PI-KEM

What PI-KEM does

PI-KEM Limited is a UK-based distributor and supplier of advanced materials and specialist laboratory equipment, headquartered in Tamworth, Staffordshire, and operating since 1991. The company's offering is organised into three streams: (1) Materials — advanced ceramics (3YSZ, alumina, zirconia, silicon carbide, boron carbide), semiconductor and specialty wafers (silicon, SiC, III-V/II-VI, SOI, platinised silicon), battery research chemicals, precious metals, and ultra-high-purity specialty materials; (2) Equipment — furnaces, battery research and pilot-line equipment, ultrasonic and magnetron sputter coaters, dip/spin/screen coaters, glove boxes, and laboratory presses, distributed primarily through a 30+ year partnership with MTI Corporation alongside VPI, Cheersonic, Kerafol, NEI, and LTS Research; (3) Services — bulk buy & call-off arrangements, MTI equipment customisation, precious metal reclaim, sputtering target backing and bonding, and wafer processing. Products support thin-film deposition (sputtering, close-spaced sublimation, ultrasonic spray pyrolysis), battery cell fabrication from lab to pilot scale, and high-purity material supply for semiconductor, photonics, and energy research.

The business operates a hybrid go-to-market: enterprise-style direct sales with technical consultation via "Speak to an expert" CTAs, phone (+44 1827 259250), and [email protected], complemented by an e-commerce storefront for standard catalogue items, with global delivery from a network of trusted suppliers. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. PI-KEM serves four primary segments — research institutions and universities, battery and energy research organisations, semiconductor and electronics manufacturers, and industrial manufacturers in aerospace, automotive, defence, and coatings — with named flagship customers including UCL, University of Cambridge, University of Glasgow, London Centre for Nanotechnology, University of Nottingham, The Faraday Institution, and the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre. The group operates two UK-incorporated entities, PI-KEM Limited and wholly-owned subsidiary PI-KEM Hart Limited, and is privately held with no disclosed external funding or parent company.

Name

PI-KEM

Legal name

PI-KEM Limited

Website

https://pi-kem.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

PI-KEM is a UK-based distributor, founded 1991, supplying advanced materials (ceramics, wafers, battery chemicals, precious metals) and specialist laboratory equipment (furnaces, sputter/ultrasonic coaters, battery pilot-line tools) primarily to universities, research institutions, and battery/energy and semiconductor manufacturers across the UK, EMEA, and globally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Laboratory Materials & Equipment Distribution

NAICS

Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing (33441), Semiconductor Machinery Manufacturing (333242), Other Electronic Component Manufacturing (334419)

SIC

Semiconductors & Related Devices (3674), Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826), Miscellaneous Chemical Products (2890)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYHDAHAGAH

Thin-Film Deposition Materials (PVD/CVD/ALD Targets & Precursors)

Hardware, Technology & Telecom/Semiconductors & Electronic Components/Materials, Wafers & Specialty Chemicals

SECONDARYHDAHACAH

Wafer Services & Reclaim (Epitaxy, Thinning, Reclaim)

Hardware, Technology & Telecom/Semiconductors & Electronic Components/Semiconductor Foundries & Wafer Fabrication

SECONDARYIMAEABAD

Electronic & High-Purity Specialty Chemicals

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Chemicals & Industrial Materials/Specialty Chemicals

SECONDARYIMAEAKAA

Semiconductor Process Chemicals (Wet & Dry)

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Chemicals & Industrial Materials/Electronic & High-Purity Chemicals

Keywords

• Advanced materials supply
• Laboratory equipment distribution
• Thin film deposition
• Battery research materials
• Semiconductor wafers

Headquarters

HQ city

Tamworth

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Materials Supply: Supply of advanced materials including wafers, advanced ceramics, precious metals, graphene, battery materials, and specialty chemicals to research and industrial customers.
2. Equipment Supply: Distribution of specialist laboratory equipment including coating systems (sputter, ultrasonic, thermal), battery research equipment, furnaces, presses, and pilot line equipment from partners like MTI Corporation.
3. Services: Services including bulk buy & call off arrangements, MTI equipment customisation, precious metal reclaim, sputtering targets backing plates & bonding, and wafer processing services.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

PI-KEM is a UK-based distributor and supplier of advanced materials and specialist laboratory equipment for scientific research and industrial applications. The company supplies wafers, advanced ceramics, battery materials, precious metals, graphene and specialty chemicals alongside thin film deposition equipment, battery research and pilot line equipment, furnaces, presses and coaters. It also offers services including equipment customisation, precious metal reclaim, sputtering target bonding, and wafer processing, distributing products from partners such as MTI Corporation, Virginia Semiconductors, Kerafol, LTS Research, NEI Corporation, Cheersonic and VPI.

