Sterilization Services

What Sterilization Services does

Sterilization Services is a privately held contract sterilization company founded in 1976 and headquartered in Richmond, Virginia. It provides ethylene oxide (EtO) gas sterilization services to medical device manufacturers whose products cannot tolerate heat, moisture, radiation, or abrasive chemical sterilization. The company operates through two wholly-owned subsidiaries: Sterilization Services of Georgia, Inc. (SSG), a 65,000 sq ft facility in Atlanta opened in 1979, and Sterilization Services of Virginia, Inc. (SSV), a 76,000 sq ft facility in Richmond opened in 1990. Both sites are ISO 13485:2016 and ISO 11135:2014 certified and are 100% dedicated to EtO processing, a technology chosen because EtO is compatible with polymers, electronics, biologics, and other heat-sensitive materials and is used to sterilize more than 50% of medical devices globally.

The core technology stack centers on computer-controlled vacuum chambers that execute tightly validated cycles, with separately controlled preconditioning, gas exposure, nitrogen wash, and elevated-temperature aeration stages. Service differentiators include parametric release (enabling shipment based on process parameters rather than biological indicator results), low-temperature cold cycles below 90°F for highly temperature-sensitive materials, high-temperature cycles for compatible products, on-site biological indicator testing to compress turnaround, and collaborative protocol/cycle development for unique customer specifications. Distribution resources and inbound/outbound logistics are offered to reduce delivery time for shippers.

The business model is B2B contract sterilization priced by quote based on volume, cycle complexity, and validation requirements. Customers are concentrated in medical device OEMs (stents, implants, catheters, IV tubing, syringes, surgical gowns, drapes, wound dressings, procedure trays) with secondary exposure to agricultural processors (spices, nuts) and electronics manufacturers. The company has 51–100 employees, no disclosed external funding, no public listing, and operates exclusively within the United States, primarily the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions.

Name

Sterilization Services

Legal name

Sterilization Services

Website

https://sterilization-services.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Sterilization Services is a privately held U.S. contract sterilization company founded in 1976 that provides ethylene oxide gas sterilization for medical device manufacturers and other heat-sensitive product makers through two EtO-dedicated facilities in Atlanta and Richmond.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Contract Sterilization Services

SIC

Sanitary Services (4950)

akta.pro primary industry

Sterilization Services & Contract Reprocessing (ETO/Gamma/E-beam providers) (HLAHANAB)

Keywords

• Contract sterilization services
• Ethylene oxide sterilization
• Medical device sterilization
• EtO gas sterilization
• Parametric release validation

Headquarters

HQ city

Richmond

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Core offering

Sterilization Services is a contract sterilization company that processes customer-owned products using Ethylene Oxide (EtO) gas sterilization at two dedicated 100% EtO facilities located in Atlanta, GA and Richmond, VA. Services are tailored for medical devices and other products that cannot tolerate heat, moisture, radiation, or abrasive chemicals, and include parametric release, high temperature cycles, cold cycles, on-site biological indicator testing, and customized protocol/cycle development.

