Apex Laboratory Equipment

What Apex Laboratory Equipment does

Apex Laboratory Equipment Company is a privately held, family-operated laboratory equipment distributor headquartered in Red Wing, Minnesota. The company sells a curated portfolio of specialized lab equipment sourced from third-party manufacturers including Nuaire (biological safety cabinets, laminar flow workstations, CO2 incubators), MVE Chart (cryogenic storage, LN2 dewars, vapor shippers), Helmer Scientific (pharmacy refrigerators and freezers with Pyxis and Omnicell integration accessories), Scientek (glassware washers and dryers), BioSpherix (hypoxic chambers), and TPS Gruenberg (dry heat sterilizers). Product categories span biosafety, cell culture, cold storage, pharmacy containment, sterilization, washing, and vivarium/animal research equipment. The company does not develop proprietary technology; its value-add is consultative sales support and a single-source procurement relationship across diverse equipment categories.

Apex operates a field-based, quote-driven sales model with nine named regional sales representatives covering the Midwest and Eastern United States (Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Nebraska, North and South Dakota, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Missouri, Kansas). All sales require direct engagement with a sales representative; no public pricing or e-commerce is offered. The leadership team is anchored by three Partington family members holding regional sales roles, alongside an operations manager and seven non-family sales representatives.

The company serves five primary vertical segments: academic/research institutions, pharmaceutical companies, life science and biotech firms, vivarium/animal research facilities, and clinical/healthcare facilities. Equipment meets relevant regulatory standards including USP pharmacy compounding requirements and CDC vaccine storage guidelines. Revenue is generated through hardware sales on custom quote terms, with multi-year contracts and optional installation services. The company self-describes as the leading provider of lab equipment in the Midwest and claims more than 100 years of combined industry experience across its team.

Name

Apex Laboratory Equipment

Legal name

Apex Laboratory Equipment Company

Website

https://apexlec.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Apex Laboratory Equipment Company is a family-operated, US-based distributor of third-party laboratory equipment — including biological safety cabinets, cold storage, pharmacy containment, sterilizers, and vivarium products — serving academic, pharmaceutical, biotech, clinical, and animal research customers across the Midwest and Eastern United States through a nine-rep field sales team.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Laboratory Equipment Distribution

NAICS

Refrigeration Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (423740), Drugs and Druggists' Sundries Merchant Wholesalers (42421)

SIC

Laboratory Apparatus & Furniture (3821), Wholesale-Medical, Dental & Hospital Equipment & Supplies (5047), Wholesale-Professional & Commercial Equipment & Supplies (5040), Refrigeration & Service Industry Machinery (3580)

akta.pro primary industry

General Lab Equipment (Centrifuges, Incubators, Shakers, Ovens) (HLAGAIAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Lab Safety, PPE & Contamination Control (Hoods, Biosafety Cabinets, Clean Air) (HLAGAIAK), Hospital & Health-System Pharmaceutical Distributors (HLAIAJAD)

Keywords

• Laboratory equipment distribution
• Biological safety cabinets
• Ultra low temperature freezers
• Pharmacy compounding equipment
• Vivarium research equipment

Headquarters

HQ city

Red Wing

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Laboratory Equipment Sales: Revenue is generated through the sale of laboratory equipment including biological safety cabinets, laminar flow workstations, CO2 incubators, cold storage units (refrigerators, freezers, cryogenic freezers, LN2 tanks), lab sterilizers, washers, and vivarium products. The company acts as an intermediary between equipment manufacturers and end-user laboratories, providing consultation and sales services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Apex Laboratory Equipment Company distributes and resells laboratory and pharmacy equipment from multiple partner manufacturers. Its portfolio spans biological safety cabinets, laminar flow workstations, CO2 incubators, hypoxic chambers, ultra-low and cryogenic freezers, LN2 dewars and vapor shippers, pharmacy refrigerators and freezers, sterile isolators, steam and dry-heat sterilizers, glassware washers, and vivarium products (animal handling cabinets, cage and rack washers, cage changing stations, bedding dump and dispensing stations, and hypoxia modeling systems). Sales are conducted through a quote-based direct model supported by regional sales representatives.

