Normax

What Normax does

Normax - Fábrica de Vidros Científicos, Lda is a privately-held Portuguese manufacturer and distributor of scientific glassware, laboratory equipment, materials and consumables, headquartered and produced in Marinha Grande, Portugal — the country's historic glassmaking cluster. Founded as a successor to a 1954 predecessor and incorporated in its current legal form in 1975, the company employs approximately 82-98 people and operates an IPAC-accredited calibration subsidiary (Normalab) alongside the core manufacturing business. Normax sells both its own manufactured products (precision volumetric glassware, general laboratory glassware, custom pieces, microscopy slides, ASTM components) and a comprehensive range of distributed brands (Sartorius, Gilson, Eppendorf, Kartell, Vitlab and 15+ others) for which it holds exclusive Portuguese distribution rights.

The company's underlying technology combines automated production lines with manual glassblowing of borosilicate (boro 3.3) and soda-lime glass, supported by proprietary mould engineering (notably for Petri dishes) and a triple-calibration certification programme. Normalab provides gravimetric calibration services for volumetric glassware, micropipettes, dispensers, digital burettes and titrators under IPAC accreditation M0056, generating recurring service revenue. The company holds ISO 9001:2015 certification since 1995 and has received EU FEDER co-funding for internationalization and capacity expansion projects in 2019-2023.

Normax makes money through three intertwined streams: one-time sales of manufactured and distributed laboratory products via direct B2B sales, an e-commerce storefront, and export sales (Europe, Americas, Africa, Asia, targeting >35% export intensity); fee-for-service calibration through Normalab; and custom glass manufacturing to client specifications. Customer segments are diversified across pharmaceutical, research, clinical diagnostics, education, food and beverage (including a specialized enology/wine analysis vertical), and industrial quality control verticals. Go-to-market combines a sales-led model with strong event-driven presence at major laboratory trade fairs (Analytica, Labsummit), supported by exclusive distribution partnerships and digital channels including the company website, newsletter, and LinkedIn.

Name

Normax

Legal name

Normax, Fábrica de Vidros Científicos, lda

Website

https://normax.pt

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Normax is a privately-held Portuguese manufacturer and exclusive distributor of scientific glassware, laboratory equipment and consumables, serving pharmaceutical, research, clinical, education, food and industrial laboratories across five continents through direct sales, e-commerce and a sister calibration laboratory (Normalab).

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Marinha Grande

HQ country

Portugal

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Scientific Glassware Manufacturing: Normax designs and manufactures scientific glassware (borosilicate and soda-lime glass) including volumetric glassware, general purpose glassware, custom glass pieces, and specialized apparatus. Products are sold through direct sales, the company's e-commerce platform, and through distribution partnerships. Revenue is generated from one-time product sales at varying price points depending on product complexity and certification level.
2. Laboratory Equipment Distribution: As the exclusive Portuguese distributor for over 20 international brands (Sartorius, Gilson, Eppendorf, Kartell, etc.), Normax resells laboratory instruments, consumables, and equipment. This complements their own manufactured range and reinforces their position as a one-stop supplier for Portuguese laboratories.
3. Calibration Services (Normalab): Normalab, the company's IPAC-accredited calibration laboratory, provides fee-for-service calibration of volumetric glassware, micropipettes, dispensers, digital burettes and titrators. The laboratory also offers technical maintenance, repair services, and conformity assessment, generating recurring service revenue.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Normax designs and manufactures precision scientific glassware (volumetric and general purpose) from borosilicate and soda-lime glass using automated production lines and manual glassblowing, and distributes more than 20 international laboratory equipment brands exclusively in Portugal. The company also operates Normalab, its IPAC-accredited calibration laboratory providing fee-for-service calibration of volumetric glassware, micropipettes, dispensers, digital burettes and titrators, and offers bespoke custom glass manufacturing to customer specifications.

Product overview

Normax is a manufacturer and distributor of scientific glassware, laboratory equipment, materials, and consumables for health, education, research, and industry sectors. The company operates two main divisions: its core laboratory glassware manufacturing business and Normalab, its accredited calibration laboratory subsidiary. The product portfolio centers on precision laboratory glassware including general laboratory glassware, volumetric glassware (volumetric flasks, burettes, pipettes, measuring cylinders), glass tubes, bottles, components, and ASTM-compliant products. Specialized product lines include microscopy supplies (slides, cover slips), liquid handling equipment, microbiology products, density measurement instruments, filtration apparatus, and general laboratory consumables. Normax also publishes specialized catalogs for food microbiology and oenology (wine analysis) applications. The company offers custom glass manufacturing services and provides calibration services through Normalab, which holds IPAC accreditation M0056 for volumetric glassware calibration.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Normalab: Calibration laboratory of volumetric glassware under Normax, with IPAC accreditation M0056. Specializes in calibration services for volumetric instruments, micropipettes, dispensers, digital burettes and titrators.

