Our Company

Laboratories was founded by David Shaw in 1983 with five employees in the Old Port neighborhood of Portland, Maine to respond to a new niche market, the detection of diseases in livestock and poultry animals such as cows, pigs and chickens. Within a few years, the company distinguished itself as a leader in immunoassay kits, including the now industry-renowned SNAP® family of tests that detect diseases in cats, dogs and other animals. By 1991, IDEXX had become a publicly traded company and over the next 25 years grew to become a world leader in veterinary diagnostic instrument development and manufacture; reference laboratory services; and dairy and water testing. Put simply, the company keeps animals healthy, milk and water safe. For instance, when thousands of pets were left homeless in Japan after a devastating tsunami in 2011, IDEXX Laboratories provided testing that ensured the health and safety of cats and dogs throughout the region. After most of the Boston metro area water supply was compromised by a main break in 2010, IDEXX tests were used to determine if public water was safe to drink.