What Bentley Instruments does

Bentley Instruments Inc. is a privately held, Minnesota-incorporated manufacturer of analytical instruments for the global dairy industry, founded in 1982 and headquartered in Chaska, MN with a European office in Maroeuil, France. The company designs, manufactures, and distributes FTIR spectrometers (Bentley FTS, DairySpec FT), flow cytometry-based somatic cell counters (Somacount FCM, Somacount FC), bacteria counters (BactoCount IBC and IBCm), a urea analyzer (ChemSpec 150), integrated combination systems, and the ILAS 3000 sample-handling robot. Instruments are built around mid-infrared Fourier Transform spectroscopy and solid-state laser fluorescence flow cytometry, with proprietary Windows-based software for control, data collection, and reporting.

The company serves three primary end markets: dairy processing plants requiring component and quality testing (fat, protein, lactose, somatic cells, bacteria, urea), herd improvement / DHI laboratories running high-throughput raw milk analysis (50-600 samples/hour), and regulatory agencies enforcing milk standards. Bentley holds ICAR, MicroVal, NCIMS, and ISO 9001:2015 certifications covering cow, sheep, goat, buffalo, and camel milk, and the CombiFTS is the only combination system ICAR-certified for all three main species. This certification stack functions as the company's primary market access asset.

Revenue is generated through capital equipment sales on a quote-based model, distributed primarily through a partner and distributor network in over 50 countries, supplemented by direct sales from US headquarters and a French office. More than 70% of products are exported outside the United States. Marketing relies on a multilingual website (English, French, German, Italian, Spanish), international trade show participation, and 24/7 global service support. The company is founder/management-controlled with no disclosed funding rounds, parent company, M&A activity, or leadership changes in the available data.

Name

Bentley Instruments

Legal name

Bentley Instruments Inc

Website

https://bentleyinstruments.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Bentley Instruments designs, manufactures, and globally distributes FTIR spectrometers and flow cytometry analyzers for milk and dairy product testing, serving dairy processors, herd improvement laboratories, and regulatory agencies across more than 50 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Dairy Analytical Instruments

NAICS

Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing (334516)

SIC

Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826)

akta.pro primary industry

Analytical Instruments & Chromatography Systems (HLAGAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Microscopy, Imaging & Flow Cytometry Instruments (HLAGAIAE), Milk Quality Testing & Sampling Equipment (SCC, Conductivity, Analyzers) (AFAAAIAD)

Keywords

• Dairy analytical instruments
• Milk component analysis
• Somatic cell counting
• Bacteria enumeration
• FTIR spectroscopy instruments

Headquarters

HQ city

Chaska

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

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. Dairy Analysis Instruments and Systems: Bentley Instruments generates revenue through the manufacture and sale of analytical instruments for milk and dairy product analysis. This includes component analyzers (FTS, DairySpec FT), somatic cell counters (Somacount FCM, Somacount FC), bacteria counters (BactoCount IBC, IBCm), urea analyzers (ChemSpec 150), combination systems, and sample handling automation (ILAS 3000). The company exports more than 70% of its products outside the United States and sells through a global distributor network in over 50 countries.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Bentley Instruments develops, manufactures, and globally distributes analytical instruments used by dairy laboratories to measure the composition and quality of milk and milk products. The portfolio spans Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) component analyzers, flow cytometry-based somatic cell counters, flow cytometry-based bacteria counters, urea analyzers, integrated combination systems, and automated sample handling robotics. Instruments are designed for throughputs ranging from 50 to 600 samples per hour and are used for milk component analysis (fat, protein, lactose, solids), somatic cell counting (mastitis detection), bacteria enumeration, and urea/MUN determination.

Product overview

Bentley Instruments manufactures a comprehensive portfolio of analytical instruments for the dairy industry, consisting of standalone and combination analyzers for milk component analysis, somatic cell counting, and bacteria enumeration. The product line includes: component analyzers (Bentley FTS and DairySpec FT using FTIR spectroscopy), somatic cell counters (Somacount FCM and Somacount FC using flow cytometry), bacteria counters (BactoCount IBC and IBCm series), a dedicated urea analyzer (ChemSpec 150), combination systems that integrate multiple analysis capabilities, and the ILAS 3000 sample automation robot. These instruments are designed for use in dairy processing plants, herd improvement laboratories, and regulatory agencies across over 45 countries worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bentley FTS Real-time milk component analyzer using Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, capable of analyzing up to 600 samples per hour for fat, protein, lactose, and other milk components. Designed for central dairy laboratories.
• DairySpec FT Mid-infrared Fourier Transform spectrometer for accurate dairy component analysis including fat, protein, lactose, and solids, designed for versatile laboratory settings with permanent infrared spectra storage and a touchscreen interface.
• Somacount FCM High-speed somatic cell counter using solid-state laser induced fluorescence flow cytometry, providing analysis at up to 600 samples per hour for early mastitis detection in dairy milk. Includes remote web-enabled diagnostics.
• Somacount FC Compact fluorescence-based flow cytometry somatic cell counter capable of analyzing up to 150 samples per hour, designed for small to mid-size laboratories and featuring low maintenance with optional RFID/barcode reader support.
• BactoCount IBCm Semi-automated flow cytometry instrument for rapid enumeration of individual bacteria and somatic cells in raw milk, with bacterial analysis time under one minute and no sample preparation required. Uses a three-module design with integrated 50°C incubator.
• BactoCount IBC Fully automated flow cytometry bacteria counter available in three throughput models (50, 100, or 150 samples per hour) for rapid enumeration of total bacteria in raw milk. MicroVal validated as equivalent to EN-ISO 4833-1:2013 and 4833-2:2013.
• ChemSpec 150 Fully automated compact system for urea/MUN determination in milk using modified Berthelot reaction with enzymatic methodology and two-channel Flow Injection Analysis. Capacity of 150 samples per hour via colorimetric spectrophotometric detection.
• Bentley FTS/FCM Combination System Advanced combination system that simultaneously measures somatic cells and milk components (fat, protein, lactose, solids) by combining the Bentley FTS component analyzer with the Somacount FCM for high-speed throughput.
• Bentley Combi 150 Combination of DairySpec FT and Somacount FC systems with a shared autosampler for simultaneous somatic cell counting and component analysis at up to 150 samples per hour.
• ILAS 3000 Laboratory sample robot that automates sample registration, transfer to carousel, heating, stirring, decapping, barcode/RFID identification, presentation to analyzer pipette, and return to tray; inserts control samples automatically as needed.