Products and services

• Volumetric Glassware Precision-certified volumetric glassware (volumetric flasks, burettes, graduated and volumetric pipettes, measuring cylinders) manufactured from borosilicate glass 3.3 and conforming to ISO 1042, ISO 385, ISO 4796 and ISO 13132 standards. Designed for pharmaceutical, research and analytical laboratories requiring traceable measurement accuracy.
• General Laboratory Glassware Comprehensive range of general-purpose laboratory glassware including desiccators, Pasteur pipettes, Petri dishes, flasks, beakers, watch glasses, weighing boats, crucibles, filtration apparatus and custom special products. Manufactured from soda-lime and borosilicate glass for health, education, research and industry laboratories.
• Glass Tubes Glass tubes for laboratory use including culture tubes, test tubes, Nessler tubes, tubes with rim and centrifuge tubes.
• Glass Bottles Glass bottles and containers including dropping bottles, reagent bottles, laboratory bottles with GL45 thread, and amber and clear glass vessels for sample storage and reagent handling.
• Glass Components Glass components including adapters, columns, ground glass joints (esmerilados), condensers (refrigerantes), stoppers and taps for assembling laboratory glass apparatus.
• ASTM Standard Glassware and Components Laboratory glassware and components conforming to ASTM standards for pharmaceutical, research and analytical applications, including ASTM accessories and components catalog range.
• Microscopy Products Microscopy supplies including glass slides, cover slips (lamelas) and staining trays for cell and tissue analysis. Includes the Advanced line of microscopy slides.
• Liquid Handling Equipment Automatic pipettes and pipette tips for precise and repeatable liquid dispensing, distributed in Portugal from leading international brands such as Sartorius, Gilson and Eppendorf.
• Microbiology Products Microbiology supplies including culture media and Petri dishes in soda and borosilicate glass compliant with ISO 13132, distributed alongside Condalab and Biosigma product lines.
• Density Measurement Instruments Density measurement instruments including Gay-Lussac pycnometers for liquids and graduated pycnometers for solids, conforming to ISO 3507.
• Filtration Products Laboratory filtration equipment including filtration apparatus, funnels and Kitasatos with sintered glass filter plates.
• Sample Collection Materials Sample collection materials including specimen containers, needle sharps containers (EMsharps), collection vessels and related accessories.
• Hygiene and Personal Protection Equipment Personal protective equipment including reusable protective equipment and gloves for laboratory safety.
• General Purpose Laboratory Materials General laboratory supplies including porcelain ware, filter paper, plasticware, plastic Pasteur pipettes, serological pipettes, loops, buckets and various plastic laboratory articles.
• Certified Reference Materials Certified reference materials for laboratory calibration and quality control.
• Chemical Reagents Chemical reagents for laboratory analysis and testing procedures, including Scharlau reagents distributed in Portugal.
• Glass Syringes Precision glass syringes for laboratory liquid handling and injection applications.
• Custom Glass Manufacturing (Peças Especiais) Custom manufacturing of glass laboratory articles to specific customer specifications, leveraging automated production lines and manual glassblowing techniques to deliver bespoke solutions.
• Normalab Calibration Services IPAC-accredited fee-for-service calibration of volumetric glassware using gravimetric methods, plus calibration and technical assistance for micropipettes, dispensers, digital burettes and titrators. Located at Normalab, the independent calibration laboratory subsidiary of Normax (IPAC accreditation M0056 since May 2000).

Quantifiable outcome

• Triple calibration certification provides enhanced traceability for pharmaceutical and regulated industry compliance
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 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

