AquaLab
AquaLab by Addium provides precision water activity meters, moisture analyzers, and AI-enabled SKALA process optimization software to food, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, pet food, and wellness manufacturers globally, operating as the self-described 'gold standard' water activity brand.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2024
- HeadquartersPullman, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What AquaLab does
AquaLab by Addium, Inc. is a Pullman, Washington-based provider of precision water activity meters and moisture measurement instruments, serving food manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies, cosmetics producers, pet food makers, and cannabis/wellness brands globally. The company's core technology measures water activity by analyzing vapor pressure in sealed chambers, with flagship instruments including the AQUALAB 4TE (0.003 aw accuracy, 1-minute read time), AQUALAB TDL 2 for volatile products, AQUALAB 3 (dual water activity and moisture content), and the AQUALAB VSA vapor sorption analyzer. AquaLab claims the 'gold standard' position in water activity measurement, trusted by 92% of the world's leading product and food producers, with a customer roster including Hostess, PepsiCo, Hormel, Kraft Heinz, Tyson, Unilever, Curaleaf, and Clif Bar.
The business model combines hardware sales of precision instruments with recurring software subscriptions through the SKALA platform — including SKALA Dry and SKALA Solo for AI-driven closed-loop drying optimization, and the MOISTURE ANALYSIS TOOLKIT for data analytics — plus fee-based lab services delivered by food scientists and consumables (sample cups, calibration standards) sold through an online store. Go-to-market is a hybrid enterprise field-sales motion for F500-grade accounts supplemented by an extensive global distributor network spanning more than 30 countries, with a dedicated EU subsidiary (Addium GmbH, Nuremberg) supporting GDPR-compliant European operations. Recent strategic moves include the 2024 corporate rebranding from METER Food to AQUALAB under the Addium umbrella, the 2024 launch of the ROS 1 Moisture Analyzer, and the 2025 launches of the patent-pending WVTR Testing Cell and a major SKALA Solo software release. AquaLab operates as a private subsidiary of Addium, Inc., with 51-100 employees and 40+ years of applied moisture science heritage.
AquaLab firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- AquaLab
- Legal name
- AQUALAB by Addium, Inc.
- Website
- https://aqualab.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2024
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- AquaLab by Addium provides precision water activity meters, moisture analyzers, and AI-enabled SKALA process optimization software to food, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, pet food, and wellness manufacturers globally, operating as the self-described 'gold standard' water activity brand.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
AquaLab industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Moisture and Water Activity Measurement Instruments
- NAICS
- Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing (334516), Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (3345), Testing Laboratories and Services (54138)
- SIC
- Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826), Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Metrology, Calibration & Testing Equipment (Balances, pH/DO, Standards) (HLAGAIAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Quality Documentation & Digital QMS (SOPs, CAPA, Change Control, Recordkeeping) (AFALALAD), Data Management, LIMS & Compliance Software (ELN, eDMS, reporting automation) (EUANAJAE), Reference Materials & Certified Reference Materials (CRMs) for Food Matrices (AFALAKAD)
Keywords
Where AquaLab is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Pullman
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
AquaLab business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Water Activity Instruments: Sale of precision water activity meters including AQUALAB 4TE, AQUALAB TDL 2, AQUALAB 3, and VSA instruments
- Software Subscriptions: SKALA Dry and SKALA software for process optimization and data management with annual subscription model
- Lab Services: Industry-leading testing and consultation services delivered by experienced food scientists
- Consumables and Accessories: Sample cups, calibration standards, and other consumables sold through the online store
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Enterprise instruments with consultation |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
AquaLab product offering
Product offeringCore offering
AQUALAB manufactures and sells precision water activity meters and moisture measurement instruments (AQUALAB 4TE, TDL 2, 3, VSA, ROS 1) used by food, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, and pet food manufacturers for quality control, shelf-life prediction, and production optimization. The company also sells the SKALA software suite for closed-loop drying control and real-time process data tracking, a patent-pending WVTR Testing Cell for packaging permeability, calibration standards and consumables, and provides expert lab testing and consultation services through its food scientists.
