Rowe Scientific
Rowe Scientific is an Australian-owned specialty distributor, founded in 1987, that supplies scientific laboratories nationwide with chemicals, consumables, instrumentation, and custom chemical production across 40+ international brands via five warehouses and a national account-manager network.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1987
- HeadquartersMinto, Australia
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Rowe Scientific does
Rowe Scientific Pty Ltd is a privately held, 100% Australian-owned specialty distributor of laboratory chemicals, consumables, instrumentation, and safety equipment, founded in 1987 and headquartered in Minto, New South Wales. The company serves scientific laboratories across at least seven verticals — environmental sciences, food and feed sciences, health and pathology, mining/industrial/oil and gas, winery and beverage, schools, and university/research — supplying products from more than 40 international principals including Mettler Toledo, Merck, HACH, Anton Paar, VELP, Bentley Instruments, BRAND, Starna, WTW, Haier Biomedical, Macherey Nagel, Koehler, and Vintessential Laboratories.
The company's technical footprint combines physical distribution with in-house custom chemical manufacturing under ISO 9001:2015 supervision by a chartered chemist, traceable to NBS/NIST standards, plus ISO 17025- and ISO 17034-accredited certified reference materials sourced through principals such as BRAND (DAkkS-accredited) and Starna. Operational technology includes EDI integration with client procurement systems (SAP, DVO, Bar Coding), a national e-commerce webstore (www.rowe.com.au), instrument-cloud integration via VELP Ermes, and wireless IDS sensor telemetry from WTW. Five warehouses (Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne, Perth) hold stock for same-day dispatch, with air freight from overseas within five days and a 24/7 emergency service line.
Revenue is generated primarily through one-time sales of consumables and instruments via account managers and the webstore, supplemented by custom chemical production, bulk chemical supply, and fee-bearing technical support and instrument repair services. Pricing is unit-based with Net 30 day terms, fixed 6–12 month pricing for contracted clients, forward ordering, and inventory management outsourcing for corporate accounts. The company operates with approximately 100 staff, including 40 client service personnel with collectively over 300 years of laboratory experience, and 25 staff holding tertiary scientific qualifications. No financial figures, funding rounds, or ownership disclosures beyond Australian incorporation (ABN 63 009 437 790) are publicly available.
Rowe Scientific firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Rowe Scientific
- Legal name
- Rowe Scientific Pty Ltd
- Website
- https://rowe.com.au
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1987
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Rowe Scientific is an Australian-owned specialty distributor, founded in 1987, that supplies scientific laboratories nationwide with chemicals, consumables, instrumentation, and custom chemical production across 40+ international brands via five warehouses and a national account-manager network.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Rowe Scientific industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Laboratory Supplies Distribution
- NAICS
- Chemical and Allied Products Merchant Wholesalers (4246), Other Professional Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (423490), Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (4234), Medical, Dental, and Hospital Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (42345)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Chemicals & Allied Products (5160), Wholesale-Medical, Dental & Hospital Equipment & Supplies (5047), Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826), Laboratory Apparatus & Furniture (3821)
- akta.pro primary industry
- General Lab Equipment (Centrifuges, Incubators, Shakers, Ovens) (HLAGAIAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Laboratory Consumables & Plasticware (Tips, Tubes, Plates, Filters) (HLAGAIAH), Liquid Handling & Laboratory Automation (Pipettes, Robots, Workstations) (HLAGAIAD), Maintenance, Service Contracts & Equipment Repair (Field Service, Parts) (HLAGAIAN), Laboratory & Scientific Supplies Scheduled Delivery (Non-medical) (TLAAAEAI)
Keywords
Where Rowe Scientific is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Minto
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices5 records
Markets served
Rowe Scientific business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Laboratory Consumables and Scientific Equipment Sales: One-stop shop supplying full range of scientific consumables, instrumentation, and chemicals across all grades and quantities. Revenue generated through direct product sales via account managers, e-commerce webstore, and telephone/mail orders.
- Custom Chemical Production: Custom compound formulation and production for specific client needs; manufacturing of chemical calibration solutions, engine coolant, and specialised laboratory solutions in-house.
- Bulk Chemical Supply: Supplying larger quantities of chemicals (engine coolant, organic solvents, mineral acids, swimming pool chemicals) in bulk for industrial, commercial, laboratory and domestic use, resulting in efficient delivery and cost savings.
- Technical Support and Instrument Repair: Qualified technicians carry out repairs and service on a wide range of scientific equipment, with all work carried out in accordance with ISO9001:2008 quality procedures.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard retail pricing for scientific supplies |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Rowe Scientific product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Rowe Scientific distributes a full range of laboratory consumables, chemicals, and scientific instruments from 40+ international brands to Australian laboratories, supported by ISO9001:2015-certified in-house custom chemical manufacturing, technical instrument repair services, EDI-enabled supply chain integration and inventory management for corporate accounts. The company operates five national warehouses and an e-commerce webstore, functioning as a one-stop scientific supply partner for environmental, food/feed, health/pathology, mining, winery, education and research laboratories.
