What PolyScience does

PolyScience, founded in 1963 and headquartered in Niles, Illinois, manufactures liquid temperature control equipment for laboratory, chemical, medical, industrial, plastics, and botanical extraction markets. The product portfolio spans refrigerated and heated circulating baths (in SD, MX, AD, and AP controller tiers), the award-winning DuraChill line of portable recirculating chillers (0.7-2.9 kW), benchtop chillers (0.4-1.3 kW), high-capacity recirculating chillers (16-33 kW), general-purpose water baths, low-temperature coolers (including the IP-100 reaching -100°C), and application-specific products such as histology freeze plates, coliform baths, viscosity baths, and calibration baths. Technical differentiation is built on registered proprietary features including the Swivel 180 rotating controller, DynamicFilter self-cleaning filter, UV anti-biologic light system, WhisperCool acoustic technology, Cool Command, and DuraTop, validated in-house through a hermetically sealed environmental chamber. The product ecosystem is completed by a recurring aftermarket of fluids (polycool EG-25, polycool PG-20, polyclear MIX 30 PLUS), cleaning agents (polyclean CLARIFIER), Pt100 probes, manifold kits, and air filters.

The company operates as a division of Preston Industries, Inc., a privately held Illinois corporation. Revenue is generated primarily through unit-priced hardware sales, with consumables and accessories as an aftermarket layer; a $25 minimum order and e-commerce storefront support SMB and individual buyers, while a dedicated US direct sales team (including VP of Business Development, Key Account Managers, OEM Sales, and Inside Sales) plus a six-continent international distribution network serve enterprise and regional buyers. Distribution combines direct sales, channel partners, and DTC e-commerce, with a 24-month non-transferable warranty standard across equipment. ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015 certifications, alongside product-level CE, cETLus, cTUVus, cCSAus, RoHS, and WEEE compliance, qualify PolyScience for regulated laboratory, medical, and European buyers. Culinary products (sous vide, Antigriddle, The Smoking Gun) are now handled by Breville under a channel partnership, allowing PolyScience to focus on its core scientific and industrial customer base.

The customer base is distributed across at least seven verticals, with named references spanning photonics (Kern Lasers), academic quantum computing research (University of Chicago Bernien Lab), education and museums (ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain), and commercial cannabis cultivation (Ramshead Cannabis). Marketing is executed through trade shows (including Analytica Munich), industry-specific webinars (Lab Manager, SelectScience BioPharma Summit), and title sponsorships of three podcasts across photonics, environmental science, and cannabis verticals. PolyScience employs 51-100 people and maintains its manufacturing, fulfillment, and headquarters operations at a single Niles, Illinois facility.

Name

PolyScience

Legal name

PolyScience (a division of Preston Industries, Inc.)

Website

https://polyscience.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1963

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

PolyScience is an American manufacturer of precision liquid temperature control equipment, including circulating baths, chillers, water baths, and low-temperature coolers, serving laboratory, chemical, medical, industrial, and botanical extraction customers across six continents.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Niles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Temperature Control Equipment Sales: Primary revenue from manufacturing and selling liquid temperature control equipment including refrigerated circulators, heated circulators, chillers, recirculating coolers, water baths, and application-specific products. Products range from entry-level to advanced programmable systems.
2. Refurbished/Overstock Equipment: Sale of refurbished and overstock units that have been subjected to the same rigorous testing as new products. These units ship immediately with minimal lead time.
3. Fluids and Accessories: Sale of consumable and accessory products including coolants, antifreeze fluids (polycool EG-25, polycool PG-20, polycool MIX-25), water bath treatments (polyclean CLARIFIER, polyclear MIX 30 PLUS), filtration accessories, fittings, tubing, probes, and manifolds.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

PolyScience manufactures and sells liquid temperature control equipment, including refrigerated and heated circulating baths, portable and benchtop recirculating chillers, general purpose water baths, low temperature coolers (to -100°C), and application-specific products such as histology freeze plates, coliform baths, calibration baths, viscosity baths, and large capacity refrigerated baths. The portfolio is rounded out by branded fluids (polycool, polyclear) and accessories (probes, manifold kits, air filters), serving laboratory, chemical, medical, industrial, plastics, laser/photonics, and botanical extraction customers worldwide.

