Researchers Helping Researchers

How an Iowa-based Research Chamber Manufacturer Secured a New International Distributor with a Research-Centric Approach

Percival Scientific (Percival), based in Perry, Iowa, has been making customized environmental research chambers since 1959. These environmental chambers are used in research projects across various disciplines: such as agriculture, biology, biomedicine, food & nutrition, and more. After successfully exporting to three continents, Percival learned about the U.S. Commercial Service Rural Export Center (REC) during a webinar and decided to pursue comprehensive research services. While Percival had found some success with international sales in the past, its staff wanted to be more proactive at identifying, vetting and pursuing global opportunities. As a result, Percival Scientific pursued REC Research to expand their global presence in 2021.

Percival first obtained a Matrix report from the REC, which is a weighted worldwide country ranking that includes over 25,000 data points that are customized to Percival’s industry and research needs. The Matrix heavily focused on agricultural research and economic data from across the world. Mexico ranked third in their Matrix report because of its strong performance across multiple indicators such as trade with the U.S., agricultural research activity, and the number of research and higher education establishments located in the country. These findings confirmed to Percival that there were potential opportunities for them to export to Mexico.

Regarding the value of the Matrix, Jamie Jackson (Vice President of Sales), noted the following:

“[The Matrix] gave us the information that we needed to say: ‘This is something that we need to venture into’, and we are now.”

After their experience with the REC in 2021, Percival Scientific continued evolving their current research products and their exporting strategies to Mexico. In early 2025, Percival Scientific attended the annual NCERA-101 Committee on Controlled Environment Technology and Use Conference in Monterrey, Mexico. Part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, this committee was organized to help scientists understand the use and benefits of controlled environmental technology that is similar to Percival’s research chambers. Percival took advantage of their time in Monterrey to meet with a local company that eventually became a new distributor of their products in Mexico.

Their exporting efforts resulted in the Percival Scientific Team receiving the 2025 Iowa Small Business Persons of the Year Award from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) in March of 2025. The SBA gives this award to small businesses that demonstrate significant achievements and contributions to their local communities and to the U.S. economy.

Percival’s experience shows that the U.S. Commercial Service Rural Export Center is here to help America’s rural exporters to identify opportunities and turn dreams into reality. If you are interested in obtaining one-on-one market & data intelligence, contact the Rural Export Center or your local Trade Specialist today!