What Durham Duplex does

Durham Duplex is a Sheffield, England-based manufacturer of high-performance industrial machine knives, industrial razor blades, and hand knives, supplying continuous-production environments across food processing, packaging, converting, recycling, plastics, medical/pharma, flooring, and industrial workplace safety. Its product portfolio spans machine knives (packaging, food processing, converting, circular, and toothed), industrial razor blades (including the proprietary XCD range and Accutec Pro industrial blades), a safety knife range, flooring tools, and heritage hand knives under the Joseph Rodgers and George Wostenholm brands (Rodgers Wostenholm Group), as well as the HSC Knives specialist machine-knife subsidiary focused on recycling, waste management, and OEM manufacture. Core technology rests on premium-grade steels, advanced heat treatments, two CNC-equipped Sheffield factories, diamond precision machining (milling, turning, EDM wire erosion, laser profiling, surface grinding, cylindrical grinding), and specialist industrial coatings (TiN, TiCN, Endurium) that extend blade life; all manufacturing is conducted under ISO 9001:2015, with food-safe materials compliant to FDA/USDA standards, and HSC Knives holds Home Office approval as the manufacturer of PDSB stab-test knives used in body-armour certification.

Revenue is generated primarily through one-time unit sales of standard and bespoke industrial blades distributed via a regional sales-director model (UK, EU, ASEAN, Americas) plus exclusive distribution partnerships (Accutec Blades, Personna Industrial, OLFA in UK & Europe; ALYA San Ve Tic in Turkey), regional subsidiaries with stock-holding warehouses (Brussels and Machelen in Belgium; Rayong, Thailand; Aurora, Illinois), and a growing portfolio of heritage brand sales via the Rodgers Wostenholm Group subsidiary. Ancillary revenue comes from a regrind, refurbishment, and re-manufacture service (3R) that extends blade life and creates a recurring-services motion around the consumable product line. Pricing is quote-based, paid on order, with no public price list. The company is privately held by the Turner family under Managing Director Charles Turner, with no disclosed institutional or venture investment, and operates through wholly-owned regional entities across four continents serving customers in the UK, Europe, North America, Southeast Asia, East Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America.

Name

Durham Duplex

Legal name

Durham Duplex

Website

https://durham-duplex.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1890

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Durham Duplex is a Sheffield, England-based manufacturer of high-performance industrial machine knives, industrial razor blades, and hand knives, serving food processing, packaging, converting, recycling, medical, and safety customers globally through wholly-owned regional subsidiaries and exclusive distribution partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Sheffield

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Industrial Blade and Machine Knife Sales: One-time sale of high-performance machine knives, industrial razor blades, circular knives, converting blades, food processing blades, packaging knives, safety knives, hand knives, and flooring tools. Both standard and custom-made products. Revenue is generated per unit/order with no recurring subscription component.
2. Regrind and Refurbishment Services: Full regrind service for machine knife blades including granulator blades, straight blades, serrated blades, printing blades, and circular slitters. Collection service available in most parts of the UK. Re-manufacture services to extend the life of viable blades.
3. Accutec Blades Distribution: As the sole UK and European distributor of Accutec Blades, Durham-Duplex distributes premium precision industrial blades including Infinity blades, M2 slitting blades, medical blades, and converting blades. Revenue generated through distribution margins on blade sales.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Durham Duplex designs and manufactures standard and custom industrial machine knives, razor blades, circular knives, converting blades, food-processing blades, hand knives, safety knives, and flooring tools for industrial and professional users. It also distributes selected third-party blade ranges and provides regrind, refurbishment, re-manufacture, and special engineering services.

Product overview

Durham Duplex is a manufacturer of high performance industrial knives and blades based in Sheffield, England. The product portfolio is organized around several core categories: Machine Knives (including packaging knives, food processing blades, converting blades, circular knives, and toothed knives); Industrial Razor Blades (including XCD blades, utility blades, and film & foil converting blades); Accutec Blades (precision blades exclusively distributed in UK & Europe, including GEM Single Edge, Accuthrive Medical, America Line, and Personna Skinner); Hand Knives (including safety knives, OLFA brand distributed in UK, and Ibberson heritage knives); Flooring Tools; and HSC Knives (a subsidiary focused on recycling, waste management, and OEM manufacture). The company also operates Rodgers Wostenholm and Joseph Rodgers heritage knife brands. Services include regrind/refurbishment/re-manufacture and HSC Special Engineering Services. Products are manufactured under ISO 9001:2015 quality management system in Sheffield, UK with additional facilities in Belgium, Thailand, and the USA.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Accutec Blades: Precision industrial blades for medical, pharmaceutical, food processing, and converting applications. Distributed exclusively in UK and Europe by Durham Duplex. Includes Infinity blades for extended life and M2 slitting blades for high-speed applications.
• XCD Blades
• Personna Industrial
• Rodgers Wostenholm
• HSC Knives
• Ibberson Hand Knives

