What Whirl-Pak does

Whirl-Pak, operating as a brand of Nasco Sampling LLC under Filtration Group, manufactures sterilized polyethylene sample collection bags and complementary tools used to ensure aseptic, leak-proof sample handling across regulated testing workflows. The company was founded in 1959 by Harold Barnum after he developed the Universal Sampling Procedure for the dairy industry, and it introduced the first sterile closure bag to market. Its core technology combines low-density virgin polyethylene film with a proprietary continuous perimeter seal, post-manufacturing ethylene oxide sterilization in an ISO-certified medical-grade facility (marketed as the "+1 Sterilization" process), and Tyvek pull tabs oriented to enable aseptic collection. The portfolio spans closure bags, sponge bags, non-closure bags, filter bags, stand-up bags, thio bags, and the Sludge Judge collection tool line, with products used in over 75 countries across water, food, dairy, protein, pharmaceutical, and academic research segments.

Whirl-Pak sells exclusively through an approved distributor network with a $1,000 minimum order and regional annual purchasing commitments; pricing is not publicly disclosed and is negotiated through distributors. The company supports sales with a multi-channel marketing presence including industry-specific website content, a YouTube demonstration library, social channels, an EcoImpact sustainability calculator, downloadable sterility documentation, and direct sample-request workflows. The business is operated from Wisconsin under Nasco Sampling LLC, a subsidiary of the diversified Filtration Group conglomerate.

All products are manufactured in the United States under an ISO 9001 quality management system with FDA food contact approval, and are designed to meet USDA, FDA, HACCP, and EPA compliance frameworks. Recent operational moves include the April 2024 launch of the 184 oz Full Page Filter Bag, a 2023 transition to a trademarked gold closure tape, and a 2022 shift to kraft inner cartons made of 78.7% recycled content. The company does not disclose financial results; reported employee count is 1-10, which appears to reflect only the dedicated branded team within the larger Filtration Group parent structure.

Name

Whirl-Pak

Legal name

Nasco Sampling LLC

Website

https://whirl-pak.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1959

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Whirl-Pak, a Nasco Sampling LLC brand under Filtration Group, manufactures sterilized polyethylene sample collection bags and complementary tools for aseptic sampling in water, food, dairy, protein, pharmaceutical, and research laboratories across more than 75 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Laboratory Sample Collection Products

NAICS

Plastics Bag and Pouch Manufacturing (326111)

SIC

Plastics, Foil & Coated Paper Bags (2673)

akta.pro primary industry

Sterile & Aseptic Medical Packaging (Pouches, Wraps, Sterile Barriers) (IMALAIAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Laboratory Consumables & Plasticware (Tips, Tubes, Plates, Filters) (HLAGAIAH), Sterilization Consumables & Packaging (Wraps, Pouches, Indicators, Trays/Containers) (HLAHANAC)

Keywords

• Sterile sampling bags
• Sample collection containers
• Aseptic sample testing
• Food safety testing
• Water quality sampling

Headquarters

HQ city

Madison

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Sterilized Sample Collection Bags: Sale of sterile polyethylene sampling bags for sample collection, testing, and storage. Products include closure bags, sponge bags, non-closure bags, filter bags, stand-up bags, thio bags, and specialty bags. Sold through approved distributor network with minimum order requirements.
2. Collection Tools and Accessories: Sludge Judge collection tools, swing samplers, locking bag closure pipes, carrying and storage racks, and sterilized spoons sold as complementary products to the core bag portfolio.
3. Specialty Sampling Kits: Pre-configured kits such as Meat & Poultry Carcass Sampling Kit containing sponges, templates, peptone water, and bags for specific testing applications.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Whirl-Pak manufactures and sells pre-sterilized polyethylene sampling bags and complementary collection tools for aseptic sample collection in water, food, dairy, protein, pharmaceutical, and academic research applications. The product range includes closure bags, sponge bags, non-closure bags, filter bags, stand-up bags, and thio bags, plus Sludge Judge collection tools, accessories, and pre-configured sampling kits. All products are post-manufacturing sterilized via ethylene oxide gas at an ISO-certified facility and sold exclusively through an approved distributor network worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sterilized Closure Bags Pre-sterilized polyethylene bags with continuous perimeter seals and liquid-locking closure for aseptic sample collection, transport, and storage across water, food, dairy, pharmaceutical, and research applications.
• Sterilized Sponge Bags Dry and hydrated cellulose sponge bags (Speci-Sponge) for critical surface sampling in environmental monitoring and food safety testing.
• Sterilized Non-Closure Bags Open-top sterilized polyethylene bags for sample collection applications where a closure seal is not required.
• Sterilized Filter Bags (Full Page Filter Bags) Sterilized bags with a 330 micron filter layer sealed into the bag sides and bottom, allowing liquid transfer while containing solid particles to prevent pipette blockage during sample processing.
• Stand-Up Sterilized Bags Sterilized polyethylene bags designed to stand upright for easier sample handling and filling in laboratory and field collection settings.
• Thio-Bag Sterilized Bags (with Sodium Thiosulfate Tablet) Sterilized polyethylene bag pre-loaded with a 25mg sodium thiosulfate tablet to neutralize chlorine in water samples, enabling accurate bacteria testing for coliforms and legionella.
• Sludge Judge Collection Tools Sludge and sample collection tools including complete units, extension sections, and accessories used in wastewater, environmental, and industrial sample collection applications.
• Storage Solutions (Racks and Holding Systems) Carrying and storage racks and holding systems designed for use with Whirl-Pak sterile sample bags during storage, transportation, and in-use handling.
• Bag Accessories (Locking Closure Pipes, Sterilized Spoons, Swing Samplers) Complementary accessories for Whirl-Pak bags, including locking bag closure pipes, swing samplers, sterilized spoons, and similar items used alongside the core bag portfolio.
• Meat & Poultry Carcass Sampling Kit Pre-configured kit containing sponges, templates, peptone water, and sterile bags for meat and poultry carcass sampling, including E. coli testing and protein product quality assurance.
• Black Sterilized Bags Opaque black sterilized bags designed to protect light-sensitive compounds and prevent fluorescence interference, used in pharmaceutical testing and research applications.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 90% less plastic used compared to rigid plastic bottles
• +4 more outcomes

