What Chemtrol does

Santa Barbara Control Systems (SBCS), operating commercially under the Chemtrol brand, is a privately held manufacturer of microprocessor-based water treatment automation controllers founded in 1976 and headquartered at 5375 Overpass Road, Santa Barbara, California. The company designs, builds, and sells a tiered portfolio of integrated control systems, sensors, and accessories for commercial and industrial customers in five primary verticals: commercial and public swimming pools and spas, HVAC and industrial cooling towers, boilers, municipal water and wastewater, industrial process water (including plating baths, neutralization pits, and chemical process control), and agricultural irrigation and post-harvest sanitation. Chemtrol claims over 100,000 installations globally and over 40 years of applied research and product development.

The product architecture centers on a single integrated command-center concept (introduced in 1996) that consolidates chemical automation, water balance (with automatic Langelier Saturation Index calculation), heater and pump/filter control, and remote monitoring into one programmable unit. The catalog spans digital controllers (CH230–CH265), programmable controllers (PC110 through PC7100), Integrated Controllers (PC6000/PC7000), Cooling Tower Controllers (CT110/CT3000/CT6000), and Boiler Controllers (BT110/BT112), supported by a full sensor line including pH/ORP sensors, conductivity/TDS sensors, solid-state free chlorine PPM sensors (with selective-membrane technology unaffected by cyanuric acid), ProcessProbes rated to 105°C/150 psig, COSASCO LPR/ECN corrosion monitoring probes, pressure transducers, flow switches, and resold Pulsafeeder MEC-O-MATIC chemical feed pumps. Connectivity options include wired, WiFi, 4G/5G with shared-wireless capability, true-duplex web-server remote access via dedicated iOS and Android apps, and open-protocol BMS integrations (Modbus IP/RTU, BACnet IP/MSTP, LonWorks) plus 4-20mA analog outputs.

Chemtrol operates a direct sales-led go-to-market through a small (11–50 employee) organization that includes a President, VP of Sales, VP of Business Development, and specialized Sales Engineers — most notably a dedicated industrial water engineer — supported by bid specifications, selection charts, brochures, and reference manuals on sbcontrol.com. Pricing is quote-based and modular, with customers able to add or remove functionality (PPM sensors, BMS communications, level control) to right-size system cost. Revenue is generated primarily through hardware sales (controllers, sensors, pumps, accessories) with ancillary professional services revenue from a 5-year electronics warranty program and non-warranty repair. The company is privately held with no disclosed institutional investment, M&A activity, or external funding.

Name

Chemtrol

Legal name

Santa Barbara Control Systems

Website

https://sbcontrol.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Chemtrol (Santa Barbara Control Systems) is a privately held Santa Barbara manufacturer founded in 1976 that designs microprocessor-based controllers, sensors, and integrated command-center systems for automated chemical treatment of commercial pools, cooling towers, boilers, and industrial water systems.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Water Treatment Automation Equipment

NAICS

Instruments and Related Products Manufacturing for Measuring, Displaying, and Controlling Industrial Process Variables (334513)

SIC

Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823)

akta.pro primary industry

Closed-Loop Heating/Chilled Water Treatment (Corrosion/Scale/Biocide) (BPABAJAE)

Keywords

• Water treatment automation
• Chemical automation controllers
• Cooling tower controllers
• Pool water chemistry
• Industrial water monitoring

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Barbara

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Hardware Sales - Controllers: Sale of programmable and digital controllers for water treatment automation including PC series (PC110 through PC7100), CT series for cooling towers, BT series for boilers, and CH series digital controllers.
2. Hardware Sales - Sensors and Probes: Sale of specialized sensors including pH/ORP sensors, conductivity/TDS sensors, chlorine PPM sensors, corrosion sensors, process probes, and pressure transducers.
3. Chemical Feed Pumps and Accessories: Sale of Pulsafeeder MEC-O-MATIC peristaltic pumps and accessories including Flow Cell Assemblies, Sensor Cell Cabinets, safety flow switches, and probe fittings.
4. Professional Services - Repair and Support: Warranty repairs for controllers (5-year electronics warranty), sensor warranty coverage, and non-warranty repair services. Technical support and customer assistance.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Chemtrol (Santa Barbara Control Systems) designs, manufactures, and sells microprocessor-based controllers, sensors, and chemical feed equipment for automated water treatment in commercial swimming pools, cooling towers, boilers, and industrial water systems. The product line spans digital controllers (CH series), programmable controllers (PC series), integrated command-center controllers (PC6000/PC7000), cooling tower and boiler controllers (CT/BT series), a full range of pH/ORP, conductivity/TDS, chlorine PPM, and corrosion sensors, and accessories such as chemical feed pumps, flow switches, and level transmitters.