Product overview
Rowe Scientific is a 100% Australian-owned laboratory supplies distributor established in 1987, operating as a multi-brand portfolio company rather than a single-product vendor. The company offers a comprehensive range of scientific products across multiple categories including: laboratory consumables (buffers, plasticware, glassware, filtration), chemicals (Ajax, Chem Supply, Merck, and custom formulations), environmental test kits, and scientific instruments. The product portfolio includes distributed international brands such as VELP ECODryBlock Systems and overhead stirrers for sample heating and mixing; BRAND liquid handling instruments (Dispensette, Transferpette); Bentley Instruments dairy analyzers; WTW water analysis meters and IDS wireless sensors; Haier spark-free refrigeration; PRATT Safety Systems (flammable cabinets, eyewash stations); Plas Labs glove boxes and anaerobic chambers; Vintessential Laboratories wine testing products; SHP Steriltechnik AG autoclaves; Nabertherm furnaces; MMM Group heat technology products; Macherey Nagel filtration and water analysis instruments; TPS scientific meters; Starna certified reference materials; and Koehler petrochemical testing instruments. The company also provides custom chemical production, technical repair services, and electronic data interchange capabilities for corporate clients.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Rowe Scientific Foundation: A foundation operated by Rowe Scientific, referenced on the company website.
Products and services
- Laboratory Consumables
Quantifiable outcome
- 50/50 cost savings sharing with contract clients on identified cost reduction recommendations (e.g., filter paper grade optimisation)
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Rowe Scientific
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments7 records
Ideal customer profiles7 records
Rowe Scientific technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
Feature3 records
Rowe Scientific partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
20 partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Bentley InstrumentscoreRowe Scientific welcomed Bentley Instruments as a new supplier partner in November 2025, strengthening support for dairy laboratories and processors throughout Australia. Bentley Instruments manufactures advanced analytical instruments for milk and dairy product measurement, including pioneering flow cytometry applications for routine milk analysis. Founded in 1982, Bentley Instruments has a strong global footprint in dairy analytical solutions.
- VELP ScientificacoreRowe Scientific is the Australian distributor for VELP products including ECODryBlock systems, overhead stirrers, Kjeldahl analysers, hot plate stirrers, and environmental testing instruments. VELP represents European design, manufacturing, and quality excellence in laboratory equipment.
- Vintessential LaboratoriescoreRowe Scientific stocks a comprehensive range of Vintessential enzyme test kits and discrete analysers dedicated for the Australian wine industry, including the ChemWell 2910 and ChemWell-T analysers along with enzyme kits for Acetic Acid, Primary Amino Acid Nitrogen, Citric Acid, Malic Acid, Lactic Acid, and Sugars.
- Haier BiomedicalcoreRowe Scientific is the Australian distributor for Haier Spark Free explosion-proof refrigerators and freezers designed for laboratory use, including ULT freezers, incubators, and pharmaceutical refrigeration.
- HACHcoreRowe Scientific distributes HACH water analysis products including test kits for chlorine, hardness, alkalinity, dissolved oxygen, heavy metals, and other water quality parameters.
- MerckcoreRowe Scientific supplies Merck fine chemicals alongside Ajax and Chem-supply brands, with account managers working to ensure adequate stock levels in warehouses across Australia.
- Mettler ToledocoreRowe Scientific distributes Mettler Toledo balances ranging from precision to analytical models, suitable for laboratory weighing applications.
- OhauscoreRowe Scientific distributes Ohaus laboratory balances for moisture analysis, basic weighing, high capacity, and high resolution applications.
- WTW (Xylem Analytics)coreRowe Scientific distributes WTW meters and sensors for pH/ORP, ISE, dissolved oxygen, and conductivity measurement, including the MultiLine IDS multi-parameter portable meter and wireless IDS sensors.
- BRANDcoreRowe Scientific distributes BRAND liquid handling instruments including Dispensette, Transferpette, HandyStep, Transferpettor, and Titrette products, along with DAkkS/ISO 17025 certified volumetric glassware.
- StarnacoreRowe Scientific is the Australian distributor for Starna certified reference materials, spectrophotometer cuvettes and optical components, with full traceability to NIST and National Metrological Laboratories.
- Koehler Instrument CompanycoreRowe Scientific is the Australian gateway for Koehler petrochemical testing instrumentation including flash point testers, tribology equipment, kinematic viscometers, and fuels testing instruments, all ISO 9001 and ASTM/IP certified.
- NaberthermcoreRowe Scientific is a distributor for Nabertherm German-made laboratory furnaces with 70 years of experience, featuring intuitive operating controls for dependable results.
- Plas-LabscoreRowe Scientific distributes Plas-Labs acrylic glove boxes, anaerobic chambers, nitrogen dry glove boxes, HEPA filtered isolation glove boxes, and desiccator cabinets for research laboratories.
- PRATT Safety SystemscoreRowe Scientific supplies PRATT Safety cabinets, eye wash stations, showers and spill kits. PRATT introduced safety cabinets to Australia and manufactures to Australian Standards (AS1940, AS4775).
- Charm SciencescoreRowe Scientific distributes Charm Sciences products including Charm EZ Protect for antibiotic residue testing and novaLUM II-X for hygiene control monitoring in food and dairy applications.