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Filtration GroupcoreOthersWhirl-Pak is described as 'a business of Filtration Group,' indicating it is a subsidiary or business unit within the larger Filtration Group organization. Filtration Group is referenced as the parent company on the main website.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Sentry Equipment Corp: Sentry Equipment designs and manufactures sampling equipment for water, wastewater, and industrial process applications. Whirl-Pak already competes adjacent to Sentry with its Sludge Judge line; both serve municipal water and environmental monitoring customers with sample collection hardware.
• Labplas: Labplas manufactures sterile sampling bags for water, food, and environmental testing — the closest direct competitor to Whirl-Pak in product format, customer base, and distribution model. Comparable on bag specifications (sterile polyethylene pouches with wire closures) and target verticals (municipal water, food safety).
• Hardy Diagnostics: Hardy Diagnostics manufactures microbiology culture media, sterile sample collection devices, and laboratory supplies for food, water, and clinical testing labs. Overlaps with Whirl-Pak in sterile specimen containers and food/water testing consumables, particularly for HACCP and environmental monitoring programs.

Broad incumbents

• MilliporeSigma (Merck KGaA): MilliporeSigma supplies filtration, sample preparation, and laboratory consumables into pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and academic research customers. Overlaps with Whirl-Pak in pharmaceutical and research verticals where sterile sampling and filtration products are purchased together.
• Bio-Rad Laboratories: Bio-Rad supplies laboratory consumables, sample preparation products, and diagnostic testing materials into food safety, research, and clinical laboratories. Overlaps with Whirl-Pak in research and university lab customers but operates at much larger scale across life science research tools.
• 3M Food Safety: 3M's Food Safety division sells environmental sampling sponges, swabs, and sample collection devices into the same food, beverage, and protein processing customers Whirl-Pak serves. Overlapping capabilities in surface sampling for pathogen testing but operates as one segment within a diversified industrial conglomerate.
• Thermo Fisher Scientific: Thermo Fisher supplies laboratory consumables, sterile containers, and sample collection products through its Fisher Scientific catalog. Targets the same research, pharmaceutical, and academic laboratories that Whirl-Pak serves, but as part of a much broader life sciences portfolio rather than a sterile bag specialist.

Emerging players

• Puritan Medical Products: Puritan manufactures sterile swabs, sponges, and sample collection devices for diagnostic, environmental, and food safety testing. Adjacent to Whirl-Pak in surface sampling (Speci-Sponge competes with Puritan Hydra-Sponge) and shares food safety and clinical lab customers.
• FiltaFlex / Simport Scientific: Simport Scientific produces plastic laboratory consumables including sterile bags, sample containers, and specimen handling products. Comparable to Whirl-Pak in plastic sterile bag format and laboratory customer base, though with broader reach into clinical specimen collection rather than food/water testing specialization.

Others

• Nasco Sampling (parent brand): Nasco is the parent sampling brand under which Whirl-Pak operates; Nasco Education and Nasco Healthcare produce adjacent sampling, training, and healthcare simulation products. Whirl-Pak is described as 'a business of Nasco Sampling LLC,' making Nasco the immediate corporate parent rather than a market competitor, but the relationship informs procurement and channel overlap.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCLSwWxMPpcYgbmjmG_74sTw
• Facebookfacebook.com/whirlpak
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/whirl-pak
• Instagraminstagram.com/whirl_pak

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Whirl-Pak