What Labman Automation does

Labman Automation Ltd. is a privately held UK engineering company, founded in 1979 and headquartered in North Yorkshire, that designs and manufactures bespoke laboratory automation systems and robotics. The company operates across two principal commercial motions: (i) fully custom engineering projects delivered via a six-stage engagement (initial proposal, feasibility study, design study, manufacture, Factory Acceptance Test/Site Acceptance Test, and ongoing support) for large enterprise customers in pharmaceuticals, chemicals, paints and coatings, energy, food and beverage, and environmental applications; and (ii) a catalogue of off-the-shelf benchtop products — MultiDose (automated powder dosing), MultiVial (vial laser marking and weighing) and TIDAS (automated Hegman gauge analyser) — sold via inside sales with quote-based pricing.

All mechanical, electrical, and software engineering is performed in-house at the company's state-of-the-art North Yorkshire facility, with no outsourcing. Its technology stack integrates 6-axis robotic arms, custom PLC controls, microfluidic actuation modules, a proprietary 64-channel potentiostat, and a unifying software platform (BaseApp) with REST API and LIMS integration, supported by the Helix live-monitoring platform. The portfolio extends to manufacturing-scale GAMP 5 process skids for GMP pharmaceutical production, and novel instrument development under ISO 13485 (including EU-funded point-of-care diagnostic devices PoCOsteo and ELEVATE), with software compliant to 21 CFR Part 11.

Labman generates revenue through a mix of professional services for bespoke projects, hardware sales of catalog products and process skids, instrument development contracts (often EU-funded), and recurring support/maintenance contracts with annual billing. The company serves a globally distributed blue-chip customer base — including Roche, GSK, BASF, Novo Nordisk, Biogen, AstraZeneca, Evonik, Henkel, BP, Ingredion, and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory — and is certified to ISO 9001, ISO 13485, and ISO 27001:2022.

Name

Labman Automation

Legal name

Labman Automation Ltd.

Website

https://labmanautomation.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Labman Automation designs and manufactures bespoke and off-the-shelf laboratory automation systems and robotics, in-house in North Yorkshire, UK. It serves global pharmaceutical, chemical, energy, and research customers with custom projects, process skids, and benchtop products.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Laboratory Automation Equipment

NAICS

Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing (334516), Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing (3333), Other General Purpose Machinery Manufacturing (3339)

SIC

Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826), General Industrial Machinery & Equipment (3560), Electrical Industrial Apparatus (3620)

akta.pro primary industry

Lab Automation, Instrument Control & Workflow Orchestration Software (HLAGAJAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Liquid Handling & Laboratory Automation (Pipettes, Robots, Workstations) (HLAGAIAD), Lab Middleware, Instrument Connectivity & Automation (HLACAMAI), Lab Analytics, Utilization Management & Operational Intelligence (HLACAMAK), Factory Automation Cells & Integrated Systems (Assembly, Welding, Painting Lines) (IMAHAHAL)

Keywords

• Laboratory automation systems
• Custom lab robotics
• GMP process skids
• Automated powder dosing
• Pharmaceutical lab instrumentation

Headquarters

HQ city

Stokesley

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Custom project engineering services: Bespoke lab automation projects delivered via a structured 6-stage engagement (initial proposal, feasibility, design study, manufacture, FAT/SAT, support). Each is a one-time, project-based engagement typically for large enterprise customers. Includes complimentary one-year warranty as standard.
2. Off-the-shelf product sales: Hardware sales of catalog products (MultiDose, MultiVial, TIDAS, PoCOsteo, ELEVATE). One-time hardware purchase with optional tailored support packages and dedicated training.
3. Process skid sales (GMP/GxP manufacturing-scale systems): Bespoke GMP-certified process skids for continuous or batch manufacturing in pharmaceutical production, engineered to GAMP 5 SDLC standards. One-time hardware sale with documentation and validation.
4. Software (BaseApp, custom apps, LIMS integration): FDA-compliant software, custom web apps, full LIMS integration. BaseApp ships with all Labman hardware. Software team builds custom apps and integrates with LIMS via REST API or CSV.
5. Support and maintenance contracts: Tailored support packages covering parts, labour, preventative maintenance, and call-outs beyond the complimentary one-year warranty. Dedicated support team provides total worldwide support for any Labman technology.
6. Instrument development contracts: Bespoke novel instrument development including microfluidics, electrochemical sensing, and point-of-care diagnostic devices. Several products developed through EU-funded projects (e.g., PoCOsteo, ELEVATE). Concept-to-manufacture capability under ISO 13485.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Labman Automation designs, manufactures and supports bespoke laboratory automation systems and off-the-shelf products such as MultiDose, MultiVial and TIDAS. Its offerings span custom engineering projects, GMP-certified process skids, novel instrument development, and a proprietary BaseApp software platform that integrates with LIMS. All mechanical, electrical and software engineering is performed in-house at its North Yorkshire, UK facility, with technology and support delivered worldwide.

