What Marston Technical Services does

Marston Technical Services is a US-based distributor and service provider of pathology and general laboratory instruments, founded in 1990 and historically headquartered in Cincinnati. The company sells histology, anatomic pathology, and Mohs dermatology laboratory equipment — including cryostats (QS12), embedding centers (EM8), microtomes, UV laser cassette and slide printers (LifeTrack, ESPO, LP16), automated coverslippers (CSF20), tissue processors, and microscopes — alongside a broad consumables catalog spanning reagents and stains, microtome blades (Aura, Glacial, TrimSafe), embedding products, microscope slides, grossing supplies, lab safety items, and general lab supplies. It also offers Mohs lab design and turnkey setup services for dermatology practices implementing Mohs surgery workflows, and provides equipment service contracts and maintenance support for installed instruments.

The company generates revenue through three streams: (1) capital equipment sales via direct phone, email, and quote-based ordering, (2) recurring consumables sales through an online eShop portal and dedicated order email, and (3) managed service contracts for equipment maintenance. Its go-to-market is direct-to-customer with multi-channel engagement — phone customer care, separate email addresses for consumable orders, equipment orders, and service requests, an eShop with registered account features, and a quote request workflow — supported by educational content, social media, and tradeshow participation. Customers are segmented by vertical into Histology Laboratories (primary), Anatomic Pathology, and Mohs Dermatology, with operations confined to the United States.

In 2024, Marston Technical Services was acquired by and joined the Avantik family of companies, a strategic operating company in the same verticals headquartered in Pine Brook, New Jersey. Following the acquisition, Marston is no longer an independent entity; its product portfolio has been integrated with Avantik's broader online catalog, and its customers now access a combined offering of equipment, consumables, and service under the unified Avantik brand.

Name

Marston Technical Services

Legal name

Marston Technical Services

Website

https://marstontechnical.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Acquired

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Marston Technical Services, now part of Avantik, distributes pathology and histology laboratory equipment, consumables, and equipment service contracts to US-based histology, anatomic pathology, and Mohs dermatology laboratories via direct sales and an online eShop.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Histology & Pathology Laboratory Equipment and Supplies

NAICS

Medical, Dental, and Hospital Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (423450)

SIC

Wholesale-Medical, Dental & Hospital Equipment & Supplies (5047)

akta.pro primary industry

Medical, Dental & Lab Supply Marketplaces (CRAFAHAG)

Keywords

• Histology laboratory equipment
• Pathology consumables supplies
• Mohs dermatology equipment
• Anatomic pathology instruments
• Tissue processing supplies

Headquarters

HQ city

Cincinnati

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Revenue model

1. Equipment Sales: Sale of histology laboratory equipment including cryostats, embedding centers, microtomes, cassette printers, slide printers, automated slide stainers, and coverslippers.
2. Consumables: Sale of pathology consumables including reagents, stains, microtome blades, microscope slides, embedding products, grossing supplies, and general lab supplies.
3. Equipment Service: Service and maintenance contracts for laboratory equipment, providing support to maintain laboratory operations.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Marston Technical Services distributes histology, anatomic pathology, and Mohs dermatology laboratory equipment and consumables, plus related equipment service. Its portfolio spans cryostats, embedding centers, microtomes, slide and cassette printers, coverslippers, reagents and stains, microtome blades, microscope slides, embedding products, grossing supplies, lab safety products, and Mohs lab design services. Following its 2024 acquisition by Avantik, the business is delivered through direct phone sales, email ordering, and an eShop online storefront.

