It's Not Just Oil Analysis. It's What They Do With It.

Bryan Debshaw, Analysts

POLARIS Laboratories, LLC, was formed by a unique group of individuals whose vast experience and expertise in the industry created a company focused on results. Founders Don Woods, Jeff White, Mark Minges, Kevin Batt and Robin Batt have all been employed in the oil analysis industry prior to the formation of POLARIS.

In early 1999, POLARIS opened a state-of-the-art facility with the best instrumentation available. One year later, the company has grown exponentially, both in people and production, and is analyzing fluid samples from companies throughout North America, South America and Europe. This growth is attributable to many factors, but each of these factors is driven by the founders’ initial focus on its customers. “It’s not just oil analysis. It’s what we do with it” is more than a slogan for this team; it’s their underlying belief that sets POLARIS and its individuals apart.

POLARIS is centrally located in Greenwood, Indiana, a suburb of Indianapolis. At this location they can provide complete testing for oils, coolants, diesel fuel and industrial fluids. The laboratory is equipped with the latest in ICP technology utilizing CCD (close coupled device) technology. Turnaround time at POLARIS is critical and watched closely by management and supervision. The laboratory processes samples within 24 to 48 hours. POLARIS is also equipped for many methods of wear debris analysis including Micropatch, Direct Reading Ferrography, Analytical Ferrography and Gravimetric Solids.

POLARIS’ prime focus however, is not just the analysis. The company feels that all laboratories should be able to provide quality data. What makes POLARIS different is that it provides the customer with the tools and training to use the data to maximize asset reliability and increase operating profits.

POLARIS’ COMPASSTM software imports laboratory data from the customer’s e-mail and is capable of viewing and printing reports in both spreadsheet and graphical formats. The graphing features in this software are practically endless. In addition, the management reports are the backbone of this impressive software. Monthly summary reports give a breakdown of problem units sampled for that month. Sample frequency reports help the customer keep to his sampling schedule. Data Analysis reports that give the customer a complete breakdown by component, manufacturer, model, lube and application also provide correlation studies with query capabilities that let the customer choose their own parameters. A jar labels program is included to allow the customer to print labels in-house with all the information the laboratory needs. This feature significantly reduces potential sample logging errors.

Using COMPASSTM, a POLARIS customer was able to monitor fluid performance to the point of optimizing the selection of the right lube for his units. Once this fluid was in place, Polaris was able to help the customer increase oil drain and filter change intervals by two hundred percent.

POLARIS’ HORIZONTM Internet site posts data in real time as the laboratory completes the testing. Customers can view and print reports in spreadsheet or graphical style reports. There are several grouped graphing features that allow the customer to view meaningful data families, such as Iron and Silicon, Copper, Lead and Tin Particle Count and many others. The customer can access HORIZONTM from any computer that has Internet access.

POLARIS has also become a member of the Allied Services Group. Allied Services is a group of companies offering complete condition monitoring and asset reliability management to industrial facilities. This group offers oil analysis, vibration analysis, thermography and many other services. This includes onsite personnel, onsite vibration analysis, and thermography and oil analysis through POLARIS. This is a comprehensive, integrated condition monitoring service consortium for industrial operations.

Their customer base is broad in nature, with a heavy emphasis on industrial plants, oil and gas exploration and production, construction and mining, along with some transportation.

Why the name POLARIS? It stands for Performance Oil Laboratory And Reliable Information Services! It is also the name of the North Star that has been used for centuries as a navigation star. POLARIS, guiding you to a reliable oil analysis program.

Contact Information
POLARIS Laboratories, LLC
146 South Park Blvd.
Greenwood, IN 46143
Toll Free: 877-808-3750
Fax: 317-808-3751
Web site: www.polarislabs.com

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