Product overview

Labman Automation offers a platform-plus-modules architecture combining off-the-shelf benchtop products (MultiDose automated powder dosing, MultiVial vial laser marking and weighing, and TIDAS automated Hegman gauge analyser) with bespoke custom projects, GMP-certified process skids, novel instrument development (including PoCOsteo and ELEVATE point-of-care diagnostic devices), and a unifying BaseApp software platform with REST API and 21 CFR Part 11 compliance. The Helix support platform provides live metrics and remote support across the installed base, while all products are designed and built in-house at Labman's North Yorkshire, UK facility. The portfolio (140+ systems) is anchored on Labman's engineering heritage since 1979 and spans industries including pharmaceuticals, paints and coatings, energy/renewables, food and beverage, and medical devices.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• MultiDose: Off-the-shelf benchtop automated powder dosing system combining a Mettler Toledo balance with a compact robot arm.
• MultiVial
• TIDAS
• PoCOsteo
• ELEVATE

Products and services

• MultiDose Benchtop automated powder dosing system that combines a Mettler Toledo balance with a compact robot arm to deliver high-accuracy, seamless powder-handling automation for demanding laboratory workflows. Used by labs needing reproducible automated dosing instead of manual weighing.
• MultiVial Benchtop automated vial handling platform that performs high-accuracy laser marking and weighing of both plastic and glass vials. Marketed as a revolution in pharmaceutical vial labelling and used in production environments such as Novo Nordisk.
• TIDAS Automated Hegman gauge/grindometer analyser that combines light scattering techniques with analysis software to objectively determine particle size in dispersions. Used by paints and coatings manufacturers (e.g., Beckers, Elementis, Evonik) for repeatable QC testing.
• PoCOsteo Portable point-of-care diagnostic device developed through an EU initiative to identify individuals at high risk of osteoporosis, enabling critical testing at the point of need rather than in centralised labs.
• ELEVATE Point-of-care diagnostic device for HPV screening built around a super-complex microfluidic 'lab-on-a-chip', co-developed with Universitat Rovira i Virgili under an EU-funded programme and underpinned by a 64-channel potentiostat.
• Process Skids Bespoke GMP-certified process skids engineered to work autonomously and integrate into pharmaceutical manufacturing processes, following a GAMP category 5 SDLC and complying with GMP, ISO, IEC and 21 CFR Part 11 standards.
• BaseApp Software Platform Proprietary software platform that powers Labman's hardware products and provides customisable UI, 21 CFR Part 11 compliance, REST API for LIMS integration, CSV exports, AI analytics and custom web app development for digital transformation of lab workflows.
• Custom Projects Bespoke lab automation projects delivered through a structured six-stage engagement (initial proposal, feasibility, design study, manufacture, FAT/SAT, ongoing support), tailored to a customer's exact workflow with a complimentary one-year warranty as standard.
• Instrument Development Technical partnership service for designing and building novel instrumentation including microfluidics, lab-on-a-chip devices and electrochemical sensors, taking concepts through to manufacture under ISO 13485.
• Helix Support Platform Live metrics, status and remote support platform that monitors installed Labman technology worldwide and enables proactive maintenance and remote diagnostics.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100x increase in synthesis throughput and reduction in synthesis time from ~1 day to under 1 hour per compound
• +7 more outcomes

