Helander

What Helander does

Helander Precision is a UK-based precision engineering subcontractor that manufactures hard metallic components and sub-assemblies from super alloy materials, steels, and aluminium using conventional subtractive CNC machining. Founded in 1976 and headquartered in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, the company operates 26 CNC machining centres spanning 5-axis and 8-axis Mill/Turn (Mazak Integrex, Doosan Puma, Okuma, Mazak Variaxis) with spindle speeds up to 25,000 RPM, supported by a Mitutoyo Crysta-Apex CMM, Openmind Hypermill, Mastercam, and SOLIDWORKS seats, and lights-out production capability. Helander has also developed experience machining additively manufactured parts grown from Inconel and titanium powders, and offers full turnkey engineering from DFM support through prototype, fast-track, and series production, including assembly and transport logistics.

The company serves four vertical markets: Aerospace & Defence (actuation and control systems, rocket motor and body assemblies, flight deck controls, fuel systems, de-icing, slat arms), Energy (rotary steerable systems, drive shafts, impellors, stators, drilling heads, and EV motor casings and shafts), Nuclear (pump and valve bodies, filtration components, hot glove box components, decommissioning parts, pressure release valve assemblies), and Construction, Marine & Industrial (super yacht fittings, transmission components, hydraulic components, propellers, motorsport components). Named customers include BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce, Ultra, Roxel, Weatherford, Schlumberger, and NES.

Helander's revenue model is built on enterprise, quote/RFQ-based, multi-year contracts with OEMs, Tier 1, Tier 2, and aftermarket providers, with direct sales led by a Head of Sales & Business Development and a Technical Sales Engineer. The business holds AS9100 Rev D, ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, Fit for Nuclear, Cyber Essentials, JOSCAR, and WEAF certifications, and is a beneficiary of the UK Government's 'Sharing in Growth' scheme. Internal operations are governed by the 'Innocence to Excellence' (I2E) Hoshin Kanri strategic framework with SQDCP performance boards. The company is privately held, operates globally via exports, and runs an estimated headcount of 51-100.

Name

Helander

Legal name

Helander Precision

Website

https://helander.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Helander Precision is a UK-based CNC machining subcontractor producing precision metallic components and sub-assemblies for aerospace, defence, energy, nuclear, and industrial OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers, offering turnkey engineering from DFM through series production with AS9100 and Fit for Nuclear certifications.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Precision Engineering and CNC Machining

NAICS

Machine Shops (332710), Machine Shops; Turned Product; and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing (3327)

SIC

Miscellaneous Fabricated Metal Products (3490)

akta.pro primary industry

Metal Airframe Structures & Machined Parts (IMABAEAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Rotorcraft Parts & Components Manufacturing (Tier Suppliers) (IMABABAM)

Keywords

• CNC machining services
• Precision engineering components
• Aerospace component manufacturing
• Defence precision machining
• Turnkey engineering solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Tewkesbury

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Precision Component Manufacturing: Manufacture of hard metallic components and sub-assemblies from super alloy materials, steels, and aluminium using CNC machining. Turnkey engineering services including design for manufacture support, assembly, prototype batch, fast-track, and series production. Full lifetime quality records (LTQRs) and fixed process control provided.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Helander manufactures hard metallic precision components and sub-assemblies using CNC machining of super alloy materials, steels, and aluminium. The company provides turnkey engineering solutions including design for manufacture support, prototyping, series production, assembly, and aftermarket supply for the aerospace, defence, energy, nuclear, and industrial sectors.

Product overview

Helander is a precision engineering company providing turnkey manufacturing solutions through a portfolio of CNC machining services and precision components. Core offerings include four main product lines: Aerospace & Defence components, Energy sector components, Nuclear components (Fit 4 Nuclear certified), and Construction/Marine/Industrial components. These are supported by complementary services including CNC lights out manufacturing, DFM support, offline programming, additive manufactured parts machining, and full turnkey engineering from prototype through series production. The company operates 26 CNC machining centres and works with diverse materials including super alloys, titanium, inconel, stainless steels, and aluminium. Programming capabilities include Openmind Hypermill, Mastercam, and SOLIDWORKS CAD/CAM software.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Aerospace & Defence Precision Components Precision-machined components for actuation and control systems including actuator components, rocket motor/body assemblies, flight deck controls, fuel systems, de-icing components, and heat sinks for commercial and defence aerospace sectors.
• Energy Sector Precision Components Precision components for the energy sector including rotary steerable systems, main drive shafts, impellors, stators, drilling heads, pump components, and EV motor casings for oil and gas and renewable energy markets.
• Nuclear Precision Components Components for nuclear defence, decommissioning, and new energy systems including pump and valve bodies, filtration components, hot glove box components, and pressure release valve assemblies. Fit 4 Nuclear certified.
• Construction, Marine & Industrial Precision Components Precision components for construction, marine, and industrial applications including super yacht light fittings, transmission components, hydraulic components, propellers, and motor sport high precision components.
• Full Turnkey Engineering Solutions Complete turnkey engineering services including supply chain management, assembly, prototype batch production, fast-track delivery, series production, and sourcing of external processes such as hard anodising, coating, NDT, and balancing.
• CNC Lights Out Manufacturing Conventional subtractive CNC manufacturing services enabling lights-out production for hard metallic components and sub-assemblies ranging from super alloy materials to steels and aluminium across 26 CNC machining centres.
• Additively Manufactured Parts Machining Machining and treatment services for additively manufactured parts grown from inconel and titanium powders, with successful machining trials conducted in collaboration with customers.

