What Ted Pella Inc. does

Ted Pella, Inc. is a privately-held, family-owned manufacturer and global distributor of microscopy instruments and supplies, founded in January 1968 by Ted and Christel Pella. The company, headquartered in Redding, California since 1987, serves laboratories performing Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Confocal Laser Microscopy, and Light Microscopy across academic, industrial, government, and healthcare research segments. Its proprietary PELCO-branded portfolio includes Silicon Nitride Support Films (patented MEMS-fabricated, available 8-200nm), Graphene and Graphene Oxide TEM Support Films, easiGlow Glow Discharge Cleaning Systems, Pelcotec CDMS calibration standards, and the BioWave microwave tissue processing system. Ted Pella also distributes third-party lines such as Cressington vacuum coaters, Motic stereo microscopes, and desktop SEM platforms from Hitachi, FEI, and JEOL.

Revenue is generated through direct hardware and consumable sales (unit-priced consumables from approximately $27 to $500+, with capital equipment sold via quote) and custom product development services. Go-to-market is dual-channel: direct sales in the USA via the company website (tedpella.com), phone, and fax, plus a network of more than 40 international distributors reaching 60 countries—a capability built on Pelco International, the export subsidiary founded in 1975 and merged into Ted Pella in 2007. The company self-describes as healthy and growing, with leadership continuity under second-generation President Tom Pella (ownership transferred December 2010) and a professional commercial layer including VP of Marketing & Sales David Rollings (appointed July 2016). Since 2016 Ted Pella has executed a steady cadence of accretive acquisitions (TEM Checker, South Bay Technology, LatticeGear, Minitool, and Energy Beam Sciences' tungsten filament line) to broaden its product footprint across the microscopy sample preparation workflow.

Name

Ted Pella Inc.

Legal name

Ted Pella, Inc.

Website

https://tedpella.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Ted Pella Inc. is a family-owned manufacturer and global distributor of microscopy instruments and consumables, serving electron, light, and atomic force microscopy laboratories across academic, industrial, government, and healthcare research markets in over 60 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Microscopy Instruments and Supplies

NAICS

Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing (334516), Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (3345)

SIC

Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826)

akta.pro primary industry

Microscopy, Imaging & Flow Cytometry Instruments (HLAGAIAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Laboratory Consumables & Plasticware (Tips, Tubes, Plates, Filters) (HLAGAIAH), Science & STEM Lab Equipment & Supplies (Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Makerspaces) (EDAEAIAC)

Keywords

• Electron microscopy supplies
• Microscopy instruments
• TEM support films
• Sputter coating equipment
• Specimen preparation supplies

Headquarters

HQ city

Redding

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Microscopy Instruments and Supplies Sales: The company manufactures and sells instruments and supplies for electron microscopy, light microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and related applications. Products include sputter coaters, carbon coaters, TEM grids, support films, calibration standards, and specialized equipment. Revenue is generated through direct product sales to end-users.
2. Custom Product Development: The company offers new product development services, stating they can locate or develop products not found in their catalog. Such product suggestions may become company property unless otherwise agreed.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Ted Pella, Inc. manufactures and distributes microscopy instruments and consumable supplies for Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Confocal Laser Microscopy, and Light Microscopy. The product portfolio includes proprietary PELCO-branded support films (silicon nitride, graphene, silicon dioxide), TEM grids, SEM specimen mounts, calibration standards, vacuum coating systems (Cressington sputter and carbon coaters), microwave tissue processors, glow discharge systems, and precision cutting/scribing tools.

Product overview

Ted Pella, Inc. is a manufacturer and distributor of microscopy instruments and supplies serving laboratories for various types of microscopy including Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Confocal Laser Microscopy, and Light Microscopy. The company offers a comprehensive product portfolio centered around PELCO-branded products including Silicon Nitride Support Films, Graphene TEM Support Films, easiGlow Glow Discharge Cleaning Systems, and BioWave microwave tissue processors. The portfolio also includes Cressington vacuum coating systems (sputter and carbon coaters), specimen preparation supplies (SEM mounts, TEM grids, support films), calibration standards (Pelcotec CDMS), and precision tools (scribing, cutting, polishing equipment). Ted Pella serves diverse fields including aerospace, automotive, biology, biotechnology, semiconductors, materials science, nanotechnology, neuroscience, and pharmaceuticals through direct sales and a global distributor network.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PELCO: PELCO is a registered trademark brand for microscopy instruments and supplies including PELCO BioWave, PELCO HistoWave, PELCO NeuroWave, PELCO ColdSpot, and other product lines.

Products and services

• PELCO Silicon Nitride Support Films Resilient, low-stress inorganic silicon nitride support films for TEM applications, available in 8nm to 200nm membrane thickness with various window sizes for nanotechnology research, cell biology, and materials science applications.
• PELCO Graphene TEM Support Films Research-ready graphene support films on lacey carbon, 300 mesh copper grids, available in single, 2, 3-5, and 6-8 layer configurations for ultra-high resolution TEM imaging.
• PELCO Graphene Oxide TEM Support Films Hydrophilic graphene oxide films on lacey carbon for life science applications, available with single and 2-layer configurations.
• PELCO easiGlow Glow Discharge Cleaning System

Quantifiable outcome

• PELCO 50nm Silicon Nitride Support Films provide less absorption and scattering compared to thicker films, resulting in superior imaging and analysis results
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• SPI Supplies / Structure Probe: Direct peer in microscopy specimen preparation supplies and consumables, including TEM grids, support films, and calibration standards sold to academic and industrial microscopy users.
• Agar Scientific: UK-based direct peer in electron microscopy supplies and accessories, serving the same TEM/SEM user base with grids, support films, stains, and sample preparation tools globally.
• Electron Microscopy Sciences (EMS): Direct competitor in microscopy consumables and supplies, offering TEM grids, support films, embedding supplies, and sample preparation products to the same research laboratory customer base.

Broad incumbents

• Leica Microsystems: Major microscopy and histology instruments manufacturer (owned by Danaher), with overlapping sample preparation products including ultramicrotomes and histology processors competing with PELCO BioWave.
• JEOL USA: Major manufacturer of TEM and SEM instruments whose installed base drives consumables demand at Ted Pella. Operates broadly in electron microscopy as both instrument maker and consumables supplier.
• Carl Zeiss Microscopy: Broad incumbent manufacturer of electron and light microscopes whose installed instruments drive consumables demand. Also offers competing calibration standards and imaging accessories.
• Hitachi High-Tech America: Broad incumbent manufacturer of electron microscopes and analytical instruments, including the TM-1000 desktop SEM distributed by Ted Pella. Represents both a partner and potential vertical integration threat.
• Thermo Fisher Scientific (Electron Microscopy): Largest player in life sciences instruments, including the FEI brand of electron microscopes. Its installed instrument base drives significant consumables demand and could eventually bundle proprietary supplies.

Emerging players

• Quorum Technologies: Manufacturer of sputter coaters and cryo preparation equipment competing directly with Cressington products in Ted Pella's instrument portfolio, serving the same SEM/TEM sample prep market.
• DiATOME (diamond knives): Specialty manufacturer of diamond and sapphire knives for ultramicrotomy, distributed through Ted Pella. A focused peer in a niche of the microscopy sample preparation workflow.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/tedpellainc
• YouTubevimeo.com/user106575475
• Facebookfacebook.com/ted-pella-inc-829100437181626
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ted-pella-inc-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Ted Pella Inc.