Product overview

Sterilization Services is a contract sterilization company founded in 1976, operating two 100% EtO (ethylene oxide) facilities: Sterilization Services of Virginia (SSV) in Richmond, VA (76,000 sq ft, opened 1990) and Sterilization Services of Georgia (SSG) in Atlanta, GA (65,000 sq ft, opened 1979). The company's core service is Ethylene Oxide gas sterilization, supplemented by parametric release capabilities, high temperature cycles, and cold cycles (especially at SSG with temperatures below 90°F). Additional services include on-site biological indicator testing, customized protocol and cycle development, and distribution resources. Both facilities are ISO 13485:2016 and ISO 11135:2014 certified.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ethylene Oxide (EtO) Gas Sterilization Contract sterilization of customer-owned products using Ethylene Oxide gas in sealed, computer-controlled vacuum chambers with carefully controlled temperature, humidity, and gas concentration, followed by degassing wash cycles and elevated-temperature aeration. Intended for medical device manufacturers and other producers whose products cannot tolerate heat, moisture, radiation, or abrasive chemicals.
• Parametric Release Validated release service that allows sterilized products to be released based on critical process parameter data rather than waiting for biological indicator results, reducing turnaround time for medical device and other customers.
• High Temperature EtO Cycles Ethylene oxide sterilization cycles run at elevated processing temperatures for products that can tolerate heat while maintaining effectiveness against microorganisms. Available at both Sterilization Services of Georgia (SSG) and Sterilization Services of Virginia (SSV) facilities.
• Cold Cycle EtO Sterilization Custom-developed low-temperature Ethylene Oxide sterilization cycles (processing temperatures below 90°F) for temperature-sensitive materials that cannot tolerate standard EtO or other heat-based sterilization methods. Provided at the SSG facility.
• On-Site Biological Indicator Testing In-house testing service for customers' self-contained biological indicators (BIs), enabling faster validation of sterilization cycles and shorter turnaround times than waiting for external BI results.
• Protocol and Cycle Development Customized sterilization protocol and cycle development service working directly with customers to design and validate sterilization programs that meet unique product specifications and keep customers on the leading edge of EtO technology.

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 50% of medical devices manufactured worldwide are sterilized using EtO gas sterilization process

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights1 record

Direct peers

• Sterigenics (Sotera Health): The largest contract EtO sterilization operator in North America, owned by Sotera Health. Directly competes with Sterilization Services for medical device OEM sterilization contracts, with a similar core service offering and overlapping ISO-certified facility model.
• WuXi AppTec: Provides contract sterilization and laboratory services to medical device and pharmaceutical customers globally. Overlaps with Sterilization Services in outsourced medical device sterilization, particularly for OEMs seeking integrated testing and sterilization partners.
• Pacific BioLabs: Contract testing and sterilization services laboratory serving medical device and biotech customers in the Western U.S. Comparable to Sterilization Services as a regional outsourced sterilization and validation provider with similar customer mix.

Broad incumbents

• STERIS: Global leader in sterilization and infection prevention offering contract sterilization services, sterilization equipment, and consumables. Competes with Sterilization Services across contract EtO services while also serving customers with in-house sterilization capital equipment.
• Charles River Laboratories: Provides contract research, validation, and laboratory services to medical device and pharmaceutical manufacturers, including sterilization-related testing and consulting. Comparable to Sterilization Services in serving regulated medical device customers with outsourced quality services.
• Cantel Medical (now part of STERIS): Pre-acquisition Cantel provided infection prevention and sterilization consumables/services to medical device and dental customers. Comparable to Sterilization Services' infection-prevention-oriented service portfolio in the healthcare sterilization value chain.

Emerging players

• Nelson Labs (Sotera Health): Specializes in sterilization validation and laboratory testing services closely adjacent to contract sterilization. Often works with OEMs on cycle development and validation in parallel with sterilization services, comparable to Sterilization Services' protocol development and BI testing offerings.
• Noxilizer: Offers nitrogen dioxide (NO2) sterilization as an alternative low-temperature modality to EtO, targeting similar temperature-sensitive medical device OEMs. Represents a competitive threat and modality alternative to Sterilization Services' EtO-only platform.
• Bioquell (Ecolab): Provides hydrogen peroxide vapor bio-decontamination services for healthcare, pharmaceutical, and medical device applications. Competes with Sterilization Services for temperature-sensitive sterilization contracts where OEMs are seeking non-EtO modalities.
• E-BEAM Services: Contract electron beam (e-beam) sterilization and materials modification services for medical devices, food, and consumer goods. Competes with Sterilization Services for OEM sterilization contracts where e-beam is a viable alternative to EtO for compatible products.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sterilization-services

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries2 records

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 Sterilization Services