Product overview

PolyScience is an American manufacturer of liquid temperature control solutions with over 60 years of experience. The product portfolio consists of multiple interconnected product lines: Refrigerated/Heated Circulating Baths (AD, AP, MX, SD series) for precise laboratory temperature control; DuraChill Portable Chillers (award-winning with Gold Innovator Award from Laser Focus World) featuring DynamicFilter and UV technology; Benchtop and High Capacity Chillers; General Purpose Water Baths; Low Temperature Coolers including IP-100 reaching -100°C; and Application-Specific Products including Histology Freeze Plates, Coliform Baths, Calibration Baths, and Large Capacity Refrigerated Baths. The ecosystem is supported by fluids and accessories including polycool and polyclear fluids, polyclean clarifiers, Pt100 probes, manifold kits, and air filters. PolyScience serves laboratory, chemical, medical, industrial, plastics, extraction, laser, and culinary markets. The company also developed culinary products including sous vide equipment, the Antigriddle, and The Smoking Gun (now handled by Breville).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• DuraChill: Award-winning line of portable recirculating chillers featuring dynamic self-changing filters, intelligent self-diagnostic system, UV biological growth inhibitor, and WhisperCool technology. Recognized with Gold Innovator Award from Laser Focus World.
• Antigriddle
• The Smoking Gun

Products and services

• Refrigerated/Heated Circulating Baths Precision temperature control units with integrated heating and refrigeration systems for laboratory applications requiring accurate thermal management from -40°C to 200°C. Available in AD, AP, MX, and SD controller configurations with capacities from 7 to 75 liters.
• Heated Circulators Heating-only circulators providing precise temperature control for laboratory and industrial applications, available in capacities from 7 to 15 liters with temperature ranges up to 200°C.
• DuraChill Portable Chillers Award-winning portable recirculating chillers with cooling capacities from 0.7-2.9 kW, featuring DynamicFilter self-cleaning system, UV biological growth inhibitor, WhisperCool technology, and touchscreen display. Gold Innovator Award from Laser Focus World.
• Benchtop Chillers Compact chillers with 0.4-1.3 kW cooling capacity for laboratory and light industrial cooling applications.
• High Capacity Recirculating Chillers Heavy-duty recirculating chillers with 16-33 kW cooling capacity for industrial-scale cooling applications.
• Recirculating Coolers Non-refrigerated recirculating coolers for applications requiring ambient to moderately elevated temperature control.
• General Purpose Water Baths Laboratory water baths with large full-color screens, customizable presets, energy-saving eco mode, and multiple language modes.
• Stainless Steel Open Bath Systems Open bath temperature control systems constructed of stainless steel for applications requiring direct sample exposure to heated fluid.
• Polycarbonate Open Bath Systems Open bath systems made of polycarbonate material for transparent visibility during temperature control applications.
• Immersion Circulators & Open Tanks Compact immersion circulators that clamp onto standard containers for temperature control, including sous vide cooking applications.
• IP-100 Low Temperature Cooler Immersion probe cooler providing continuous cooling to temperatures as low as -100°C, an economical alternative to dry ice or liquid nitrogen for trapping applications, freeze drying, and rapid cooling.
• Viscosity Baths Specialized temperature control baths designed for viscosity measurement applications in petroleum and polymer testing.
• Calibration Baths Precision calibration baths for temperature calibration of RTD, thermistor, and thermometer sensors with excellent stability.
• Large Capacity Refrigerated Baths High-capacity refrigerated circulators including 75-liter models for beer forced-aging tests, blood thawing, food stability testing, and product quality analysis.
• Histology Freeze Plate Ultra-cold freeze plate fixed at -30°C (-34.4°F) for rapidly freezing histology samples, reducing processing time by 40% or more with 136 in² freezing surface.
• Coliform Bath Specialized heated bath for fecal coliform and E.coli testing with 28-liter reservoir, hinged see-through gable cover, and MX Temperature Controller.
• polycool EG-25 Ethylene glycol-based antifreeze fluid for refrigerated circulating baths; lowers freezing point to -25°C when mixed 50/50 with distilled water.
• polycool PG-20 Propylene glycol-based antifreeze fluid; safer alternative to ethylene glycol with temperature range of -20°C when mixed 50/50 with distilled water.
• polycool MIX-25 Optimizing fluid for refrigerated products that protects against freezing and keeps reservoir clean; temperature range -25°C to 100°C.
• polyclear MIX 30 PLUS General purpose fluid for routine applications above 5°C that prevents algae growth and premature rust formation.
• polyclean CLARIFIER Concentrated reservoir cleaner that keeps reservoirs clean and odor-free; 8 oz treats approximately 200 gallons.
• Antigriddle Cooktop that cools to -30°F for uni-directional rapid freezing of food items; won Food Network's Tasty Technology award in 2007. Culinary inquiries are now handled through the Breville partnership.
• The Smoking Gun Cold smoker for infusing smoke scent and flavor without hours of time and heat; also transforms the world of cocktails. Culinary inquiries are now handled through the Breville partnership.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduces histology sample processing time by 40% or more with the Histology Freeze Plate's ultra-cold surface