Product overview

Marston Technical Services has joined the Avantik family, creating a unified product portfolio serving the Histology, Anatomic Pathology, and Mohs Dermatology industries. The offering is organized as a platform of laboratory equipment and consumables rather than a single unified software product. The portfolio comprises three main pillars: (1) Mohs Solutions including lab design, setup services, and recommended equipment for dermatology practices; (2) Consumables spanning reagents and stains, microtome blades, microscope slides, embedding products, grossing supplies, sectioning accessories, general lab supplies, lab safety products, cytology products, and storage solutions; and (3) Equipment including cryostats (QS12), embedding centers (EM8), laser printers (UV Laser, LifeTrack, ESPO, LP16), automated coverslippers (CSF20), and ancillary equipment. Service offerings provide equipment maintenance and support. The company operates an eShop platform for online ordering of the complete product catalog.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mohs Lab Design
• Mohs Equipment
• Reagents & Stains
• Microtome Blades
• Microscope Slides & Coverslipping
• Embedding Products
• Grossing Supplies
• General Lab Supplies
• Lab Safety Products
• QS12 Cryostat
• CSF20 Automatic Film Coverslipper
• EM8 Embedding Center
• ESPO Slide Printer

Segments3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• AvantikcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMarston Technical Services has been acquired by and joined the Avantik family. This acquisition provides customers access to Avantik's extensive online product portfolio serving the Histology, Anatomic Pathology, and Mohs Dermatology industries. The integration combines Marston's service capabilities with Avantik's broader product offerings.

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Epredia: Epredia (owned by PHC Holdings) is a leading global provider of histology and anatomic pathology equipment, consumables, and workflow solutions. It directly competes with Marston/Avantik across microtomes, embedding centers, slide stainers, and pathology consumables, serving the same histology and Mohs laboratory customer base.
• StatLab Medical Products: StatLab is a US-focused histology and anatomic pathology consumables and equipment distributor. It competes directly with Marston/Avantik in cassettes, slides, stains, embedding supplies, and selected equipment serving hospital and independent labs.
• Leica Biosystems: Leica Biosystems (Danaher) is a premier histology and anatomic pathology solutions provider, offering microtomes, cryostats, slide stainers, tissue processors, and consumables. It competes head-on with Marston/Avantik in equipment and reagents for histology and Mohs workflows.
• Sakura Finetek USA: Sakura Finetek is a major histology equipment manufacturer (tissue processors, embedding centers, slide stainers, coverslippers) and consumables supplier. It targets the same anatomic pathology and Mohs laboratory customers as Marston with comparable equipment SKUs.

Broad incumbents

• Avantor (VWR): Avantor (VWR) is a global distributor of lab supplies and equipment with a sizable histology and pathology offering alongside broader life-science products. It competes with Marston on consumables distribution scale and breadth rather than histology specialization.
• Fisher Scientific (Thermo Fisher): Fisher Scientific is a dominant US lab supply distributor carrying histology consumables, reagents, and equipment from multiple manufacturers. It competes with Marston on distribution breadth, contract pricing, and procurement scale rather than specialty focus.
• Thermo Fisher Scientific (Anatomical Pathology): Thermo Fisher's Anatomical Pathology business (formerly Richard-Allan, Shandon, Microm) sells histology equipment, consumables, and reagents globally. It is a broad incumbent competing on scale, OEM relationships, and integrated workflows.

Emerging players

• Newcomer Supply: Newcomer Supply is a US specialty manufacturer and distributor of histology stains, reagents, and control slides. It targets the same histology lab customers as Marston with a narrower focus on staining consumables.
• Bio-Techne (ExoDx, Advanced Cell Diagnostics): Bio-Techne operates in anatomic pathology through its diagnostic and spatial biology offerings, including RNAscope. It is adjacent to Marston's histology workflow, focusing on molecular and specialty staining rather than routine histology consumables.

Regional players

• Diapath: Diapath is an Italian histology equipment and reagents manufacturer with growing US distribution. It offers tissue processors, stainers, and consumables, overlapping with Marston's histology portfolio primarily outside the US market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCPZHGGLrpnXugIxtvUuJ5_w
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/marston-technical-services
• Instagraminstagram.com/avantik.usa

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 Marston Technical Services