Pace
Pace Analytical Services operates 100+ FDA-registered laboratories across the U.S. providing environmental testing, analytical services, and CDMO/CRO capabilities to pharmaceutical, government, healthcare, and industrial clients.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1981
- HeadquartersMinneapolis, United States
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Pace does
Pace Analytical Services, LLC operates a nationwide network of more than 100 laboratories and service centers delivering environmental testing, analytical services, and life sciences CDMO/CRO capabilities. The company is headquartered in Roseville, Minnesota (with principal operations in Minneapolis) and is privately held under private equity sponsors Leonard Green & Partners and Aurora Capital Partners. Its core offerings span environmental matrices (air, water, soil, solids) and life sciences (small molecules, biologics, nucleic acids), supported by FDA-registered and GMP-compliant facilities, proprietary test methods (PFAS ASTM D8421/EPA 8327, patented ezHerbicide®, ezSoil®), and 24/7 emergency response capacity. The company employs 1,001–5,000 staff and serves federal/state agencies (DOD, DOE, EPA, GSA), pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical manufacturers, environmental consulting firms, healthcare systems, agricultural producers, and data center operators.
Revenue is generated through three streams: per-sample or per-test laboratory testing fees, project- and milestone-based CDMO/CRO contracts, and professional services (staffing, calibration, cleanroom certification, regulatory consulting). Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Go-to-market is sales-led with dedicated project managers, a direct lab network of 100+ locations, and multiple digital client portals (PacePort® and regional portals). Growth has been driven primarily through acquisitions of regional and specialty laboratories (BC Laboratories, Alpha Analytical, Biopharma Global, Curia/Lebanon NJ lab, plus earlier transactions including Whitehouse Laboratories, Aerobiology, ESC Lab Sciences, H2M Labs, and Velesco Pharmaceutical), positioning Pace as a roll-up platform consolidating a fragmented U.S. laboratory services market.
Pace firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Pace
- Legal name
- Pace Analytical Services, LLC
- Website
- https://pacelabs.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1981
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- Pace Analytical Services operates 100+ FDA-registered laboratories across the U.S. providing environmental testing, analytical services, and CDMO/CRO capabilities to pharmaceutical, government, healthcare, and industrial clients.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Pace industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Environmental & Analytical Laboratory Services
- NAICS
- Testing Laboratories and Services (54138), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Research and Development in Biotechnology (except Nanobiotechnology) (541714)
- SIC
- Services-Testing Laboratories (8734), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Release Testing & Batch Certification (QC) (HLAGADAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Water & Utility Testing (PW/WFI/Steam/Gases) (HLAGADAO), GMP Scale-Up, Tech Transfer & Process Validation (PPQ) (HLAGAHAL), CMC, Process Development & Tech Transfer Staffing FSP (HLAGAOAK)
Keywords
Where Pace is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Minneapolis
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Pace business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Laboratory Testing & Analytical Services: Core revenue stream from providing analytical testing services across environmental matrices (air, water, soil, solids) and life sciences (biologics, small molecules, nucleic acids). Services include release and stability testing, bioanalytical services, environmental contaminant testing (PFAS, PCBs, pesticides, herbicides), and GMP analytical testing for pharmaceutical manufacturers. Revenue is project-based, typically per-sample or per-test pricing.
- CDMO/CRO Services: Contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) and contract research organization (CRO) services for pharmaceutical and biopharma companies. Includes preclinical research, analytical development, formulation development, clinical supplies manufacturing, and aseptic fill-finish. Revenue is typically project-based or milestone-driven for development work, with recurring revenue from ongoing manufacturing partnerships.
- Professional Services: Laboratory staffing, instrument maintenance and repair, calibration, cleanroom certification, regulatory consulting, FDA regulatory affairs, and facilities validation services. These services are delivered by Pace professionals either on-site at client facilities or remotely.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Laboratory Testing Services |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Pace product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Pace is a laboratory testing and analytical services company that operates a nationwide network of 100+ FDA-registered, GMP-compliant laboratories. It provides environmental testing across air, water, soil, and solids matrices (including PFAS, Legionella, asbestos, pesticides), CDMO/CRO services for pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical manufacturers, and professional laboratory services such as regulatory consulting, staffing, and cleanroom certification. Its primary customers are regulated industries: pharma/biopharma, environmental consulting firms, federal/state agencies, healthcare, and data center operators.