Product overview

PI-KEM is an advanced materials and specialist laboratory equipment supplier offering a comprehensive portfolio of products and services. The core offering consists of three main categories: (1) Materials including advanced ceramics (alumina, zirconia, 3YSZ, silicon carbide, boron carbide), wafers (silicon, silicon carbide, III-V, II-VI semiconductors, SOI, platinised silicon), battery research chemicals, precious metals, and specialty materials; (2) Equipment encompassing furnaces, battery research equipment and consumables, battery pilot line equipment, ultrasonic coaters, sputter coaters, dip/spin/screen coaters, laboratory presses, and characterisation tools; (3) Services including bulk procurement, MTI equipment customisation, precious metal reclaim, sputtering target manufacturing, and wafer processing. PI-KEM distributes products through partnerships with MTI Corporation, Virginia Semiconductors, Kerafol, LTS Research Laboratories, NEI Corporation, Cheersonic, and VPI, primarily serving research institutions and manufacturers in energy, electronics, aerospace, automotive, and biomedical sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Advanced Ceramics

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

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• MTI CorporationcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 1991PI-KEM has partnered with MTI Corporation for over 30 years, distributing their extensive range of scientific equipment for material science, analysis, and new energy research. MTI is a leading manufacturer of battery research equipment, coating systems, furnaces, and laboratory equipment. PI-KEM supplies MTI equipment to academic and industrial R&D teams throughout their territory.
• Virginia SemiconductorscoreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership for specialist wafer supply, providing custom semiconductor wafers and silicon-based components for research and manufacturing applications.
• KerafolcoreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership with Kerafol, specialist in ceramic films and technical ceramics for components used in electronics, sensors, firing material carriers, mechanical wear protection, fuel cells, and medical technology. PI-KEM supplies Kerafol's 3YSZ (3 mol% yttria-stabilized zirconia) for solid oxide fuel cell applications.
• LTS Research LaboratoriescoreTechnology or IntegrationLeading source for high-purity precision materials. LTS develops new products and applications for optical coatings and provides battery materials including chemicals and consumables for energy research.
• NEI CorporationcoreTechnology or IntegrationSpecialist manufacturer of advanced materials for Li-ion and Na-ion batteries, new materials for energy applications, and nanotechnology products.
• CheersoniccoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPI-KEM distributes Cheersonic ultrasonic coaters for spray coating applications including microelectronics, semiconductors, and thin films. Products range from benchtop R&D units to larger production-oriented systems.
• Vision Precision Instruments (VPI)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPI-KEM distributes VPI magnetron sputter systems and evaporative carbon coaters for thin film coatings. VPI specializes in creating thin film coatings for protection and enhancement of sample performance in SEM and research applications.
• UK Battery Industrialisation Centre (UKBIC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with UKBIC, the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre, supporting battery innovation and manufacturing research development in the UK.
• De Montfort UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-hosts the Cross-Sector Battery Showcase event with De Montfort University in Leicester, bringing together experts from the battery supply chain and diverse cross-sector markets.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Goodfellow: UK-based specialty materials supplier serving scientific and industrial R&D with metals, ceramics, polymers, and composites. Closest direct peer to PI-KEM by geography, customer base (universities and industrial labs), and product mix of advanced materials.
• Kurt J. Lesker Company: Global supplier of vacuum and thin-film deposition materials, sputtering targets, and deposition equipment. Highly comparable to PI-KEM's thin-film deposition portfolio (sputtering targets, backing plates, sputter coaters, USP/Mist CVD) and overlapping customer base in semiconductor and materials R&D.
• Stanford Advanced Materials: Supplier of advanced materials including sputtering targets, evaporation materials, ceramics, and rare earth compounds for research and industrial applications. Overlaps with PI-KEM on advanced ceramics, thin-film deposition materials, and specialty research chemicals.
• American Elements: US-based manufacturer and distributor of advanced and engineered materials including high-purity metals, ceramics, and chemicals for research and industry. Comparable breadth of catalog and similar mix of academic and industrial R&D customers.
• Angstrom Engineering: Manufacturer of thin-film deposition systems including sputtering, evaporation, and atomic layer deposition tools. Directly comparable to PI-KEM's sputter coater and thin-film deposition equipment portfolio (VPI and MTI product lines).
• MSE Supplies: Supplier of materials, equipment, and consumables for materials science research including sputtering targets, evaporation materials, and lab equipment. Comparable scope to PI-KEM across materials and small-scale equipment for research customers.

Broad incumbents

• Alfa Aesar (Thermo Fisher Scientific): Research chemicals, pure metals, and materials catalog within Thermo Fisher Scientific. Broader incumbent with overlapping catalog in high-purity chemicals, metals, and ceramics, but serves a much wider life-science and analytical market beyond PI-KEM's niche.
• Strem Chemicals: Specialty chemicals supplier for research and industry, now part of Ascensus Specialties. Overlaps with PI-KEM on high-purity specialty chemicals and inorganic research materials, though PI-KEM's equipment and wafer businesses are out of scope.

Peers

• SCI Engineered Materials:

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/PIKEMLTD
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@pi-kemlimited8640
• Facebookfacebook.com/pikem
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pi-kem-ltd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 PI-KEM