What Storage Control Systems does

Storage Control Systems, Inc. (SCS) is a privately held US manufacturer and supplier of controlled atmosphere (CA) storage equipment, founded in 1982 and headquartered in Sparta, Michigan. The company designs and builds integrated systems that modify and monitor atmospheric conditions — primarily oxygen, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, temperature, and humidity — to extend the post-harvest shelf life of fruits and vegetables, with a primary focus on the commercial apple and pear storage industry. Core products include CO2 scrubbers (Series IV, EIII Series, Solo Series), PSA and membrane nitrogen generators, GasTight/ChillTight/PassTight doors, dual gas analyzers, the patented SafePod ultra-low oxygen storage system, the CAIT insect treatment line, the LabPod/MicroPod respiration testing systems, and the Kilowatch energy management platform. SCS holds multiple patents (SafePod, LabPod US 8739694, Respiration Ranking US 11484038, inflatable-seal doors) and supports its installed base with custom design-build services and an in-house UL-listed panel shop.

The company's revenue is generated through direct equipment sales, custom turnkey design-build projects (e.g., Trio Complete CA Building Packages), laboratory and research services staffed by fruit storage scientists, and authorized or exclusive distribution of complementary products including Frigadon chillers, Hycool secondary fluid, Bioconservacion ethylene absorbers, and the Flume Filtration System. Pricing is quote-based with multi-year design-build contracts, and the go-to-market motion is enterprise field sales targeting large fruit growers and cold storage operators. SCS operates regional offices in Sodus NY, Union Gap WA, and Paddock Wood UK, and its equipment is installed across North America, South America, India, Australia, Mexico, and Europe, representing several hundred installations over four decades.

SCS is family-owned under the Schaefer family (current President James C. Schaefer, son of founder Caryl A. Schaefer) with no disclosed external institutional investment, M&A activity, or public listing. The company maintains industry memberships in the Global Cold Chain Alliance and the International Association for Cold Storage Construction, and has collaborative R&D relationships with the Universities of Padua and Venice (Senzytec biosensor) and construction partnerships with Michigan Panel, LLC for insulated room construction.

Name

Storage Control Systems

Legal name

Storage Control Systems, Inc.

Website

https://storagecontrol.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Storage Control Systems designs and manufactures controlled atmosphere storage equipment — including CO2 scrubbers, nitrogen generators, airtight doors, and gas analyzers — for commercial fruit and vegetable growers, primarily serving the North American apple and pear storage industry since 1982.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cold Storage Equipment

NAICS

Air-Conditioning and Warm Air Heating Equipment and Commercial and Industrial Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturing (333415), Ventilation, Heating, Air-Conditioning, and Commercial Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturing (33341)

SIC

Air-Cond & Warm Air Heatg Equip & Comm & Indl Refrig Equip (3585), Refrigeration & Service Industry Machinery (3580)

akta.pro primary industry

CA Gas Generation, Scrubbing & Control Equipment (N₂/CO₂/O₂) (AFAOAEAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

CA Monitoring, Sensors & Automation (O₂/CO₂/Ethylene/Temp/RH) (AFAOAEAK), Controlled-Atmosphere (CA) Storage Facilities (AFAOAEAA), CA System Engineering, Installation & Commissioning (AFAOAEAI)

Keywords

• Controlled atmosphere storage
• Fruit storage equipment
• CO2 scrubbers
• Nitrogen generators
• Cold storage solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Sparta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Hardware Equipment Sales: Manufacturing and sale of controlled atmosphere storage equipment including CO2 scrubbers, nitrogen generators, gas analyzers, doors, valves, sensors, chillers, and complete CA storage systems. Equipment ranges from individual components to turnkey building packages.
2. Specialty Cold Storage Design/Build: Operating a specialty cold storage warehousing design/build firm that designs and constructs controlled atmosphere storage facilities from concept to completion, including insulated metal panel installations and room sealing.
3. Laboratory Systems and Research Services: Custom laboratory set-ups for controlled atmosphere research, including LabPod systems and support services from fruit storage scientists.
4. Distribution of Complementary Products: Authorized distributor of Frigadon chillers, Hycool secondary fluid, Bioconservacion ethylene absorbers, and Flume Filtration Systems.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Storage Control Systems manufactures and supplies atmosphere-modifying and monitoring equipment for controlled atmosphere (CA) storage of fruits and vegetables. The product portfolio includes CO2 scrubbers, nitrogen generators (PSA and membrane), airtight doors, gas analyzers, oxygen alert systems, chillers, and turnkey CA building packages. The company also operates a specialty cold storage warehousing design/build firm and offers laboratory research systems for produce quality assessment.