Product overview
Pace® is a comprehensive laboratory testing and services company offering analytical testing, life sciences CDMO/CRO services, and professional laboratory support across a network of over 100 laboratories. The company operates as a unified platform comprising three main divisions: Analytical & Environmental Services (environmental testing across air, water, soil, and specialty contaminants), Life Sciences (CDMO/CRO services for small molecules, biologics, nucleic acids, and novel molecules including central laboratory services and medical device testing), and Professional Services (regulatory consulting, scientific staffing, instrument services, and facility support). Key proprietary offerings include ezHerbicide® testing technology and specialized services like PFAS testing, Legionella consulting, and building sciences. The company has grown significantly through acquisitions including Alpha Analytical LLC, BC Laboratories, Biopharma Global, and Curia's Lebanon laboratory. Client access is provided through the PacePort® digital portal and multiple regional laboratory portals.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Analytical & Environmental Services Environmental testing and sampling services across air (ambient, indoor, emissions), water (drinking, groundwater, wastewater, stormwater), solids (soil, sediment, biosolids), and specialty testing for contaminants including PFAS, asbestos, Legionella, VOCs, PAHs, PCBs, pesticides, and petroleum hydrocarbons.
- Life Sciences (CDMO/CRO Services) Contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) and contract research organization (CRO) services for pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical clients, covering small molecules, biologics, nucleic acids, and novel molecules through preclinical research, analytical development, formulation development, clinical supplies manufacturing, and regulatory strategy.
- Central Laboratory Services GMP analytical testing services including raw materials testing, QC batch release, ICH stability studies, extractables/leachables, elemental impurities, microbiology testing, packaging testing, and distribution testing for pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical products.
- Medical Device Testing Testing and consulting services for medical device manufacturers including drug-device combination products, biological risk assessment, medical device microbiology, EO sterilization validation, and support for regulatory pathways and agency communication.
- Professional Services Laboratory support services including regulatory and compliance consulting, scientific staffing and laboratory staffing, instrument maintenance and repair, calibration and mapping, cleanroom testing and certification, facility validation, and laboratory relocation.
- Building Sciences Specialized testing services for the built environment including AAMI ST108 water testing, asbestos analysis, combustion by-products, Legionella testing and consulting, food safety and nutraceutical testing, and water management planning.
- Emergency & Disaster Response Services 24/7 emergency response testing services for environmental disasters including pipeline spills, plant explosions, train derailments, and Legionella outbreaks, with rapid mobilization for sample collection and analysis.
- PFAS Testing Services PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) testing across drinking water, wastewater, groundwater, soil, sediment, stack emissions, biosolids, and consumer products, plus PFAS treatability studies to evaluate removal and remediation technologies.
- ezHerbicide® Patented herbicide residue testing technology using LC-MS/MS-based analysis requiring less sample volume and solvents, providing higher quality data, faster turnaround time, and reduced waste compared to traditional methods.
- Pace® Risk Assurance Water Testing Enhanced cooling system water testing for data centers that builds on standard testing with broader protocols, providing earlier visibility into changing conditions, emerging risks, and performance trends for proactive management of data center cooling assets.
- Legionella Testing & Consulting Legionella testing, analysis, outbreak response, and water management planning for cooling towers, hot water systems, and other water-containing building systems to prevent Legionnaires' disease.
- PacePort® Client Portal Online client portal for accessing laboratory results, managing samples, and viewing project data, with multiple regional portals for different laboratory locations.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 40 years delivering science and testing services to clients across diverse regulated industries
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Pace
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Pace technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Pace partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights7 records
Pace competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Bureau Veritas: Bureau Veritas is a global TIC services company with a significant U.S. laboratory presence in environmental testing and commodity inspection. Comparable to Pace in delivering regulated environmental and product testing to government and enterprise clients.
