha, Turmeric, Ginkgo, etc.), and CBD Patches. Services include Custom Packaging, Testing Services (Franz Diffusion Cell, Stability Studies), and Formulation Services. All manufacturing uses an occlusive barrier design with quality materials including medical-grade and hypoallergenic adhesives. The company operates as a custom contract manufacturer, producing patches fresh for each customer to their unique specifications.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Monolithic Patches Ingredient-in-adhesive patches where active ingredients are mixed directly with the adhesive matrix. Flat, discreet, can be worn up to 36 hours, allow direct printing for branding, and are less expensive than pad patches. Recommended for swift-acting, overnight effects.
• Pad (Reservoir) Patches Patches featuring an absorbent pad in the center containing active ingredients without adhesive mixing. Can be worn substantially longer than monolithic patches with more active ingredients in contact with skin. Recommended for longer-term use and more effective delivery, with up to 7 days of wear.
• Dry Pad Patches Empty reservoir patches that customers can load with their own active ingredients. Popular for THC patch manufacturing and DIY formulations.
• OTC Drug Patches Over-the-counter drug patches including Lidocaine, Menthol, Capsaicin, Methyl Salicylate, Salicylic Acid, and Hydrocortisone, manufactured in compliance with FDA monograph regulations for OTC pharmaceutical companies.
• Vitamin Patches Nutraceutical patches containing vitamins such as B-1, B-3, B-5, B-6, B-12, C, D, E, and K for supplementation through topical delivery.
• Herbal Patches Nutraceutical patches containing herbal ingredients such as Ashwagandha, Chamomile, Garlic, Ginseng, Ginkgo Biloba, Green Tea Extract, Guarana, Lavender, Maca Powder, Passionflower, Turmeric, Valerian, and Yerba Mate.
• CBD Patches Cosmetic hemp-derived CBD patches using isolate (powder form) suitable for monolithic or pad patch formats, with full THC certification throughout the supply chain.
• Custom Packaging Services Full range of custom packaging services from formulation stage through drop-shipping to distribution points, including custom printing and artwork integration.
• Testing Services Third-party lab testing including Franz Diffusion Cell studies for skin permeation analysis using human cadaver skin, and stability studies per ICH guidelines investigating the influence of temperature and relative humidity on drug stability.
• Formulation Services Expert formulation assistance to help customers develop custom patch formulations, including guidance on ingredient compatibility, permeation enhancers, and regulatory compliance.

Quantifiable outcome

• Monolithic patches can be worn for up to 36 hours
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Topical Patch SupplyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorReferral partner for small order quantities. When ACT's minimum order quantities are too high for startup customers, they refer them to Topical Patch Supply for common patch formulations. This is a minor channel partnership to serve the market holistically.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• AdhexPharma: European CDMO focused on custom transdermal patches and topical drug delivery systems. Comparable custom manufacturing model for pharmaceutical customers, with similar formulation, regulatory, and scale-up capabilities to ACT.
• Tapemark: US-based contract manufacturer specializing in custom transdermal and topical drug delivery patches. Closest direct competitor to ACT — same custom contract manufacturing model serving pharmaceutical and consumer health customers with patch technology.
• Tesa Labtec: Part of tesa SE, this CDMO develops and manufactures custom transdermal therapeutic systems for pharmaceutical partners. Directly comparable custom patch CDMO with formulation expertise and GMP manufacturing capabilities overlapping ACT's offering.

Broad incumbents

• Teikoku Pharma USA: US subsidiary of Japanese Teikoku Seiyaku, a major manufacturer of transdermal patches for pharmaceutical partners. Overlaps with ACT in patch manufacturing technology and customer base, though at significantly larger scale with global reach.
• Noven Pharmaceuticals (Jubilant): Established US-based developer and manufacturer of transdermal patches (now part of Jubilant Pharmova). Larger incumbent with broader drug development pipeline, but overlapping technology and OTC patch manufacturing categories with ACT.
• Hisamitsu Pharmaceutical: Japanese pharmaceutical company and global leader in OTC patches (Salonpas brand). While primarily a brand owner rather than contract manufacturer, it competes in the same topical patch category and sets market expectations for OTC patch quality and pricing.
• LTS Lohmann Therapie-Systeme: World's largest contract manufacturer of transdermal patches and oral thin films, serving global pharma brands. Operates at significantly larger scale than ACT but in the same core technology category of transdermal delivery systems.

Emerging players

• Zosano Pharma: Emerging transdermal drug delivery company developing microneedle patch technology for pharmaceutical applications. Overlaps with ACT in transdermal delivery category but focuses on proprietary drug products rather than custom contract manufacturing.
• Corium (LTS): US-based transdermal drug delivery company developing proprietary patch technologies (now part of LTS Lohmann). Comparable focus on novel transdermal delivery but at a more specialized/branded drug development stage rather than pure custom manufacturing.
• Dermavant Sciences: Dermatology-focused company developing topical drug delivery treatments. Comparable focus on topical delivery technology and FDA-regulated drug products, though operates as a drug developer rather than contract manufacturer.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance3 records

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 American Custom Technologies