Named customers42 records

Segments10 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

AI capability8 records

Feature10 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• Micropore TechnologiesflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-developed The Horizon Mini, which automates large-scale sample production of Liquid Nanoparticles (LNP) using Micropore's AXF-Mini mixing devices. Described as a next-generation automation platform collaboration with shared goal of empowering researchers to innovate faster, smarter, and more sustainably.
• Berkeley Lab (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered to develop a fully automated high-throughput synthesis system for AI-predicted novel materials, built around a 6-axis robotic arm capable of handling over 200 powder-based materials. Achieved 100x throughput increase and produced 40 novel predicted compounds in the first month.
• Universitat Rovira i VirgiliflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated through EU-funded initiative to develop ELEVATE, a point-of-care diagnostic device for HPV screening using a super-complex microfluidic 'lab-on-a-chip'. Co-developed the 64-channel potentiostat that measures 64 markers in 6 seconds.
• Mettler ToledocoreTechnology or IntegrationMettler Toledo balances and Quantos dosing units are integrated across Labman's product and custom system portfolio — e.g., MultiDose, Dual MultiDose, Automated XPR powder dosing, Automated Quantos system.
• European UnioncoreOthersEU-funded projects enabled Labman to develop PoCOsteo (osteoporosis point-of-care diagnostic) and ELEVATE (HPV screening lab-on-a-chip). Several Labman instrument development capabilities originated from EU-funded programmes.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Hamilton Company: Privately held US manufacturer of precision laboratory automation, robotic liquid handling workstations and process analytics. Directly comparable to Labman's bespoke liquid handling, powder dosing (Microlab) and process analytics platforms sold to pharma and biotech R&D.
• Tecan: Swiss-listed leader in laboratory automation for life sciences, including liquid handling robots, readers and software for pharma, diagnostics and academic customers. Overlaps with Labman in custom workflow automation, sample prep and GMP-compliant process integration.
• Beckman Coulter Life Sciences: Danaher-owned provider of laboratory automation including Biomek liquid handlers and automated sample-prep workstations. Comparable to Labman in pharmaceutical/biotech workflow automation and GMP-compliant instrumentation.
• Chemspeed Technologies: Swiss provider of automated synthesis, formulation and workflow platforms for chemistry R&D. Closely comparable to Labman in high-throughput powder/materials handling, custom synthesis automation and pharmaceutical process development.
• Peak Analysis & Automation (PAA): UK-based bespoke laboratory automation integrator serving pharma, life sciences and academic labs. Directly comparable to Labman's custom project and software-integration offering, including LIMS connectivity and high-throughput screening platforms.

Emerging players

• Andrew Alliance (Waters Corporation): Provider of connected pipetting robots and automated lab assistants for sample preparation, now part of Waters. Adjacent competitor to Labman in benchtop automation, particularly for academic and pharma R&D labs.
• Unchained Labs: US-based life sciences instrumentation company building automated, user-friendly instruments for biologics and chemistry workflows. Comparable in targeting benchtop, instrument-level automation similar to Labman's MultiDose/MultiVial/TIDAS products.
• Biosero: US-based provider of laboratory automation software and integration services for life sciences, with Green Button Go orchestration platform. Comparable to Labman's BaseApp software and LIMS integration capabilities, especially for multi-vendor lab workflows.

Broad incumbents

• Thermo Fisher Scientific: Global life sciences tools giant offering laboratory automation, robotics, LIMS software and process analytics. Labman integrates Thermo Aquakem and other Thermo products but competes against its broader automation portfolio at the enterprise level.

Others

• Mettler Toledo: Global precision instruments supplier whose balances, Quantos dosing units and other components are integrated by Labman (MultiDose, Automated Quantos). Functions as a technology partner/incumbent whose instruments often sit inside Labman systems.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/LabmanAutomation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/labman-automation-ltd
• Instagraminstagram.com/labmanautomation

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Labman Automation