The COVID-19 pandemic presented many challenges in 2020, but it also presented many opportunities. CORAL’s Matt Pedersen spoke with Carl Silvaggio, President of Milwaukee Instruments, to discuss the striking rebranding and sweeping updates to Milwaukee’s product line.
CORAL: Carl, please give our readers an overview of what’s been happening at Milwaukee Instruments.
Carl Silvaggio: In the last year we’ve developed and introduced a new logo and new company colors (black and green). We had done a prior rebranding, and aquarists may be familiar with our white, blue, and green meters. We consolidated all of that into one look with a brand-new logo. All the packaging has changed; some of it is improved in terms of ease of use. For others, the look and style of the packaging have been updated.
We actually started the rebranding process well before the pandemic around March or April of 2019. As the manufacturer, for us rebranding is a large task. We had to complete all the design work, and find the plastics that would work with our products and design. We launched into the project with the intention of debuting an e-commerce site in October of 2020. We rolled through e-commerce development throughout 2020; during the epidemic, it was a good time to focus on this project, but January of 2021 is when we kind of got it all [quietly] rolled out. By that point, the new products were ready to be made available (we had stock).
CORAL: So in addition to the modernized style of your brand, what’s new?
Silvaggio: We’ve introduce six new meters so far; three new portable meters, two new series of bench meters, and one new tester. But stay tuned as there is even more coming!
CORAL: Thanks for the quick updates on all that’s going on at Milwaukee!
Three New Portable Meters
The MW105 and MW106 MAX Meters are a brand new style. They are 3-in-1 ph, ORP, and temperature meters. They are waterproof, IP67 rated. The main difference between these two meters is that MW106 includes data logging functionality. Learn more about the MW105 MAX and MW106 MAX on the Milwaukee Instruments website.
The MW306 MAX is a new 4-in-1 lightweight, waterproof meter with data logging capabilities. It measures EC (electrical conductivity), TDS (total dissolved solids), salinity [specifically Nacl], and temperature. Learn more at the MW306 MAX product page.
Two New Bench Meters
While not as small and mobile as the portable meters, Milwaukee’s new bench meters include built-in rechargeable battery capacity offering 8-hours of operational time and include a 12-volt DC power supply. Both new bench meters test for ph, ORP and temperature, the MW151 MAX adds data logging and export capabilities. Learn more about the MW150 MAX and MW151 MAX at www.MilwaukeeInstruments.com.
One New Tester
Milwaukee’s handheld, pen-style testers are familiar to many aquarists, and the new MW804 MAX tester is waterproof [IP67 rated], sleek and compact. It comes with batteries included and the capacity for 100 hours of continuous use. Aquarists can quickly measure pH, electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, and temperature with the push of a button on the MW804 MAX.
View All Milwaukee’s Aquarium-Related Products
You can view these, and many other existing and updated aquarium-related monitors, testers and controllers at https://milwaukeeinstruments.com/applications/aquariums/
