Erlab
Erlab is a France-based, family-held manufacturer founded in 1968 that designs ductless laboratory fume hoods and indoor air purification systems using proprietary ABOVE molecular filtration and SMART sensor monitoring, serving biotech, pharmaceutical, academic, K-12, industrial R&D, and public-sector laboratories globally.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1968
- HeadquartersSaint-maur-des-fossés, France
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Erlab does
Erlab is a France-based, privately held manufacturer founded in 1968 that designs and produces ductless laboratory fume hoods, chemical storage cabinets, PCR workstations, and indoor air purification systems. The company's core technology is the ABOVE molecular filtration platform, which combines proprietary activated carbon formulations with a chemical validation database covering more than 700 substances, and is delivered inside SMART-equipped enclosures that use MoleCode sensors for real-time monitoring of filter saturation, face velocity, and usage. Its product lines — including Captair ductless fume hoods, GreenFumeHood 3 ductless technology, and the HALO Air Purification Stations launched in 2023 — are positioned for laboratory and indoor air quality applications, with the firm emphasizing compliance with AFNOR NF X 15-211, ANSI Z9.5, ASHRAE 110, EN 1822-1, and NFPA 45 standards.
Erlab operates three regional headquarters in Val de Reuil, France; Rowley, Massachusetts; and Kunshan, China, and sells through direct enterprise field sales augmented by inside sales and architect and laboratory designer specification channels. The business model combines one-time capital equipment revenue with recurring filter replacement sales driven by chemistry-specific filter SKUs, supplemented by the eValiQuest, eValiPass, and eValiGuard validation, installation, and guard service workflow. The firm serves a diversified end-market mix that includes biotech and pharmaceutical laboratories, industrial R&D and quality control facilities, clinical laboratories, academic and K-12 STEM programs, and public-sector buyers.
Customer adoption signals include Harvard, Tefal, Ajinomoto, NYSDOT, Astellas, Merck Animal Health, 24M Technologies, and Alpha Analytical, spanning consumer products, food, advanced energy, environmental services, and pharmaceutical end markets. Erlab has no disclosed external funding rounds and is structured as a family-held operating company, consistent with steady, self-financed expansion. In 2026 the company announced nationwide US field service technician coverage to support its installed base and recurring service revenue stream.
Erlab firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Erlab
- Legal name
- Erlab, Inc.
- Website
- https://usa.erlab.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1968
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Erlab is a France-based, family-held manufacturer founded in 1968 that designs ductless laboratory fume hoods and indoor air purification systems using proprietary ABOVE molecular filtration and SMART sensor monitoring, serving biotech, pharmaceutical, academic, K-12, industrial R&D, and public-sector laboratories globally.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Erlab industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Laboratory Air Filtration Equipment
- NAICS
- Industrial and Commercial Fan and Blower and Air Purification Equipment Manufacturing (333413), Ventilation, Heating, Air-Conditioning, and Commercial Refrigeration Equipment Manufacturing (3334), Automatic Environmental Control Manufacturing for Residential, Commercial, and Appliance Use (334512)
- SIC
- Laboratory Apparatus & Furniture (3821), Industrial & Commercial Fans & Blowers & Air Purifing Equip (3564)
- akta.pro primary industry
- HVAC Air Filtration & Air Purifier Installation (HSAOAIAC)
Keywords
Where Erlab is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Saint-maur-des-fossés
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
Erlab business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Ductless Fume Hoods and Filtration Equipment: One-time hardware sales of ductless fume hoods, chemical storage cabinets, PCR workstations, balance enclosures, air purification stations, and filtration boxes. Includes Captair product line (321, 391, 392, 481, 483, 633, 714 models), HALO systems, and GreenFumeHood 3 integrated technology.
- Replacement Filters: Recurring filter replacement revenue. Chemical-specific filter formulations (Type AS, BE+, F, K) for storage cabinets; fume hood filters; HEPA/ULPA filters for PCR and air purification. Filters typically replaced every 6-18 months depending on usage and chemical exposure.
- Service Plans: Ongoing service contracts covering filter replacements, preventative maintenance, repairs, and filter disposal. Includes Installation, Filter Replacement/Preventative Maintenance, On Call Service, and Full Service Extended Warranty (1-3 year options).