Product overview

Chemtrol (Santa Barbara Control Systems) offers a comprehensive portfolio of water treatment automation products organized into three tiers: Digital Controllers (CH series) for basic monitoring, Programmable Controllers (PC series) for advanced automation with data logging and remote access, and Integrated Controllers (PC6000/PC7000) combining all functions in a single command center. The portfolio also includes Cooling Tower and Boiler Controllers (CT and BT series), a full range of sensors including pH/ORP, Conductivity/TDS, Chlorine ppm, ProcessProbe, and COSASCO corrosion monitoring, plus accessories like Flow Cell Assemblies, Chemical Feed Pumps, Flow Switches, and Liquid Level Transmitters. The controllers support multiple connectivity options including web-server remote monitoring, BMS protocols (Modbus, BACnet, LonWorks), and 4-20mA outputs. The company has been industry leaders since 1976 with over 100,000 installations globally.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ChemComm IV: Legacy ethernet-based communication software for connecting PC2100 and above controllers over a local network

Products and services

• CH230 ORP Digital Controller Basic digital controller for ORP monitoring and control of sanitizer/oxidizer activity in commercial swimming pools and spas.
• CH240 pH Digital Controller Digital controller for pH monitoring and automatic acid/base control in commercial swimming pools and spas.
• CH250 ORP/pH Digital Controller Digital controller combining ORP and pH monitoring with programmable feed modes and alarms for swimming pools and spas.
• CH255 PPM/pH Digital Controller Digital controller with solid-state PPM sensor for free chlorine measurement and pH control in swimming pools and spas.
• CH265 pH / Free Chlorine Digital Controller Digital controller for municipal, well water, wastewater and industrial applications with solid-state free chlorine sensor and pH control, with direct PPM readings unaffected by cyanuric acid.
• PC110 Programmable Controller Entry-level programmable controller for water chemistry automation with pH and TDS control, optional ORP and free chlorine sensor, Langelier Saturation Index display, and BMS communication.
• PC2100 Programmable Controller Programmable controller with automatic water chemistry maintenance, ORP and pH control, Langelier Saturation Index, USB/Micro SD ports, data logging, web-server communication, and Modbus BMS protocol.
• PC3000 Programmable Controller Fully programmable controller for water chemistry, pH, ORP, conductivity/TDS, water balance, saturation, and heater control with optional free chlorine PPM sensor and remote duplex operation.
• PC5000 Programmable Controller Programmable controller with complete chemical automation including ORP, PPM, pH, conductivity/TDS, Langelier Index, temperature/heater control, and solid-state PPM sensor with selective membrane for free chlorine.
• PC4000 Filter Controller Filter control system with automatic pump and filter control, backwash programs, remote access, and interface with CHEMTROL PC Chemistry Controllers for integrated water management.
• PC6000 Integrated Controller Integrated controller combining all monitoring, control and communication functions into a single command center for complete water treatment automation including chemical automation, water balance, heater control, pump/filter control, and remote monitoring.
• PC7000 Integrated Controller Full-featured integrated controller with complete water treatment automation, all monitoring/control functions in single command center, suitable for large commercial installations.
• CT110 Cooling Tower Controller Programmable controller for cooling tower conductivity/TDS control, programmable chemical additive addition (inhibitors, biocides, dispersants), with optional pH control and Langelier Saturation Index display.
• CT3000 Cooling Tower Controller Fully programmable controller for cooling towers, boilers, and wastewater with conductivity, pH, ORP control, chemical additive control, water level, influent/effluent pressures, and full remote duplex capability.
• CT6000 Cooling Tower Controller Advanced cooling tower controller with extensive control relay outputs, pH/ORP control, pump control, automatic backwash, and remote web-access monitoring.
• BT110 Boiler Controller Boiler controller with conductivity control, blowdown control, and Langelier Saturation Index for boiler water treatment.
• BT112 Dual Boiler Controller Dual blowdown control system for simultaneous control of dissolved solids in two boilers with remote monitoring capability, pressure range to 250 psi at 205C.
• pH/ORP Sensors Epoxy-bodied pH/ORP sensors with impact-resistant construction, Ag/AgCl gel-filled sealed reference, dual ceramic pin wicks, GP bulb glass for pH (0-14 range), solid platinum band for ORP (0-999 mV).
• Conductivity/TDS Sensors Compact conductivity/TDS sensors with integral temperature element for automatic compensation, double o-ring seals, 316 stainless steel and Teflon wetted materials. High temperature version available for boiler applications up to 205C.
• Chlorine ppm Sensors Solid-state PPM sensors for direct free chlorine measurement in ppm or mg/l. Ranges from 0-2 ppm to 0-400 ppm. Includes free chlorine, total chlorine, active chlorine (sea-water), bromine, salt chlorine, and hydrogen peroxide variants. 2-year warranty.
• ProcessProbe pH/ORP Sensors Rugged process probes for submersion or on-line applications with double junction reference cell, Ryton (PPS) body, porous Teflon or ceramic junction. Models include in-line, flat bulb, and extended insertion. Temperature range 0-105C, max pressure 150 psig.
• COSASCO Corrosion Monitoring System LPR (Linear Polarization Resistance) corrosion rate monitoring with COSASCO 9020/9030 transmitters and 7012/7022 probes. Two-wire loop powered, continuous corrosion rate measurement with imbalance measurement for pitting detection.
• Pressure Transducer High stability pressure transmitter with strain gauge sensor, 4-20mA signal output, Vac-45 psi range, 1/4-18 NPT pressure port, IP67 rated for outdoor use.
• Flow Cell Assembly (FCA) Bypass line installation assembly with pH/ORP sensor fittings, conductivity sensor fitting, clear viewing port, flow control valves, and sampling spigot for proper water sampling around sensors.
• Chemical Feed Pumps (MEC-O-MATIC Dolphin Series) Pulsafeeder MEC-O-MATIC peristaltic pumps for chemical dosing. Models include D-10, D-50, D-75 (13, 60, 97 gallons per day) and variable-speed pumps in 110V and 220V for swimming pools, spas, water treatment, cooling towers, and boilers.
• Blade-Style Flow Switch Factory-adjustable blade-style flow switch for fluid flow verification. Flow range 0.7-590 GPM, max 250 psi, NEMA 4X/IP66 enclosure. Prevents accidental chemical feeding when no flow is detected.
• Paddle Wheel Flow Switch Paddle wheel safety flow switch with visual flow indication, solid-state electronics, brass/SS/polypropylene body options. Prevents accidental feeding of chemicals on bypass line.
• EchoPod DL10/DL24 Liquid Level Transmitters Ultrasonic liquid level transmitters providing continuous non-contact level measurement. DL10: up to 1.25m range, DL24: up to 3m range, both with 4-20mA signal output.
• CO2 Feeders Carbon dioxide pH control systems for water treatment automation in swimming pools and spas.
• Transparent Sensor Cells

