CLEVELAND — A scientist in northeast Ohio is helping members of the military, and civilians, see more clearly when in adverse conditions. 

Travis Bennett, a Westlake native, is president and CEO of Iconic Labs. He also served six years with the Ohio National Guard. 

What You Need To Know

  • Iconic Labs developed an anti-fog product that’s military-grade and also gained popularity with civilians during the pandemic
  • The company’s CEO served in the Ohio National Guard

  • Over 8 million bottles of product are filled at the Westlake lab/production facility annually

“I was military police,” he said. “I was actually activated after 9/11.”

Bennett traded his uniform for a lab coat. 

“I effectively have made the best electronics cleaners and anti-fog products anywhere in the world,” Bennett said. 

His product keeps glass clear in conditions similar to those found in a jungle, and he makes it right here in Ohio. 

“Ohio is the third-largest manufacturing state in the country,” Bennett said. “Only Texas and California are bigger, and they’re much larger in population and size, so the talent pool you can actually get when you’re trying to make things in Ohio can’t be beat.”

Bennett said he’s dedicated to his mission of seeing his products through from development to production.

“I have an engineering background, so all of the [production] lines you see here were built, engineered and put together by me and my team,” he said. 

He said the facility fills nearly 8 million bottles a year and puts out more than 150 million wipes doused with product annually. 

“It’s a wonderful feeling of accomplishment that you’re actually making something that people use, rather than just in the lab and you make it, and it’s a great idea, but nobody ever knows about it but you,” Bennett said.