Whittemore Company

What Whittemore Company does

Whittemore Company, Inc. is a third-generation, family-owned U.S. manufacturer of expanded perlite and vermiculite minerals, founded in 1919 and headquartered at 30 Glenn Street in Lawrence, Massachusetts. The company operates a single-site processing facility using controlled expansion furnaces optimized for energy efficiency, with verified ore chemistry and traceable raw material sourcing as core operational standards. Its product portfolio centers on two expanded minerals — perlite (lightweight expanded volcanic glass used for insulation, filtration, and structural performance) and vermiculite (a silicate mineral engineered for moisture retention, fire resistance, and lightweight construction) — supported by a toll and custom-manufacturing service for custom blends and private-label production, and a pool-focused sub-brand family (E-Z Mix Pool Pre-Mix, Vermiculite Pool Base, E-Z Skim Pro) targeting vinyl liner pool contractors.

The business generates revenue primarily through direct sales of expanded mineral products in multiple packaging formats (15–35 lb bags, 72 cuft bulk bags, super sacks) on a quote-based pricing model. Whittemore sells horizontally across five end markets: horticulture (growing media, propagation, hydroponics), pool installations (pool base and resurfacing products), construction (lightweight concrete, insulation, masonry fill), industrial (cryogenic insulation, filtration aids, foundry topping), and environmental (spill response, soil remediation, stormwater filtration). A pre-launch Perlite Pool Filter Aid, positioned as a diatomaceous-earth replacement for pool filtration, is the most recent product addition and signals incremental expansion into the pool filtration media category.

Customer engagement is sales-led, with a direct sales team reachable via phone, dedicated sales and technical email addresses, and a website quote/request form. The company is OMRI Listed (organic-use certification), has maintained active membership in the Perlite Institute since 1974 and The Vermiculite Association since 1991, and is pursuing ISO 9001 certification. Whittemore employs 11–50 people, operates exclusively from its Lawrence, MA site, and serves a domestic U.S. customer base with no disclosed revenue, external funding, or M&A activity.

Name

Whittemore Company

Legal name

Whittemore Company, Inc.

Website

https://whittemoreco.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1919

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Whittemore Company is a third-generation family-owned U.S. manufacturer of expanded perlite and vermiculite minerals, founded in 1919 and based in Lawrence, Massachusetts. It serves horticulture, pool, construction, industrial, and environmental markets through direct sales, toll manufacturing, and custom blends.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Mineral Manufacturing

NAICS

Ground or Treated Mineral and Earth Manufacturing (327992)

SIC

Abrasive, Asbestos & Misc Nonmetallic Mineral Prods (3290)

akta.pro primary industry

Perlite & Vermiculite (IMAEAFAJ)

Keywords

• Expanded perlite manufacturing
• Vermiculite mineral processing
• Horticultural growing media
• Pool base materials
• Lightweight construction aggregates

Headquarters

HQ city

Lawrence

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Perlite and Vermiculite Product Sales: Sale of expanded perlite and vermiculite minerals for commercial and industrial applications. Products are available in various formats including bulk, super sacks, and bagged options in multiple sizes.
2. Toll/Custom Manufacturing: Custom mineral blends, specialty gradations, and private-label manufacturing built around customer application and supply requirements. Includes custom mixing solutions for specific industry needs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Whittemore Company manufactures and supplies expanded perlite and vermiculite mineral products for commercial and industrial applications. The portfolio includes two core minerals (perlite for insulation, filtration, and structural performance; vermiculite for moisture retention, fire resistance, and lightweight construction), specialty pool base products (E-Z Mix Pool Pre-Mix, Vermiculite Pool Base, E-Z Skim Pro), and toll/custom manufacturing services for private-label blends and specialty gradations.

Product overview

Whittemore Company manufactures and supplies expanded perlite and vermiculite mineral products for commercial and industrial applications. The core product portfolio consists of two primary minerals: Perlite (lightweight expanded volcanic glass used for insulation, filtration, and structural performance) and Vermiculite (expanded silicate mineral used for moisture retention, fire resistance, and lightweight construction). Supporting these core products are specialized offerings including Toll Manufacturing (custom mineral blends and private-label manufacturing), Pool Base Products (E-Z Mix Pool Pre-Mix, Vermiculite Pool Base, and E-Z Skim Pro for vinyl liner pool installations), and the newly launched Perlite Pool Filter Aid (a safer DE alternative for pool filtration). The company serves horticulture, construction, industrial, environmental, and swimming pool markets with traceable, consistent materials manufactured in the USA since 1919.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• E-Z Mix Pool Pre-Mix: Pre-blended vermiculite pool base with Portland cement and admixtures. Just add water for a smooth, firm, and durable pool bottom. Packaged in 35 lb bags.
• E-Z Skim Pro
• Vermiculite Pool Base

Products and services

• Perlite

Quantifiable outcome

• Uses roughly half the media of DE for pool filtration
• +1 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Lazarus HouseminorOthersEmployment partnership providing meaningful employment opportunities for people working to rebuild their lives and reenter the workforce
• Essex County Work Release ProgramminorOthersEmployment partnership providing meaningful employment opportunities for people working to rebuild their lives and reenter the workforce
• Lawrence High SchoolminorOthersDonations to community programs focused on expanding employment and supporting local youth, including the Lawrence High School girls' basketball team
• Perlite InstitutecoreOthersActive member for over 50 years, contributing to and benefiting from the global standard for perlite manufacturing. Industry organization promoting best practices and standards.
• The Vermiculite AssociationcoreOthersMore than three decades of participation in industry research, safety standards, and best-practice protocols. Mandates quarterly testing through independent laboratories.
• Mulch & Soil CouncilminorOthersIndustry membership organization for the mulch and soil industry

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Specialty Vermiculite Corporation: Vertically integrated vermiculite miner and processor serving horticulture, construction, and industrial customers. Directly comparable in core vermiculite processing and customer overlap.
• Therm-O-Rock Industries: US-based producer of expanded perlite and vermiculite serving horticulture, construction, and industrial filtration markets. Operates a similar manufacturing model with comparable product formats and end-use applications.
• Dicalite Minerals: Manufacturer of perlite and diatomite filter aids and functional fillers for filtration, paints, and industrial uses. Close peer in perlite-based filtration and industrial mineral processing.
• Pennsylvania Perlite Corporation: US producer of expanded perlite products for horticulture, construction, filtration, and industrial applications. Directly competes in the same perlite product category with overlapping customer segments.
• The Schundler Company: Long-standing US manufacturer and distributor of perlite and vermiculite products for construction, horticulture, and industrial uses. Directly comparable in product portfolio, customer segments, and mineral processing focus.

Broad incumbents

• Sun Gro Horticulture: Leading North American producer of peat-based and perlite-containing growing media for horticulture. Major buyer-adjacent peer in the horticulture end-market where Whittemore's perlite is an input.
• Profile Products: US producer of soil amendments, horticulture substrates, and environmental media using perlite, vermiculite, and other minerals. Overlaps with Whittemore in horticulture, construction, and environmental segments.
• EP Minerals: Large US producer of diatomaceous earth, perlite, and engineered mineral products owned by U.S. Silica. Wider product portfolio and greater scale, but overlapping in perlite filtration and industrial fillers.
• Imerys: Global industrial minerals conglomerate with perlite, vermiculite, and filtration media operations. Much larger and more diversified, but competes in overlapping functional filler and filtration categories.
• Premier Tech: Global manufacturer of growing media, peat, and perlite-based substrates for horticulture and professional growing. Larger, more diversified peer serving overlapping horticulture customers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/whittemore-company

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Whittemore Company