Product overview
AQUALAB by Addium is a comprehensive moisture management platform offering scientific instruments, software modules, and laboratory services for water activity and moisture measurement across food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetics industries. The product portfolio centers on water activity meters (AQUALAB 4TE, AQUALAB TDL 2, AQUALAB 3) and the vapor sorption analyzer (AQUALAB VSA) as core instruments, complemented by software solutions including SKALA Dry for self-optimizing dryer control, SKALA Solo for broader automated drying control using machine learning and AI, and the MOISTURE ANALYSIS TOOLKIT for data-driven insights. Recent additions include the ROS 1 moisture analyzer and WVTR Testing Cell for packaging permeability. Lab services provide expert testing and consultation. Accessories include calibration standards and sample cups. The instruments measure water activity by analyzing vapor pressure, while the SKALA software platform aggregates sensor data in real time to optimize production processes.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- SKALA: Process control and optimization software including SKALA Dry (self-optimizing dryer control software), SKALA Solo (closed-loop drying solution), and SKALA Control Dashboards.
- AQUALAB 4TE
- AQUALAB TDL 2
- AQUALAB 3
- AQUALAB VSA
- ROS 1
- MOISTURE ANALYSIS TOOLKIT
Products and services
- AQUALAB 4TE Water Activity Meter Fast, precise water activity meter measuring water activity by analyzing water vapor pressure in a sealed chamber with 0.003 aw accuracy; for food, pharma, cosmetics, and research labs.
- AQUALAB TDL 2 Water activity meter using tuned diode laser sensor technology for accurate measurements in products containing volatile ingredients that interfere with traditional sensors; for food, pharma, and cosmetics manufacturers.
- AQUALAB 3 Dual-function instrument providing fast water activity and moisture content measurements in a single device for comprehensive moisture analysis; for QC and production teams.
- AQUALAB VSA Vapor Sorption Analyzer Vapor Sorption Analyzer for generating moisture sorption isotherms to predict how products gain or lose moisture during storage; for food and pharmaceutical stability analysis.
- SKALA Dry Self-optimizing dryer control software that uses sensor data and AI to make intelligent real-time temperature adjustments for tighter product specifications, automating drying decisions in a closed-loop system; for food production operations.
- SKALA Solo Closed-loop drying solution using machine learning and AI to deliver automated self-optimizing drying control across batch ovens, continuous lines, and industrial process systems.
- MOISTURE ANALYSIS TOOLKIT Software that transforms moisture data into actionable insights for quality control and product optimization.
- WVTR Testing Cell Patent-pending Water Vapor Transmission Rate testing cell for packaging permeability analysis enabling quick and accurate WVTR testing, including on challenging sustainable packaging materials.
- ROS 1 Moisture Analyzer Moisture content analyzer for food and pharma applications; the first and only instrument combining reference method-precision, oven simplicity, and moisture balance speed.
- Lab Services Industry-leading testing and consultation services delivered by scientists with extensive water and food science experience to identify customer problems and guide them to moisture management solutions.
- Water Activity Standards Calibration standards (including 0.25 aw and 0.50 aw) for ensuring the accuracy of water activity measurements; sold through the online store.
- Sample Cups Disposable sample cups for product testing in AQUALAB water activity instruments; sold through the online store.
Quantifiable outcome
- SKALA eliminated 50-60% of physical paperwork and significantly increased speed of information sharing between departments
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use AquaLab
Customer profileNamed customers16 records
Segments9 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
AquaLab technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability4 records
Feature8 records
AquaLab partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Thorne HealthTechcoreThorne HealthTech partners with AQUALAB to disrupt the wellness industry with science-driven wellness products. Thorne is committed to product quality and purity using AQUALAB's measurement technology for research and quality control.
