Tri-Flow
Tri-Flow manufactures P.T.F.E.-formulated lubricants, greases, and degreasers as a brand within The Sherwin-Williams Company, serving cycling enthusiasts as the primary consumer base alongside food processing and industrial equipment customers across North America.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersCleveland, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Tri-Flow does
Tri-Flow is a Cleveland, Ohio-based manufacturer of lubricants, greases, and degreasers operating as a brand under The Sherwin-Williams Company (NYSE: SHW), a large publicly-traded diversified conglomerate. The company's core technology revolves around P.T.F.E.-enhanced formulations combining high-grade petroleum oils and synthetic bases, delivering a documented operating temperature range from -60°F to 475°F and food-grade anti-seize protection up to 1,800°F. Tri-Flow's product catalog is organized into three categories: Lubricants (Superior Lubricant in drip, aerosol, and trigger spray formats; Superior Dry Lubricant; Pin Point Lubricator; High-Performance Lubricant), Grease (Synthetic Grease and Food Grade Grease), and Industrial (Food Grade Oil in eight ISO viscosity grades and Food Grade Anti-Seize). The portfolio addresses four customer segments: cycling enthusiasts (primary), food processing industrial buyers, heavy industrial equipment operators, and firearms/tools consumers.
Tri-Flow's business model is a hardware-sales revenue model with two streams: consumer lubricant sales via retail storefronts and direct e-commerce through triflowlubricants.com, and industrial lubricant sales in packaging ranging from small consumer units to 55-gallon drums. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; volume and industrial orders are routed through sales contact. The company markets through torture-test video content demonstrating Falex Wear Test, Salt Spray Rust Test, and Wicking Test performance against named competitors, application videos with cycling personality Jeff Lenosky, SEO-optimized product pages, and organic social media. Geographic reach covers the United States and Canada with dedicated toll-free customer service for each market; no global footprint is claimed. The brand maintains a registered trademark and is positioned as the preferred choice of biking enthusiasts, leveraging Sherwin-Williams distribution infrastructure across North America.
Tri-Flow firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Tri-Flow
- Legal name
- The Sherwin-Williams Company
- Website
- https://triflowlubricants.com
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Tri-Flow manufactures P.T.F.E.-formulated lubricants, greases, and degreasers as a brand within The Sherwin-Williams Company, serving cycling enthusiasts as the primary consumer base alongside food processing and industrial equipment customers across North America.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Tri-Flow industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Industrial Lubricants
- NAICS
- Petroleum Lubricating Oil and Grease Manufacturing (324191)
- SIC
- Miscellaneous Chemical Products (2890)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Lubricant Formulation & Blending (Finished Lubricants) (EUALAJAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Greases & Specialty Lubricants (Greases, Pastes, Chain Oils, Silicone/Fluoro) (EUALAJAJ), Automotive Lubricants (PCMO, HDMO, ATF, Gear Oils, Coolants) (EUALAJAH), Lubricants, Fluids & Chemical Products Distribution (Oils, Coolants, AdBlue/DEF, Cleaners) (TLAKAOAL), Fuel Additives & Lubricant Additives (IMAEAMAL)
Keywords
Where Tri-Flow is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cleveland
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Tri-Flow business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Consumer Lubricant Sales: Sale of lubricants, greases, and degreasers to consumers through retail stores and direct online purchases. Products include Superior Lubricant in various forms (drip, aerosol, trigger spray), Synthetic Grease, and specialty products.
- Industrial Lubricant Sales: Sale of industrial-grade lubricants including Food Grade Oils (multiple ISO viscosities), Food Grade Grease, Food Grade Anti-Seize, and High-Performance Lubricants to commercial and industrial customers in various packaging from small tubes to 55-gallon drums.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels3 records
Tri-Flow product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Tri-Flow manufactures and sells specialty lubricants, greases, and degreasers across consumer cycling applications and industrial food-processing applications. Its consumer line includes P.T.F.E.-formulated Superior Lubricant in drip, aerosol, and trigger spray formats, plus Dry Lubricant, Pin Point Lubricator, and High-Performance Lubricant. Its industrial line includes NSF H1 registered Food Grade Oil (multiple ISO viscosities), Food Grade Grease, and Food Grade Anti-Seize compounds, available in packaging from small consumer units to 55-gallon drums.
