Aquaflex®
Aquaflex, Inc. is a Santa Ana, California-based specialty chemicals company that manufactures a patented moisture-cure waterproof flooring adhesive system with built-in acoustic performance, serving enterprise retail chains including CVS, Walgreens, Kroger, Burlington, TJX, and Walmart, as well as healthcare, education, and residential construction customers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersSanta Ana, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Aquaflex® does
Aquaflex, Inc., headquartered in Santa Ana, California, is a privately held specialty chemicals company founded by a single chemist-inventor who developed and patented a moisture-cure waterproof flooring adhesive system. The company is a brand under parent company Formulators and operates with approximately 8 employees. Aquaflex's core technology is a proprietary, patented adhesive that is warrantied to 100% moisture levels (both sub-slab and topical flood) and pH levels up to 14, while also delivering built-in acoustic performance of ΔIIC 14. The system is designed to eliminate the need for ASTM F1869, F2170, and F710 moisture testing, sub-slab vapor barriers, and conventional moisture mitigation systems, and supports both Wet-Set and Dry-Set installation techniques with a 30-minute tack and sub-3-hour foot-traffic-ready cure.
Aquaflex's product portfolio comprises the Aquaflex Adhesive (the core moisture-cure adhesive), Aquaflex Patch & Skim (a silica-free waterproof concrete repair mortar), the Gundlach Versablade CBD trowel (a patented 1/32" x 1/16" x 9/64" notched trowel engineered for ΔIIC 14 performance), and the more recent Amplio PERFORMANCE line (a fiberglass reinforced core, glue-down waterproof flooring system launched in 2023). The company monetizes through unit-based sales of the adhesive system (approximately 1,200 sf per unit at quote-based pricing) and concrete repair kits, supplemented by finished flooring product sales. Go-to-market is sales-led and specification-driven: Aquaflex is the only adhesive system listed by MasterSpec for Moisture Vapor Emission Control (section 090561.13) and is integrated into ARCAT for architectural specification, with the Founder/CEO personally engaging enterprise customers and participating in qualifying on-site job starts.
Aquaflex's primary customers are large enterprise retail chains that have nationally specified the system for new store construction and renovation, including CVS, Walgreens, Kroger, Burlington, TJX, and Walmart, alongside major healthcare providers, school systems, and residential architects and design-build firms. Distribution is direct (phone, email, on-site consultation) rather than through third-party distributors. Cumulative installed volume exceeds 20 million square feet under warranty. Aquaflex holds LEED v4.1, RED LIST FREE, FloorScore, CHPS Core Criteria, and SCAQMD Rule 1168 certifications, and has passed the California Section 01350 emissions test every year for over a decade. The company has not disclosed external institutional funding and operates on disclosed founder-led economics.
Aquaflex® firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Aquaflex®
- Legal name
- Aquaflex, Inc.
- Website
- https://aquaflexinc.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Aquaflex, Inc. is a Santa Ana, California-based specialty chemicals company that manufactures a patented moisture-cure waterproof flooring adhesive system with built-in acoustic performance, serving enterprise retail chains including CVS, Walgreens, Kroger, Burlington, TJX, and Walmart, as well as healthcare, education, and residential construction customers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Aquaflex® industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Flooring Adhesives and Installation Systems
- NAICS
- Adhesive Manufacturing (32552), Paint, Coating, and Adhesive Manufacturing (3255), Adhesive Manufacturing (325520)
- SIC
- Adhesives & Sealants (2891), Plastic Material, Synth Resin/Rubber, Cellulos (No Glass) (2820)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Flooring Adhesives & Underlayments (IMADAOAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Adhesives (Structural & Assembly) (IMAEAGAH), Construction Adhesives (Structural & Non-Structural) (IMADAOAA), Primers, Bonding Agents & Surface Preparation Products (IMADAOAK), Concrete Waterproofing & Moisture Mitigation (HSAGALAF), Resilient Flooring (Vinyl/LVT/LVP, Linoleum, Rubber) (IMADAJAA)
Keywords
Where Aquaflex® is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Santa Ana
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Aquaflex® business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Aquaflex Adhesive System Sales: Sold by the square-foot and delivered by the unit. Each unit includes adhesive in foil bag (4 or 2 gallon poly bucket), ACTIVATOR packet, patented Gundlach Versablade CBD trowel, trowel handle, and adhesive remover. More expensive than traditional moisture resistant adhesives but replaces need for conventional moisture mitigation systems.
- Concrete Repair Products: Silica-free waterproof floor patch (skim-coat) available as part of the complete installation system. Repair kits available for 15sf, 100sf, and 250sf areas.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Aquaflex System Unit |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
Aquaflex® product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Aquaflex manufactures and sells a patented, waterproof flooring adhesive installation system that combines moisture mitigation, adhesion, and built-in acoustic performance (ΔIIC 14) in a single product. The company also offers complementary silica-free concrete repair mortars (Patch & Skim) and the Amplio PERFORMANCE waterproof glue-down flooring line, sold by the unit (each unit covering approximately 1,200 sq ft) to commercial flooring contractors, architects, and building owners.
Product overview
Aquaflex® offers a complete waterproof flooring installation system built around its proprietary moisture-cure technology. The core product portfolio consists of the Aquaflex Adhesive (the main waterproof adhesive with built-in acoustic properties and moisture mitigation), the Aquaflex Patch & Skim (silica-free concrete repair mortar), the Amplio PERFORMANCE Floor (waterproof flooring material with Fiberglass Reinforced Core), and the Gundlach Versablade CBD trowel. These components form an integrated system—the adhesive and concrete repair products are designed to work together, and the Amplio PERFORMANCE Floor is specifically engineered for installation with the Aquaflex adhesive system. The company positions itself as the only patented acoustic waterproof flooring installation system in the world, with the adhesive serving the dual function of bonding flooring and eliminating the need for separate moisture mitigation.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Amplio PERFORMANCE: World's first completely waterproof acoustic, glue-down flooring system with Fiberglass Reinforced Core (FRC), available in 2.5mm and 5mm formats. Warranted against 100% concrete moisture and standing water.