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature10 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• SelectSciencecoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 5 September 2023Title sponsor of the SelectScience BioPharma Summit 2023, a free online event bringing together leading scientists, manufacturers, and regulatory experts in the biopharma field. PolyScience sponsors this event to connect with the pharmaceutical and biotech laboratory community.
• BrevillecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBreville handles all culinary inquiries, customer service, and technical support for PolyScience culinary products including sous vide equipment, the Antigriddle, and The Smoking Gun. This partnership transferred the culinary product line to Breville while PolyScience focuses on core temperature control equipment for laboratory and industrial markets.
• Photonics SpectraflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with Photonics Spectra for the 'All Things Photonics' podcast. PolyScience is a partner in this podcast that explores lasers, optics, imaging, metrology, and sensing. The podcast features industry luminaries and market leaders discussing photonics research and commercial innovation. PolyScience participates as an industry thought leader in temperature control for photonics applications.
• AWE InternationalflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-creation of the 'What Does The Science Say?' podcast with AWE International. PolyScience is the title sponsor of this podcast that separates facts from fiction on environmental topics. The AWE editorial team challenges misconceptions by presenting scientific evidence, with PolyScience supporting as a thought leader in environmental responsibility.
• Cannabis & Tech TodayflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerTitle sponsor of 'Cannabis Tech Talks' podcast by Cannabis & Tech Today. The podcast brings together thought leaders, innovators, and industry figures working to help the cannabis industry evolve. PolyScience's sponsorship positions it as a key technology provider for cannabis extraction and cultivation.
• Lab ManagerflagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerPolyScience is title sponsor of multiple Lab Manager webinars and digital summits including the Lab Safety Webinar, Lab Manager Asset Management Digital Summit, and Lab Manager Summits. These educational events cover topics including crisis management, asset management, and lab safety for laboratory professionals.
• University of Chicago - Bernien LabcoreTechnology or IntegrationRyan White of the University of Chicago's Bernien Lab uses PolyScience temperature control technology as part of quantum computer development using high-tech lasers and atoms. This represents PolyScience's application in cutting-edge quantum computing research.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Julabo: Julabo is a German manufacturer specializing in liquid temperature control equipment including circulators, chillers, and water baths. Directly comparable to PolyScience in product category, target market (laboratories and industrial applications), and technology platform.
• Peter Huber Kältemaschinenbau: Huber is a German manufacturer of precision temperature control systems, circulators, chillers, and thermostats for laboratory and industrial applications. Directly comparable to PolyScience in core offerings, serving similar R&D and industrial customers across pharma, biotech, and chemistry.
• LAUDA (Lauda-Brinkmann): LAUDA is a German manufacturer of temperature control equipment including circulators, thermostats, chillers, and water baths. Competes head-to-head with PolyScience in laboratory and industrial temperature control markets across pharma, biotech, and chemistry applications.
• Grant Instruments: Grant Instruments is a UK-based manufacturer of laboratory water baths, circulators, and block heaters. Directly comparable to PolyScience in product category and target customer base across academic, clinical, and industrial laboratories.
• Brookfield Engineering (AMETEK): Brookfield is well known for viscosity measurement products including viscosity baths that compete directly with PolyScience's application-specific viscosity bath offerings for petroleum and polymer testing applications.
• SP Scientific (ATS Life Sciences): SP Scientific provides laboratory equipment including freeze dryers, chillers, and temperature control products serving pharmaceutical and biotech customers. Competes with PolyScience in laboratory-scale cooling and freeze drying applications.

Broad incumbents

• Thermo Fisher Scientific: Thermo Fisher is a global scientific instrument giant whose portfolio includes laboratory temperature control products via its Thermo Scientific brand. It competes with PolyScience in lab circulation and refrigeration equipment but as part of a much broader scientific instrument portfolio.
• VWR (Avantor): VWR/Avantor is a major laboratory supplies distributor and equipment provider with offerings in temperature control, baths, and circulation. Serves the same lab customer base as PolyScience but with much broader product breadth, distribution scale, and procurement contracts.
• IKA Works: IKA is a global laboratory equipment manufacturer whose portfolio includes temperature control products alongside mixers, shakers, and reactors. Competes with PolyScience in lab temperature control as part of a broader lab equipment portfolio aimed at research and process customers.

Emerging players

• Anova Culinary: Anova Culinary is a consumer-focused sous vide immersion circulator company that occupies the consumer end of the temperature control market. While not a direct lab competitor, it represents the consumer extension of immersion circulator technology originally popularized by PolyScience.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/polyscience
• YouTubeyoutube.com/results?search_query=polyscience
• Facebookfacebook.com/PolyScience
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/polyscience

Compliance9 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 PolyScience