GEL Laboratories, LLC

What GEL Laboratories, LLC does

GEL Laboratories, LLC is a full-service analytical chemistry and radiochemistry laboratory headquartered in Charleston, South Carolina, operating as a subsidiary of The GEL Group, Inc. Founded in 1981 by George and Molly Greene, the company has built a 43-year operating history serving government and industrial clients requiring specialized environmental and radiological testing. The facility comprises over 50,000 square feet of contiguous laboratory space and is staffed by more than 200 trained laboratory professionals, with throughput of more than 4,000 samples and 10,000 tests per week.

The company's service portfolio spans organic and inorganic chemistry, wet chemistry, PFAS analytical testing, radiochemistry, radiobioassay, hemp testing, special handling protocols, and lead-in-drinking-water analysis. Clients access project data through a proprietary Virtual Project Manager (VPM) portal. The technical platform rests on the extensive instrumentation arrays required to maintain 40+ active certifications and accreditations, including ISO/IEC 17025, DOELAP, DOECAP, NELAP, and CMMC 2.0 Level 1, alongside a radioactive material license and a foreign soils permit. These credentials define the addressable market GEL can serve.

GEL's revenue model is built on fee-for-service analytical testing under contract and project-based engagements, with pricing typically structured per sample, per analytical method, or per project. The customer base is concentrated in federal agencies (Department of Energy, Department of Defense), nuclear utilities, state and municipal governments, industrial businesses, and power plants. The breadth of regulatory and accreditation coverage — particularly the radioactive material license and DOE and DoD clearances — structurally restricts the pool of qualified competitors and supports long-cycle contractual relationships with government and nuclear clients.

Name

GEL Laboratories, LLC

Legal name

GEL Laboratories, LLC

Website

https://gel.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

GEL Laboratories, LLC is a Charleston, SC-based full-service analytical chemistry and radiochemistry laboratory founded in 1981, serving federal agencies, nuclear utilities, and industrial clients with environmental, PFAS, radiological, and specialty testing across 50,000+ sq ft.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Analytical Testing Laboratory Services

NAICS

Testing Laboratories and Services (54138)

SIC

Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Laboratory & R&D Chemical Waste Management (BPALAHAI), Laboratory Quality Systems, Accreditation & Proficiency Testing Programs (HLAJAIAM), Radiation Measurement, Dosimetry & Monitoring Services (Personal/environmental dosimetry, calibration labs) (EUAKAIAH)

Keywords

• Environmental analytical testing
• Radiochemistry laboratory services
• PFAS analytical testing
• Radiobioassay analysis
• Environmental compliance testing

Headquarters

HQ city

Charleston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Analytical Testing Services: Comprehensive analytical chemistry and radiochemistry services for environmental monitoring, industrial hygiene, RI/FS, RCRA investigation, NPDES analysis, hazardous and mixed waste characterization, radiobioassay, and decommissioning and remediation closure analyses. Services provided to Industrial, DOE, DoD, Nuclear Power, Waste Management, and government/municipal clients.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

GEL Laboratories operates one of the largest single-site analytical testing laboratories in the United States, providing comprehensive analytical chemistry, radiochemistry, and radiobioassay services across environmental, PFAS, radiological, hemp, and special-handling sample matrices. The 50,000+ square foot Charleston, SC facility employs over 200 highly trained professionals and processes more than 4,000 samples and 10,000 tests per week for federal agencies (DOE, DoD), nuclear utilities, industrial clients, and state/municipal governments.

