Whitehouse Scientific
Whitehouse Scientific Ltd is a UK-based, privately held manufacturer of NIST- and NPL-traceable glass and silica microsphere calibration standards for particle sizing, sieve calibration, and filter testing laboratories worldwide.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1983
- HeadquartersChester, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Whitehouse Scientific does
Whitehouse Scientific Ltd is a privately held UK calibration materials company founded in 1983 and headquartered in Chester, UK, specializing in NIST- and NPL-traceable glass and silica microspheres for particle size calibration. The company serves particle-sizing laboratories, filter testing facilities, sieve calibration operations, and research institutions across the UK, Europe, the USA, Japan, and other international markets. Its product portfolio spans monodisperse glass microspheres, polydisperse particle standards (including the former BCR 'Mirror' standards), sieve calibration standards for 100mm and 200mm sieves, image analysis reference standards, opaque polydisperse standards, monodisperse silica beads, and general-purpose research microspheres covering a size range from 0.1µm to 5.0mm.
The company's core technology rests on precision glass microsphere production using internationally recognized primary methods of particle characterization (microscopy, sieving, sedimentation, and the Coulter method), combined with the proprietary PoreSizer™ static image analysis system that uses optical microscopy with a 1.4 megapixel camera to measure particle size, sieve apertures, and filter pores. The business holds ISO 9001:2015 certification, works to ISO 17025 principles, and claims the position of the highest-ranking European certification laboratory for primary methods of particle size analysis. The company also offers filter cut-point challenge testing services for pore sizes from 2µm to 2mm.
Whitehouse Scientific operates a direct-to-customer B2B model with no disclosed resellers. Products are sold through an e-commerce storefront with global courier fulfillment (UK next-day, Europe 1–5 days, USA 1–2 days) at price points ranging from £38 to £374 for consumable bottle sets, with PoreSizer™ instruments and accessories representing the higher-value equipment line. The company supplements transactional sales with technical content marketing, including 12+ published technical papers, instructional YouTube content, and active leadership of the Filtration Society's Filter Testing conference series. The company has 1–10 employees and is founder-led, with Dr Graham Rideal serving as CEO for 35+ years.
Whitehouse Scientific firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Whitehouse Scientific
- Legal name
- Whitehouse Scientific Ltd
- Website
- https://whitehousescientific.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1983
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Whitehouse Scientific Ltd is a UK-based, privately held manufacturer of NIST- and NPL-traceable glass and silica microsphere calibration standards for particle sizing, sieve calibration, and filter testing laboratories worldwide.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Whitehouse Scientific industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Particle Size Calibration Standards
- NAICS
- Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing (334516)
- SIC
- Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826), Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Calibration Services & Standards (Calibration labs, reference standards, traceability services) (IMAGAFAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Metrology & Dimensional Measurement (CMMs, laser trackers, gauges, surface/roughness) (IMAGAFAD), Metrology, Calibration & Testing Equipment (Balances, pH/DO, Standards) (HLAGAIAL)
Keywords
Where Whitehouse Scientific is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chester
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Whitehouse Scientific business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Particle Size Reference Standards Sales: Sale of precision glass microspheres and particle size calibration standards. Products sold as single-use bottles in various weights. NIST traceable references ranging from 0.1µm to 5.0mm, available as single sizes or broad distribution standards.
- PoreSizer™ Software and Equipment: Sale of PoreSizer™ static image analysis system including software, microscope, camera and computer equipment, plus optional add-ons such as additional objective lenses and calibration accessories.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Monodisperse Standards - glass microspheres with ultra-narrow size distribution |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Polydisperse Particle Standards - broad size distribution standards |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Sieve Calibration Standards for 200mm (8") sieves |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Sieve Calibration Standards for 100mm (4") sieves |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Image Analysis Standards - for optical microscopy and image analysis systems |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Opaque Polydisperse Standards - for laser diffraction applications |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | General Purpose Glass Microspheres - non-certified research grade |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Monodisperse Silica Beads - very narrow size distribution |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | PoreSizer™ Image Analysis System - equipment and software |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels7 records
Whitehouse Scientific product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Whitehouse Scientific manufactures and sells NIST-traceable precision glass and silica microspheres used as certified reference standards for calibrating particle sizing instruments (laser diffraction, microscopy, sieving, sedimentation, Coulter method). The product range covers particle sizes from 0.1µm to 5.0mm and includes monodisperse standards, polydisperse standards, sieve calibration standards for 100mm and 200mm sieves, image analysis standards, and opaque polydisperse standards. The company also sells the proprietary PoreSizer™ static image analysis system and provides filter cut-point testing services for pore sizes from 2µm to 2mm.
