DQE

What DQE does

DQE Inc. (DBA DQE Ready) is a privately-held Indianapolis, Indiana–based emergency preparedness company founded in 1990 by emergency physician Howard Levitin, MD, FACEP. The company designs, manufactures, and distributes specialized equipment for decontamination, personal protection, medical surge capacity, alternate care site setup, HazMat spill response, rehab and heat stress management, and facility evacuation. Its end customers are primarily U.S. hospitals, fire departments, law enforcement agencies, HazMat teams, and other public-safety and workplace preparedness buyers, with a stated installed footprint across thousands of institutions.

The product portfolio is a physical-goods catalog organized into proprietary sub-brands — including Quick Response (decon showers), MasCas and MasCache (mass casualty and medical surge), Indestructo, Doff-it, Don-it, StatPaq, Sani-Bag+ (bedside commode liners), Kore Kooler and 37C Keep Your Core (heat stress), Evacuation Slyde (evacuation), and Sentry Shield SP — alongside authorized distribution of leading third-party brands such as 3M, Kappler, Guardian, Dunlop, Tingley, Vikan, International Enviro Guard, Glacier Tek, Indian Springs, and Edwards and Cromwell. Unit prices span roughly $4.90 (decon sponges) to over $1,400 (Kappler Zytron 500 Vapor Level A suits). There is no disclosed software or integrated platform component; the catalog functions as a standalone but related family of preparedness SKUs.

Revenue mechanics are hardware sales executed through direct e-commerce (dqeready.com) and consultative phone sales (800-355-4628), with freight-paid terms on orders of $10,000+ within the contiguous U.S. The go-to-market is sales-led and vertically segmented (Healthcare Preparedness as the primary segment, Public Safety & Emergency Response as a co-primary segment, Workplace Preparedness as secondary). Customer acquisition leverages industry partnerships, social media, and a long-standing reputation built through federal engagement — including CDC panel work on chemical weapons stockpile community preparedness, U.S. military contracts to prepare medical facilities in the U.S., Europe, and Japan, and co-development of the Domestic Preparedness Program training delivered to hospitals in over 100 major U.S. cities. Most recently, on 2025-01-07, DQE acquired Cap Adresse for an undisclosed amount, signaling renewed inorganic growth activity after several years of primarily organic operation.

Name

DQE

Legal name

DQE Inc.

Website

https://dqeready.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

DQE Inc. is an Indianapolis-based emergency preparedness company founded in 1990 that designs, manufactures, and distributes decontamination systems, PPE, medical surge equipment, HazMat response kits, and facility evacuation devices for U.S. hospitals, fire departments, and law enforcement agencies, via direct e-commerce and consultative phone sales.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Emergency Preparedness Equipment

NAICS

Surgical Appliance and Supplies Manufacturing (339113), Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing (3391)

SIC

Wholesale-Medical, Dental & Hospital Equipment & Supplies (5047)

akta.pro primary industry

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) (Gloves, Masks/Respirators, Gowns, Face Shields) (HLAHANAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

PPE, Safety & Infection Control Supplies Distribution (JanSan-adjacent) (CRAOAGAK), Lab Safety, PPE & Contamination Control (Hoods, Biosafety Cabinets, Clean Air) (HLAGAIAK)

Keywords

• Emergency preparedness supplies
• Decontamination equipment
• Personal protective equipment
• Mass casualty response
• Hazardous materials handling

Headquarters

HQ city

Indianapolis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Product Sales: DQE generates revenue through the design, manufacture, and distribution of emergency preparedness products including decontamination equipment, PPE, medical surge supplies, and related accessories. Products are sold directly through their e-commerce platform and via phone sales.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

DQE designs, manufactures, and distributes emergency preparedness products for hospitals, fire departments, law enforcement, and other public safety responders. The product portfolio spans decontamination shower systems, personal protective equipment (PPE), medical surge and alternate care site supplies, HazMat spill kits, facility evacuation devices, and heat stress management equipment. The company also resells complementary products from third-party brands such as 3M, Kappler, and Guardian, and delivers training and exercise expertise alongside its products.

Product overview

DQE is an emergency preparedness company specializing in the design, manufacture, and distribution of dependable products for emergency management since 1992. The product portfolio consists of a comprehensive suite of emergency response equipment organized into two primary market segments: Healthcare Preparedness and Public Safety & Emergency Response. Core product categories include decontamination systems (portable shower systems, collection pools, wastewater containment), personal protective equipment (PPE kits, gloves, respiratory protection, coveralls), medical surge care products (alternate care sites, emergency beds, privacy screens), rehab and heat stress management equipment, and facility evacuation devices. The product line operates as a platform of related but standalone products that scale from single-victim to mass casualty events, rather than an integrated software platform. DQE also represents several industry-leading third-party brands including 3M, Kappler, Guardian, Dunlop, Edwards and Cromwell, Indian Springs, Tingley, Vikan, International Enviro Guard, and Glacier Tek. The company's proprietary brand portfolio includes sub-brands such as Quick Response, MASCAS, Decon-in-a-Bag, Doff-it, Don-it, Sani-Bag+, MasCache, StatPaq, 37c Keep Your Core, Kore Kooler, Easy Roller, Safe Pack, Evacuation Slyde, and Sentry Shield SP.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Quick Response: Multi-functional and expandable decon showers
• MasCas
• Indestructo
• Doff-it
• Don-it
• StatPaq
• MasCache
• Sani-Bag+
• 37C
• Decon in a Bag
• Decono Decon Shower
• Easy Roller
• Incident Solutions by DQE
• Kore Kooler
• Safe-Pack
• Evacuation Slyde
• Sentry Shield SP

