Altus group

What Altus group does

Altus Group Ltd. is a privately held UK distributor of electronics manufacturing capital equipment, founded in 2001 and headquartered in Redditch with a regional subsidiary in Cork, Ireland (Altus Electronics Ireland Ltd). The company supplies an end-to-end portfolio covering SMT assembly (reflow ovens, pick-and-place, SPI), THT assembly (selective and wave soldering), back-end processes (conformal coating, laser depaneling, cleaning), component management (X-ray counting, smart racking, goods-in scanning), and inspection (3D AOI, X-ray, first article), distributed on behalf of more than 20 global OEMs including Koh Young, Heller, Scienscope, ASSCON, LPKF, and Essemtec.

The business monetizes through capital equipment sales (one-time, with multi-year terms available), recurring spare parts and consumables (solder paste, fluxes, cleaning chemistry, Galden for vapour phase), and a service and training tail (tailored support packages, basic/intermediate/advanced/maintenance training). Go-to-market is enterprise field sales with a dedicated Account Engineer and Sales Manager assigned to each customer, supported by 11 Application Engineers with cross-line manufacturing expertise and an aftersales function that expanded to its largest size to date as of February 2026. The customer base of 300+ electronics manufacturers spans OEMs (Concurrent Technologies, Ei Electronics, Surrey Satellite), contract manufacturers (CIL, Sellectronics, Cambertronics, Dextra Group), and mid-market producers across the UK and Ireland.

Altus has no disclosed proprietary technology or AI capability; its competitive position is built on the breadth of its supplier portfolio, the depth of its engineering talent, and the switching costs generated by embedded customer relationships. Notable customer outcomes include CIL's revenue growth from £15M to £37M (2021–2024) supported by seven Koh Young 3D AOI systems, and added scale of more than 100 South Coast customers over five years. The company is privately held with no external funding, parent, or M&A activity disclosed.

Name

Altus group

Legal name

Altus Group Ltd.

Website

https://altusgroup.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Altus Group is a UK and Ireland distributor of electronics manufacturing capital equipment, serving 300+ OEMs and contract manufacturers with SMT, THT, inspection, and component management systems from 20+ global suppliers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Redditch

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Capital Equipment Distribution: Distribution of electronics manufacturing equipment from world-leading suppliers including Koh Young, Heller, Essemtec, Scienscope, ASSCON, and others. Equipment includes AOI, SPI, reflow ovens, pick-and-place systems, X-ray inspection, component management, and more.
2. Spare Parts: Full and extensive stock of spares for all supported machines, with suggested spare parts packages for every unit to minimize downtime
3. Consumables: Production consumables including solder paste, fluxes, cleaning chemistry (Kolb), Galden for vapour phase reflow (Asscon), solder wire, bars, and wipes (Solderking)
4. Service and Support: Tailored support packages as well as standard services including spare parts, consumables, training packages, and application support
5. Training Packages: Standard basic, intermediate, advanced, and maintenance training across entire supplier range including legacy machines. Bespoke training and application support also available.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Altus Group distributes and supports electronics manufacturing capital equipment for SMT, THT, back-end assembly, and component management in the UK and Ireland. The portfolio spans 3D AOI/SPI systems, convection and vacuum reflow ovens, vapour phase soldering, pick-and-place, X-ray inspection, laser depaneling, and component counting, complemented by consumables, spare parts, training, and aftersales service contracts.

Product overview

Altus Group is a distributor of electronics manufacturing equipment serving the UK and Ireland market. The product portfolio encompasses SMT assembly equipment (reflow ovens, pick-and-place systems, laser markers, solder paste inspection), THT assembly equipment (selective soldering, wave soldering, robotic systems), back-end processes (conformal coating, depaneling, cleaning), component management systems (X-ray counting, smart racking, goods-in scanning), and inspection equipment (3D AOI, X-ray inspection, first article inspection). The company distributes products from global suppliers including Koh Young, Heller, Scienscope, ASSCON, Essemtec, YJ-Link, LPKF, PVA, and Solderking, supported by technical applications engineers and aftersales service teams.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Koh Young 3D AOI Systems
• Koh Young 3D SPI Systems
• Heller Convection Reflow Ovens
• Heller Short-Cycle Vacuum Reflow Oven (SCVR)
• ASSCON Vapour Phase Soldering Systems
• Scienscope X-ray Inspection Systems
• Scienscope AXC-830 X-ray Component Counter
• Scienscope Smart Racking
• Essemtec SMT Assembly Equipment
• LPKF Laser Depaneling Systems
• Solderking Soldering Materials and Consumables
• PVA Conformal Coating and Dispensing
• Aftersales Support and Training Packages