- Addium GmbHcoreEuropean subsidiary handling sales, support, and GDPR compliance for European customers from offices in Nuremberg, Germany.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
AquaLab competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Agilent Technologies: Major analytical instrument manufacturer with food testing, pharmaceutical QC, and materials characterization portfolios that overlap with AquaLab's enterprise food and pharma customer base.
- Hach (Danaher): Water quality measurement leader serving food/beverage and utilities; adjacent to AquaLab's moisture and water activity measurement expertise in regulated industries requiring continuous monitoring.
- Endress+Hauser: Process measurement and automation specialist with moisture sensors and analyzers for in-line industrial applications, overlapping with AquaLab's SKALA Dry/Solo process control ambitions in food manufacturing lines.
- Shimadzu: Japanese analytical instrument manufacturer with moisture analyzers, mass spectrometers, and chromatography systems used in food safety and pharmaceutical QC labs; competes broadly with AquaLab's enterprise lab and QA offerings.
- Thermo Fisher Scientific: Broad laboratory analytical instrument incumbent serving food safety, pharmaceutical, and materials testing with chromatography, spectrometry, and moisture analyzers; competes with AquaLab at the food/pharma QA/QC lab level.
Direct peers
- Kett Electric Laboratory: Japan-based manufacturer of moisture and water activity meters, including the Kett FD-series and AquaLab's closest direct competitor in vapor-pressure water activity measurement across food and industrial markets.
- Mettler Toledo: Global leader in precision laboratory and industrial instruments, including halogen moisture analyzers (HX204) and laboratory balances that compete directly with AquaLab's water activity meters and ROS 1 moisture analyzer in food, pharma, and cosmetics labs.
- CEM Corporation: Specializes in moisture/solids analysis systems (Sprint, Smart) for food, pharmaceutical, and chemical applications; directly comparable to AquaLab's moisture analyzers and lab services for food and pharma QA/QC.
- Novasina (now part of Kett): Swiss-origin specialist in water activity measurement instruments (LabMaster, LabSwift); historically AquaLab's most direct global rival in the aw meter category used by food and pharma manufacturers.
Emerging players
- Sartorius: Bioprocess and lab equipment vendor with moisture/water activity relevance in pharmaceutical manufacturing; emerging as a quality-control instrumentation player in the same USP <922> compliance workflows AquaLab targets.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
AquaLab social profiles
Digital presenceAquaLab financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
AquaLab leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
AquaLab funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
AquaLab M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about AquaLab
What does AquaLab do?
AQUALAB manufactures and sells precision water activity meters and moisture measurement instruments (AQUALAB 4TE, TDL 2, 3, VSA, ROS 1) used by food, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, and pet food manufacturers for quality control, shelf-life prediction, and production optimization. The company also sells the SKALA software suite for closed-loop drying control and real-time process data tracking, a patent-pending WVTR Testing Cell for packaging permeability, calibration standards and consumables, and provides expert lab testing and consultation services through its food scientists.
Is AquaLab a public or private company?
AquaLab is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was AquaLab founded?
AquaLab was founded in 2024. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is AquaLab based?
AquaLab is headquartered in Pullman, United States, in the North America region.
How does AquaLab make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Water Activity Instruments are the primary driver. The others are software Subscriptions, lab Services and consumables and Accessories.
Who are AquaLab's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Agilent Technologies, Hach (Danaher), Endress+Hauser, Shimadzu and Thermo Fisher Scientific. Direct peers are Kett Electric Laboratory, Mettler Toledo, CEM Corporation and Novasina (now part of Kett). Sartorius is listed as an emerging player.
Does AquaLab have an API?
No public API is recorded for AquaLab.
What industry is AquaLab in?
AquaLab's product category is Moisture and Water Activity Measurement Instruments. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAGAIAL, Metrology, Calibration & Testing Equipment (Balances, pH/DO, Standards), with a secondary code of AFALALAD, Quality Documentation & Digital QMS (SOPs, CAPA, Change Control, Recordkeeping). Its NAICS code is 334516 and its SIC code is 3826.