- Catalent: Catalent is a global CDMO specializing in biologics, aseptic fill-finish, and clinical supply manufacturing — services Pace Life Sciences offers directly to biopharma customers. Strong peer for Pace's higher-margin pharmaceutical development and manufacturing vertical.
- ALS Limited: ALS is a publicly listed global laboratory services company with strong environmental testing (water, soil, air) and life sciences divisions. Pace directly competes with ALS in U.S. environmental analytical testing and PFAS/emerging contaminant work.
- Eurofins Scientific: Eurofins is the world's largest contract laboratory group, offering environmental, pharmaceutical, food, and clinical testing services globally. Pace is a direct competitor in U.S. environmental and life sciences testing, with similar per-sample/per-test pricing and overlapping pharma QC and environmental contaminant offerings.
- SGS SA: SGS is a global testing, inspection, and certification (TIC) leader with a sizeable U.S. laboratory footprint covering environmental, life sciences, and industrial testing. Comparable to Pace in business model (project-based analytical services) and in competing for regulated-industry contracts.
- Charles River Laboratories: Charles River Laboratories is a leading non-clinical CRO/CDMO serving the biopharma industry with manufacturing, analytical, and safety assessment services. Pace's Life Sciences CDMO/CRO business competes most directly with Charles River on biologics manufacturing and analytical testing.
- WuXi AppTec: WuXi AppTec is a leading global CRO/CDMO providing discovery, development, and manufacturing services to the biopharma industry. Pace Life Sciences competes in adjacent CMC, analytical development, and contract manufacturing service lines, particularly for small and mid-cap biopharma sponsors.
- Intertek Group: Intertek is a global TIC provider with U.S. laboratory operations spanning environmental, product, and pharmaceutical testing. Comparable to Pace in serving regulated industries with quality, safety, and compliance testing services.
Broad incumbents
- Labcorp: Labcorp is a major clinical diagnostics and drug development services company (via Covance/Fortrea spin-off), with a sizable central laboratory and environmental testing footprint via legacy units. Comparable to Pace as a broad laboratory services platform serving pharma and regulated industries.
- Thermo Fisher Scientific: Thermo Fisher owns PPD (clinical CRO) and Patheon (CDMO), giving it a large life sciences services portfolio that overlaps with Pace's pharma analytics and CDMO offerings. A broad incumbent with significantly greater scale, instrument capability, and global reach.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Pace social profiles
Digital presencePace financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Pace leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Pace subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries4 records
Pace funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Pace M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A10 records
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Pace
What does Pace do?
Pace is a laboratory testing and analytical services company that operates a nationwide network of 100+ FDA-registered, GMP-compliant laboratories. It provides environmental testing across air, water, soil, and solids matrices (including PFAS, Legionella, asbestos, pesticides), CDMO/CRO services for pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical manufacturers, and professional laboratory services such as regulatory consulting, staffing, and cleanroom certification. Its primary customers are regulated industries: pharma/biopharma, environmental consulting firms, federal/state agencies, healthcare, and data center operators.
Is Pace a public or private company?
Pace is a private company. It is classified as private equity controlled and is currently operating.
When was Pace founded?
Pace was founded in 1981. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Pace based?
Pace is headquartered in Minneapolis, United States, in the North America region.
How does Pace make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Laboratory Testing & Analytical Services are the primary driver. The others are CDMO/CRO Services and professional Services.
Who are Pace's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Bureau Veritas, Catalent, ALS Limited, Eurofins Scientific, SGS SA, Charles River Laboratories, WuXi AppTec and Intertek Group. Broad incumbents are Labcorp and Thermo Fisher Scientific.
Does Pace have an API?
No public API is recorded for Pace.
What industry is Pace in?
Pace's product category is Environmental & Analytical Laboratory Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAGADAC, Release Testing & Batch Certification (QC), with a secondary code of HLAGADAO, Water & Utility Testing (PW/WFI/Steam/Gases). Its NAICS code is 54138 and its SIC code is 8734.