- eValiQuest Chemical Validation: Pre-purchase chemical analysis service that validates filtration compatibility for specific customer chemistry. Included in purchase but generates service touchpoint for customer education and solution matching.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Ductless Fume Hoods - One-time purchase with included services |
| Subscription | Annual | Service Plans - Preventative maintenance and extended warranty |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | HALO Air Purification for Schools - 3-week trial with 15% discount |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Operating Cost Comparison |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Erlab product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Erlab manufactures and sells ductless fume hoods, filtering chemical storage cabinets, PCR workstations, balance enclosures, and connected air purification systems for laboratories, schools, and industrial facilities. Its proprietary ABOVE molecular filtration technology captures chemicals, particles, and VOCs without ductwork, while the AirGradient and eGuard platforms provide real-time air quality monitoring. Recurring revenue comes from replacement filters and ongoing service plans (eValiQuest chemical validation, eValiPass installation, eValiGuard lifetime support).
Product overview
Erlab offers a comprehensive ecosystem of air filtration products and services for laboratories, schools, and industrial facilities. The core portfolio centers on ductless fume hoods (Captair line including models 321 through 714), balance enclosures, filtering chemical storage cabinets, PCR workstations, and the HALO air purification system for ambient air quality control. Supporting services include eValiQuest (chemical validation), eValiPass (professional installation), eValiGuard (lifetime support), and the AirGradient monitoring system for continuous IAQ tracking. The GreenFumeHood 3 provides integration technology for architectural projects. Products use ERLAB ABOVE filtration with H14 HEPA and proprietary activated carbon technologies, validated for 700+ chemicals since 1968.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Captair: Product line for ductless filtering fume hoods, weighing stations, and storage cabinets
- GreenFumeHood 3
- CaptairBio
- CaptairFlow
- HALO
- ChemTrap
- Pyramid
- AirGradient
- eValiQuest
- eValiPass
- eValiGuard
Products and services
- Captair Ductless Filtering Fume Hoods Ductless chemical containment fume hoods that capture toxic gases, particles, and CMR substances using ABOVE filtration technology; available in multiple sizes with 700+ validated chemicals for laboratories that cannot install ductwork.
- Captair Weighing Stations (Balance Enclosures) Ventilated balance enclosures that protect operators from airborne powders while providing stable, draft-free airflow for precise analytical weighing down to 10^-6 g, with FLEX filtration combining HEPA with carbon cartridges.
- Captair Filtering Chemical Storage Cabinets Storage cabinets that prevent acid, solvent, formaldehyde, and ammonia vapors from leaking into laboratories using chemical-specific filter types (AS, BE+, F, K) with real-time MoleCode saturation monitoring.
- ChemTrap Filtration Packs Retrofit filtration units compatible with most flammable and acid safety cabinets, providing 24/7 inhalation protection by filtering vapors, solvents, powders, and particles through configurable filtration systems.
- CaptairBio PCR Workstations HEPA/ULPA filtered PCR hoods with UV decontamination that protect molecular biology samples from contamination, featuring vertical laminar flow and models 320/321/391 with 99.99995% particle filtration efficiency.
- CaptairFlow Clean Air Enclosures High-efficiency filtration clean air enclosures designed to protect sensitive biological applications against environmental pollution and cross-contamination using particulate matter filtration.
- HALO Air Purification Stations Ceiling-mounted smart air purification system with H14 HEPA filtration and proprietary Carbon AX for VOC adsorption, providing one complete air change per hour per 1,000 sq ft with BMS/BAS integration and real-time monitoring.
- GreenFumeHood 3 Integrated air filtration technology available through Erlab's network of integration partners for designers and architects on large-scale projects, reducing infrastructure cost, design time, and operational cost while increasing safety.
- Pyramid Transportable Glove Enclosure Multi-function portable enclosure for field research operations including opening packages, taking samples, and fingerprint work, providing dust and humidity protection anywhere.
- AirGradient Monitoring System Indoor air quality monitor measuring CO2 (NDIR sensor), PM2.5 (laser scattering), TVOCs/NOx (Sensirion SGP41), and temperature/humidity (Sensirion SHT3x/4x), with auto-calibration every 7 days, real-time data dashboard, and wellness scores.
- Erlab Service Plans Comprehensive maintenance programs covering filter replacements, preventative maintenance, repairs, and filter disposal, including Installation, Filter Replacement/PM, On Call Service, and Full Service Extended Warranty (1-3 year) options.
- eValiQuest Chemical Validation Service Chemical analysis service that evaluates customer chemistry against a 700+ validated chemicals database to determine filter compatibility, capacity calculations, and honest recommendations before purchase.
- eValiPass Installation and Validation Service Professional installation and validation service where certified technicians install, test, and validate Erlab equipment, including ASHRAE 110 containment testing with full documentation report.
