Photovac Corporate Info
Photovac, Inc. Mission Statement
Photovac, Inc. is committed to TOTAL CUSTOMER SATISFACTION. We are determined to design, manufacture and distribute high quality, innovative products that meet the needs and expectations of our customers. We believe that all employees are responsible for quality, which is the result of a team effort as we strive for defect prevention and continuous improvement.
Photovac History
1975
In Toronto, Canada, Dr. Richard Leveson founded Photovac to be the premier provider of portable VOC instrumentation. Photovac’s focus has always been to develop and manufacture state-of-the-art detectors and easy-to-use instruments with superior reliability and sensitivity for monitoring Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in air, water and soil.
Late 1970's
The first product introduced was the 10A10 portable gas chromatograph with photoionization detector technology. This pioneering instrument was the world’s first portable GC. Portable GC allowed immediate identification and quantification of potentially hazardous VOCs on site. The time, expense, and possible sample degradation of using a laboratory GC to run field samples were effectively decreased.
1983
The innovations in portable GC continued through the 10S product line. The first of that line, the 10S30, was introduced in the early 1980s followed by the 10S50 and 10S70 in 1983.
1986
Photovac introduced one of the world’s first hand-held photoionization monitors. The TIP (Total Ionizables Present) Series represented yet another important innovation in on-site monitoring. Hand-held PIDs provided immediate total VOC (TVOC) measurements in the field. Three generations of instruments were included in the TIP Series.
1989
MicroTIP 100 Series was introduced.
1991
10S Plus was unveiled. All 10S instruments were based on photoionization detectors and included innovative technology such as internal carrier gas cylinders, on-board datalogging, and true portability. MicroTIP 1000 Series followed MicroTIP 100 Series as the third generation of the TIP Series. This instrument line included the MP-1000, HL-2000, IS-3000, and EX-4000. Innovations of the MicroTIP 1000 Series included datalogging and a redesigned PID detector.
1992
Photovac designed and introduced the first hand-held GC, the SnapShot. This instrument provided another important step in convenience and portability of GC.
1993
Photovac next introduced the 2020 Series, our fourth generation of hand-held PID monitors. The 2020 was among the smallest and lightest PIDs on the market, while providing the most stable and linear detector available based on our years of experience in hand-held PID instrumentation.
1995
Photovac was purchased by PerkinElmer Instruments in Norwalk, Connecticut, USA.
To further enhance Photovac’s product offering in VOC monitoring technology, the MicroFID Portable Flame Ionization Detector was introduced. Photovac innovations have made the MicroFID the smallest and lightest FID available. The MicroFID is fully self-contained with an internal hydrogen cylinder, 12-hour battery pack and datalogging. Our customers use this innovative FID for the fugitive emissions monitoring, US EPA Method 21 and underground storage tank leak detection (UST).
1996
Photovac introduced the first generation of Voyager, the portable GC with patented, innovative technology. The features of the Photovac Voyager includes a patented three-column system and dual PID-ECD detectors. Every Voyager also includes a factory programmed assay which provides pre-set instrument operating parameters and compound library to simplify operation.
2001
Photovac was acquired by the Carlisle Instruments Group in Waltham, Massachusetts, USA.
2003
Photovac introduced the new hand-held photoionization detector, the 2020PRO. With an ergonomic design, large graphic display and dedicated calibration key, the 2020PRO is the new generation PID. Instrument operation and data handling is effortless with the new 2020PRO Chart software and expanded internal datalogging.
2005
Photovac introduced the new high speed portable gas chromatograph, the PetroPRO. The PetroPRO incorporates proprietary detector and valve technology to increase the resolution of GC peaks and speed of analysis. The PetroPRO analyzes benzene in less than 30 seconds and benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and m-xylene (BTEX) in two minutes. The PetroPRO is designed for high speed analysis of BTEX; however it can be modified for analysis of a wide range of volatile organics. The PetroPRO utilizes photoionization, a field proven technology in previous generations of Photovac portable GCs. The PetroPRO photoionization detector has a wide dynamic range, from very low PPB to hundreds of PPM concentration levels. Instrument operation is simplified with a factory programmed assay as well as dedicated start and calibration keys.
The next generation of 2020 Series, 2020PROPlus was introduced.