Quantifiable outcome

• Bentley FTS provides real-time analysis at up to 600 samples per hour
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature9 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• MicroValcoreTechnology or IntegrationMicroVal is a European certification organization for analytical methods in food and feed. Bentley Instruments' BactoCount IBC3.x and IBCm 3.x instruments have been certified by MicroVal for total bacteria and somatic cell counting on raw cow, sheep, and goat milk. The MicroVal certificate (n° 2013LR44) validates the instruments as equivalent to EN-ISO reference methods.
• ICAR (International Committee for Animal Recording)coreTechnology or IntegrationICAR provides independent certification for milk infrared and somatic cell analyzers. Bentley CombiFTS has been ICAR certified for raw cow, goat, and sheep milk testing. ICAR certifies that results comply with limits established in the ICAR protocol and ISO 8196-3/IDF 128-3. The CombiFTS is currently the only Combi system ICAR certified for all three species.
• NCIMS (National Conference on Interstate Milk Shipments)coreTechnology or IntegrationNCIMS is a US organization that establishes guidelines for interstate milk shipping. Bentley Instruments' BactoCount IBC and IBCm have been accepted by NCIMS as alternate methods for bacterial counts in raw cow milk, making them compliant for use in US milk quality assessment programs.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Agilent Technologies: Agilent supplies FTIR and broader analytical instruments used in food and dairy testing laboratories, competing in the same technical category as Bentley's spectroscopy-based milk analyzers at the laboratory level.
• Bruker Corporation: Bruker produces high-end FTIR and analytical laboratory instrumentation that overlaps technically with Bentley's FTIR milk analyzers, even though its portfolio targets many sectors beyond dairy.
• PerkinElmer: PerkinElmer is a broad analytical instrumentation incumbent offering FTIR and infrared spectroscopy systems that overlap technically with Bentley's DairySpec FT and FTS, though it serves many industries beyond dairy.
• Mettler Toledo: Mettler Toledo supplies precision measurement and analytical instruments for food and laboratory environments; its NIR/FTIR laboratory analyzers are technically comparable to Bentley's milk composition analyzers, even though dairy is not its sole focus.
• Thermo Fisher Scientific: Thermo Fisher is a broad incumbent in analytical and laboratory instruments (FTIR, spectroscopy, flow cytometry) with technology overlap to Bentley's FTIR and flow cytometry dairy analyzers across many verticals.
• Shimadzu Scientific: Shimadzu manufactures FTIR spectrometers and laboratory analytical instruments that share the underlying spectroscopic technology stack with Bentley's FTS and DairySpec FT dairy analyzers.

Direct peers

• KPM Analytics: KPM Analytics supplies milk and dairy composition analyzers (Unity Scientific, formerly Page & Pedersen) that compete with Bentley's component analysis instruments in dairy laboratories and processing environments.
• Delta Instruments: Delta Instruments manufactures FTIR-based milk analyzers and somatic cell counters (e.g., LactoScope and SomaCount) competing directly with Bentley's DairySpec FT and Somacount FC/FCM in DHI and processor laboratories.
• FOSS Analytical: FOSS is the dominant direct competitor in milk and dairy analytical instruments, with MilkoScan FTIR analyzers and CombiFoss platforms that overlap head-to-head with Bentley's FTS, DairySpec FT, and Combi systems for component, somatic cell, and bacteria analysis.

Emerging players

• BD (Becton Dickinson): BD Biosciences is a major flow cytometry platform supplier (BD FACSort/FACSCalibur lineage); its clinical/research flow cytometry IP is adjacent to Bentley's flow cytometry-based Somacount and BactoCount somatic cell and bacteria counters for milk.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bentley-instruments-sarl

Compliance4 records

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 Bentley Instruments