Goodfellow
Goodfellow is a UK-based, Battery Ventures-backed specialty distributor of advanced materials, offering 170,000+ SKUs of metals, ceramics, polymers, and reference materials plus customization, microfabrication, and analytical testing services to research institutions and industrial customers across 111+ countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1946
- HeadquartersHuntingdon, United Kingdom
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Goodfellow does
Goodfellow, founded in 1946 and headquartered in Cambridge/Huntingdon, United Kingdom, is a specialty distributor of advanced materials — metals, alloys, ceramics, polymers, composites, nanomaterials, precious metals, and rare earth metals — sold in 170,000+ stock SKUs across foils, sheets, films, wires, rods, tubes, powders, crucibles, and other forms. The company supplements product sales with value-added services including materials customization, precision microfabrication (microfluidics, laser machining, micromachining), 60+ analytical testing methods, container closure integrity testing, cutting/machining, and rolling/metal foil production, plus 5,000+ certified reference materials. Customers span 17 verticals including aerospace, automotive, medical devices, nuclear, energy storage, fuel cells/hydrogen, electronics, and academic research; named accounts include CERN, NASA, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Safran, Cornell University, Fraunhofer Institute, and the University of Cambridge.
The company operates a quote-based sales model with no minimum order requirement and free global shipping, distributing through owned regional e-commerce storefronts (UK, US, EU, France, Germany, Global), regional subsidiaries in the UK, US, Switzerland, and China, and a global distributor network. Pricing is unit-based for both small research quantities and larger production runs, with volume discounts and prepayment terms on large orders. Goodfellow is privately held under Battery Ventures ownership and has executed an acquisition-led growth strategy, completing three deals in the past year: Potomac Photonics (2024-06, first US manufacturing footprint), and Suisse Technology Partners plus Bureau of Analysed Samples (both 2025-04, expanding analytical testing and certified reference materials). The company has publicly targeted £50 million+ in revenue within two years and reports strong double-digit growth in Europe and North America.
Goodfellow firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Goodfellow
- Legal name
- Goodfellow Cambridge Ltd
- Website
- https://goodfellow.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1946
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Goodfellow is a UK-based, Battery Ventures-backed specialty distributor of advanced materials, offering 170,000+ SKUs of metals, ceramics, polymers, and reference materials plus customization, microfabrication, and analytical testing services to research institutions and industrial customers across 111+ countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Goodfellow industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Advanced Materials Supply
- NAICS
- Custom Compounding of Purchased Resins (325991), Unlaminated Plastics Film and Sheet (except Packaging) Manufacturing (326113), Fastener, Button, Needle, and Pin Manufacturing (339993), Nonferrous Metal (except Copper and Aluminum) Rolling, Drawing, Extruding, and Alloying (33149)
- SIC
- Plastic Materials, Synth Resins & Nonvulcan Elastomers (2821)
- akta.pro primary industry
- High-Performance & Engineering Polymers Injection Molding (PEEK, PPS, LCP, etc.) (IMANAFAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Commodity Thermoplastics Resin Manufacturing (PE, PP, PVC, PS) (IMANAAAA), Extrusion Blow-Molded Containers (HDPE/PET Bottles & Jugs) (IMANAGAA)
Keywords
Where Goodfellow is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Huntingdon
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices5 records
Markets served
Goodfellow business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Materials Sales: Sale of over 170,000 advanced materials including metals, alloys, ceramics, polymers, composites, nanomaterials, precious metals, and rare earth metals in various forms. Revenue generated from one-time product sales with no minimum order requirement.
- Professional Services: Customization, microfabrication, analytical services, technical solutions, cutting, machining, rolling, and metal foil production services. These value-added services complement product sales and provide upsell opportunities.
- Reference Materials: Over 5,000 certified reference materials (CRM, RM, SUS) plus unlimited custom reference materials for laboratory and research applications.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Research Quantities |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Production Quantities |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Goodfellow product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Goodfellow is a global supplier of advanced specialty materials — metals, alloys, ceramics, polymers, composites, nanomaterials, precious metals, and rare earth metals — offered in more than 170,000 stock items across forms such as foils, sheets, films, wires, rods, tubes, powders, crucibles, and single crystals, alongside 5,000+ certified reference materials. The company complements its catalog with value-added services including materials customization, microfabrication, laser machining, micromachining, analytical testing, container closure integrity testing, cutting, machining, rolling and metal foil production, and polymer film transformation, supported by technical advisory for customers moving from R&D to production.
