What TQC does

TQC is a UK-based engineering firm headquartered in Nottingham that designs and manufactures bespoke industrial automation, robotics, and leak testing systems. Founded in 1985 and operating as TQC Limited under founder/owner Mark Jones, the company employs 11–50 staff and serves customers in automotive, aerospace, defence, and pharmaceutical/medical device manufacturing. Its stated end customers include leading global jet engine manufacturers, aircraft wing manufacturers, defence contractors, and medical device producers, indicating a focus on regulated, high-specification production environments rather than commodity automation.

The company's core proprietary technology is the MALT (Multi-Application Leak Tester) platform, which underpins its leak detection offering across multiple industries. Around this core, TQC integrates third-party motion control, vacuum, sensing, and induction-heating components from named partners including Mitsubishi Electric (for which it holds Robot Specialist status), Omron, SMC, Pfeiffer Vacuum, Furness Controls, and Ambrell. The firm is ISO 9001:2015 certified and references GAMP 5 compliance for pharmaceutical applications, signalling alignment with the quality regimes required by its regulated customer base. It also references participation in European research initiatives, suggesting some involvement in collaborative R&D alongside commercial delivery.

TQC operates a direct-to-enterprise, project-based sales model. Revenue is generated through bespoke design, build, and commissioning contracts rather than standardised product volume, with pricing tied to scope, integration complexity, and validation requirements. The business is privately held with no disclosed funding rounds, no disclosed revenue, and an active website featuring case studies dated 2023–2026. Global project delivery is claimed but no formal international offices or subsidiary structure is described in the available data.

Name

TQC

Legal name

TQC Limited

Website

https://tqc.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

TQC is a UK-based engineering firm founded in 1985 that designs bespoke industrial automation, robotics, and leak testing systems for automotive, aerospace, defence, and pharmaceutical manufacturers using its proprietary MALT platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Automation Equipment

NAICS

All Other Industrial Machinery Manufacturing (333248), Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing (334516)

SIC

Special Industry Machinery, Nec (3559), Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823)

akta.pro primary industry

Testing, Inspection, Certification & Commissioning (TICx) Technical Services (BPAHAIAL)

Keywords

• Custom automation systems
• Leak testing equipment
• Special purpose machines
• Assembly automation solutions
• Robotic integration services

Headquarters

HQ city

Nottingham

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Bespoke Machine and System Sales: Design, development, and manufacture of custom automation, robotics, and leak testing equipment sold as complete turnkey solutions to manufacturing customers. Systems are priced based on complexity, specifications, and customization requirements.
2. Standard Equipment Products: Sale of standard leak testing instrumentation (MALT series), Series 10 and Series 20 standard fixtures, and associated test equipment for customers who need standalone or integrated solutions.
3. Engineering Services and Support: Customer support, backup, service call-out, and ongoing technical assistance for all projects and equipment supplied. Includes installation, commissioning, and validation support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

TQC designs, develops, manufactures, and supplies bespoke turnkey special purpose machines, automation systems, robotics-integrated production lines, and leak testing equipment for manufacturers across automotive, aerospace, defence, medical device, pharmaceutical, and general engineering industries. The company's offering combines mechanical, electrical, software, and pneumatic engineering with its proprietary MALT leak testing instrumentation platform and integrated robotics to deliver custom automated assembly, quality verification, and material handling solutions sold as complete turnkey systems or standardised leak test fixtures.

