What Setform does

Setform Limited is a UK-based business information and media company founded in 1982 and headquartered in central London. The company specializes in controlled-circulation B2B publishing across engineering, science, and energy verticals, operating seven print and digital magazines (International Design Engineer, International Process Engineer, International Transport Manufacturer, International Oil & Gas Engineer, International Power Engineer, International Mining Engineer, and EuroLab) supplemented by two industry-leading websites, Engineer Live and Scientist Live, that provide daily news, analysis, and product updates to senior technical professionals globally.

The company generates revenue through a multi-stream model built on subscription-based controlled circulation, advertising and sponsorship across print and digital properties, targeted E-Blast email campaigns segmented by location and industry discipline, visual media products including branded year planners, and media partnerships with major industry events such as Subsea Expo, ONS, MinExpo, and IEEE PES T&D. Setform also produces publications on behalf of nine long-standing professional associations including the Institute of Biomedical Science and the Institution of Engineering Designers. Distribution spans print, digital editions via the Yudu platform, websites, email, and event channels, with the company employing 11-50 staff and operating as a privately held UK limited company with no disclosed parent, investors, or funding history.

Name

Setform

Legal name

Setform Limited

Website

https://setform.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Setform is a UK-based B2B media company publishing controlled-circulation magazines and daily-updated websites in engineering, science, and energy verticals, serving international senior technical professionals and advertisers since 1982.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

B2B Trade Publishing

NAICS

Periodical Publishers (513120), Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers (5131)

SIC

Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)

akta.pro primary industry

Business, Finance & Industry Trade Magazines (MPAJAEAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

White-Label/Hosted Publishing Platforms (MPACAIAJ)

Keywords

• B2B publishing services
• Controlled circulation magazines
• Engineering trade publications
• Industry media advertising
• Specialist editorial content

Headquarters

HQ city

Loughton

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Magazine Publishing: Controlled circulation magazines published in print and digital format targeting key international decision makers in engineering, science, and energy sectors. Publications include International Design Engineer, International Process Engineer, International Transport Manufacturer, International Oil & Gas Engineer, International Power Engineer, International Mining Engineer, and EuroLab.
2. Advertising and Sponsorship: Revenue from advertisers seeking to reach senior engineers and industry professionals through magazine placements, E-Blasts, sponsored content, and visual media. Lead generation services for advertisers with engagement reporting.
3. Digital Media and E-Blasts: Targeted email campaigns and E-Blasts to key specifiers, broken down by location and industry discipline. Revenue from sponsored email campaigns on behalf of advertisers, sponsors, and partners.
4. Year Planners and Visual Media: Eye-catching planners and wall charts featuring gloss UV varnish for write-on and wipe-off use, listing major industry events. Provides branding, sign-posting and lead generation opportunities.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Setform publishes a portfolio of controlled-circulation trade magazines in print and digital formats targeting senior engineers, scientists, and energy professionals across global engineering, science, and energy sectors. Its titles include International Design Engineer, International Process Engineer, International Transport Manufacturer, International Oil & Gas Engineer, International Power Engineer, International Mining Engineer, and EuroLab, supported by the daily news websites Engineer Live and Scientist Live. The company monetizes these audiences by selling advertising, sponsorship, E-Blast email campaigns, visual media, and event media partnerships to B2B advertisers.

Product overview

Setform is a business information and media company offering a portfolio of controlled-circulation magazines published in both print and digital formats, along with industry-leading news websites and marketing services. The core product suite consists of three engineering magazines (International Design Engineer, International Process Engineer, International Transport Manufacturer), three energy magazines (International Oil & Gas Engineer, International Power Engineer, International Mining Engineer), and one science magazine (EuroLab). These publications are supported by two companion websites—Engineer Live and Scientist Live—that provide daily news updates and extend readership reach. Additional offerings include Year Planners (annual wall charts for various sectors), E-Blasts (targeted email marketing), Visual Media production, and Event Media Partnerships. All titles are editorially-led, written by technical experts, and designed to reach key international decision makers in specific market sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Engineer Live: Industry-leading engineering website providing daily news updates, product and technology news from across the global engineering sector.
• Scientist Live