Quantifiable outcome

• On Time In Full (OTIF) delivery performance monitored through SQDCP communication boards
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• OpenmindcoreTechnology or IntegrationGlobal tooling and CAM software partner engaged for cutting strategy development, providing Openmind Hypermill CAD/CAM software with 3 seats and training for offline programming to support manufacturing uptime optimisation.
• MastercamcoreTechnology or IntegrationCAD/CAM software partnership providing 3 seats of Mastercam for programming excellence and concurrent design/manufacture preparation.
• SOLIDWORKScoreTechnology or Integration4 seats of SOLIDWORKS for design for manufacturability support and collaborative design/manufacture programming excellence.
• MitutoyocoreTechnology or IntegrationSupplier of Mitutoyo Crysta-Apex Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM) with 900 x 1600 x 800mm measurement range for inspection of large components.
• GEL (Gloucestershire Enterprise Limited)supportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLocal training provider delivering leadership and management apprenticeship programs aligned to national standards, with monthly mentoring sessions to develop employees at all levels.
• Global Tooling SuppliercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEngaged for cutting strategy development and simulation of machining processes to prove cycle times and provide confidence in capability and cost control.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Senior plc: UK-listed precision engineering group serving aerospace, defence, energy and land-vehicle markets with complex fluid conveyance and structural components. Highly comparable to Helander in vertical mix (notably aerospace/defence/heavy industrial), regulatory-driven customer base, and value-add machining of difficult alloys.
• Wallwork Group: UK-based heat treatment, metallurgical processing and precision machining service provider to aerospace, defence and motorsport customers. Directly comparable niche contract-manufacturing model with overlapping certifications (e.g. AS9100, Nadcap-adjacent approvals) and customer overlap in UK aero/defence.
• Figeac Aéro: French Tier-1/Tier-2 aerospace precision machining and structural parts supplier serving Airbus, Safran, Dassault and Boeing. Comparable in business model (multi-axis machining of hard alloys, AS9100-driven, aftermarket + OEM programmes) but larger and public.
• Magellan Aerospace: Canadian precision aerospace components and systems manufacturer with machining of hard-alloy airframe, propulsion and defence parts. Comparable in alloy difficulty, certification regime and prime-contractor customer model.
• Mettis Aerospace: UK-based Tier-1/Tier-2 aerospace forged and machined components supplier with AS9100 and major airframer approvals. Strongest direct overlap with Helander's airframe-machined-parts positioning and customer base (Airbus, Boeing, Rolls-Royce supply chains).
• Cox Manufacturing: US aerospace/defence/medical precision CNC machining contract manufacturer with AS9100 and ITAR approvals. Directly analogous business model (multi-axis CNC for hard alloys, regulated customers), although larger and US-based.

Broad incumbents

• Diploma plc: UK-listed group of specialised distribution and value-add manufacturing businesses serving aerospace, defence, industrial and energy end-markets. Comparable sector exposure and customer mix, but operates as a buy-and-build holding company rather than a single contract-manufacturing site.
• Precision Castparts (Berkshire Hathaway): Large global supplier of complex metal components for aerospace, power and defence (machined forgings, castings, alloys). Comparable end-products (hard-alloy machined aerospace parts, AS9100, prime-contractor customers), but operates at substantially larger scale and owned by Berkshire Hathaway.

Regional players

• Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group: UK-based aerospace and defence MRO/modification and engineering services provider with significant precision manufacturing capability. Comparable in being a UK-headquartered, AS9100-certified, defence-and-aerospace engineering house with strong BAE/Rolls-Royce adjacency.

Others

• Bodycote plc: Global leader in heat treatment and specialist thermal processing services for aerospace, automotive and industrial customers. Adjacent/ecosystem peer that complements Helander's outsourced finishing (hard anodise, NDT, coating) workflow.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/helander-precision-engineering

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Helander