Product overview

Storage Control Systems is a manufacturer and supplier of atmosphere-modifying and monitoring equipment for controlled atmosphere fruit and vegetable storage. Established in 1982, the company offers a comprehensive portfolio of products organized around core CA technology: CO2 scrubbers (Series IV, EIII Series, Solo Series) for removing carbon dioxide; PSA and Membrane nitrogen generators for reducing oxygen levels; GasTight, ChillTight, and PassTight doors for airtight sealing; gas analyzers for monitoring oxygen and CO2; and the CAIT system for insect treatment. Supporting products include the Kilowatch energy management system, SafePod patented storage technology, LabPod/LabPod Mini/MicroPod respiration testing systems, Frigadon chillers, ethylene absorbers, humidity/temperature sensors, network cameras, and flume filtration systems. The company operates from headquarters in Sparta, MI with additional offices in the UK, New York, and Washington State, serving customers worldwide in South America, India, Canada, Mexico, Australia, and Europe.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SafePod: Patented technology for controlled atmosphere storage, installed around the world. Separate brand with dedicated website (safepodca.com).
• CAIT

Products and services

• Series IV CO2 Scrubbers Industrial CO2 scrubbers for controlled atmosphere storage with MultiQueue cycle sharing, Pre-Scrub for DCA accuracy, VFD control, gas sampling for smart control, and remote Ethernet access for commercial fruit and vegetable storage operators.
• EIII Series CO2 Scrubbers CO2 scrubbers with formulated activated carbon, cylindrical beds, Smart CO2 detection, and 8-inch flat-panel color touchscreen with programmable room sequencing and auto room pressure testing for controlled atmosphere storage applications.
• Solo Series CO2 Scrubbers Compact single-room CO2 scrubbers with twin-bed design, available in 115V (Models 100, 150) and 220-460V (Models 160, 180) variants with Ethernet connectivity and optional patent-pending nitrogen purge for small-scale CA storage rooms.
• Frigadon Chillers Environmentally friendly packaged air-cooled chillers using natural HC refrigerants (R404A, R407A, R1270) with capacities from 29 to 342 kW at +7C flow temperature, featuring microprocessor control systems and built-in hydraulic kit for fruit storage facilities.
• PSA Nitrogen Generators Pressure Swing Adsorption nitrogen generators producing nitrogen at purities from 95-99.999% with flow rates from 5cfm to over 200cfm, featuring touchscreen display and an estimated 80,000 hour valve and CMS lifespan.
• Membrane Nitrogen Generators Nitrogen generators using Permea membrane separators for selective air separation without combustible fuels, available in portable or fixed installations with expandable cabinets for future growth, extending storage life of fruits and vegetables.
• GasTight Doors Airtight sliding doors with patented inflatable seal system that seals in under 2 minutes, featuring aluminum thermally-separated extrusion frame, 4-inch insulated metal panel leaf with Kynar coating, R-34 rating, available in horizontal slide, vertical lifting, or hinged configurations.
• ChillTight Doors Thermally-broken hinged or sliding doors for cold storage environments with aluminum framework, standard insulated metal panel leaf construction, suitable for both cooler and heat-traced freezer applications.
• PassTight Doors Sandwich-design doors for insulated and cold storage facilities with thermally-broken aluminum framework, urethane foam filled leaves, available in single and dual configurations with optional frame heat-tracing for freezer applications.
• Stoplite II Oxygen Alert 2.8-inch touchscreen oxygen alert system with traffic-light style multi-stage warning (green above 19.5% O2, yellow 17.5-19%, red below 17.5% O2) for personnel safety outside controlled atmosphere rooms, displaying oxygen, CO2, room pressure, temperature probes, and room lighting control.