Quantifiable outcome

• CIL revenue grew from £15M to £37M (2021-2024) with 7 Koh Young systems
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• Koh YoungcoreTechnology or IntegrationPrimary partner for 3D AOI and SPI inspection systems. Supplies Zenith Alpha HS+, Zenith 2, and KY8030-3 SPI systems. Partnership includes KSMART SPC data aggregation module for production optimization.
• Heller IndustriescoreTechnology or IntegrationExclusive distributor for Heller reflow ovens in UK and Ireland. Products include SCVR vacuum reflow oven with up to 100% UPH improvement, convection reflow systems (7, 8, 9 zone models), and 1707, 1826, 1809 platforms.
• ScienscopecoreTechnology or IntegrationPartnership of over 8 years for X-ray inspection systems (Xspection 3000) and component management (AXC-800 III, AXC-830, IMS-100/200, Smart Racking). UK and Ireland distribution with technical support.
• EssemteccoreTechnology or IntegrationDistributes Essemtec SMT assembly equipment including FOX MFC pick-and-place platform and R0300 3 Zone NPI Convection Oven for high-mix production environments.
• ASSCONcoreTechnology or IntegrationDistributes ASSCON vapour phase soldering systems including VP6000 batch system and VP2100-100 inline system with 70% lower energy consumption.
• LPKFcoreTechnology or IntegrationDistributes LPKF laser depaneling systems including CuttingMaster 2240 for PCB singulation with non-contact, high-precision cutting process.
• SolderkingminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUK manufacturer of soldering materials including solder wire, paste, bar, fluxes, and cleaning consumables. ISO:9001:2015 certified.
• Custom Interconnect Ltd (CIL)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term strategic partnership since 2019 with 7 Koh Young 3D AOI systems supplied. Partnership evolved from standalone systems to inline deployment supporting CIL's growth from £15M to £37M revenue.
• Concurrent Technologies PlccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesigner and manufacturer of mission-critical embedded computing solutions. Purchased ASSCON VP6000 and VP2100-100 inline vapour phase systems for production scaling.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Mycronic: Swedish SMT assembly equipment manufacturer with global presence, offering pick-and-place and solder paste application systems. Comparable to Altus's SMT assembly portfolio as an OEM rather than distributor, with broader geographic reach and proprietary products.
• ASMPT (ASM Pacific Technology): Global semiconductor and SMT assembly equipment manufacturer with broad portfolio including DEK printing and SIPLACE placement. Comparable as SMT capital equipment provider to Altus's distribution partners but operating at much larger scale with proprietary IP.
• Yamaha Motor Robotics (IM): Global SMT equipment manufacturer offering surface mounters, printers, and dispensers for electronics assembly. Overlaps with Altus's distribution of SMT assembly equipment from Koh Young, Heller, and Essemtec but with proprietary manufactured systems at scale.
• Würth Elektronik: Major global electronics component manufacturer and broad-line distributor with UK operations serving PCB assembly customers. Comparable to Altus's B2B distribution model and UK market focus but with proprietary component manufacturing and broader portfolio beyond capital equipment.
• RS Components (RS Group): Global broad-line industrial distributor serving electronics manufacturers with components, tools, and equipment. Overlaps with Altus's B2B distribution model and UK focus but serves a much broader industrial customer base rather than specializing in SMT capital equipment.
• Panasonic Factory Solutions: Major OEM of SMT equipment including chip mounters, printers, and inspection systems with global service network. Comparable to Altus's portfolio of SMT and inspection products but with proprietary manufactured systems and broader geographic coverage.

Direct peers

• Europlacer: UK-headquartered SMT pick-and-place equipment manufacturer serving European electronics manufacturers. Directly comparable to Altus as a UK-based SMT equipment specialist serving the same customer base, though Europlacer manufactures proprietary products rather than distributing third-party brands.
• Test Research Inc (TRI): Taiwan-based AOI, SPI, and X-ray inspection equipment manufacturer with global distribution. Overlaps directly with Altus's inspection equipment portfolio from Koh Young and Scienscope as a competing inspection OEM.
• Viscom AG: German manufacturer of AOI, SPI, and X-ray inspection equipment serving electronics manufacturers globally. Directly comparable to Altus's Koh Young and Scienscope inspection portfolio as a specialist inspection equipment supplier with European manufacturing base.
• Saki Corporation: Japanese AOI and SPI equipment manufacturer with global reach serving electronics assembly customers. Comparable to Altus's Koh Young AOI and Scienscope inspection offerings as a specialist inspection equipment OEM.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCTp3uyMzHbGdV8FkLXaQ_Aw?view_as=subscriber
• Xx.com/AltusGroupLtd

Compliance1 record

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 Altus group