Performance Distillation Solutions
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1948
- HeadquartersBellefonte, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Performance Distillation Solutions does
Performance Distillation Solutions (PDS) is a privately held specialty industrial manufacturer headquartered in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, that designs and produces high-efficiency distillation column packing materials and turnkey thermal process systems. The company's flagship product, Pro-Pak®, is a proprietary high-performance random packing originally patented in 1948 by Dr. Michael Cannon of Penn State University; it features half-cylinders of rolled thin metal strips with dense hole arrangements and jagged ruptures that deliver an industry-leading 3-inch Height Equivalent to a Theoretical Plate (HETP). PDS also manufactures Metal IMTP Rings (25/40/50/70 mm), Metal Pall Rings (25/38/50 mm), and Plastic Pall Rings (25/50 mm) in nine different metal alloys for column diameters from 1 to 18 inches. Through its ILUDEST® division — for which PDS serves as exclusive North American representative of ILUDEST GmbH — the company delivers fully integrated, ASTM-compliant turnkey distillation systems including DIST D-1160 CC (vacuum distillation), DIST D-2892 CC (true boiling point), DIST D-5236 CC/HV (heavy hydrocarbon potstill), and AUTODEST 800 AC/HV units, plus custom stainless steel components, extractors, evaporators, and solvent recovery apparatus.
The company's commercial model combines hardware sales of standardized column internals with engineered-to-order turnkey system sales, all delivered through a direct enterprise field sales motion led by Technical Sales Manager Jason Paloskey, with quote-based pricing and downloadable requirements questionnaires for lead qualification. PDS serves customers across petroleum refining, pharmaceutical and fine chemicals, semiconductor and electronic chemicals, CBD/botanical extraction, alcoholic beverages, green fuels, nuclear/isotope processing, environmental/solvent recovery, and academic research — with Pro-Pak explicitly referenced in ASTM D2892 for Distillation of Crude Petroleum. The company maintains an ASTM standards committee leadership role (President Pat Maggi serves as Vice Chairman of ASTM D02 Subcommittee 7 since 1998) and operates with a lean team of 1-10 employees, indicating a niche specialty manufacturer with deep technical IP rather than a high-volume operation.
Performance Distillation Solutions firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Performance Distillation Solutions
- Legal name
- Performance Distillation Solutions
- Website
- https://pdspropak.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1948
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Performance Distillation Solutions industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Industrial Distillation 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
- Chemical Processing Equipment (Reactors, Mixers, Agitators) (IMAHAEAA)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Distillation & Fractionation (Crude, Condensate & NGL Splitters) (EUALAGAD)
Keywords
Where Performance Distillation Solutions is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bellefonte
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Performance Distillation Solutions business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Turnkey Thermal Process Systems: Custom, fully integrated distillation units including ASTM D1160, D2892, D5236 compliant systems, extractors, evaporators, and general distillation equipment. Sales motion involves engineering, concept, installation, and training.
- Distillation Column Internals and Packing: Pro-Pak high-performance random packing (6mm), Metal IMTP Rings (25/40/50/70), Metal Pall Rings (25/38/50), Plastic Pall Rings (25/50). Available in nine different metal alloys for column diameters 1-18 inches.
- Custom Stainless Steel Components: Custom-built stainless steel components including solvent recovery apparatus, coil heat exchangers, column heads, side draws, condensers, separators, reboilers, and electropolished components.
- LabTech Instruments: LabTech instruments including petroleum wax melting point apparatus and other analytical equipment for technical scale processes.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
Performance Distillation Solutions product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Performance Distillation Solutions designs and manufactures proprietary distillation packing materials (Pro-Pak® high-performance random packing, Metal IMTP Rings, Metal Pall Rings, Plastic Pall Rings) and, through its ILUDEST® division, custom turnkey thermal process systems including fully automated ASTM D1160, D2892, and D5236 compliant distillation units, extractors, evaporators, and solvent recovery systems. The company also fabricates custom stainless steel components and supplies LabTech analytical instruments, serving laboratory, pilot, and production-scale applications across petroleum, pharmaceutical, specialty chemical, semiconductor, botanical, and food/beverage industries.