Quantifiable outcome

• Chemical savings through optimized chemical usage and automated control
• +5 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Pulsafeeder MEC-O-MATICcoreTechnology or IntegrationChemtrol offers MEC-O-MATIC Dolphin Series peristaltic pumps from Pulsafeeder as chemical feed solutions. These pumps handle chemical-dosing needs for swimming pools, spas, water treatment, cooling towers, boilers, and agriculture applications. Models include D-10, D-50, and D-75 with Variable-Speed Pumps available in 110V and 220V.
• COSASCO (RCS)coreTechnology or IntegrationCOSASCO LPR (Linear Polarization Resistance) corrosion monitoring technology integrated with Chemtrol CT3000 controllers. Includes Model 9020 LPR Transmitter, Model 9030 Plus Transmitter, and Model 7012/7022 LPR Probes for continuous corrosion rate monitoring in water systems.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Lakewood Instruments: Manufacturer of microprocessor-based controllers for cooling towers, boilers, and closed-loop water systems. Direct competitor to Chemtrol's CT and BT series with overlapping target customers and similar controller-plus-sensor architecture.
• Walchem (Iwaki America): Specializes in controllers and sensors for cooling tower, boiler, and industrial water treatment — including ORP, pH, conductivity, and corrosion monitoring. Closest direct competitor to Chemtrol's CT3000, PC, and BT controller lines.

Broad incumbents

• Hayward Industries: Major pool equipment manufacturer with automation controllers, sanitization, and chemical management products. Overlaps with Chemtrol in the commercial pool/spa automation segment and competes at the system-integration level.
• Wallace & Tiernan: Provider of water disinfection and chemistry control systems (chlorination, pH, ORP) for municipal and industrial customers. Adjacent competitor in industrial water-treatment chemistry control where Chemtrol's controllers also operate.
• Pentair: Global pool, water treatment, and flow technologies company offering commercial pool controllers, automation, and chemical-feed systems. Competes with Chemtrol in commercial pools/spas but from a much broader equipment portfolio and global service footprint.
• Jandy (Zodiac Pool Systems): Pool and spa equipment brand offering automation and chemistry control systems for residential and commercial pools. Competes with Chemtrol in commercial pool automation, typically bundled with broader pool-equipment packages.
• Xylem (Evoqua): Global water technology company (including legacy Evoqua) serving industrial, municipal, and commercial water treatment with advanced monitoring, treatment, and digital solutions. Competes with Chemtrol in industrial and municipal water treatment applications.
• Culligan: Global water treatment company offering residential, commercial, and industrial treatment systems including some monitoring/control solutions. Broad incumbent in the water-treatment space that Chemtrol's industrial customers may also evaluate.
• Veolia Water Technologies: Global water services and technology provider covering municipal, industrial, and commercial water treatment including monitoring and chemistry control. Overlaps with Chemtrol's cooling-tower, boiler, and industrial water treatment business.

Others

• Pulsafeeder: Manufacturer of chemical metering pumps (including the MEC-O-MATIC Dolphin series that Chemtrol resells) and water-treatment instrumentation. Functions as both a supplier-partner of Chemtrol and an adjacent competitor in chemical-feed automation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Chemtrol-USA-104316201420761
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/santa-barbara-control-systems

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Chemtrol