Product overview
Goodfellow is a global supplier of advanced materials and services, offering a portfolio comprising three interconnected pillars: (1) an extensive Advanced Materials Catalog of over 170,000 specialty materials in various forms (metals, alloys, ceramics, polymers, composites, nanomaterials, precious metals, rare earth metals, and more), supported by over 5,000 Reference Materials (certified and standard); (2) a comprehensive suite of Technical Services including Goodfellow Technical Solutions, Materials Customization, Analytical Services (60+ testing methods), Microfabrication, Container Closure Integrity Testing, Cutting/Machining Services, Rolling and Metal Foil Production, Bespoke Commercial Services, and Polymer Film Transformation; and (3) branded product ranges including Eagle XG® (borosilicate glass), Hastalex® & BioHastalex® (graphene composites), Kapton® (polyimide films), Kevlar® (aramid fibers), MACOR® (machinable glass ceramic), Mylar® (PET films), Nomex® (meta-aramid), Shapal® (machinable aluminum nitride), SupALOX® (high purity alumina), Superwool® (ceramic fibers), and TPX® (polymethylpentene), complemented by specialized Technical Ranges for titanium grades, stainless steel, and high-purity metal foils. Recent acquisitions (Potomac Photonics, Suisse Technology Partners, Bureau of Analysed Samples) have expanded manufacturing capabilities and analytical/testing services. The company operates across sectors including academia, aerospace, automotive, electronics, energy, medical devices, nuclear, space technology, and research laboratories.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Potomac Photonics: Microfabrication and precision manufacturing subsidiary based in the US, specializing in biomedical sciences and microelectronics solutions
- Suisse Technology Partners
- Bureau of Analysed Samples
Products and services
- Advanced Materials Catalog
- Reference Materials (RM, CRM, SUS)
- Goodfellow Technical Solutions
- Materials Customization
- Analytical Services
- Microfabrication
- Container Closure Integrity Testing (CCIT)
- Cutting Services
- Machining Services
- Rolling and Metal Foil Production
- Bespoke Commercial Services
- Polymer Film Transformation
- Research & Engineering Titanium Grades
- Research-Grade Stainless Steel
- High-Purity Metal Foils
Quantifiable outcome
- On December 13, 2022, LLNL confirmed achieving net energy gain from fusion reaction for the first time in history using materials supplied by Goodfellow
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Goodfellow
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments8 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Goodfellow technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Goodfellow partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Goodfellow competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Plasmaterials, Inc. US specialty materials manufacturer focused on high-purity metals, intermetallics, and alloys for research and defense applications with comparable small-quantity, custom-form offering.
Broad incumbents
- Morgan Advanced Materials: Global advanced materials group (ceramics, carbon, Superwool fibres) already represented within Goodfellow's branded catalog; competes for high-performance materials applications in aerospace and energy.
- Alfa Aesar (Thermo Fisher Scientific): Research chemicals, metals, and materials catalog now owned by Thermo Fisher Scientific; competes head-to-head with Goodfellow on price and breadth in research-grade and catalog materials.
- Sigma-Aldrich (MilliporeSigma / Merck KGaA): World's largest research chemicals and materials supplier; serves the same academic, pharmaceutical, and industrial R&D segments with deep bundling and regulatory support.
- Materion Corporation: Public specialty engineered materials producer (alloys, beryllium, thin-film targets) competing in the metals and precision materials segments Goodfellow serves.
Direct peers
- ESPI Metals: US specialty high-purity metals and alloys supplier offering similar form factors (foils, powders, ingots) and customization for research and industrial customers.
- Stanford Advanced Materials: Specialty metals, ceramics, polymers, and crystals distributor serving R&D and industrial customers with a comparable catalog model, customization services, and global shipping.
- Kurt J. Lesker Company: Specialty materials and vacuum thin-film products supplier (sputtering targets, evaporation materials) serving overlapping R&D, semiconductor, and optics customers.
- American Elements: Large US-based specialty materials manufacturer/distributor offering metals, alloys, ceramics, polymers, and nanomaterials in research-to-production quantities with similar multi-sector customer base.
Regional players
- Neyco: France-based specialist in vacuum coating, thin-film, and crystal materials serving research and European industrial customers with comparable small-batch and custom supply model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Goodfellow social profiles
Digital presenceGoodfellow compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Goodfellow financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Goodfellow leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Goodfellow subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
Goodfellow funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Goodfellow M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A3 records
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Goodfellow
What does Goodfellow do?
Goodfellow is a global supplier of advanced specialty materials — metals, alloys, ceramics, polymers, composites, nanomaterials, precious metals, and rare earth metals — offered in more than 170,000 stock items across forms such as foils, sheets, films, wires, rods, tubes, powders, crucibles, and single crystals, alongside 5,000+ certified reference materials. The company complements its catalog with value-added services including materials customization, microfabrication, laser machining, micromachining, analytical testing, container closure integrity testing, cutting, machining, rolling and metal foil production, and polymer film transformation, supported by technical advisory for customers moving from R&D to production.
Is Goodfellow a public or private company?
Goodfellow is a private company. It is classified as private equity controlled and is currently operating.
When was Goodfellow founded?
Goodfellow was founded in 1946. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Goodfellow based?
Goodfellow is headquartered in Huntingdon, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Goodfellow make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Materials Sales are the primary driver. The others are professional Services and reference Materials.
Who are Goodfellow's main competitors?
Plasmaterials, Inc. is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Morgan Advanced Materials, Alfa Aesar (Thermo Fisher Scientific), Sigma-Aldrich (MilliporeSigma / Merck KGaA) and Materion Corporation. Direct peers are ESPI Metals, Stanford Advanced Materials, Kurt J. Lesker Company and American Elements. Neyco is listed as a regional player.
Does Goodfellow have an API?
No public API is recorded for Goodfellow.
What industry is Goodfellow in?
Goodfellow's product category is Advanced Materials Supply. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMANAFAK, High-Performance & Engineering Polymers Injection Molding (PEEK, PPS, LCP, etc.), with a secondary code of IMANAAAA, Commodity Thermoplastics Resin Manufacturing (PE, PP, PVC, PS). Its NAICS code is 325991 and its SIC code is 2821.