Products and services

• Decontamination Showers and Systems Portable decontamination shower systems for emergency response, covering responder decon, victim decon, mass decon, and gross decontamination applications. Designed for hospitals, fire departments, and HazMat teams.
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Full range of PPE including gloves, respiratory protection, chemical PPE kits, biohazard PPE kits, law enforcement PPE kits, hoods and shields, coveralls and suits, boots and liners, and PPE support supplies. For healthcare workers, first responders, and law enforcement.
• Alternate Care Site & Medical Surge Care Products Products for alternate care sites and medical surge situations including emergency beds and carts, portable privacy screens, medical surge kits and supplies, pandemic screening, fatality management, and potable water storage.
• Sani-Bag+ Bedpan and Commode Liner Disposable bedpan and commode liners for healthcare and emergency settings, designed for bedside use and field sanitation.
• Hospital Incident Command Products Products and supplies designed to support hospital incident command during emergencies and mass casualty events.
• Rehab and Heat Stress Management Products Products for responder rehabilitation and heat stress management including rehab shelters and supplies, and core cooling equipment.
• HazMat Spill Kits and Tools Spill kits and tools for hazardous materials incidents including leak control tool kits, plugging supplies, spill cleanup tools, sorbents, and spill berms.
• Facility Evacuation Equipment Equipment and supplies for facility evacuation during emergencies, including the Evacuation Slyde device.
• Collection Pools and Elevation Grids Containment pools and elevation grids used for collecting wastewater during decontamination procedures.
• Wastewater Containment Systems Systems and equipment for containing and managing contaminated wastewater from decontamination operations.
• Victim Decon Privacy Kits Privacy kits designed for victim decontamination procedures to maintain dignity and protection during emergency response.

Quantifiable outcome

• Products designed to scale up or down depending on needs
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• 3MminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDQE stocks and resells 3M products as part of their emergency preparedness product portfolio.
• KapplerminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDQE is an authorized distributor of Kappler chemical protective clothing and Zytron suits.
• GuardianminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDQE stocks and resells Guardian chemical gloves including butyl smooth gloves in various thicknesses.
• Dunlop Protective FootwearminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDQE represents and stocks Dunlop protective footwear products.
• Edwards and Cromwell Spill ControlminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDQE offers Edwards and Cromwell Leak Control Tool Kits as part of their HazMat spill containment products.
• International Enviro GuardminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDQE stocks International Enviro Guard products for infection control and protective equipment.
• Glacier TekminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDQE offers Glacier Tek products for core cooling equipment in heat stress management.
• Indian SpringsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDQE offers Indian Springs Chlorine Leak Control Tool Kits as part of their HazMat spill kits and tools.
• TingleyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDQE stocks Tingley protective footwear and boots.
• VikanminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDQE offers Vikan cleaning and decontamination tools.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• North American Rescue: North American Rescue designs, manufactures, and distributes tactical and emergency response medical equipment, including casualty care and decontamination-adjacent products, directly overlapping with DQE's public safety and emergency response catalog.
• Bound Tree Medical: Bound Tree Medical is a specialty distributor of emergency medical equipment and supplies to EMS, fire, and hospital customers, directly comparable to DQE's healthcare and public safety preparedness offering and similar sales-led GTM.
• Rescue Essentials: Rescue Essentials supplies emergency response, tactical medical, and disaster preparedness kits and equipment to first responders and government agencies, directly overlapping with DQE's PPE kits and emergency response product lines.
• First Line Technology: First Line Technology manufactures and supplies decontamination, mass casualty, and CBRN response products for military, EMS, and HazMat customers, directly comparable to DQE's decontamination shower and HazMat spill kit portfolio.

Broad incumbents

• Henry Schein: Henry Schein is a large diversified medical and dental supply distributor that serves hospitals, EMS, and public health customers with emergency preparedness and PPE products as part of a much broader catalog, competing for the same procurement budgets as DQE.
• Medline Industries: Medline is one of the largest medical supply manufacturers and distributors in the US, offering PPE, infection prevention, and patient care products that overlap with DQE's healthcare preparedness and PPE categories across similar hospital buyers.
• McKesson Medical-Surgical: McKesson's medical-surgical division distributes medical supplies including PPE and emergency response products to hospitals and public health agencies, representing the broad-line incumbent that DQE competes against for large healthcare preparedness contracts.
• Fisher Scientific (Thermo Fisher): Thermo Fisher's Fisher Scientific channel distributes laboratory safety, PPE, and contamination control supplies, comparable to the lab/contamination-control slice of DQE's decontamination and PPE portfolio across overlapping healthcare and industrial customers.
• Grainger: W.W. Grainger is a large industrial and safety distributor offering PPE, janitorial, and workplace safety supplies to industrial and institutional buyers, partially overlapping with DQE's workplace preparedness and PPE resale lines.

Emerging players

• Crisis Response Solutions: Crisis Response Solutions is a smaller specialist supplier of decontamination, CBRN, and mass casualty response equipment, directly comparable to DQE's decontamination shower and HazMat product lines but with a narrower catalog.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/dqeready
• Facebookfacebook.com/dqeready
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dqeready
• Instagraminstagram.com/dqeready

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A1 record

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about DQE