Products and services

• Machine Knives High-performance industrial machine knives for continuous production environments, including packaging, food processing, converting, circular, and toothed cutting applications. The range includes standard and custom-made knives for industrial manufacturers.
• Industrial Razor Blades Industrial razor blades for cutting and slitting operations, including film and foil converting and general utility applications. They are supplied to industrial users and converters.
• Knives for Packaging Machines Machine knives for vertical form-fill-seal, horizontal form-fill, end-of-line, and other packaging machinery. The range is designed for packaging manufacturers and operators of automated packaging lines.
• Punches & Vacuum Packing Punches and vacuum-packing knives for food-processing and packaging applications. They are intended for equipment used in food production and packaging operations.
• Converting Blades Blades for converting operations, including circular slitters and industrial razor blades with specialist coatings such as TiN, TiCN, and Endurium. They are designed for high-speed cutting of films, foils, and other converting materials.
• Toothed Knives Industrial toothed knives for specialized cutting applications across different industries. They are used where a serrated or toothed cutting edge is required.
• Food Processing Blades Machine knives for slicers, choppers, skinners, crinkle-cut blades, chippers, dicers, mixers, and scrapers used in food processing. The blades are manufactured for food-production requirements, including FDA and USDA environments.
• Circular Knives Circular slitting knives, crush cutters, dished knives, side slitters, and cross-cut knives for high-speed cutting and converting applications. The range is intended for industrial cutting lines requiring precision and extended blade life.
• XCD Blades Slitting blades for short to medium length run converters processing films and foils. The range is designed to maximize slitting potential across a wide range of converting materials.
• Film & Foil Converting Blades Industrial razor blades designed for cutting and converting films and foils. They are intended for packaging and material-converting operations.
• Utility Blades Utility blades for general industrial cutting applications. The range is suitable for professional and industrial users requiring replaceable cutting edges.
• GEM Single Edge GEM single-edge industrial blades distributed exclusively in the UK and Europe as part of the Accutec Blades range. They are intended for industrial cutting and slitting applications.
• Accuthrive Medical Medical blades distributed in the UK and Europe as part of the Accutec Blades range. They are intended for medical-device manufacturing, pharmaceutical packaging, and medical-plastics processing.
• America Line American Line safety knives from Accutec Blades for industrial safety applications. The range is distributed by Durham-Duplex in the UK and Europe.
• Personna Skinner Personna Skinner industrial blades for skinning and processing applications in food and manufacturing. They are distributed through the Accutec and Personna ranges.
• Hand Knives General-purpose and specialty hand knives for industrial and professional applications. The range is sold alongside dedicated safety-knife and distributed OLFA lines.
• Safety Knife Safety knives designed to reduce cutting injuries in industrial and warehouse environments. The range includes auto-retractable knives, banding cutters, non-segmented snap-off knives, folding knives, holsters, plastic-bladed knives, extendable blades, and ring-string cutters.
• OLFA Hand Knives OLFA industrial hand knives distributed by Durham-Duplex in the UK. The range includes snap-off knives, auto-retractable safety knives, rotary knives, enclosed-blade safety knives, disposal boxes, decorator knives, and designer knives.
• Flooring Tools Professional flooring tools for flooring installation, including carpet tools, scrapers, kneepads, scribers, stair tools, welding tools, adhesives, floor rollers, napping scissors, flooring blades, and handles.
• HSC Special Engineering Services Full design and manufacturing service using CAD/CAM 3D machining, including diamond milling, turning, EDM wire erosion, surface grinding, precision grinding, laser profiling, heat treatment, profile grinding, and cylindrical grinding. It is intended for specialist industrial and OEM engineering requirements.
• Ibberson Hand Knives Traditional Sheffield-made hand knives under the Ibberson name, associated with the violin and double-sharp trademarks in use since 1873. The range includes utility knives, yachting knives, and industrial hand knives.
• Rodgers Wostenholm Heritage Knives Sheffield heritage knives under the Joseph Rodgers and George Wostenholm names, featuring traditional Bowie knives, commando daggers, collectable pocket knives, and products bearing the Star and Cross and I*XL marks.
• PDSB Stab Test Knives Home Office-approved PDSB stab-test knives used in certification tests for stab-proof body armour. The range includes HOSDB/PDSB/P1/A and P1/B knives, SP spikes, SIG knives, NIJ knives, and PREN ISO knives, assessed before dispatch for consistent cutting performance.
• Regrind, Refurbishment & Re-Manufacture Service A 3R service offering regrind, refurbishment, and re-manufacture to extend the life of viable machine blades. It covers granulator, straight, serrated, printing, and circular blades, with collection available across much of the UK.

