Certex

What Certex does

Certex UK (legal entity: Certex Lifting Ltd) is a Doncaster-headquartered provider of lifting equipment, steel wire rope, height safety products, and associated inspection, training, and engineering services, serving industrial customers in oil & gas, renewables (including offshore wind), construction, manufacturing, ports & maritime, and elevator sectors. Founded in 2004 and operating from five UK sites (Harworth/Doncaster HQ, Montrose, Great Yarmouth, Gloucester, Huddersfield), the company functions as part of Axel Johnson International's Lifting Solutions Group—a Swedish parent group of 200 companies across 34 countries with over 1,670 employees and 100+ European stock locations. Within the UK, Certex operates alongside two sister companies, Lifting Gear UK Group and Lifting Gear and Safety, forming a coordinated UK lifting solutions platform.

The product portfolio spans steel wire rope and accessories, chain blocks and lever hoists, clamps and trolleys, shackles, lifting slings (wire rope, textile including webbing/round slings, chain in Grade 8/10), eye bolts and lifting points, material handling equipment, lifting beams, cargo control, jacks and hydraulics, hoisting and winching equipment, and height safety harnesses. Proprietary sub-brands include Powertex (lifting, lashing, fall protection), Ropetex (wire ropes and lubricants), Talurit (mechanical splicing), the Aspire Range (sustainable r-PET products with documented CO2 reductions up to 65%), and Lifting KnowHow (technical guidance). Safety-enhancing features include RFID-enabled harnesses, QR-coded multilingual documentation in 13 languages, fall indicators, and color-coded click buckles. Certex holds ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 45001 certifications, LEEA trainer accreditation, and FPAL and UVDB supplier registrations.

Revenue is generated through five streams: hardware product sales, professional services (LOLER/PUWER/PSSR inspections, NDT, magnetic rope testing, crane hook block refurbishment, engineering and fabrication), LEEA-accredited training, equipment hire and refurbishment, and bespoke rigging/lift planning. Go-to-market combines enterprise field sales, a login-protected e-commerce webshop, and a European distributor network spanning Europe and Australia. Pricing is quote-based rather than publicly listed. Notable customers include Equinor, whose Greater Wash offshore wind portfolio contract was awarded on 2026-04-15 to cover the Dudgeon, Sheringham Shoal, and Hywind floating offshore wind projects.

Name

Certex

Legal name

Certex Lifting Ltd

Website

https://certex.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Certex UK is a Doncaster-headquartered lifting solutions provider serving oil & gas, renewables, construction, and manufacturing sectors with steel wire rope, lifting equipment, height safety products, and certified inspection, training, and engineering services across the UK and Europe.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Lifting Equipment and Industrial Safety Supplies

NAICS

Material Handling Equipment Manufacturing (33392), Overhead Traveling Crane, Hoist, and Monorail System Manufacturing (333923)

SIC

Construction, Mining & Materials Handling Machinery & Equip (3530), General Industrial Machinery & Equipment (3560)

akta.pro primary industry

Crane & Hoist Components (Wire Rope, Chain, Drums, Sheaves, Motors, Controls) (IMAHAJAK)

Keywords

• Lifting equipment supplies
• Steel wire rope
• Height safety products
• Industrial lifting services
• Lifting inspections

Headquarters

HQ city

Doncaster

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Lifting Equipment Product Sales: Sale of steel wire rope, lifting equipment, height safety products, and accessories to industrial customers. Products include wire rope, chain blocks, lever hoists, clamps, trolleys, shackles, lifting slings, eye bolts, material handling equipment, hoisting & winching equipment, and cargo control products.
2. Inspection & Testing Services: LOLER thorough examinations, PUWER inspections, PSSR examinations, non-destructive testing, magnetic rope testing (MRT), crane hook block refurbishment and 5-yearly teardown services.
3. Training Services: Industry-accredited training courses for lifting and height safety, delivered at customer premises or at Certex offices. Courses support safety compliance and competency development.
4. Engineering & Fabrication: Bespoke engineering design and fabrication services for custom lifting solutions, rigging, and lift planning.
5. Equipment Hire & Refurbishment: Hire and refurbishment services for lifting equipment, allowing customers to access equipment without purchase.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Certex UK supplies steel wire rope, lifting equipment (chain blocks, lever hoists, shackles, slings, clamps, trolleys, eye bolts, lifting beams, hoists, winches, jacks), height safety harnesses, cargo control products, and playground equipment, complemented by LEEA-accredited inspection (LOLER/PUWER/PSSR), non-destructive testing, magnetic rope testing, engineering design and fabrication, training, and equipment hire/refurbishment services. The offering targets industrial B2B customers in oil & gas, renewables, construction, manufacturing, ports and maritime, and elevator sectors across the UK and Europe.

