1948 – 2023
Since 1948, Laboratory Equipment Company (LEC) has been a leading provider of scientific instruments, laboratory equipment, and services. Though much has changed since the company's beginning, our commitment to our customers has never wavered. It is reflected in our dedication to providing the highest quality products and services and our ability to act in their favor as independent consultants.
History
Laboratory Equipment Company was co-founded in 1948 by J. Karl Kolhede and Albert Schlichtmann, former sales representatives for a large laboratory chemical supply distributor. LEC originally occupied multiple locations throughout San Francisco. Karl eventually took over the business and was joined by his sons Kurt in 1974 and Brent in 1977.
Brand Evolution
When Brent and Kurt took over the company, the brand was refreshed. The previous colors of black and red were replaced with the company's current colors, and the characteristic logo wave was introduced.
Over the years, the Laboratory Equipment Company brand has changed most in how our customers shorten our name. For years, we were referred to as Labeco before LabEquipCo took over in popularity. Sometime after our partnership with SANYO, the most simplified version of our name, LEC, was borne.
"It was a nickname that just stuck," said Brent Kolhede, President. "As we always do, we listened to the market and adopted official use of LEC."
The geographic reach of LEC has also evolved to fit market needs. In the early 90s, some top laboratory equipment manufacturers helped kickstart LECs expansion into new territories. We began selling in the northwest and then in Southern California, southern Nevada, and Arizona. As our reach grew, so too did our portfolio of manufacturers.
LEC Culture
The genesis of LEC is to support life science, medical and industrial research through access to laboratory equipment that we have personally scrutinized for reliability.
LEC has continuously reinvented ourselves and our product offerings to match what the market needs and what our customers ask of us. Yet continuity and common ground are found in the life science companies we represent and our many long-term employees.
Why Choose LabEquipCo As Your Laboratory Equipment Supply Source?
LEC looks throughout North America and worldwide for the best products we can find in each category of our product offerings. Our sales representatives are factory trained on the equipment we sell. That means they can sell you the laboratory equipment that best meets your need, set it up when it arrives, get it started, and then instruct you in operation. Not only does that mean you know your laboratory equipment is started off on the right foot, it means the difference between an order taker who simply wants a sale and a consultative representative who wants what is best for you now and as your lab grows.
"The work our customers do is really important," said Kolhede. "We take what we do for customers seriously, and it's fun being part of it."
As we look to the future, we strive to remain an industry leader by providing innovative solutions that help our customers work smarter, faster, and more efficiently. We are proud to have served the scientific community for 75 years and look forward to many more years of successful partnerships.