Products and services

• International Design Engineer

Quantifiable outcome

• Daily news updates to global audience of senior engineers through industry-leading websites
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Subsea ExpocoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partnership with Subsea Expo, a leading industry event in the subsea sector. Setform provides coverage and promotional support for the event as part of its media partnership program.
• OceanologycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partnership with Oceanology, a major ocean science and technology event. Setform serves as a media partner providing coverage and promotional support.
• ONS (Offshore Northern Seas)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partnership with ONS, a leading offshore energy conference and exhibition. Setform provides media coverage and promotional services.
• Euro MinecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partnership with Euro Mine, a major mining industry event in Europe. Setform provides media partnership and promotional coverage.
• MinExpocoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partnership with MinExpo, a major mining equipment and technology exhibition. Setform provides media coverage and promotional support.
• IEEE PES T&DcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partnership with IEEE Power & Energy Society Transmission and Distribution conference and exhibition.
• Global Offshore WindcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partnership with Global Offshore Wind event. Setform provides media coverage supporting the offshore wind energy sector.
• All-EnergycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partnership with All-Energy, a major renewable energy event in the UK. Setform provides promotional coverage.
• DecarbonisecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partnership with Decarbonise event focusing on decarbonization efforts. Setform provides media coverage.
• Lab InnovationscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partnership with Lab Innovations exhibition. Setform provides media coverage for the laboratory science sector.
• Institute of Biomedical SciencecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOver three decades of working with the Institute of Biomedical Science. Setform produces publications that establish important communication between the association, its members and the industries they serve.
• Institute of Food Science & TechnologycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership with the Institute of Food Science & Technology to raise the profile of the association and produce publications serving the food science community.
• Science & Technology Facilities CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Science & Technology Facilities Council to produce publications and content serving the scientific community.
• Oral Health FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Oral Health Foundation to raise profile and produce publications for the oral health science sector.
• Institution of Engineering DesignerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership with the Institution of Engineering Designers producing publications that serve the engineering design community.
• Engineering Industries AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Engineering Industries Association to serve the engineering industries and produce relevant publications.
• Building & Engineering Services AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Building & Engineering Services Association to serve the building and engineering services sector.
• Water Management AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Water Management Association to produce publications serving the water management sector.
• Institute of Financial ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Institute of Financial Services in the service sectors category.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• BNP Media: BNP Media is a US-based B2B media company publishing trade magazines, websites, newsletters, and events across engineering, manufacturing, and building sectors, directly comparable to Setform's controlled-circulation trade magazine model serving engineering and energy professionals.
• WTWH Media: WTWH Media operates vertical B2B media brands in engineering, energy, and life sciences through magazines, websites, and events, closely mirroring Setform's mix of print, digital, and event media partnerships targeting engineering and energy decision makers.
• CFE Media: CFE Media publishes engineering and energy trade titles (Consulting-Specifying Engineer, Oil & Gas Engineering) serving senior engineers and energy professionals, directly competing with Setform's International Design/Process Engineer and International Oil & Gas Engineer titles via similar advertising and controlled-circulation models.
• Endeavor Business Media: Endeavor Business Media is a B2B trade publisher with a deep portfolio of engineering, manufacturing, and energy magazines, websites, and events, comparable to Setform in both product format mix and advertiser-targeting model across industrial verticals.
• Hart Energy: Hart Energy publishes trade media, research, and events for the global oil and gas industry, directly comparable to Setform's International Oil & Gas Engineer title and overlapping on energy-sector advertising and event media partnership offerings.
• PennWell (Endeavor Media): PennWell is a B2B media and events company spanning energy, oil & gas, and engineering via trade publications and conferences, comparable to Setform's energy and engineering titles through similar print, digital, and event-based revenue streams.
• DVV Media International: DVV Media International publishes B2B trade magazines (e.g., Railway Gazette, International Railway Journal) and newsletters serving global engineering and transport sectors, closely comparable to Setform's controlled-circulation trade magazine and E-Blast model targeting senior transport/manufacturing professionals.

Broad incumbents

• Informa Markets: Informa is a global B2B media, events, and intelligence company that owns many large-scale trade shows and publications across engineering and energy, providing a broad incumbent benchmark against which Setform's niche vertical-media business competes for advertiser and event-partner budgets.
• Clarivate: Clarivate (including its Web of Science and life-sciences/analytics brands) is a broader information-services incumbent covering scientific research, including scientific publishing, comparable to Setform's EuroLab and Scientist Live properties at a significantly larger scale.

Others

• IEEE Media: IEEE is a major engineering professional organization publishing journals, magazines, and conference proceedings, comparable to Setform as a peer information provider to engineering decision makers and a partner/competitor for IEEE PES T&D-adjacent engineering audiences.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Setform