What 3P Instruments does

3P Instruments GmbH & Co. KG is a German specialty analytical instrumentation business headquartered in Odelzhausen, near Munich, founded in 1990 and operating as a private limited partnership. The company develops, distributes, and services analytical instruments used by R&D and quality control laboratories to characterize particles, powders, and pores across particle sizes from approximately 0.3 nm up to several millimetres. Its own-branded product families (3P micro, 3P meso, 3P graviSorb, 3P sync, 3P surface DX, 3P densi) are sold alongside distributed portfolios from Bettersize (laser diffraction, DLS, image analysis), AMI Instruments (chemisorption, catalyst characterization), and PM Instruments (capillary flow, liquid-liquid, and ultra-nano porometry), with legacy service still provided for Quantachrome, Turbiscan, and CILAS instruments no longer actively distributed.

The technology stack rests on classical physical measurement methods — laser diffraction combined with dynamic image analysis, dynamic and electrophoretic light scattering (including proprietary ELS-PALS), electroacoustic spectroscopy for concentrated dispersions, gas adsorption (BET), mercury intrusion porosimetry, and acoustic attenuation — augmented by proprietary optical configurations such as the DLOIOS dual-lens oblique-incidence system and an automated 14-parameter powder characterization platform (PowderPro A1). The business model combines capital equipment sales (one-time, quote-based, multi-year contracts), recurring service and maintenance contracts for installed instruments, and a contract analysis laboratory service line that performs sample measurements on behalf of customers. End markets include pharmaceutical, food, glass and ceramics, chemistry, metals, filtration, life sciences and biotechnology, and materials science research. The operating footprint is concentrated in DACH (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) with broader European indication.

The company's strategic position is materially affected by insolvency proceedings opened on 30 April 2026, under the administration of Dr. Michael Schuster. Despite this, operations have continued into early 2026, including the January 2026 launch of the BeSEC light scattering detector for SEC/GPC systems and continued publication of the 'Particle World' application magazine (26th edition). Distribution partnerships remain in place, and legacy service obligations to installed Quantachrome, Turbiscan, and CILAS customers are still honoured.

Name

3P Instruments

Legal name

3P Instruments GmbH & Co. KG i.I.

Website

https://3p-instruments.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

3P Instruments is a German specialty developer and distributor of analytical instruments for particle, powder, and pore characterization, serving R&D and quality control laboratories across pharmaceutical, chemical, food, and materials industries, with service support for legacy installed bases.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Particle, powder and pore analytical instrumentation

NAICS

Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing (334516), Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (33451), Testing Laboratories and Services (54138)

SIC

Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826), Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823)

akta.pro primary industry

Mass Spectrometry & Spectroscopy Instruments (HLAGAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Process Analytical Instrumentation (Gas analyzers, spectroscopy, pH/ORP, conductivity) (IMAGAFAE), Analytical Instruments & Chromatography Systems (HLAGAIAA)

Keywords

• Particle size analysis
• Powder characterization
• Surface area measurement
• Porosity analysis
• Zeta potential measurement

Headquarters

HQ city

Odelzhausen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Analytical Instruments Sales: Sale of particle characterization instruments including Bettersizer S3 Plus, BeNano series, PowderPro A1, AMI-300 series, DT-series, porometers, and various other analyzers for particle size, zeta potential, surface area, and porosity analysis.
2. Contract Analysis Services: Laboratory services for particle analysis, dispersion stability testing, mercury porosimetry, and other characterization services performed on customer samples.
3. Service and Maintenance Contracts: Ongoing service for supplied instruments including maintenance, maintenance contracts, spare parts, and accessories. Continuing service for Quantachrome and other legacy instruments.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

3P Instruments designs, distributes and services analytical instruments for the characterization of particles, powders and pores, including laser-diffraction particle sizers, DLS nanoparticle analyzers, gas sorption surface area and porosity analyzers, electroacoustic zeta potential instruments, dynamic image analyzers, powder testers, gas pycnometers, and porometers. The company also performs contract laboratory analyses on customer samples and provides ongoing maintenance and service for its own and legacy installed instruments. Customers are industrial and academic R&D and quality control laboratories in pharmaceutical, food, chemistry, ceramics, metals, filtration, and life sciences segments.