Product overview

Apex Laboratory Equipment Company is a laboratory equipment distributor offering a comprehensive portfolio of specialized products for academic, life science, biotech, pharmaceutical, and clinical industries. The portfolio is organized into distinct product categories: Biological Safety Cabinets (NU-540, NU-543, NU-560, NU-565 offering Class II Type A2 and B2 protection with HEPA filtration), Laminar Flow Workstations (NU-140, NU-240, NU-340 providing unidirectional airflow), Cell Culture Equipment (NU-5700/5800/8600 CO2 incubators and BioSpherix Hypoxic Chambers), Cold Storage solutions (NU-99100J through NU-99828J ultra low freezers at -80°C to -86°C, HECO cryogenic freezers, Helmer refrigerators, MVE LN2 tanks and vapor shippers), Pharmacy Equipment (NU NTE800 isolators, Helmer pharmacy refrigerators, NU-543/NU-560 biosafety cabinets), Lab Sterilizers (Small/Medium/Large steam sterilizers and Gruenberg dry heat sterilizers), Lab Washers (Scientek SW3000-SW4800 series), and Vivarium Equipment (NU677/NU640 animal handling cabinets, rack/cage/tunnel washers, cage changing stations, bedding stations, and hypoxia modeling systems). The company represents industry-leading manufacturers and provides sales, consultation, and installation services across the United States.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Biological Safety Cabinets (Class II Type A2 and B2) Class II Type A2 and Type B2 (Total Exhaust) biological safety cabinets offering personnel, product, and environmental protection through laminar airflow and HEPA filtration. Available in multiple sizes (3 to 6 ft) with control systems including AeroMax, FlowGard, and TouchLink. Sold to academic, pharmaceutical, biotech, and clinical laboratories.
• Laminar Flow Workstations Benchtop and console-style vertical and horizontal laminar flow hoods with Energy Saver technology providing unidirectional airflow to minimize turbulence. Used in pharmacy, cell culture, and general laboratory applications requiring contamination control.
• CO2 Incubators Direct-heat and water-jacketed CO2 incubators providing control over humidity, temperature, and CO2 levels for cell and tissue culture growth. Available in chamber volumes ranging from 5.65 cf to 7 cf, including stackable configurations.
• BioSpherix Hypoxic Chambers (C-Chambers) Sub-chambers designed for use inside existing incubators, providing optimized atmosphere for cell cultures with controlled oxygen environments. Available in four standard sizes with magnetically sealed doors and fast recovery time, for cell culture research applications.
• Ultra Low Freezers -80°C to -86°C ultra low freezers with capacities ranging from 3.5 cu ft (28 boxes) to 29.2 cu ft (600 boxes) for long-term storage of sensitive biological samples, cell lines, tissues, and chemicals in research and clinical facilities.
• HECO Cryogenic Freezers LN2 cryogenic freezers achieving temperatures below -150°C, available in 800, 1500, and 1800 series with capacities ranging from 15,600 to 94,500 vials or 768 to 3,920 blood bags, for high-density long-term preservation in biorepositories and cell banks.
• Pharmacy Refrigerators and Freezers (Helmer) Helmer i.Series and Horizon Series pharmacy refrigerators and freezers meeting USP standards and CDC vaccine storage guidelines for clinical pharmacy applications. Includes integration accessories for Pyxis Remote Manager and Omnicell FlexLock. Available in single and double door configurations up to 44.9 cu ft capacity.
• MVE Chart LN2 Dewars, Tanks, and Vapor Shippers Compact aluminum LN2 storage tanks, dewars, and vapor shippers including CryoSystem 750/2000/4000/6000 models and XC Series tanks with capacities ranging from 150 to over 1,000 vials, plus cryogenic shipping solutions for biological sample transport.
• NU NTE800 Sterile Isolator Total exhaust sterile isolator for compounding aseptic containment in pharmacy settings, supporting USP-compliant hazardous drug handling and sterile compounding operations.
• Steam Sterilizers (Small, Medium, and Large) Steam sterilizers with chamber sizes ranging from 16" x 16" x 26" up to 26" x 26" x 67" for laboratory applications including media preparation, glassware, instrument, and laboratory waste sterilization, across small, medium, and large capacity tiers.
• Gruenberg Dry Heat Sterilizer TPS Gruenberg dry heat sterilizer offering a sustainable sterilization alternative validated to save 936,000 liters of water annually and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 89.8%, based on referenced University of Edinburgh study.
• Scientek Glassware Washers and Dryers Scientek SW3000, SW3610, SW4600, and SW4800WD glassware washers and washer-dryers plus SD8000-SD900 standalone glassware dryers for cleaning, sanitizing, and drying laboratory glassware, instruments, and equipment.
• Vivarium Animal Handling Biosafety Cabinets NU677 and NU640 Class II Type A2 biological safety cabinets designed for safe handling of animals in vivarium settings, supporting animal welfare compliance and sterile cage environments.
• Vivarium Cage, Rack, and Tunnel Washers 320LX-340LX cage and bottle washers, 420LX rack washers, and 536LX tunnel washers for cleaning and disinfecting animal cages, bottles, racks, and accessories in vivarium facilities, supporting biosecurity and disease prevention.
• Vivarium Cage Changing and Animal Transfer Stations NU620 cage changing station and NU621 Allergard animal transfer station providing controlled and sterile environments for handling and cleaning animal cages, supporting allergen containment and biosafety.
• Vivarium Bedding Dump and Dispensing Stations NU608-400 bedding dump station with ventilation system for safe disposal of used animal bedding, plus 724LX-748LX bedding dispensers for efficient and controlled distribution of animal bedding materials.
• Vivarium Hypoxia Modeling Systems P360 ProOx hypoxia animal washing station and X3 Xvivo System incubation chamber for creating controlled low-oxygen environments in vivarium research facilities.
• Freezer Rack Inventory Control Systems Upright and vertical freezer racks including UFD-252 drawer-style racks and LN2 chest freezer racks for organized storage of 2" boxes, supporting inventory control in ultra-low and cryogenic storage environments.