Product overview

GEL Laboratories, LLC is a full-service analytical chemistry and radiochemistry laboratory serving clients worldwide, operating as one of the largest single-site analytical testing laboratories in the United States. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of testing services organized around seven core analytical areas: Environmental Chemistry (organic, inorganic, wet chemistry analyses), PFAS Analytical Testing, Radiochemistry, Radiobioassay, Hemp Testing, Special Handling, and Lead in Drinking Water testing. The laboratory facility spans over 50,000 square feet and employs over 200 highly trained professionals. GEL also provides clients with access to a proprietary Virtual Project Manager (VPM) online portal for sample tracking and data access. An affiliated brand, Cape Fear Analytical, LLC, extends the portfolio to specialty dioxins/furans and PCB congener testing. The company processes on average more than 4,000 samples per week, resulting in over 10,000 tests per week across all laboratory areas.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Environmental Chemistry Services Comprehensive analytical chemistry services covering organic, inorganic, and specialized analyses including volatile and semivolatile organics, pesticides, PCBs, herbicides, metals, mercury, and general chemistry methods for matrices such as drinking water, wastewater, groundwater, soil, oil, sludge, and tissue.
• PFAS Analytical Testing Services Comprehensive PFAS analytical services using LC-MS/MS instrumentation and validated EPA methods (1633A, 537.1, 533) plus ASTM D8421 for drinking water, groundwater, surface water, wastewater, soil, sediment, biosolids, tissue, consumer products, and AFFF samples.
• Radiochemistry Analytical Testing Services Radiochemistry laboratory with extensive instrumentation including alpha spectrometers, germanium gamma detectors, liquid scintillation counters, gas flow proportional counters, and ICP-MS for analysis of various isotopes including actinides, gamma-emitting isotopes, and beta-emitting isotopes.
• Radiobioassay Analytical Testing Services Radiobioassay analysis conducted in a 4,000-square-foot dedicated laboratory with rigorous radiological control program to prevent cross-contamination, supporting the safety of radiological workers through analysis of urine, feces, and nasal smears in compliance with ANSI N13.30 and DOELAP standards.
• Hemp Testing Services CBD and hemp testing services including cannabinoid potency analysis by HPLC-UV (Delta-9-THC, Delta-8 THC, CBD, CBDA, CBG, CBN, CBC, CBGA) and heavy metals testing (Arsenic, Cadmium, Lead, Mercury) with 1-3 business day turnaround.
• Special Handling Services Analysis of samples requiring special handling including elevated radioactivity samples, asbestos and beryllium contaminated samples, tissue samples, multi-incremental sampling (MIS), and Dioxins/Furans and PCB Congeners analysis through affiliate laboratory Cape Fear Analytical.
• Lead in Drinking Water Testing Lead testing services designed to meet EPA regulatory standards for drinking water quality, providing accurate and reliable results for identifying lead contamination from plumbing corrosion.

Quantifiable outcome

• Processing capacity of 4,000+ samples per week and 10,000+ tests per week
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 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

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Cape Fear Analytical, LLCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCape Fear Analytical is described as an affiliate laboratory of GEL Laboratories. GEL provides CFA with LIMS, Quality Systems, Project Management Team, Executive Management Team, and various laboratory support services. CFA provides specialized dioxins/furans and PCB congeners analysis, referring clients to GEL for other testing needs. CFA holds DoD ELAP accreditation, DOECAP, certification in many states, and a radioactive material license.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Babcock & Wilcox (B&W): Established nuclear energy and environmental services company with significant DOE/nuclear utility relationships. Overlaps with GEL in nuclear-related analytical and remediation work, but at much larger scale and broader scope.
• SGS: World's largest testing, inspection, and certification company. Overlaps with GEL on environmental testing, agriculture, and minerals services, though as part of a much broader portfolio across many industries.
• Bureau Veritas: Global TIC (testing, inspection, certification) major with a sizable environmental and commodities testing business. Comparable to GEL in environmental chemistry and PFAS capabilities but embedded within a far broader industry portfolio.

Direct peers

• ALS Global (ALS Environmental): Global testing services provider with major US environmental laboratory operations. Comparable to GEL in environmental chemistry, PFAS, and radiochemistry offerings, serving government, industrial, and mining clients.
• Alpha Analytical: Privately held environmental testing laboratory in the northeastern US serving government, industrial, and engineering clients. Comparable to GEL in environmental chemistry, PFAS, and waste characterization services, though smaller in radiochemistry.
• Montrose Environmental Group: US-focused environmental testing, advisory, and remediation services company. Directly comparable to GEL's environmental chemistry and PFAS testing business, with overlapping state/municipal and industrial clients.
• Eurofins Environment Testing: US arm of Eurofins Scientific, the largest global testing laboratory network. Provides environmental, PFAS, and radiochemistry testing with significant capacity and similar service categories to GEL, including DoD/DOE work.
• Pace Analytical: One of the largest privately held analytical testing laboratory networks in the US, offering environmental, life sciences, and energy testing services to government, industrial, and utility clients. Directly comparable to GEL in environmental chemistry, PFAS, and radiochemistry service lines, with broader geographic coverage.

Emerging players

• RTI International: Nonprofit research institute with substantial environmental health, radiochemistry, and analytical laboratory capabilities. Comparable to GEL in radiochemistry and environmental analysis depth, particularly for federal clients, though operating under a different mission-driven model.
• Energy Solutions: Nuclear services company focused on decommissioning, waste management, and environmental remediation. Comparable to GEL in nuclear/radiochemistry and DOE-facing work, but with a much broader operational footprint that includes field services.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@gellaboratoriesllc2848
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gel-laboratories-llc

Compliance9 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

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 GEL Laboratories, LLC