23 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SartoriuscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNormax is the exclusive Portuguese distributor for Sartorius laboratory equipment, including pipettes, balances, and filtration systems. Normax also runs Sartorius pipette trade-in campaigns offering up to 40% savings on new equipment.
• GilsoncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNormax is the exclusive Portuguese distributor for Gilson liquid handling and purification equipment.
• EppendorfcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNormax is the exclusive Portuguese distributor for Eppendorf laboratory equipment and consumables.
• KartellcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNormax is the exclusive Portuguese distributor for Kartell laboratory plasticware and labware products.
• VitlabcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNormax is the exclusive Portuguese distributor for Vitlab laboratory plasticware and measuring instruments.
• DeltaLabminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNormax distributes DeltaLab products in Portugal, complementing the consumables range.
• BiosigmaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNormax distributes Biosigma laboratory equipment in the Portuguese market.
• VacutestminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNormax distributes Vacutest blood collection and laboratory consumables in Portugal.
• KabeminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNormax distributes Kabe laboratory collection and sampling products in the Portuguese market.
• AuxilabminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNormax distributes Auxilab laboratory consumables in Portugal.
• SelectaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNormax distributes Selecta laboratory equipment in Portugal.
• RadwagminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNormax distributes Radwag weighing equipment and scales in the Portuguese market.
• Nal Von MindenminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNormax distributes Nal Von Minden diagnostic and testing products in Portugal.
• QCAminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNormax distributes QCA laboratory products in the Portuguese market.
• TerumominorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNormax distributes Terumo medical and laboratory products in Portugal.
• EMsharpsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNormax distributes EMsharps (sharps disposal containers) in the Portuguese market.
• BimedicaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNormax distributes Bimedica laboratory and medical products in Portugal.
• NeogenminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNormax distributes Neogen food safety and agricultural testing products in Portugal.
• ScharlauminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNormax distributes Scharlau chemical reagents and laboratory products in the Portuguese market.
• CondalabminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNormax distributes Condalab microbiology and laboratory culture media products in Portugal.
• RelacreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNormax maintains institutional cooperation with Relacre (Portuguese association of calibration laboratories), working on technical normalisation committees and sectoral technical committees.
• LabsummitcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerNormax is the Principal Sponsor of Labsummit 2026 (7-9 May, Coimbra), one of the largest European events dedicated to the laboratory sector, covering health, pharmaceutical, research and industry topics.
• AnalyticacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerNormax participates at Analytica 2026 (24-27 March, Messe München, Hall B1 Booth 118), the world's leading trade fair for laboratory technology, analysis and biotechnology.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Wilmad-LabGlass: Wilmad-LabGlass manufactures precision NMR tubes, EPR consumables, and specialty scientific glassware. Comparable to Normax as a niche scientific-glass specialist serving research and analytical laboratories with precision-manufactured components.
• Bellco Glass: Bellco Glass manufactures borosilicate glassware for cell culture, microbiology, and research laboratories. Directly comparable to Normax in culture tubes, specialty vessels, and research-grade laboratory glassware.
• DWK Life Sciences: DWK Life Sciences owns the Duran, Wheaton, Kimble, and Schott-branded laboratory glassware brands and is the closest direct competitor to Normax in volumetric and general-purpose laboratory glassware for pharmaceutical and analytical labs.
• Kimble Chase: Kimble Chase specializes in laboratory and life-science glassware including volumetric flasks, tubes, and culture vessels — a tight product-line overlap with Normax's volumetric and culture-glass ranges.

Broad incumbents

• Schott AG: Schott is the global leader in technical glass, including borosilicate laboratory glassware (Duran), pharmaceutical primary packaging, and optics. Comparable to Normax as a borosilicate-based scientific glassware manufacturer serving pharmaceutical and laboratory customers worldwide.
• Fisher Scientific (Thermo Fisher): Fisher Scientific, part of Thermo Fisher, is one of the largest laboratory equipment, consumables, and glassware distributors worldwide. Overlaps with Normax in distribution of multi-brand laboratory portfolios to research and clinical customers.
• Corning Life Sciences: Corning produces Pyrex-lab-branded borosilicate glassware, cell culture vessels, and microscopy consumables. Overlaps directly with Normax in general laboratory glassware and microscopy slides and competes in the same institutional and research lab customer base.
• Avantor (VWR): Avantor distributes laboratory supplies, chemicals, and equipment globally through the VWR brand, including broad glassware and consumable lines. Comparable to Normax's distribution arm — competing for the institutional laboratory supply contracts that Normax also targets.

Emerging players

• Trescal: Trescal is a global calibration services provider for measurement instruments. Comparable to Normax's Normalab division as a fee-for-service calibration laboratory serving regulated industries requiring ISO/IEC 17025-style accreditation.

Others

• Eppendorf: Eppendorf manufactures liquid handling and consumable laboratory products; Normax is the exclusive Portuguese distributor for Eppendorf. Listed as a peer because Eppendorf competes in liquid-handling adjacent categories where Normax also offers pipettes and tips, while also representing a key supply relationship.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/normaxlda
• Xx.com/normaxlda

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 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 Normax