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• NuairecoreTechnology or IntegrationApex represents Nuaire as a manufacturer partner, offering their biological safety cabinets, laminar flow workstations, CO2 incubators, and other laboratory equipment. Nuaire products are featured extensively across multiple product categories on the Apex website.
• MVE ChartcoreTechnology or IntegrationApex represents MVE Chart (Chart Industries) as a manufacturer partner for cryogenic storage and LN2 solutions including dewars, vapor shippers, and cryogenic freezers. MVE Chart products are featured in the cold storage and LN2 product sections.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Labconco: US manufacturer of laboratory equipment including biosafety cabinets, fume hoods, freeze dryers, and glassware washers — categories Apex distributes in. Comparable as a competitor for the same product categories but operates as a manufacturer rather than a distributor.
• VWR / Avantor: Major global laboratory supplies and equipment distributor (formerly VWR, now part of Avantor) offering products across biosafety, cold chain, pharmacy compounding, and vivarium categories. Directly overlaps with Apex's product portfolio and customer base but at national scale.
• Cole-Parmer: Long-established distributor of laboratory and fluid handling equipment including biosafety cabinets, cold storage, sterilizers, and cell culture products. Comparable to Apex because it distributes across similar equipment categories with a consultative sales model.
• Fisher Scientific (Thermo Fisher Scientific): The dominant US laboratory equipment and supplies distributor, offering the broadest catalog across biosafety, cold storage, cell culture, pharmacy, and vivarium categories. Comparable to Apex because it serves the same end markets, but operates at massive national scale as part of Thermo Fisher.

Direct peers

• DOT Scientific: Midwest-based independent laboratory supplies and equipment distributor serving clinical, academic, and research customers. Directly comparable to Apex in scale, geographic focus, and multi-vendor distribution model.
• USA Scientific: US-based laboratory equipment and supplies distributor focused on academic and life science customers with a similar multi-vendor, consultative sales approach. Directly comparable in size and operating model to Apex.
• Stellar Scientific: Independent distributor of laboratory equipment and life science supplies with multi-vendor catalog across biosafety, cold storage, and cell culture. Comparable to Apex as a similarly-sized independent distributor serving academic and biotech customers.
• MidSci: Midwest-based laboratory supplies and equipment distributor serving academic, clinical, and biotech customers in the same geographic footprint as Apex. Closely comparable as a regional independent lab equipment distributor.
• Genesee Scientific: Independent US laboratory equipment and consumables distributor serving academic, biotech, and pharmaceutical customers with a multi-vendor catalog. Comparable to Apex because both operate as mid-sized independent distributors without proprietary manufacturing.

Others

• Helmer Scientific: Manufacturer of medical-grade and laboratory-grade cold storage including USP-compliant pharmacy refrigerators and freezers. Comparable because Apex represents Helmer as a partner, but Helmer is an upstream supplier rather than a competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Apex-Laboratory-Equipment-Company-171166009721810
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/apex-laboratory-equipment-company-llc

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Apex Laboratory Equipment