Quantifiable outcome
- No moisture testing required per ASTM F1869, F710, or F2170
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Aquaflex®
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Aquaflex® technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Aquaflex® partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.
- CVSmajorMajor retail pharmacy chain that has nationally specified Aquaflex for flooring installation in their stores across the US.
- WalgreensmajorMajor retail pharmacy chain that has nationally specified Aquaflex for flooring installation in their stores across the US.
- KrogermajorMajor grocery retail chain that has nationally specified Aquaflex for flooring installation in their stores across the US.
- BurlingtonmajorMajor off-price retail apparel chain that has nationally specified Aquaflex for flooring installation in their stores.
- TJXmajorMajor off-price retail chain (TJ Maxx, Marshalls, HomeGoods) that has nationally specified Aquaflex for flooring installation in their stores.
- WalmartmajorMajor global retailer that has nationally specified Aquaflex for flooring installation in their stores.
- MasterSpec/AIAcoreAquaflex is the ONLY adhesive installation system in the world listed by MasterSpec for Moisture Vapor Emission Control (090561.13). Enables architects to specify Aquaflex in official building specifications.
- ARCATcoreAquaflex profile available through ARCAT, a CSI specification resource providing SPECWIZARD automated CSI spec-writing tool. Enables architects to find, select, detail and specify Aquaflex products.
- International Living Future Institute (ILFI)majorILFI certified Aquaflex adhesive and Patch & Skim as RED LIST FREE. Products carry Declare labels reporting all product ingredients for Living Building Challenge compliance.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Aquaflex® competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Henry Company: Manufacturer of flooring adhesives, moisture barriers, and waterproofing products widely used in commercial construction. Comparable to Aquaflex in the moisture-mitigation-plus-adhesive category.
- Bostik: Major global manufacturer of flooring adhesives, sealants, and moisture mitigation systems. Directly competes with Aquaflex in commercial flooring installation, with comparable hard-set and moisture-resistant adhesive product lines.
- Mapei: Leading manufacturer of flooring adhesives, primers, and moisture mitigation products for commercial and residential construction. Competes head-to-head with Aquaflex in moisture-tolerant flooring installation systems.
- DriTac: Specialty manufacturer of flooring adhesives and moisture-control products targeting commercial flooring contractors. Comparable mid-sized competitor in the niche moisture-tolerant adhesive category.
- Ardex Americas: Specialty manufacturer of flooring adhesives, moisture mitigation systems, and concrete repair products. Closely comparable to Aquaflex in terms of integrated system approach (adhesive + moisture control + patch).
- W.F. Taylor: Specialty flooring adhesive manufacturer focused on commercial and institutional markets. Directly comparable as a niche competitor offering premium adhesives for high-performance flooring installations.
Broad incumbents
- Sika: Global specialty chemicals company with flooring adhesives, sealants, and waterproofing systems as part of a much broader construction portfolio. Overlaps with Aquaflex in commercial flooring installation chemistry.
- H.B. Fuller: Large global industrial adhesives manufacturer serving construction, packaging, and durable goods. Provides overlapping construction adhesives and sealants but with much broader scope than Aquaflex.
Emerging players
- Stauf USA: Specialty hardwood and resilient flooring adhesive manufacturer. Comparable as a niche player in high-performance flooring adhesives, though with a different technology focus than Aquaflex's moisture-cure system.
- Custom Building Products: Manufacturer of surface preparation and flooring installation products, including patch/leveling compounds and adhesives. Adjacent competitor with comparable concrete repair and flooring system components.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Aquaflex® social profiles
Digital presenceAquaflex® compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance7 records
Aquaflex® financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Aquaflex® leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Aquaflex® funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Aquaflex® 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 Aquaflex®
What does Aquaflex® do?
Aquaflex manufactures and sells a patented, waterproof flooring adhesive installation system that combines moisture mitigation, adhesion, and built-in acoustic performance (ΔIIC 14) in a single product. The company also offers complementary silica-free concrete repair mortars (Patch & Skim) and the Amplio PERFORMANCE waterproof glue-down flooring line, sold by the unit (each unit covering approximately 1,200 sq ft) to commercial flooring contractors, architects, and building owners.
Is Aquaflex® a public or private company?
Aquaflex® is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Aquaflex® founded?
Aquaflex® was founded in 2013. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Aquaflex® based?
Aquaflex® is headquartered in Santa Ana, United States, in the North America region.
How does Aquaflex® make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Aquaflex Adhesive System Sales are the primary driver. The others are concrete Repair Products.
Who are Aquaflex®'s main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Henry Company, Bostik, Mapei, DriTac, Ardex Americas and W.F. Taylor. Broad incumbents are Sika and H.B. Fuller. Emerging players are Stauf USA and Custom Building Products.
Does Aquaflex® have an API?
No public API is recorded for Aquaflex®.
What industry is Aquaflex® in?
Aquaflex®'s product category is Flooring Adhesives and Installation Systems. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMADAOAE, Flooring Adhesives & Underlayments, with a secondary code of IMAEAGAH, Adhesives (Structural & Assembly). Its NAICS code is 32552 and its SIC code is 2891.