Product overview
Tri-Flow is a manufacturer of lubricants, greases, and degreasers primarily serving the biking and industrial markets. The product portfolio consists of three main categories: Lubricants (including Superior Lubricant in drip bottle, aerosol, and trigger spray formats; Superior Dry Lubricant; Pin Point Lubricator; and High-Performance Lubricant), Grease products (Synthetic Grease and Food Grade Grease), and Industrial products (Food Grade Oil in multiple ISO grades and Food Grade Anti-Seize). The Superior Lubricant line features light viscosity formulations with P.T.F.E. for deep penetration, while the Industrial line includes NSF H1 registered food-grade products for food processing applications. All products emphasize extreme temperature performance, rust/corrosion protection, and moisture displacement capabilities.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- TRI-FLOW Superior Lubricant Drip Bottle
- TRI-FLOW Superior Lubricant Aerosol
- TRI-FLOW Superior Lubricant Trigger Spray
- TRI-FLOW Superior Dry Lubricant
- TRI-FLOW Pin Point Lubricator
- TRI-FLOW High-Performance Lubricant
- TRI-FLOW Food Grade Oil
- TRI-FLOW Food Grade Anti-Seize
- TRI-FLOW Food Grade Grease
- TRI-FLOW Synthetic Grease
Quantifiable outcome
- Effective temperature range from -60°F to 475°F
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Tri-Flow
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Tri-Flow technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Tri-Flow partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators2 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Tri-Flow competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Muc-Off: Premium bike-care brand offering chain lubricants, drivetrain cleaners, and degreasers; directly overlaps with Tri-Flow's core biking-enthusiast value proposition and premium positioning.
- WD-40 Company: Manufacturer of multi-purpose penetrants and lubricants (WD-40 Multi-Use Product, Specialist line) sold through identical consumer and industrial channels; Tri-Flow's torture tests directly benchmark against 'competitor W', indicating head-to-head competition on the same shelf.
- CRC Industries: Manufacturer of specialty lubricants, penetrants, greases, and degreasers for industrial MRO and consumer use; comparable product portfolio across Tri-Flow's industrial and consumer SKUs.
- Kano Laboratories (Kroil): Manufacturer of penetrants and specialty lubricants (Kroil, Kroil-Original) for industrial and consumer applications; directly comparable to Tri-Flow's penetrant/lubricant positioning.
- LPS Labs: Specialty industrial lubricants, penetrants, and greases for maintenance and repair applications; competes directly with Tri-Flow's industrial and high-performance lubricant lines.
- Super Lube: Manufacturer of synthetic greases and lubricants including food-grade formulations; directly comparable to Tri-Flow's Synthetic Grease and Food Grade Grease SKUs.
- Finish Line (by WD-40 Company): Bicycle-specific chain and component lubricant brand owned by WD-40 Company; directly competes with Tri-Flow in the bike-enthusiast channel that Tri-Flow calls its primary consumer segment.
Emerging players
- Boeshield T-9: Specialty corrosion-protection and lubricant brand originally developed for aerospace; competes with Tri-Flow's rust/corrosion protection claims in biking, marine, and tools segments.
Broad incumbents
- Mobil Industrial Lubricants (ExxonMobil): Major industrial lubricant manufacturer with broad food-grade (Mobil DTE FM) and synthetic grease offerings; competes with Tri-Flow's industrial portfolio through scale and OEM relationships.
- DuPont Molykote ( specialty lubricants): Established specialty industrial lubricants brand with P.T.F.E. and synthetic grease offerings; broader industrial portfolio but overlapping technology and end-uses with Tri-Flow's high-performance and grease products.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Tri-Flow social profiles
Digital presenceTri-Flow financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Tri-Flow leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Tri-Flow funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Tri-Flow M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Tri-Flow
What does Tri-Flow do?
Tri-Flow manufactures and sells specialty lubricants, greases, and degreasers across consumer cycling applications and industrial food-processing applications. Its consumer line includes P.T.F.E.-formulated Superior Lubricant in drip, aerosol, and trigger spray formats, plus Dry Lubricant, Pin Point Lubricator, and High-Performance Lubricant. Its industrial line includes NSF H1 registered Food Grade Oil (multiple ISO viscosities), Food Grade Grease, and Food Grade Anti-Seize compounds, available in packaging from small consumer units to 55-gallon drums.
Is Tri-Flow a public or private company?
Tri-Flow is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Tri-Flow founded?
Tri-Flow was founded in -1. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Tri-Flow based?
Tri-Flow is headquartered in Cleveland, United States, in the North America region.
How does Tri-Flow make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Consumer Lubricant Sales are the primary driver. The others are industrial Lubricant Sales.
Who are Tri-Flow's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Muc-Off, WD-40 Company, CRC Industries, Kano Laboratories (Kroil), LPS Labs, Super Lube and Finish Line (by WD-40 Company). Boeshield T-9 is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Mobil Industrial Lubricants (ExxonMobil) and DuPont Molykote ( specialty lubricants).
Does Tri-Flow have an API?
No public API is recorded for Tri-Flow.
What industry is Tri-Flow in?
Tri-Flow's product category is Industrial Lubricants. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUALAJAC, Lubricant Formulation & Blending (Finished Lubricants), with a secondary code of EUALAJAJ, Greases & Specialty Lubricants (Greases, Pastes, Chain Oils, Silicone/Fluoro). Its NAICS code is 324191 and its SIC code is 2890.