Product overview

3P Instruments is a specialist provider of analytical instruments for particle, powder, and pore characterization. The product portfolio consists of multiple analyzer families for different measurement techniques: particle size analysis (Bettersizer S3 Plus, Bettersizer 2600, Bettersizer ST, BeVision D2/M1, DeepSizer 300), nanoparticle characterization (BeNano Series with DLS and ELS-PALS), surface area and porosity analysis (3P micro/messo series, AMI-300/400 for chemisorption, mixSorb for breakthrough curves), density measurement (BeDensi, BetterPyc, 3P densi), zeta potential and electroacoustics (DT series, BeNano), dispersion stability (BeScan Lab), powder characterization (PowderPro A1), and porometry (INNOVA Series). The company also provides service support for legacy instruments and contract laboratory analyses. The offering operates as a distributed portfolio of specialized measurement systems rather than a unified software platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bettersizer S3 Plus particle size and shape analyzer Particle size and shape analyzer combining static laser diffraction with dynamic image analysis via CCD camera for particles 0.01-3,500 µm, used in industrial and academic QC laboratories for particle characterization.
• BeNano Series nanoparticle size and zeta potential analyzer Nanoparticle size and zeta potential analyzer using dynamic light scattering (DLS) and electrophoretic light scattering (ELS-PALS) for particles 0.3 nm to 15 µm, used in life sciences, pharmaceutical and nanoparticle research laboratories.
• PowderPro A1 automated powder characterization system Automated powder characterization system determining 14 macroscopic powder properties including angle of repose, bulk and tapped density, dispersibility, cohesion, compressibility, flowability index and floodability index per ASTM D6393, for industrial powder QC and R&D use.
• BeSEC light scattering detector for SEC/GPC Light scattering detector for integration into Size-Exclusion Chromatography / Gel Permeation Chromatography (SEC/GPC) systems, used for polymer and macromolecule characterization, aimed at chromatography laboratories and polymer chemists.
• 3P micro 300 gas adsorption physisorption analyzer Gas adsorption physisorption analyzer for BET surface area and micropore analysis of powders and porous solids, used by materials science and catalyst research laboratories.
• 3P meso 400 physisorption analyzer Physisorption analyzer for BET surface area and mesopore analysis, used by materials science, catalyst and porous-material QC laboratories.
• 3P graviSorb gravimetric vapor sorption analyzer Gravimetric vapor sorption analyzer for water vapor and organic vapor adsorption studies, used in pharmaceutical, materials science and building materials laboratories.
• 3P sync volumetric gas sorption analyzer Volumetric gas sorption analyzer providing combined measurement capabilities for porous solids and powders, used by materials and catalyst laboratories.
• 3P surface DX surface area analyzer Surface area analyzer for gas adsorption measurements used in QC and R&D laboratories.
• AMI-300 chemisorption analyzer Chemisorption analyzer for temperature-programmed reactions including TPD, TPR, TPO and TPX measurements, used for catalyst characterization in petrochemical, automotive and chemicals R&D.
• AMI-400 / BenchCAT catalyst characterization system Catalyst characterization system for advanced chemisorption and catalyst testing applications, used by petrochemical, automotive and academic catalyst research groups.
• DT-1202 electroacoustic particle size and zeta potential analyzer Particle size and zeta potential analyzer for concentrated dispersions using electroacoustic spectroscopy, measuring particles 5 nm to 1000 µm at concentrations up to 50 vol.%, used in ceramics, battery, cement and chemical formulation QC.
• DT-300 / DT-310 / DT-330 electroacoustic zeta potential analyzers Electroacoustic zeta potential analyzers for concentrated dispersions including an automatic titration unit (DT-310), used for dispersion stability and formulation optimization.
• DT-100 / DT-110 zeta potential analyzers Zeta potential measurement instruments using the electroacoustic method for concentrated suspensions, used in chemical and materials formulation QC.
• DT-700 acoustic particle size analyzer Particle size analyzer for high-concentration dispersions using acoustic attenuation spectroscopy, used in ceramics, battery materials and chemical formulation QC.
• DeepSizer 300 acoustic particle size analyzer Acoustic particle size analyzer for concentrated dispersions, used for process and quality control of dense suspensions and emulsions.
• mixSorb L breakthrough curve analyzer Breakthrough curve analyzer for mixed gas adsorption, gas/steam mixture characterization, and dynamic sorption measurements, used in adsorption research, carbon capture and gas separation R&D.
• mixSorb S static volumetric gas sorption analyzer Static volumetric gas sorption analyzer for gas mixture characterization, used in gas adsorption and separation research.
• BeScan Lab dispersion stability analyzer Stability analyzer for dispersions using multiple light scattering (SMLS), testing samples with volume fractions up to 95% and particle sizes 10 nm to 1 mm, used by formulation, cosmetics, food and pharmaceutical laboratories.
• Bettersizer 2600 laser diffraction particle sizer Laser diffraction particle size analyzer using a dual-lens optical system measuring 0.02 to 2,600 µm, used in industrial QC and R&D laboratories.
• Bettersizer ST laser diffraction particle sizer Laser diffraction particle size analyzer for particles 0.1 to 1,000 µm, used for routine particle sizing in industrial QC.
• BeVision D2 dynamic image analyzer Dynamic image analyzer using a digital camera for particle shape and size analysis, used by industrial and academic morphology QC.
• BeVision M1 dynamic image analyzer Dynamic image analyzer for microscopic particle characterization, used for shape and size analysis of fine particles.
• BeDensi bulk and tap density analyzers Bulk density and tap density analyzers (BeDensi B1, B1-S, HFlow-1) for powder handling characterization, used in powder metallurgy, additive manufacturing, food and pharmaceutical QC.
• BeDensi T Pro true density analyzers True density analyzers using gas pycnometry, used for solid and powder material density determination in QC and R&D.
• 3P densi 100 gas pycnometer Gas pycnometer for precise density measurement of solids and powders, used in materials and pharmaceutical QC.
• BetterPyc 380 gas pycnometer Gas pycnometer for true density measurement of solid and powder materials, used in industrial and academic QC.
• INNOVA Series Capillary Flow Porometer (iCFP) Capillary flow porometer for characterizing through-pores in filter media, membranes, ceramics and paper using gas displacement, used in filtration, battery separator and membrane manufacturing QC.
• INNOVA Series Liquid-Liquid Flow Porometer Liquid-liquid porometer for ultrafiltration membranes and materials with very small pores under 20 nm, used in filtration and medical device manufacturing QC.
• INNOVA Series Ultra NANO Porometer (UNP) Ultra-nano porometer using liquid-liquid displacement to characterize pores down to 3 nanometers, used in advanced filtration and membrane development.
• cryoTune cryogenic temperature control system Cryogenic temperature control system for low-temperature adsorption measurements, used as an accessory on gas sorption instruments for sub-ambient characterization.
• Contract Analyses laboratory service Contract laboratory service performing particle size, surface area, porosity, zeta potential and dispersion stability measurements on customer-submitted samples, for customers preferring to outsource characterization rather than run it in-house.
• Service and maintenance for Turbiscan dispersion stability analyzers Maintenance, service contracts, spare parts and accessories for the installed base of TURBISCAN dispersion stability analyzers previously distributed by 3P Instruments, supporting existing Turbiscan customers.
• Service and maintenance for Quantachrome Quadrasorb analyzers Service, maintenance contracts, spare parts and accessories for the installed base of Quantachrome Quadrasorb (and related Quantachrome) gas sorption analyzers, protecting existing customers after distribution ended.