- Macherey NagelcoreRowe Scientific distributes Macherey Nagel filter papers, QUANTOFIX test strips, NANOCOLOR spectrophotometers and heating blocks, PF-12 Plus photometers, and rapid water analysis test kits.
- SHP Steriltechnik AGcoreRowe Scientific distributes SHP Steriltechnik AG Laboklav autoclaves and Labomag submersible magnetic stirrers, made in Germany to high quality standards.
- TPScoreRowe Scientific distributes TPS laboratory meters including the Ranger multi-parameter water measurement platform, manufactured in Australia since 1968.
- Ajax / Chem-supplycoreRowe Scientific supplies Ajax and Chem-supply chemical brands alongside Merck as specialists in chemical supply, holding adequate stock levels across Australian warehouses.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Rowe Scientific competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Agilent Technologies: Global analytical instrument and lab consumables manufacturer with direct Australian sales. Comparable to Rowe as a high-end analytical instrument supplier (analogous to Mettler Toledo, Anton Paar lines Rowe carries) competing for the same analytical lab budgets.
- Thermo Fisher Scientific: Global leader in laboratory equipment, consumables, reagents, and services with a strong Australian subsidiary. Comparable to Rowe as a comprehensive lab supplies provider but at vastly greater scale and with significant proprietary manufacturing.
- Merck Life Science (MilliporeSigma): Global life science and lab supplies business of Merck KGaA. Comparable to Rowe as one of its key principals (Merck) but also competes as a direct manufacturer-distributor of chemicals, reagents, and lab consumables sold into Australian labs.
- Eppendorf SE: Global manufacturer of laboratory instruments, consumables, and bioprocessing equipment. Comparable to Rowe in product overlap (liquid handling, centrifuges, lab consumables) but competing as a direct manufacturer with Australian direct-sales presence.
- Avantor (VWR): Global distributor and manufacturer of lab supplies, equipment, and services. Comparable to Rowe as a multi-brand lab supplies distributor with international scale and a similar model of representing third-party brands alongside proprietary products.
Others
- Hach (Danaher): Global water analysis instrument and reagent manufacturer, distributed in Australia by Rowe Scientific. Comparable as a brand-partner overlap (HACH is one of Rowe's largest distributed lines) and as a direct seller of water analysis consumables into Australian environmental and industrial customers.
Direct peers
- Bio-Strategy Pty Ltd: Australia and New Zealand distributor of life science research products and laboratory consumables. Directly comparable to Rowe as a multi-brand lab supplies distributor serving academic, research, and clinical customers in ANZ.
- In Vitro Technologies: Australian life science and diagnostic product distributor. Comparable to Rowe as an ANZ-focused distributor of scientific instruments, consumables, and reagents to research and clinical laboratories.
- Pathtech Pty Ltd: Australian scientific and laboratory equipment distributor. Comparable to Rowe as a national multi-brand lab equipment and consumables supplier serving clinical, research, and industrial laboratories.
Regional players
- DKSH Holding AG: Asia-Pacific market expansion services company with a significant scientific instruments and lab supplies distribution business. Comparable to Rowe as a regional multi-brand lab supplies distributor but operating across a much broader APAC geography.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Rowe Scientific social profiles
Digital presenceRowe Scientific compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance7 records
Rowe Scientific financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Rowe Scientific leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
Rowe Scientific funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Rowe Scientific 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 Rowe Scientific
What does Rowe Scientific do?
Rowe Scientific distributes a full range of laboratory consumables, chemicals, and scientific instruments from 40+ international brands to Australian laboratories, supported by ISO9001:2015-certified in-house custom chemical manufacturing, technical instrument repair services, EDI-enabled supply chain integration and inventory management for corporate accounts. The company operates five national warehouses and an e-commerce webstore, functioning as a one-stop scientific supply partner for environmental, food/feed, health/pathology, mining, winery, education and research laboratories.
Is Rowe Scientific a public or private company?
Rowe Scientific is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Rowe Scientific founded?
Rowe Scientific was founded in 1987. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Rowe Scientific based?
Rowe Scientific is headquartered in Minto, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does Rowe Scientific make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Laboratory Consumables and Scientific Equipment Sales are the primary driver. The others are custom Chemical Production, bulk Chemical Supply and technical Support and Instrument Repair.
Who are Rowe Scientific's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Agilent Technologies, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Merck Life Science (MilliporeSigma), Eppendorf SE and Avantor (VWR). Hach (Danaher) is listed as an others. Direct peers are Bio-Strategy Pty Ltd, In Vitro Technologies and Pathtech Pty Ltd. DKSH Holding AG is listed as a regional player.
Does Rowe Scientific have an API?
No public API is recorded for Rowe Scientific.
What industry is Rowe Scientific in?
Rowe Scientific's product category is Laboratory Supplies Distribution. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAGAIAC, General Lab Equipment (Centrifuges, Incubators, Shakers, Ovens), with a secondary code of HLAGAIAH, Laboratory Consumables & Plasticware (Tips, Tubes, Plates, Filters). Its NAICS code is 4246 and its SIC code is 5160.