Product overview

TQC is a Nottingham-based engineering company providing turnkey special purpose machines, automation systems, robotics, and leak testing solutions. The core portfolio centers on bespoke machinery design, development, and manufacture. Key product lines include: Leak Testing Services (pressure decay, helium/mass spectrometry, hydrogen tracer gas, vacuum methods) utilizing standard equipment such as the Multi-Application Leak Tester (MALT) platform, Series 20 and Series 10 standard leak test fixtures; Automation & Assembly Systems including pallet transfer systems, rotary indexing tables, assembly benches, and assembly jigs/fixtures; Robotics Solutions for pick & place, multi-axis, and special applications; and complete Special Purpose Machines and Automated Production Lines. These modular components work together as integrated manufacturing systems, often combining automated material handling (pallet conveyors), multi-station assembly/robotic operations, and integrated leak/quality testing in pharmaceutical, medical, automotive, aerospace, and general engineering sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Leak Testing Services Comprehensive leak testing services using pressure decay, helium mass spectrometry, vacuum testing, and hydrogen tracer gas methods for quality assurance across automotive, aerospace, defence, medical device, and pharmaceutical manufacturing.
• Automation & Assembly Systems Automatic and semi-automatic assembly machines and automation system solutions combining pallet transfer systems, rotary indexing tables, and assembly jigs for various manufacturing applications.
• Robotics Solutions Robot system integration services including pick and place, multi-axis robotic handling, and robotic packing/bagging systems for demanding manufacturing applications. TQC is a Robot Specialist for Mitsubishi Robots.
• Special Purpose Machines & Custom Built Systems Bespoke turnkey special purpose machines designed and manufactured to customer specifications for specialised manufacturing requirements across automotive, aerospace, defence, medical, pharmaceutical, and general engineering sectors.
• Automated Production Lines Factory automation design and supply to reduce Work in Progress (WIP), including production flow, conveyors, and pallet transfer systems integrated into complete manufacturing lines.
• Multi-Application Leak Tester (MALT) Proprietary compact valve module-based leak test instrument providing precision pressure transducers, automatic test sequencing, pass/fail determination, and integrated data logging. Available in OEM configurations (LT201, LT401) for fixture integration, covering test pressures from 2 psig to 4,500 psig.
• Series 20 Standard Leak Testing Fixture Drawer-style leak test fixture platform for small to medium components with manual load/unload capability, integrated with MALT instrumentation for production leak testing.
• Series 10 Standard Leak Testing Fixture Bench-mounted leak test fixture with manual toggle clamp for low-volume multi-variant production testing, integrated with MALT instrumentation and supporting interchangeable tooling for SMED changeover.
• Helium Leak Testing High-sensitivity leak detection service using mass spectrometry, including high vacuum testing, sniffing, and accumulation techniques, with dual sequential testing combining air decay and helium mass spectrometry for medical device and aerospace applications.
• Poka Yoke Assembly Error-proofing assembly solutions designed to prevent mistakes and ensure quality in manufacturing processes, integrated into TQC's automated assembly and test systems.

Quantifiable outcome

• 720 assemblies per hour throughput achieved for oil pump lever assembly
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Vantage Integrator Partnership (VIP) ProgramcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 September 2023TQC is a member of the Vantage Integrator Partnership Program, indicating a structured integration partnership for automation and testing solutions.
• Mitsubishi ElectriccoreTechnology or IntegrationSupplier of PLC systems and other electrical equipment commonly used in automation and test solutions. Mitsubishi are the preferred PLC supplier for TQC. TQC is also a Robot Specialist for Mitsubishi Robots.
• East Midlands ChamberminorOthersLeading business organisation in the East Midlands. TQC is a member of EMC.
• East Midlands Manufacturing NetworkminorOthersNetwork championing the East Midlands manufacturing community. TQC is pleased to be part of this network.
• Midland Aerospace AllianceminorOthersIndustry association for aerospace with over 250 members. TQC is associated through membership.
• University of Nottingham School of Mechanical, Materials, Manufacturing, Engineering and ManagementminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTQC works closely with their local university and has been part of a number of European research initiatives with them.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• ATEQ: French-headquartered global manufacturer of leak testing instruments and systems. Directly comparable as a specialist supplier of leak detection equipment serving automotive, aerospace, medical, and industrial customers with both standard instruments and integrated leak testing solutions.
• InterTech Development Company: US-based manufacturer of leak testing systems and integrated test solutions for medical devices, aerospace, automotive, and industrial applications. Compares directly on leak testing equipment offering and regulated-industry customer base.
• Cincinnati Test Systems: US specialist in leak and flow testing instrumentation and integrated test systems. Overlapping offering in pressure decay, mass spectrometer leak detection, and integrated test stations for safety-critical end markets such as automotive and medical.
• ATS Automation Tooling Systems: Canadian public company designing and building bespoke automated manufacturing and test systems for automotive, medical, aerospace, and industrial customers. Closely analogous business model of engineered-to-order turnkey automation, though at substantially larger scale.
• Eclipse Automation: Canadian custom automation integrator delivering bespoke assembly, test, and material handling systems. Comparable in offering engineered automation and integrated testing with similar end-market exposure in medical, automotive, and industrial.
• JLS Automation: US custom automation provider specialising in robotic pick-and-place, primary packaging, and assembly systems. Compares directly on bespoke automation integration and tier-1 OEM customer engagement, though skewed toward packaging and food.
• Hahn Automation: German manufacturer of special purpose machines and automated assembly systems for automotive and industrial customers. Closely comparable European peer offering engineered-to-order automation with similar mid-market scale and bespoke project delivery model.
• Schubert Group: German family-owned manufacturer of custom automated packaging, assembly, and robotic systems. Comparable bespoke automation business model with similar sub-machine integration capabilities and tier-1 multinational consumer/industrial customer base.

Broad incumbents

• KUKA AG: Global German-headquartered industrial automation and robotics incumbent. Overlaps with TQC's robotics integration work and automation systems, though KUKA offers a far broader portfolio including robots, controllers, and standardized cells rather than bespoke niche machines.
• FANUC Corporation: Japanese global leader in industrial robots, CNCs, and Robomachines. Comparable as a supplier of automation and robotic integration for manufacturing — though FANUC operates as a much larger, broad-line incumbent rather than a niche bespoke integrator.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/tqcltd
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/tqcltd
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tqc-limited

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 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 TQC