Quantifiable outcome

• Extended blade life through advanced coatings and premium-grade steels
• +3 more outcomes

Segments9 records

Ideal customer profiles8 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Sheffield Museums / Kelham Island MuseumcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Sheffield Museums partnership to preserve Sheffield's industrial heritage. Durham-Duplex opened Rodgers Wostenholm Group heritage knife making workshops at Kelham Island Museum in June 2025, with the Master Cutler Philip Rodrigo officially opening the facility. The workshops focus on making Star and Cross marked knives of Joseph Rodgers and I*XL marked Bowie knives and pocket knives of George Wostenholm.
• Personna IndustrialcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2015Durham-Duplex was appointed as the UK and European distributor for all Personna Industrial and Accutec Blades products. This partnership expanded the company's product portfolio to include GEM single edge blades, Accuthrive medical blades, American Line, and Personna Skinner products.
• ALYA San Ve TicminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2013ALYA San Ve Tic is Durham-Duplex's regional channel partner in Turkey and surrounding region. ALYA exhibited alongside Durham-Duplex at Ambalaj Istanbul 2013 and has been recommended as a preferred partner for companies requiring cutting solutions in Turkey.
• 512 (Sheffield) LtdminorOthers · 1 January 2013512 (Sheffield) Ltd handles Durham-Duplex's shipping operations. The company maintains a close working relationship with Durham-Duplex and has provided gifts including a giant Easter egg to the team.
• Accutec BladescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDurham-Duplex is the sole distributor of Accutec Blades in the UK and Europe. This exclusive partnership provides direct access to Accutec's precision industrial blades including Infinity blades (extended blade life, reduced downtime) and M2 slitting blades (high-speed slitting, precision converting). Durham-Duplex holds stock in Sheffield and Belgium warehouses for fast delivery across UK and Europe.
• OLFA CorporationcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDurham-Duplex is the UK Industrial Distributor for OLFA knives from Japan, which invented the snap-off knife and specialises in high-end hand knives and safety knives for industry and designers. Products include box and carton opening knives, snap-off knives, auto-retractable safety knives, spring-loaded safety knives, rotary knives, enclosed blade safety knives, disposal boxes, decorator knives, and designer knives.
• Egginton Brothers LtdcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDurham-Duplex acquired the hand knife division of Egginton Brothers Ltd, including the Joseph Rodgers and George Ibberson heritage hand knife brands. This acquisition brought heritage knife-making expertise and traditional Little Mester skills into the Durham-Duplex Group, leading to the opening of Little Mester Lane workshops at Kelham Island Museum in June 2025.
• Accutec Blades (American Line)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDurham-Duplex distributes the American Line of safety knives from Accutec Blades as part of its safety knife product range, alongside OLFA and DD-branded safety knives.
• HSC KnivescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHSC Knives operates as a specialist machine knife manufacturer within the Durham-Duplex Group, focused on recycling, waste management, and OEM manufacture. With two factories in Sheffield equipped with CNC production equipment and a full regrind service, HSC Knives is one of Europe's leading industrial machine knife manufacturers.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Martor KG: German specialist in industrial safety knives, snap-off blades, and safety cutting tools for warehouses and packaging operations. Direct competitor to Durham Duplex in the safety knife and packaging knife segments, with a similar product philosophy around worker safety and industrial blade distribution.
• Helmut Rübsamen GmbH & Co. KG: German manufacturer of industrial knives, cutting tools, and machine components serving packaging, plastics, food processing, and recycling industries. Direct competitor to Durham Duplex with overlapping product categories and end markets across Europe.
• OLFA Corporation: Japanese inventor of the snap-off utility knife and a leading manufacturer of hand knives, safety knives, and industrial cutting tools. Direct peer in hand knives and snap-off segments; currently a Durham Duplex distribution partner for the UK industrial market, making them both collaborator and competitor.
• Personna International: American manufacturer of industrial blades, medical blades, and GEM single-edge products. Direct peer in industrial and medical blade segments; currently distributes through Durham Duplex in UK/Europe under the Accutec/Personna brand portfolio, making them both partner and competitor.
• Wegra GmbH: German manufacturer of precision industrial machine knives for packaging, converting, food processing, and recycling applications. Direct competitor to Durham Duplex's machine knife and converting blade portfolio with a similar European industrial customer base.

Broad incumbents

• Stanley Black & Decker: Global industrial tools conglomerate encompassing Stanley, Irwin, Lenox, and Craftsman brands. Broad incumbent offering hand tools, cutting tools, blades, and industrial equipment at much greater scale than Durham Duplex, with overlapping safety knife and industrial blade categories.
• Sandvik AB: Swedish global engineering group with materials technology and cutting tool divisions. Broad incumbent serving mining, metal cutting, and materials processing with industrial knives and wear parts that overlap with Durham Duplex's recycling and converting blade segments.
• Robert Bosch GmbH: Global industrial and consumer products manufacturer offering power tool accessories, cutting blades, and industrial cutting solutions. Broad incumbent with significantly larger scale and R&D resources, competing across multiple of Durham Duplex's product categories.
• Fiskars Group: Finnish global consumer and professional tools company with leading brands in cutting, crafting, and gardening tools. Broad incumbent in blades and cutting tools with much larger scale, distribution, and consumer brand reach than Durham Duplex's heritage and industrial hand knife lines.
• Apex Tool Group: Global manufacturer of professional hand tools and specialty products including brands such as Crescent, GearWrench, and Weller. Broad incumbent serving industrial and automotive markets with hand tools and cutting products that overlap with Durham Duplex's industrial hand knife and safety knife range.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries6 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 Durham Duplex