- eValiGuard Lifetime Protection Program Lifetime protection program providing annual safety inspections, filter optimization as chemistry changes, software updates, monitoring upgrades, and complete reconfiguration at no additional cost.
- eGuard Connected Monitoring Platform Free real-time safety monitoring platform providing continuous verification, mobile app access for filter efficiency tracking, face velocity monitoring, and six months of data logging for audits.
Quantifiable outcome
- 94% energy reduction and up to $6,700 annual savings per hood compared to ducted fume hoods ($4,600-$9,300/year vs. $700-$2,600/year)
- +6 more outcomes
Companies that use Erlab
Customer profileNamed customers13 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Erlab technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
AI capability5 records
Feature8 records
Erlab partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Integration Partners (GreenFumeHood 3)minorNetwork of integration partners offering GreenFumeHood 3 integrated air filtration technology. Partners include architects, lab designers, and facility planners who incorporate the technology into large-scale projects. Saves customers infrastructure cost, design time, and operational cost while increasing safety.
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Erlab competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
- IQAir: Premium air purification company selling HEPA/carbon filtration systems to schools, commercial buildings, and healthcare; adjacent rather than directly competitive — relevant comparator for Erlab's HALO indoor air quality push.
Broad incumbents
- Thermo Fisher Scientific: Global life-sciences and lab equipment giant offering fume hoods, biological safety cabinets, and clean air products as part of a much broader portfolio; competes for the same institutional procurement budgets as Erlab.
- Kewaunee Scientific: Designer and manufacturer of laboratory furniture and ventilation systems, including fume hoods; serves overlapping educational, government, and pharmaceutical customers with broader architectural offerings.
- Hamilton Scientific: Broader laboratory ventilation and fume hood portfolio including ducted and ductless options; serves overlapping end-customers in pharma, biotech, and academic labs at greater scale than Erlab.
Direct peers
- Cruma: Spanish manufacturer of ductless fume hoods, filtering storage cabinets, and PCR workstations; competes with Erlab DFS SAS across European laboratory and education segments.
- AirClean Systems: US-based manufacturer of ductless fume hoods, PCR workstations, and filtered enclosures; competes head-to-head with Erlab's Captair line in North American laboratory and life-science markets.
- Bigneat: UK-based specialist in ductless fume hoods, filtered enclosures, and clean air equipment for laboratories; directly comparable ductless filtration portfolio targeting UK and European research customers.
- Mystaire: Manufacturer of ductless fume hoods, laminar flow workstations, and carbon-filtered enclosures serving pharmaceutical, research, and industrial labs; comparable product mix to Erlab with a US manufacturing footprint.
- Envair (formerly Envair Labtech): UK manufacturer of containment and clean air solutions including ductless fume hoods and isolators; competes with Erlab in European pharma and life-science containment applications.
- Labconco: Established US laboratory equipment manufacturer offering ductless fume hoods, balance enclosures, and biological safety cabinets — directly overlapping with Erlab's Captair, weighing station, and PCR product families.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Erlab social profiles
Digital presenceErlab compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance8 records
Erlab financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Erlab leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Erlab subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
Erlab funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Erlab M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Erlab
What does Erlab do?
Erlab manufactures and sells ductless fume hoods, filtering chemical storage cabinets, PCR workstations, balance enclosures, and connected air purification systems for laboratories, schools, and industrial facilities. Its proprietary ABOVE molecular filtration technology captures chemicals, particles, and VOCs without ductwork, while the AirGradient and eGuard platforms provide real-time air quality monitoring. Recurring revenue comes from replacement filters and ongoing service plans (eValiQuest chemical validation, eValiPass installation, eValiGuard lifetime support).
Is Erlab a public or private company?
Erlab is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Erlab founded?
Erlab was founded in 1968. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Erlab based?
Erlab is headquartered in Saint-maur-des-fossés, France, in the Europe region.
How does Erlab make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Ductless Fume Hoods and Filtration Equipment is the primary driver. The others are replacement Filters, service Plans and eValiQuest Chemical Validation.
Who are Erlab's main competitors?
IQAir is listed as an others. Broad incumbents are Thermo Fisher Scientific, Kewaunee Scientific and Hamilton Scientific. Direct peers are Cruma, AirClean Systems, Bigneat, Mystaire, Envair (formerly Envair Labtech) and Labconco.
Does Erlab have an API?
No public API is recorded for Erlab.
What industry is Erlab in?
Erlab's product category is Laboratory Air Filtration Equipment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HSAOAIAC, HVAC Air Filtration & Air Purifier Installation. Its NAICS code is 333413 and its SIC code is 3821.