Kleen-flo

Kleen-Flo Tumbler Industries
is a proud Canadian Company whose history spans 3 countries, 3 principle organizations and over 60 years. The Combustion Utilities Corporation of Montreal, J.A. Tumbler Laboratories of Baltimore, Maryland and Burmah Castrol of the United Kingdom have all contributed to the existence and progressive growth that is Kleen-Flo.

Combustion Utilities Corporation
The Combustion Utilities Corporation was formed in Montreal in 1939. The organization was a pioneer in the treatment of fuel oil used for both household and industrial applications with over a billion gallons treated in the first five years of operation. “Liquid Kleen-Flo Fuel Oil Conditioner” was the company’s first product which rapidly gained approval from fuel distributors and their customers.

Kleen-Flo Diesel Fuel Conditioner is still available today and through extensive research and development has become a mainstay in the automotive and heavy duty industries. It was this dedication to research that enabled Kleen-Flo to create the world’s first gas line anti-freeze. From the humble beginnings of one product, the Kleen-Flo line has grown to over 100 and continues to grow as customer needs change.

J. A. Tumbler Labortories
Chemist J.A. Tumbler started the Tumbler organization in Baltimore, Maryland in 1932. A trained research chemist, Mr. Tumbler was interested in discovering the cause of finish oxidation on automotive paintwork.

J.A. Tumbler concluded that the ultra-violet rays of the sun, robbed lacquer and synthetic enamel finishes of essential ingredients. This caused drying out of the finish which led to dulled lustre and sub surface cracking.

In 1932 industry experts confirmed Mr. Tumbler’s conclusions. In 1937 Tumbler Laboratories announced the launch of a liquid wax line that later received patent protection from the U.S. Patent Office. Mr. Tumbler was not only a chemist and entrepreneur but a shrewd marketer.

Companies Coming Together
In 1971, Burmah Castrol purchased the Kleen-Flo Corporation to be operated as a wholly owned subsidiary. Burmah Castrol continued its progressive mode with the purchase of rival J.A. Tumbler Laboratories in 1973. This subsidiary was known as Kleen-Flo Tumbler Industries until a group of employees repatriated the organization with the purchase from Burmah Castrol in November 1980.

Kleen-Flo’s identity through the decades

Kleen-Flo products are used around the world with significant penetration in North America, the Mediterranean, Africa, India, New Zealand, Asia and the West Indies. Kleen-Flo’s new facility in Poland has provided distribution to Eastern European markets.

Today, Kleen-Flo Tumbler Industries, headquartered in Toronto, is owned and operated by its employees with a keen eye on the future and a proud sense of the past.