Product overview

Certex is a comprehensive lifting solutions provider offering a broad portfolio of products and services across the lifting equipment industry. The core product offering centers on steel wire rope and lifting equipment, organized into distinct categories: steel wire rope (including High Performance, Rotation Resistant, Offshore, General, Stainless, and Lift/Elevator varieties), steel wire rope accessories (hooks, rigging screws, thimbles, lubricants, ferrules, terminals, grips), chain blocks and lever hoists, clamps and trolleys, shackles, lifting slings (wire rope, textile including webbing and round slings with r-PET sustainable variants, and chain slings in Grade 8 and 10), eye bolts and lifting points, material handling equipment, hook blocks and swivels, lifting beams, cargo control products, jacks and hydraulics, hoisting and winching equipment, and height safety harnesses. The company also offers proprietary sub-brands Powertex (lifting/lashing/fall protection) and Ropetex (steel wire ropes/lubricants), alongside the sustainable Aspire Range™ featuring r-PET recycled products including harnesses, webbing slings, round slings, and web lashings. Services include thorough examination (LOLER/PUWER/PSSR), crane services, engineering design and fabrication, non-destructive testing, magnetic rope testing, training, hire/refurbishment, and rigging/lift planning. Certex serves industrial, oil & gas, renewables, elevator, offshore, ports, manufacturing, and transport/logistics sectors across the UK.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Aspire Range: A selection of more sustainable lifting products with documented environmental benefits including reduced CO2 footprint, recycled materials, and substitution of hazardous chemicals
• Powertex
• Ropetex

Products and services

• Steel Wire Rope High-quality steel wire rope products including High Performance Ropes, Rotation Resistant Ropes, Offshore Ropes, General Ropes and Small Cords, Stainless Ropes, and Lift/Elevator Ropes for various industrial lifting applications. Sold to B2B customers in oil & gas, renewables, construction, manufacturing, ports, and elevator sectors.
• Lifting Slings Complete range of lifting slings including Wire Rope Slings, Textile Slings (Webbing Slings, Round Slings, Dyneema Slings), and Chain Slings in Grade 8 and Grade 10 for industrial B2B customers.
• Chain Blocks & Lever Hoists Manual lifting equipment including Chain Blocks and Lever Hoists for industrial lifting operations across B2B sectors.
• Clamps & Trolleys Lifting and handling equipment including Beam Clamps, Plate Clamps, and Beam Trolleys for various industrial applications.
• Shackles

Quantifiable outcome

• CO2 reduction up to 65% with r-PET round slings vs standard products
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Axel Johnson InternationalcoreOthersParent company headquartered in Stockholm, Sweden. An active and long-term owner driving business development and growth. Comprises 200 companies in 34 countries across six business groups including Lifting Solutions Group. Focus areas: digitalisation, service, sustainability, and people development.
• Lifting Gear UK GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister company within UK Lifting Solutions Group. One-stop provider for lifting and handling solutions with branches nationwide. Services include equipment hire, sales, testing, repairs, LOLER inspections, and bespoke fabrications for loads up to 700 tonnes.
• Lifting Gear and SafetycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister company within UK Lifting Solutions Group. Trusted UK provider of marine safety, lifting, and handling equipment offering hire, sales, testing, repairs, LOLER inspections, and custom fabrications.
• FPAL (Footprint Improvement for Processors)minorOthersSupplier management community supporting the European oil & gas industry.
• UVDBminorOthersSupplier management community for the UK utilities industry.
• LEEA (Lifting Equipment Engineers Association)coreOthersIndustry accreditation body for lifting equipment. Certex trainers are LEEA-accredited, and the company has won multiple LEEA awards including Sustainable Awards and professional development honors.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Columbus McKinnon Corporation: Global designer and manufacturer of hoists, cranes, rigging tools, and lifting solutions serving industrial and energy customers. Overlaps with Certex UK on chain blocks, lever hoists, hoisting & winching equipment, and lifting beams.
• Bridon-Bekaert (The Steel Wire Rope Business of Bekaert): Global leader in steel wire rope and synthetic rope solutions serving mining, oil & gas, offshore, crane and industrial markets. Directly comparable to Certex UK on core wire rope and lifting product portfolio, but at a much larger global scale and broader geographic footprint.
• Kito Group: Japanese-headquartered manufacturer of hoists, cranes and chain products. Comparable to Certex UK on chain blocks, lever hoists and electric hoists, with a complementary global distribution footprint.

Direct peers

• Crosby Group: Leading manufacturer of rigging, lifting, and material handling hardware including shackles, hooks, slings and fittings. Comparable to Certex UK as a direct supplier of forged lifting hardware and rigging accessories into industrial, energy and construction customers.
• Tractel Group: Specialist in height safety, fall protection, lifting and load measurement equipment, with strong training and inspection services. Closely comparable to Certex UK on height safety/harness products, LOLER inspection, and accredited training.
• Gunnebo Industries: European provider of lifting equipment, load securing, and chain solutions. Direct overlap with Certex UK on chain blocks, lever hoists, chain slings, and cargo control products for industrial and energy customers.
• REID Lifting: UK-based specialist in lifting equipment (porta gantries, davit systems, lifting beams) with bespoke engineering. Comparable to Certex UK on engineered lifting solutions and bespoke fabrication, particularly for construction, rail and utilities customers.
• SpanSet Group: Manufacturer and service provider for height safety, load securing, and lifting equipment, with accredited training. Comparable to Certex UK on height safety harnesses, cargo control, and training services across European industrial markets.
• Lifting Gear UK Group: Certex's sister company within Axel Johnson International's UK Lifting Solutions Group, offering equipment hire, sales, testing, LOLER inspections and bespoke fabrications up to 700 tonnes. Most directly comparable peer given shared ownership, footprint, and overlapping product/service mix.

Regional players

• Wolseley UK / Ferguson (industrial lifting & rigging category): Large UK distributor of industrial products including lifting, rigging and safety equipment via a branch network. Comparable to Certex UK as a multi-channel UK distributor of lifting and rigging products with webshop and field sales.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CertexOnline
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php?id=61570972804482
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/certex-uk
• Instagraminstagram.com/certexuk_

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries2 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 Certex