Quantifiable outcome

• Particle size measurement range: 0.3 nm to 3.5 mm depending on instrument
• +2 more outcomes

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Bettersize InstrumentscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor3P Instruments distributes Bettersize brand instruments including Bettersizer S3 Plus, Bettersizer 2600, Bettersizer ST, BeNano series, BeDensi series, and BeVision instruments for particle size analysis and zeta potential measurement.
• AMI InstrumentscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistribution of AMI Instruments including AMI-300 series for chemisorption analysis and AMI-400/BenchCAT for catalyst characterization.
• PM Instruments (Porometer)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistribution of PM Instruments porometer products including capillary flow porometer (iCFP), liquid-liquid flow porometer, and ultra nano porometer (UNP) for pore characterization.
• Quantachrome Instruments (USA)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPreviously distributed Quantachrome instruments (Autosorb, Nova, Quadrasorb, Poremaster, Porometer 3G series, Ultrapyc). After sale of Quantachrome to another company, 3P Instruments discontinued distribution but continues to service existing Quantachrome customers with maintenance and spare parts.
• Formulaction (Turbiscan)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPreviously distributed Turbiscan instruments for dispersion stability analysis. Service support continues for existing Turbiscan customers with maintenance contracts and spare parts.
• CILASminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPreviously distributed CILAS 990/1090/1190 particle size analyzers. Currently providing service support for existing CILAS customers.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Malvern Panalytical: Global leader in particle characterization (laser diffraction, DLS, zeta potential, imaging) and X-ray analytical instruments. Most direct competitor in 3P's core particle-size and zeta-potential markets, with much greater scale.
• Anton Paar: Austrian manufacturer of particle-sizing (Litesizer), density (pycnometry), and rheometry instrumentation. Overlaps directly with 3P's BeNano/DLS, density, and powder-rheology product lines.
• Micromeritics Instrument Corporation: US specialist in gas adsorption (BET), mercury intrusion porosimetry, and chemisorption (Autochem/AMI). Most direct competitor in 3P's surface-area, porosimetry, and catalyst-characterization segments.
• HORIBA Scientific: Division of HORIBA offering laser-diffraction particle sizing (LA-960), DLS, and other spectroscopic particle analyzers. Competes head-to-head in laser-diffraction and nanoparticle characterization.
• Brookhaven Instruments: Specialist in DLS, zeta potential, and static light scattering for nanoparticle characterization. Direct competitor in the BeNano/DLS segment and in molecular-weight/SLS measurement.
• TSI Incorporated: Manufacturer of particle sizers and aerosol instrumentation (e.g., Aerotrak). Overlaps with 3P's particle sizing and concentration measurement offerings.
• Fritsch GmbH: German manufacturer of particle-sizing instruments (laser diffraction, dynamic image analysis) and sample preparation. Geographic and product-overlap competitor for the DACH market.

Broad incumbents

• Beckman Coulter Life Sciences: Supplies particle-counting and characterization platforms (Multisizer, Coulter principle) for life-sciences applications. Adjacent competitor to 3P's life-sciences and zeta-potential product lines via Danaher.
• Shimadzu Corporation: Diversified analytical-instrument manufacturer with particle-sizing and spectroscopy offerings. Broad incumbent overlapping parts of 3P's catalog at the application level.
• Agilent Technologies: Major analytical-instruments and chromatography vendor with light-scattering/particle-detection modules (e.g., for SEC/GPC). Sets competitive context for 3P's newly launched BeSEC detector and broader laser-based product portfolio.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/3P_INSTRUMENTS
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/3p-instruments

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 3P Instruments