POLARIS Laboratories

What POLARIS Laboratories does

POLARIS Laboratories is a U.S.-headquartered fluid analysis company founded in 1999 and based in Indianapolis, Indiana, operating a global network of eight ISO 17025-accredited laboratories (A2LA certificate 2145.01) across North America (Indianapolis, Houston, Salt Lake City, Edmonton), Central and South America (Guatemala City, Bogotá), and Europe (Poznań, Poland; Doncaster, UK). The company provides laboratory testing services for lubricants, diesel fuels, coolants, greases, diesel exhaust fluid, cooling fluids, and transformer oils, delivering per-sample testing revenue augmented by customized/private-label programs for OEMs, equipment dealers, and fluid distributors, plus sampling hardware, training, and consulting. Its core technology platform is HORIZON, a cloud-based data management system paired with Android and iOS mobile apps that enables sample submission, equipment tracking, QR-code labeling, trend analysis, and AI/ML-driven maintenance recommendations; HORIZON Connect extends this via a secure API into customer CMMS, ERP, EAM, and telematics systems (IBM Maximo, UpKeep, JD Edwards, Allied Reliability, AssetWatch, Donaldson, I-Care, and 10+ additional partners).\n\nGo-to-market is sales-led with dedicated enterprise account managers serving large industrial clients in power generation, mining, transportation, marine, oil and gas, data centers, and industrial/manufacturing, supplemented by an inside sales team and a self-service online portal for customers with fewer than 10 pieces of equipment. The company is privately held, received a strategic investment from Chicago-based private equity firm Riverspan Partners in October 2024, and recently completed the acquisition of UK-based Oil Check Laboratory Services Ltd (May 2026) to expand its European footprint and enter transformer oil and data center cooling testing verticals. Strategic activity in 2026 — including the Dow Coolant Care Network partnership and launches of transformer oil testing, direct-to-chip cooling monitoring, and turbidity testing — indicates an active expansion phase into data center infrastructure and power generation fluids.

Name

POLARIS Laboratories

Legal name

POLARIS Laboratories

Website

http://polarislabs.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

POLARIS Laboratories operates a global ISO 17025-accredited network of fluid analysis laboratories serving industrial customers in power generation, mining, transportation, marine, oil and gas, and data centers with testing, HORIZON data management software, and integrated maintenance workflows.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Fluid Analysis and Predictive Maintenance Testing Services

NAICS

Testing Laboratories and Services (54138), Testing Laboratories and Services (541380)

SIC

Services-Testing Laboratories (8734), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Laboratory Testing & Analytical Services (in-house/contract labs; microbiology, metals, organics) (EUANAJAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Data Management, LIMS & Compliance Software (ELN, eDMS, reporting automation) (EUANAJAE), Quality Assurance/Quality Control & Accreditation (QA plans, proficiency testing, ISO/IEC 17025) (EUANAJAK)

Keywords

• Fluid analysis testing
• Oil analysis laboratory
• Coolant testing services
• Lubricant testing laboratory
• Predictive maintenance testing

Headquarters

HQ city

Indianapolis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Fluid Analysis Testing Services: Laboratory testing services for lubricants, diesel fuels, coolants, and greases. Customers purchase test packages or kits that include specific tests based on their maintenance monitoring needs. Revenue is generated per sample submitted for analysis. The company offers standard test packages as well as customized test programs for specific applications and industries.
2. Customized/Private Label Programs: White-label fluid analysis programs for OEMs, equipment dealers, and fluid distributors who want to offer branded testing services to their customers. Includes program branding, custom test packages, warranty program support, and sales materials. Revenue comes from program fees and per-sample testing charges.
3. Training and Consulting Services: Public and private training programs including Practical Oil Analysis Training (POAT), HORIZON software training, cooling system maintenance courses, and consulting services such as account reviews and program enrichment. Also includes the annual Reliability Summit conferences held in the US, Europe, and Latin America.
4. Sampling Equipment and Supplies: Sale of sampling devices including vacuum pumps, sample valves (pushbutton, probe, and high flow models), and associated tubing and supplies. Available through the HORIZON online store.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

POLARIS Laboratories delivers fluid analysis testing services for lubricants, diesel fuels, coolants, greases, DEF, and specialized fluids such as data center cooling fluids and transformer oils, performed in ISO 17025 A2LA-accredited laboratories. Test results and maintenance recommendations are delivered through the proprietary HORIZON cloud-based data management platform and mobile app, supported by AI and machine learning analytics and certified data analysts. The company also offers sampling devices, customized white-label programs for OEMs and distributors, HORIZON Connect API integrations, training, and consulting services.