Product overview
Performance Distillation Solutions offers a portfolio of proprietary distillation packing materials and turnkey thermal process systems. The core product line includes Pro-Pak® high-performance random packing (3-inch HETP) available in nine metal alloys and various configurations (IMTP rings, Metal Pall Rings, Plastic Pall Rings). The ILUDEST® division provides fully automated ASTM-compliant turnkey distillation systems including DIST D-1160 CC for vacuum distillation, DIST D-2892 CC for true boiling point analysis, and DIST D-5236 CC/HV for heavy hydrocarbon vacuum potstill applications. Additional offerings include LabTech instruments, column internals, and custom stainless steel components for laboratory, pilot, and production-scale applications across petrochemical, pharmaceutical, academic, and specialty chemical sectors.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- ILUDEST: Division that designs and manufactures custom, turnkey distillation units
Products and services
- Pro-Pak® High-Performance Random Packing Proprietary high-performance random distillation column packing with a 3-inch HETP, available in nine metal alloys for column diameters from 1" to 18". Sold to petroleum, pharmaceutical, specialty chemical, semiconductor, and botanical customers.
- PDS-IMTP-25 Metal Tower Packing Metal IMTP (Improved Mini Tower Packing) rings at 25mm size for distillation column internals.
- PDS-IMTP-40 Metal Tower Packing Metal IMTP rings at 40mm for distillation column internals.
- PDS-IMTP-50 Metal Tower Packing Metal IMTP rings at 50mm for distillation column internals.
- PDS-IMTP-70 Metal Tower Packing Metal IMTP rings at 70mm for distillation column internals.
- PDS-MPALL-25 Metal Pall-Ring Packing Metal Pall-Ring packing at 25mm size for distillation applications.
- PDS-MPALL-38 Metal Pall-Ring Packing Metal Pall-Ring packing at 38mm size for distillation applications.
- PDS-MPALL-50 Metal Pall-Ring Packing Metal Pall-Ring packing at 50mm size for distillation applications.
- PDS-PPALL-25 Polypropylene Pall-Ring Packing Polypropylene Pall-Ring packing at 25mm size for corrosive service applications.
- PDS-PPALL-50 Polypropylene Pall-Ring Packing Polypropylene Pall-Ring packing at 50mm size for corrosive service applications.
- DIST D-1160 CC Automated Vacuum Distillation System Fully automated ASTM D1160 vacuum distillation system with PC-based control software, real-time ACT/AET tracking, dual pressure sensors, pressure range 0.1-760 mmHg, max liquid temp 400°C, 500mL flask with 200mL charge, foam breakers, and FKM sealed joints. Designed for petroleum testing laboratories.
- DIST D-2892 CC True Boiling Point Distillation System Fully automated ASTM D2892 true boiling point distillation system with computer-controlled automation, simultaneous dewatering/debutanization, advanced fraction collection, and 5:1 reflux ratio operation with 14-18 theoretical plates.
- DIST D-5236 CC Vacuum Potstill System Fully automated ASTM D5236 vacuum potstill system with max operation temperature 400°C, final cut temperature 540-575°C AET, operation pressure 0.1-10 mmHg, 10L stainless steel flask, 3.3-6.7L charge capacity, and 12x1000mL fraction collector.
- ILUDEST® Turnkey Thermal Process Systems Custom-designed and manufactured turnkey distillation units including academia systems, ASTM method units (D1160, D2892, D5236, D2892+D5236), custom systems, extractors, evaporators, general distillation, phase equilibrium determination, and solvent recovery systems. PDS is the exclusive North American representative for ILUDEST (Iludest GmbH).
- LabTech Model 87 Petroleum Wax Melting Point Apparatus Innovative time-saving melt point analyzer for petroleum waxes, part of the LabTech analytical instruments line PDS distributes.
- Custom Stainless Steel Distillation Components Custom-designed stainless steel components including solvent recovery apparatus (up to 500L), coil heat exchangers (DN 300), column heads, side draws, condensers, separators, reboilers, and electropolished components for specialized applications.
Quantifiable outcome
- HETP of 3 inches - 75% better than nearest competitor Montz at 4 inches
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Performance Distillation Solutions
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Performance Distillation Solutions technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Performance Distillation Solutions partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- ILUDEST (Iludest GmbH)corePDS serves as the exclusive North American representative for ILUDEST Thermal Process Equipment. ILUDEST designs and manufactures custom, turnkey distillation units including ASTM-compliant systems. This relationship brings world-class engineering directly into the PDS family, enabling PDS to offer complete turnkey solutions alongside their Pro-Pak packing products.