• Electric Slide Valves Automated valve solution with electric actuator and LED position indicators, compatible with PLC-based control systems, available in 2-inch, 4-inch, 6-inch, 110mm and 160mm diameters with optional relay contact for remote feedback.
• CAIT (Controlled Atmosphere Insect Treatment) Controlled atmosphere treatment technology using insulated metal panel wall systems and proprietary room-sealing techniques to reduce oxygen levels for insect eradication at all life stages (egg, larvae, pupae, adult) in stored products.
• SafePod Fruit Storage System Patented controlled atmosphere storage technology for ultra-low oxygen environments, installed around the world for fruit and vegetable storage, enabling ULO and DCA storage regimes.
• Dual Gas Analyzers (GCS Series) Portable dual gas analyzers (GCS250, GCS350, GCS260) featuring electrochemical oxygen sensors with stable zero-calibration and miniature infrared CO2 sensors, combining O2 and CO2 measurement in single units with 4-20mA or 0-10VDC outputs.
• Oxygen Analyzers (SCS 110, GCS 110, GCS 221, Drager PAC 3500) Oxygen analyzers including SCS 110 with high-performance electrochemical cell unaffected by CO2, H2, ethylene or hydrocarbons; GCS 221 wall-mount indicator/alarm for personnel protection from low oxygen; and Drager PAC 3500 personal wearable detector.
• Bioconservacion Ethylclean Ethylene Absorbers Air treatment systems using BI-ON granules to absorb ethylene, fungi spores, bacteria, and odors, available in three models (ETH 100, ETH 500, ETH 1500) for storage areas up to 52,972 cubic feet.
• LabPod Controlled Atmosphere System Hermetically sealed test enclosure (U.S. Patent 8739694) for fruit/vegetable CA testing down to less than 0.1% O2, with built-in O2/CO2/temperature sensors, central operating panel supporting up to 32 LabPods, 70kg capacity, and automatic respiration and RQ measurement.
• LabPod Mini System Compact CA testing system (U.S. Patent 8739694, Canadian CA2746152) for 22 lbs/10kg produce samples with built-in high sensitivity gas analyzers, automatic atmosphere control, respiration measurement, and compatibility with GCS6000 CA control systems.
• MicroPod System Small-volume respiration measurement system for small fruits like cherries and blueberries, with 330mL and 740mL jar sizes, measuring up to 288 samples simultaneously with results in as little as 1.5 hours.
• Micro CA Pallet Bags Pallet-level controlled atmosphere system using 8-mil plastic bags (48-inch x 53-inch x 168-inch) over produce pallets, extending post-harvest storage up to 6 weeks, reusable with quick-connect fittings for external monitoring.
• CA Laboratory Cabinets Non-rusting airtight research chambers with water trough sealing system, available in 6-bin (32 bu) and 12-bin (72 bu) configurations on locking casters, with built-in circulation fans and quick-disconnect gas/sample/vent lines.
• Trio Complete CA Building Packages Complete controlled atmosphere building packages with 4 rooms of 16,000+ bu/800+ bin capacity each, including SCS CO2 scrubber, N2 generator, GCS900 controller, insulated panel construction, 24-foot hallway, and 24-foot lean-to.
• Flume Filtration System Electrolyzed water processing system producing Hypochlorous sanitizer for apple packing industry sanitation, with Flow Technology Concentrate system at 7,500 ppm producing 98.9% HOCl sanitizer for flume and spray bar applications.
• Myco Media Filter Non-pressurized apple line water filter using proprietary rolled filter media to remove solids down to 5-micron size, with side stream filtration up to 500 GPM for reducing particulate levels in packing line water.
• Senzytec Biosensor System Enzyme-based biosensor developed with Universities of Padua and Venice for measuring ethanol, malic acid, D-lactic acid, L-lactic acid, glucose, and fructose in agro-food, industrial, research and clinical applications, with results in 3-6 minutes using only 0.1mL sample.
• Respiration Ranking System Patented process (U.S. Patent 11484038, Canadian CA 3057938, GB 2579270) for ranking fruit quality using respiration data, placing 25 lbs samples in chambers for CO2/O2 measurement with cloud-based software ranking and mobile app access.