Product overview
Whitehouse Scientific is a precision calibration materials company offering particle size reference standards and related analysis instruments. The portfolio consists of calibration microspheres (glass and silica) for sieves (200mm and 100mm standards), monodisperse and polydisperse standards (including opaque variants), general purpose research beads, and the PoreSizer image analysis instrument. All certified standards are NIST traceable, spanning sizes from 0.1um to 5.0mm. Filter testing services complement the product range. The company operates under ISO 9001:2015 quality management and has been producing precision glass microspheres for calibration for over 35 years.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- PoreSizer™: A static image analysis system for measuring particles, sieve meshes and filter pores using optical microscopy and a high quality 1.4 megapixel camera.
Products and services
- Standards for Calibrating 200mm (8") Sieves NIST-Traceable narrow-distribution glass microsphere standards for calibrating 200mm (8") diameter test sieves, available in sizes from 20µm to 3350µm. Single-shot bottles remove operator sampling errors. Sold as 5-bottle sets.
- Standards for Calibrating 100mm (4") Sieves NIST-Traceable narrow-distribution glass microsphere standards for calibrating 100mm (4") diameter test sieves, available in sizes from 20µm to 1400µm. Sold as 5-bottle sets.
- Monodisperse Standards Ultra-narrow size distribution glass microspheres traceable to NIST and NPL, in sizes from 9.18µm to 192.60µm with only a few microns separating many grades. Sold as 5-bottle sets (0.1g-0.4g per bottle).
- General Purpose Glass Microspheres Non-certified research-grade glass microspheres produced by sieving to create extremely sharp cuts from 75µm to 3.5mm. Calibrated against NIST/NPL standards and used as preliminary materials to assess particle sizing equipment performance.
- Monodisperse Silica Beads Very narrow size distribution silica microspheres ranging from 0.05µm to 11µm. Not certified but include a table of reference data. Sold as 5-bottle sets with 0.2g per bottle; set of 10 sizes available.
- Image Analysis Standards Ultra-narrow size distribution glass microspheres in single-shot formats for optical microscopy and image analysis particle sizing systems. NIST-Traceable, multi-modal, with size ranges from 50-250µm up to 1400-5000µm.
- Opaque Polydisperse Standards Opaque polydisperse standards designed for optically based particle sizing techniques including Laser Diffraction (Fraunhofer and Mie scattering) and optical zone sensing. NIST-Traceable, available in the 10-100µm range with multiple weight options.
- Polydisperse Particle Standards Broad distribution particle size reference standards, formerly known as BCR 'Mirror' Standards. Traceable to NIST, BCR, and NPL, with size ranges from 0.1µm to 2000µm. Sold as 10-bottle sets.
- PoreSizer Image Analysis System Proprietary static image analysis system that measures particles, sieve meshes and filter pores using an optical microscope with 1.4 megapixel camera (1392x1040 pixels). Measures both size and shape down to 2-3 microns, producing statistical and graphical outputs and pre-formatted certificates. Sold with optional add-on objective lenses (x2, x10, x20) and precision graticules.
- Filter Cut-Point Testing Service Filter cut-point testing service using precision glass microspheres to challenge filter media. Covers pore sizes from 2µm up to 2mm with micron resolution. Delivered through Whitehouse Scientific's laboratory in Chester, UK.
Quantifiable outcome
- Complete sieve calibration in 2 minutes examining 2.5 million apertures (80% of surface)
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Whitehouse Scientific
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Whitehouse Scientific technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Whitehouse Scientific partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Whitehouse Scientific competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- TSI Incorporated: TSI manufactures aerosol and particle measurement instruments and sells associated challenge testing/calibration particles. Whitehouse Scientific's filter testing and sieving standards overlap with TSI's filter and aerosol test workflows.