- Cannon Instrument CompanyminorSister company where President & CEO Pat Maggi spent 30 years before joining PDS. Dr. Michael Cannon, founder of Cannon Instrument Company, originally developed Pro-Pak technology and filed the foundational patent in 1948 at Penn State.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Performance Distillation Solutions competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Zeeco: Global combustion and process equipment supplier active in refinery, petrochemical, and gas processing — adjacent to PDS's hydrocarbon and electronic chemicals end-markets.
- GMM Pfaudler: Global process equipment manufacturer with capabilities in columns, internals, and corrosion-resistant systems for chemical processing. Competes indirectly with PDS in chemical and pharmaceutical plant applications.
- BÜCHI Labortechnik: Broader lab equipment incumbent with distillation/evaporation product lines among a wider portfolio. Less specialized than PDS in industrial-scale distillation packing but addresses overlapping academic and R&D buyers.
- SPX Flow: Diversified process equipment and flow technology provider serving chemical, food, and industrial markets. Overlaps with PDS in process systems and components for industrial customers.
Direct peers
- Julius Montz GmbH: Specialist in structured column packing and internals for distillation and absorption; named in PDS materials as a 4-inch HETP competitor. Targets the same refinery, chemical, and fine-chemical separation projects.
- Sulzer ChemTech: Global leader in mass transfer and separation technology, offering random and structured column packing plus complete distillation systems. Direct competitor to PDS's Pro-Pak and ILUDEST lines across petrochemical, refining, and chemical processing customers.
- Koch-Glitsch: Major manufacturer of column internals (random and structured packing, trays, distributors) and a broad portfolio of mass-transfer products. Competes head-to-head with PDS in refinery, petrochemical, and chemical distillation applications.
- Normag Labor- und Prozesstechnik: Supplies laboratory- and pilot-scale glass and metal distillation units, evaporators, and extraction systems. Overlaps with PDS's ILUDEST turnkey offering for academic and R&D customers.
- Raschig GmbH: Manufacturer of tower internals, random and structured packing, and specialty process equipment. Competes with PDS across chemical, petrochemical, and environmental separation applications.
- RVT Process Equipment: Designs and manufactures distillation, extraction, and rectification equipment for laboratory, pilot, and production scale. Closely comparable to PDS's ILUDEST turnkey thermal process systems.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Performance Distillation Solutions social profiles
Digital presencePerformance Distillation Solutions financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Performance Distillation Solutions leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Performance Distillation Solutions funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Performance Distillation Solutions 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 Performance Distillation Solutions
What does Performance Distillation Solutions do?
Performance Distillation Solutions designs and manufactures proprietary distillation packing materials (Pro-Pak® high-performance random packing, Metal IMTP Rings, Metal Pall Rings, Plastic Pall Rings) and, through its ILUDEST® division, custom turnkey thermal process systems including fully automated ASTM D1160, D2892, and D5236 compliant distillation units, extractors, evaporators, and solvent recovery systems. The company also fabricates custom stainless steel components and supplies LabTech analytical instruments, serving laboratory, pilot, and production-scale applications across petroleum, pharmaceutical, specialty chemical, semiconductor, botanical, and food/beverage industries.
Is Performance Distillation Solutions a public or private company?
Performance Distillation Solutions is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Performance Distillation Solutions founded?
Performance Distillation Solutions was founded in 1948. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Performance Distillation Solutions based?
Performance Distillation Solutions is headquartered in Bellefonte, United States, in the North America region.
How does Performance Distillation Solutions make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Turnkey Thermal Process Systems are the primary driver. The others are distillation Column Internals and Packing, custom Stainless Steel Components and labTech Instruments.
Who are Performance Distillation Solutions's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Zeeco, GMM Pfaudler, BÜCHI Labortechnik and SPX Flow. Direct peers are Julius Montz GmbH, Sulzer ChemTech, Koch-Glitsch, Normag Labor- und Prozesstechnik, Raschig GmbH and RVT Process Equipment.
Does Performance Distillation Solutions have an API?
No public API is recorded for Performance Distillation Solutions.
What industry is Performance Distillation Solutions in?
Performance Distillation Solutions's product category is Industrial Distillation Equipment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAHAEAA, Chemical Processing Equipment (Reactors, Mixers, Agitators), with a secondary code of EUALAGAD, Distillation & Fractionation (Crude, Condensate & NGL Splitters). Its NAICS code is 334513 and its SIC code is 3823.