Apeks SuperCritical

Apeks

APEKS SUPERCRITICAL
Johnstown, Ohio, United States: Subcritical and Supercritical CO2 Botanical Oil Extraction Systems

 

URL: http://www.apekssupercritical.com/
Founded: 2001
Employees: 13
Company Stage: Growth
Twitter: ApeksFab

 

MANAGEMENT TEAM

Andy Joseph, Founder & President
Nate Ames, Engineering Director
Jeremy Sexton, Controls Engineer
Kristen Joseph, Director of Human Resources

 

COMPANY OVERVIEW

Apeks Supercritical builds fully automated subcritical and supercritical botanical oil extraction systems that use liquid CO2 as a solvent. CO2 is a clean, inert, nontoxic solvent and it is nonflammable. Systems are built to extract any botanical material, but 90 percent of Apeks’ business comes from the cannabis industry.

 

COMPANY PROFILE

Revenue Driver:
Explosive growth in the cannabis industry drives revenue. This massive exploding growth potential is happening in an industry that doesn’t have any big players. The big players are staying out of it because of the U.S. federal landscape. The opportunity for small entrepreneurs like Apeks is unprecedented.

Competitors:
Eden Labs, a manufacturer of manual CO2 extraction systems.

Waters Corporation, a manufacturer of laboratory-based CO2 extraction systems.

Competitive Advantage:
Affordable, understandable, fully automated CO2 botanical oil extraction systems with two levels of safety protection: electrical and mechanical.

Business Model:
Design and build fully automated botanical oil extraction systems that use subcritical and/or supercritical CO2 as a solvent. Construct systems that range in size to accommodate small production operations up to large-batch production operations. Manufacture environmentally friendly systems in Johnstown, Ohio with as many American made parts and components as possible.

Funding:
Apeks was initially funded out of pocket. In 2013, after three pitches to The ArcView Group, Apeks secured a small investment from Tripp Keber, CEO of Dixie Elixirs.

Sales/Marketing Strategy:
Attend B2B conferences.

Welcome speaking opportunities at B2B conferences.

Build page ranks with Google AdWords.

Promote positive press (e.g., Yahoo Finance, CNBC, Al Jazeera America).

Update social media.

Customers:
Three groups – Growers, Producer-processors and Dispensaries.

Target Market:
All three industry groups.

Products:
1500-1L RECIRCULATING BENCHTOP SYSTEM – most affordable production system. Bench-top closed-loop recirculating capability allows for small production operation on a tight budget and/or in limited space or power applications. Runs on 110V power.

1500-5L SUBCRITICAL/SUPERCRITCAL CO2 SYSTEM – flagship recirculating CO2 production system. Typically used for lower volume production operations and pilot scale testing. Operates both subcritical (liquid) and supercritical CO2. Well suited for high-value production, testing and product trials.

1500-20L SUBCRITICAL/SUPERCRITICAL CO2 SYSTEM – Similar to the 1500-5L, except uses a 20L extraction vessel to allow for larger batch production operations.

5000-5L SUPERCRITICAL CO2 SYSTEM – Higher pressure recirculating CO2 production system allows for broader range of supercritical envelope which will produce a different product due to extracting higher molecular weight compounds compared to subcritical CO2.

5000-20L SUPERCRITICAL CO2 SYSTEM – Similar to the 5000-5L, except uses a 20L extraction vessel to allow for larger batch production operations.

CUSTOM SYSTEMS – customized production systems crafted to meet your production and/or testing requirements.

Customer Problem:
In regards to acquisition, federal law often prevents Apeks from demonstrating its systems with cannabis so potential customers are not always able to see the extraction systems process their specific botanical material. Apeks has opened service centers in Washington and Colorado to mitigate this challenge.

In regards to customer acquisition and retention, the severe lack of credible and intelligible scientific information available to the public can prevent potential customers from having accurate expectations and making informed decisions. Apeks is often required to act as both manufacturer and educator.

Management:
Andy Joseph, Founder & CEO, earned a BS and MSc in Welding Engineering from The Ohio State University. Joseph was previously Director of Welding and Testing Labs at Edison Welding Institute, an R&D firm, for 10 years. He also served aboard the USS San Francisco (SSN-711) home ported out of Pearl Harbor Hawaii as an enlisted nuclear propulsion mechanic for six years.

Nate Ames, Engineering Director, earned a BS in Welding Engineering and MSc in Welding Metallurgy from The Ohio State University.

Jeremy Sexton, Electrical Controls Engineer, earned an AAS in Electro Mechanical Engineering Technology from Columbus State.

Kristen Joseph, Director of Human Resources, Controller and Customer Service Specialist, earned a BS in Metallurgy from The Ohio State University.

 

ADDITIONAL POINTS OF INTEREST
Apeks Supercritical was listed as one of Entrepreneur’s 100 Brilliant Companies of 2014.

Apeks has more than 125 CO2 extraction systems installed internationally and in 18 states across the United States.

Business has grown 150 percent every year for the past two years.

Recent Revenue History: $700,000 in 2012, $3.2 million in 2013 and $8 million projected in 2014.

Patent pending Valveless Expansion Technology (VET) – this means there are no constrictions or regulating valves to cause clogging in the system between the extraction vessel and the CO2 expansion separator.

Congressman Pat Tiberi visited Apeks SuperCritical on May 15, 2014.

Apeks actively volunteers its time and expertise to help states develop extraction vessel regulations for legal marijuana legislation.

After securing the investment from Tripp Keber, CEO of Dixie Elixirs, Apeks was able to hire a Denver-based service engineer to run its new service center in Colorado.

Apeks has established service centers in Washington and Colorado where service engineers provide customer service, demonstrations and processing.

Five members of Andy Joseph’s direct family work for Apeks.

Caroline Cahill is the Managing Editor of MJINews. She earned her BA in Communications from College of Charleston and her MFA in Creative Writing from Virginia Commonwealth University. She has previously worked in higher education, development and radio. You can follow her on Twitter @CtheresaC.

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