Product overview

POLARIS Laboratories is a fluid analysis company offering a unified platform centered on HORIZON, a cloud-based data management system paired with mobile apps for sample submission and reporting. The core offering is comprehensive fluid testing services covering lubricants, diesel fuels, coolants, greases, and specialized fluids (DEF, cooling fluids, transformer oils). HORIZON integrates with customer maintenance systems via HORIZON Connect/DataConnect, while Customized Programs enable white-label deployments. Supporting products include sampling devices, training services, webinars, Reliability Summit conferences, and a Program Champion Award. The portfolio spans laboratory testing, data management, system integration, and professional services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• HORIZON: Cloud-based data management system and mobile app for fluid analysis sample submission, equipment management, report viewing, and maintenance data integration.
• HORIZON Connect

Products and services

• Fluid Testing Services Comprehensive ISO 17025 A2LA-accredited laboratory testing services for lubricants, diesel fuels, coolants, greases, diesel exhaust fluid (DEF), data center cooling fluids, and transformer oils. Testing includes elemental analysis by ICP-OES, viscosity, oxidation, fuel dilution, soot analysis, water contamination, turbidity, and direct-to-chip cooling fluid monitoring. Targets enterprise reliability and maintenance teams in power generation, mining, oil and gas, transportation, marine, off-highway, and data center operations.
• HORIZON Data Management Platform Cloud-based software platform and mobile app that delivers fluid analysis test results, equipment management, trend analysis, customizable dashboards, and maintenance recommendations powered by AI and machine learning. Provides QR-code sample labels, customizable notifications, and PDF report viewing. Available to enterprise customers as part of fluid analysis programs and to small customers through the self-service portal.
• HORIZON Connect Data integration product providing secure API connections that synchronize HORIZON fluid analysis sample data into customer CMMS, ERP, and EAM platforms. Supports turnkey solutions through integrated partners and custom API builds for organizations with internal IT resources. Integrates with platforms including UpKeep, IBM Maximo, JD Edwards, AssetWatch, I-Care, Allied Reliability, and others.
• Customized Programs (Private Label) White-label fluid analysis program that lets OEMs, equipment dealers, and fluid distributors brand POLARIS testing kits, reports, and HORIZON software with their own logos, colors, phone numbers, and program names. Includes custom test packages, branded materials, warranty program support, sales tools, and multi-year subscription payment structures.
• Sampling Devices Physical sampling equipment including vacuum pumps, pushbutton sample valves, probe valves, and high-flow valves designed to extract clean, representative fluid samples from equipment reservoirs. Sold with associated tubing and supplies through the HORIZON online store for both self-service and enterprise customers.
• Training and Consulting Services Paid training programs including Practical Oil Analysis Training (POAT), HORIZON 101/201 software training, cooling system maintenance courses, and consulting services such as account reviews, program enrichment, root cause analysis, and contamination control. Public sessions and private team training available; POAT priced at $600 per attendee. Targets reliability and maintenance professionals.

Quantifiable outcome

• 40 to 1 ROI: for every $1 spent on fluid analysis, customers saved $40 in downtime costs, repairs and replacements
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration18 records

AI capability4 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and featured.

• DowcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 May 2026POLARIS joined the Dow Coolant Care Network as an approved testing provider for DOWFROST Heat Transfer Fluids. This partnership enables POLARIS to offer coolant testing services specifically validated for Dow's heat transfer fluid products, supporting customer warranty and quality programs.
• Oil Check Laboratory Services Ltd (OCLS)coreOthers · 1 May 2026UK-based laboratory acquired by POLARIS to expand international footprint. Headquartered in Doncaster, Yorkshire, OCLS specializes in lubricant and diesel fuel testing. The acquisition supports expansion into new markets including data centers, power generation, and transformer oils testing in Europe.
• AssetWatchfeaturedTechnology or IntegrationEnd-to-end predictive maintenance service integrating vibration/temperature data with POLARIS fluid analysis results. AI-powered Condition Monitoring Engineers combine multi-source data for prescriptive maintenance recommendations.
• I-CarefeaturedTechnology or IntegrationWorld leader in predictive maintenance providing IoT sensor integration, multi-technology platform, AI-driven analytics, and expert services. Fluid analysis integration with POLARIS enhances equipment health monitoring.
• Allied ReliabilitycoreTechnology or IntegrationReliability services provider offering integrated solutions for equipment and asset management, telematics, planning, vibration, and fluid analysis through HORIZON Connect integration.
• UpKeepcoreTechnology or IntegrationCMMS platform integration through HORIZON Connect allowing fluid analysis data to sync directly into UpKeep's maintenance management system for unified asset reliability.
• IBM MaximocoreTechnology or IntegrationEnterprise asset management platform integration allowing POLARIS fluid analysis data to flow into IBM Maximo/Total Resource Management systems for comprehensive maintenance planning.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Intertek: Intertek provides testing and quality assurance services globally including industrial fluid and lubricant testing. Comparable as a broad incumbent competing for similar enterprise oil analysis contracts with deeper geographic footprint.
• Bureau Veritas: Bureau Veritas is a global TIC company with commodity and industrial testing lines including oil and lubricant analysis for marine, oil & gas, and power customers. Comparable as a broad incumbent offering POLARIS-overlapping services as part of a much wider portfolio.
• SGS SA: SGS is the world's largest testing, inspection, and certification company with broad oil condition monitoring services within its industrial portfolio. Comparable as a much larger competitor offering overlapping fluid analysis capabilities with greater scale and global reach.
• ALS Limited: ALS is a global testing services provider with significant oil and lubricant analysis capabilities alongside environmental, food, and life science testing. Comparable as a broad incumbent offering overlapping fluid testing within a much wider analytical services portfolio.

Emerging players

• Spectro Scientific: Spectro Scientific manufactures oil analysis instruments and provides predictive maintenance software for in-line and on-site fluid condition monitoring. Comparable as a technology-led player offering complementary on-site analysis that could substitute for POLARIS's lab-based model in certain use cases.
• I-Care Group: I-Care is a European-based predictive maintenance provider combining vibration, thermography, IoT, and oil analysis with AI-driven analytics. Comparable as a reliability platform player already integrated with POLARIS via HORIZON Connect, representing both a partner and adjacent competitor.
• AssetWatch: AssetWatch delivers wireless vibration and temperature condition monitoring combined with AI-powered analytics for industrial equipment. Comparable as a partial-overlap competitor offering alternative predictive maintenance modalities that may displace or complement POLARIS oil analysis programs.

Others

• Shell LubeAnalyst: Shell LubeAnalyst is an OEM-backed oil analysis service provided to Shell lubricant customers as a value-add. Comparable as an OEM-embedded testing program that competes with POLARIS for OEM private-label and warranty testing relationships.

Direct peers

• WearCheck: WearCheck is a specialist oil and fluid analysis laboratory serving mining, industrial, transport, and marine customers across Africa, Europe, and Asia. Most comparable direct peer to POLARIS given its similar vertical focus on lubricant condition monitoring and ISO-accredited lab testing services.
• TestOil: TestOil is a US-based oil analysis laboratory focused exclusively on lubricant and fluid testing for industrial and commercial customers. Closely comparable in service scope, customer base, and ISO 17025-accredited lab model to POLARIS.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCbeyQMuy-fNPoj3uSZtBdzw
• Facebookfacebook.com/POLARISLabs
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/845395

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about POLARIS Laboratories