- PolySciences Corporation: PolySciences manufactures monodisperse and polydisperse polymer microparticles used as size calibration standards in life sciences, pharma, and industrial QC — directly comparable to Whitehouse's monodisperse silica and glass microsphere offerings.
- Beckman Coulter Life Sciences: Beckman Coulter (Danaher) supplies the Coulter counter and associated calibration particles for particle sizing by electrical sensing zone — the Coulter Principle is one of the four primary methods Whitehouse Scientific cites for its reference standards. Direct method-level competitor.
- Cospheric LLC: Cospheric manufactures polymer and glass microspheres for calibration, research, and specialty applications. It is a smaller, specialty competitor to Whitehouse Scientific in the microsphere reference standards category.
- Malvern Panalytical: Malvern Panalytical (Spectris) is the dominant manufacturer of laser diffraction particle sizing instruments (Mastersizer) and supplies reference materials for particle size calibration. Whitehouse Scientific directly complements and competes with Malvern's standards portfolio in laboratory particle sizing workflows.
- Phosphorex: Phosphorex specialises in monodisperse and fluorescent microparticles and microparticle-based standards for diagnostics, imaging, and particle sizing — overlapping with Whitehouse's monodisperse calibration microspheres serving biopharma and research QC labs.
Broad incumbents
- Agilent Technologies: Agilent supplies analytical laboratory instruments across chromatography, mass spectrometry, and spectroscopy, and may bundle reference standards with instrument sales. A broad scientific-instrument incumbent that overlaps tangentially with Whitehouse's laboratory standards market.
- Thermo Fisher Scientific: Thermo Fisher acquired Duke Scientific (now Thermo Fisher Particle Technology), historically the largest supplier of NIST-traceable polymer and glass microsphere calibration standards. Whitehouse Scientific competes in the same product category against this broader scientific instruments giant.
Regional players
- BS-Partikel GmbH: German supplier of monodisperse and fluorescent microsphere standards for particle sizing and flow cytometry. Serves a comparable European research/QC customer base but from a regionally distinct footprint.
- Microparticles GmbH: Germany-based supplier of monodisperse polymer microparticles for calibration and research. A regional peer to Whitehouse in Europe, with adjacent but not fully overlapping product lines (focus on polymer microspheres vs. Whitehouse's glass and silica emphasis).
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Whitehouse Scientific social profiles
Digital presenceWhitehouse Scientific compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Whitehouse Scientific financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Whitehouse Scientific leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Whitehouse Scientific funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Whitehouse Scientific 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 Whitehouse Scientific
What does Whitehouse Scientific do?
Whitehouse Scientific manufactures and sells NIST-traceable precision glass and silica microspheres used as certified reference standards for calibrating particle sizing instruments (laser diffraction, microscopy, sieving, sedimentation, Coulter method). The product range covers particle sizes from 0.1µm to 5.0mm and includes monodisperse standards, polydisperse standards, sieve calibration standards for 100mm and 200mm sieves, image analysis standards, and opaque polydisperse standards. The company also sells the proprietary PoreSizer™ static image analysis system and provides filter cut-point testing services for pore sizes from 2µm to 2mm.
Is Whitehouse Scientific a public or private company?
Whitehouse Scientific is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Whitehouse Scientific founded?
Whitehouse Scientific was founded in 1983. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Whitehouse Scientific based?
Whitehouse Scientific is headquartered in Chester, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Whitehouse Scientific make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Particle Size Reference Standards Sales are the primary driver. The others are poreSizer™ Software and Equipment.
Who are Whitehouse Scientific's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are TSI Incorporated, PolySciences Corporation, Beckman Coulter Life Sciences, Cospheric LLC, Malvern Panalytical and Phosphorex. Broad incumbents are Agilent Technologies and Thermo Fisher Scientific. Regional players are BS-Partikel GmbH and Microparticles GmbH.
Does Whitehouse Scientific have an API?
No public API is recorded for Whitehouse Scientific.
What industry is Whitehouse Scientific in?
Whitehouse Scientific's product category is Particle Size Calibration Standards. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAGAFAH, Calibration Services & Standards (Calibration labs, reference standards, traceability services), with a secondary code of IMAGAFAD, Metrology & Dimensional Measurement (CMMs, laser trackers, gauges, surface/roughness). Its NAICS code is 334516 and its SIC code is 3826.