First Firm in America

Boekel Scientific is an ISO 13485:2016 certified company that designs and manufactures lab equipment and custom builds equipment for research and clinical laboratories, blood banks and hospitals. Boekel Scientific is also the oldest labware manufacturer in the United States. Located in the Philadelphia Metropolitan area, our company was founded in 1868. Beyond a long history of manufacturing labware, we've helped shape the industry. 

Why Does Experience Matter in the Labware Industry?

At Boekel Scientific, we have over 150 years of experience in the labware industry. This makes us stand out in a few ways:

• We understand labware. Our team has in-depth knowledge of histology equipment, incubators, ovens, rotating equipment, microbiology equipment, and sample heaters and coolers.
• We're committed to made-in-America products. Boekel Scientific was founded when manufacturing was based in the U.S. We've maintained that commitment, giving us control over every part of the design and manufacturing process. 
• Our company and team are stable. While job switching is common today, most of our employees at Boekel Scientific stay 10 to 20 years or more. We'll develop partnerships with you and work to bring you a deeper understanding of each piece of lab equipment. 

The History of Boekel

Founded in 1868 by William Boekel, Boekel Scientific was originally called William Boekel & Company. The founder was joined later by his nephew, Julius Boekel, who took the company over in 1906. Julius would go on to become a member of the Franklin Institute in 1909.

At first, the company created water closets. Our focus moved to lab and medical equipment by the 1890s. It was expensive and time-consuming to import lab equipment from Germany at the time, so Julius and William used castings, spinnings and brass turnings to create equipment in-house. Boekel Scientific became the first labware manufacturer in the U.S., as chronicled by Ernest Child in “The Tools of The Chemist” (1940).

Julius and William filed several patents for improved leak detectors, impact water motors and other equipment. Julius was known for greeting his employees at the start of every workday until he was injured at 92. This greeting was part of the caring, family-oriented tradition of the Boekel company. We maintain a family-oriented, small-business attitude in our teams today. We also maintain close, collaborative client relationships and use external input to guide new product releases. 

The company was incorporated in 1932 and moved from regional sales to national and then international supply. The Boekel Building, a historic factory from this period, still stands in Philadelphia. Boekel works with the Philadelphia Historical Commission to preserve documents related to the factory.

Even in the 1930s and 1940s, Boekel had a reputation for treating employees well. During the Great Depression and World War I, the company never laid off a worker — a claim few American businesses could make.

Between 1975 and 1990, the company underwent rapid growth and became Boekel Scientific. We purchased Moffa Wire Works, Biotron, HyVac pumps and Jenn Manufacturing. A modernized facility opened in 1995, and we've continued innovating and growing ever since.

Why Boekel Scientific?

History counts. While some might think of lab equipment as a modern invention, Boekel Scientific shows it has a long history. Boekel Scientific's tradition of customer service and customization continues today, with 80% of manufacturing still done in-house and a 48-hour turnaround time for repairs. This is the difference a tradition of innovation makes. Shop our equipment today to see for yourself and contact us today!