Quantifiable outcome

• Minimal weight loss during storage
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• FrigadoncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorStorage Control Systems is an authorized distributor of Frigadon chillers, which are environmentally friendly packaged air cooled chillers using natural HC refrigerants (404A, 407A, R1270) with capacities from 29 to 342 kW.
• HycoolcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAuthorized distributor of Hycool secondary fluid for secondary cooling applications in fruit storage facilities.
• PermeacoreTechnology or IntegrationCustom builds nitrogen generator systems using membrane separators manufactured by Permea, the industry leader in controlled atmosphere technology. Permea CA technology extends storage life of fruits and vegetables.
• BioconservacioncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistributes Bioconservacion Ethylclean ethylene absorber machines which use BI-ON granules to absorb ethylene, fungi spores, bacteria, and bad odors. Available in three sizes (ETH 100, ETH 500, ETH 1500) for various storage capacities.
• Flume Filtration SystemscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorExclusive US distributor for the Flume Filtration System for food and agricultural industries. System features proprietary rolled filter media for removing solids from apple line processing water down to 5-micron size.
• Michigan Panel, LLCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for insulated panel room construction in Trio Complete Controlled Atmosphere Building Packages. Provides IMP wall systems for CAIT technology installations.
• Global Cold Chain AllianceminorOthersIndustry membership organization for cold storage industry. Membership reflects company's reputation and commitment to products and services worldwide.
• International Association for Cold Storage ConstructionminorOthersIndustry membership organization. Membership reflects reputation and commitment to cold storage construction industry worldwide.
• Universities of Padua and Venice (Italy)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partnership for development of Senzytec biosensor-based measuring system for agro-food, industrial, research and clinical fields. Won Innovation Award from Veneto Region.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Isolcell: Italian-based manufacturer of controlled atmosphere equipment for fruit and vegetable storage, including CO2 scrubbers, nitrogen generators, and complete CA room systems. Directly competes with SCS's Series IV scrubbers, N2 generators, and SafePod CA technologies in the same European/global apple-and-pear storage market.
• Van Amerongen: Dutch controlled atmosphere technology specialist serving pome and stone fruit growers worldwide with CA storage systems, gas analyzers, and Dynamic Controlled Atmosphere (DCA/ULO) solutions. Overlaps directly with SCS in ULO/DCA room equipment, gas measurement, and CA doors across apples, pears, and kiwifruit.
• Besseling Group: Netherlands-based provider of cold storage construction and insulated/caisson doors, with overlap on airtight door systems used in CA rooms. Their insulated-door and room-sealing products complement the same produce-storage construction projects in which SCS specifies GasTight, ChillTight, and PassTight doors.

Broad incumbents

• AgroFresh Solutions: Global post-harvest specialist offering 1-MCP-based ripening control (SmartFresh) and related coatings and digital freshness solutions across many commodities. While not a CA-equipment peer, AgroFresh is a larger incumbent whose chemical-plus-service bundle competes for the same grower post-harvest budget that funds SCS hardware purchases.
• Carrier Commercial Refrigeration: Global industrial refrigeration and cold-chain equipment provider whose chillers, condensers, and refrigeration controls touch every produce cold storage facility SCS serves. Carrier's scale, service network, and integrated cold-chain offerings make it an incumbent that can bundle controls and refrigeration into accounts where SCS provides CA gas control.
• Thermo King (Trane Technologies): Worldwide transport and stationary refrigeration brand serving food supply chains with refrigeration units, monitoring, and service. Comparable to SCS at the broader refrigeration-system layer, particularly in cold-storage rooms where Thermo King competes on chillers and temperature control and may bundle controls alongside its refrigeration base.

Emerging players

• Miatech: U.S.-based post-harvest technology company developing shrink-reduction and shelf-life-extension equipment and sensors. Adjacent to SCS in post-harvest loss reduction and shares target customers (commercial apple/pear packers), though focused on equipment and consumables beyond CA gas control.

Others

• Dräger (Drager): Global safety equipment manufacturer whose gas detection and personal oxygen monitors (e.g., PAC series, referenced by SCS as a third-party personal detector) overlap with SCS's Stoplite II Oxygen Alert and GCS oxygen analyzer products. Dräger is a comparable supplier to the same personnel-safety use cases in CA facilities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/StorageControl
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/storage-control-systems-inc

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&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Storage Control Systems