James Heal

What James Heal does

James Heal is a UK-based designer, developer, and manufacturer of precision textile testing instruments, headquartered in Halifax and operating as a brand within PPT Group UK Ltd. The company's roots trace to the 1940s co-development of the original Martindale abrasion test method with Dr Martindale and WIRA, and it now serves textile and garment manufacturers, performance/outdoor wear brands, independent testing laboratories, and PPE/medical textile producers globally via direct enterprise sales, 50+ distribution agents, and 9 international offices.

Name

James Heal

Legal name

PPT Group UK Ltd t/a James Heal

Website

https://james-heal.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1940

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

James Heal designs, manufactures, and services precision textile testing instruments — including Martindale abrasion testers, wet abrasion systems, and moisture management testers — for textile manufacturers, performance-wear brands, and independent laboratories worldwide, unified by its proprietary TestWise OS software.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Textile Testing Instruments

NAICS

Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing (334516), Testing Laboratories and Services (541380), Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (3345)

SIC

Services-Testing Laboratories (8734), Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826), Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823)

akta.pro primary industry

Textile Testing, Compliance & Quality Assurance (CRAAAMAL)

Keywords

• Textile testing instruments
• Fabric abrasion testing
• Color fastness testing
• Tensile strength testing
• Textile quality control

Headquarters

HQ city

Halifax

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Testing Instruments: Sale of textile testing instruments including abrasion testers, pilling testers, tensile testing machines, flammability testers, color fastness testers, and specialized equipment for various textile testing applications.
2. Test Materials and Consumables: High-performance consumables including Multifibre adjacent fabrics, Martindale test materials, Blue Wool references, Grey Scales, and other testing consumables. Available through online store for direct purchase.
3. Service and Calibration: Calibration, servicing, and technical support for instruments. Expert engineers deliver trusted instrument support ensuring accuracy through calibration, efficient servicing, and problem resolution.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

James Heal designs, develops, and manufactures precision textile testing instruments covering abrasion, pilling, snagging, tensile strength, flammability, color fastness, water resistance, and moisture management, all powered by its proprietary TestWise OS software platform. The company also produces complementary test materials such as Multifibre adjacent fabrics and provides accredited calibration and servicing for its installed base of 1,000+ laboratories worldwide.

Product overview

James Heal offers a comprehensive portfolio of textile testing instruments designed for materials testing across multiple categories: Abrasion, Pilling & Snagging (Martindale Motion, Martindale Maxi/Midi/Mini, AquAbrasion, DurAbrasion, Impulse, ProMace, Orbitor, SnagPod); Performance Testing (AirPro, HydroView, WickView, ProDry, TruRain); Laundering & Fastness (GyroWash, DynaWash, TruFade, Wascator, TD6-6LAB+, CrockMaster, ProView); Speciality (Titan 25/10/5, QuickTest, TruBurst, ElmaTear, FlexiBurn, FlexiFrame, ThermaPlate, Perspirometer, Spray Rating Tester, Crease Recovery Tester, Sample Cutters, Colour Matching Cabinets); plus test materials (Multifibre DW, Multifibre LW) and calibration services. All instruments are powered by proprietary TestWise OS or TestWise Touch software for simplified operation and multi-language support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• TestWise OS: Operating system software for James Heal textile testing instruments, providing touchscreen control and simplified testing workflows.
• Martindale
• AquAbrasion
• DurAbrasion
• ProDry
• WickView
• HydroView
• AirPro
• TruRain

Products and services

• Martindale Motion Dynamic Abrasion and Pilling Tester with 9 individually controllable test heads featuring motorised lifters for automated, unattended testing. Supports preset lifting sequences and concurrent multiple specimen evaluations. Used by textile laboratories for high-throughput abrasion and pilling testing.
• Martindale Maxi 9-station Abrasion and Pilling Tester with TestWise Touch interface. Versatile tester for textiles, socks, leather, coated fabrics, upholstery, and more.
• Martindale Midi 5-station Abrasion and Pilling Tester with TestWise Touch interface for smaller labs and mid-volume testing applications.
• Martindale Mini 2-station Abrasion and Pilling Tester ideal for smaller labs, R&D testing, and applications where no specific test method exists.
• AquAbrasion Wet Abrasion Tester based on Martindale platform with controlled pump system for testing materials against various liquids including deionised water, perspiration solution, sunscreen, and hand sanitiser. Used by performance wear brands for outdoor wear testing.
• DurAbrasion Customisable Abrasion Tester based on Martindale design for wear and abrasion testing across multiple industry sectors including apparel, automotive, footwear, wood, and laminates.
• GyroWash Colour Fastness Tester for washing and dry cleaning textiles and leather. Available in 8 or 20 pot models with TestWise Touch control. Compliant with AATCC and ISO standards.
• DynaWash Garment and Printed Fabric Durability Tester with TestWise Touch for evaluating effects of repeated washing. Tests print durability, pleat retention, cockling, flock retention, and differential shrinkage.
• TruFade Xenon Arc Light Fastness Tester with TestWise Touch and onboard weathering. Tests colour fastness to light for textiles, leather, and other materials with 2200W air-cooled xenon lamp.
• TruBurst Pneumatic Bursting Strength Tester for measuring fabric resistance to bursting pressure.
• ElmaTear Digital Elmendorf Tear Tester with TouchWise OS for measuring tear resistance of fabrics.
• FlexiBurn Multi-purpose Flammability Tester for assessing fabric fire resistance.
• FlexiFrame Stretch and Recovery Tester for measuring fabric elasticity and recovery properties.
• ThermaPlate Scorch and Sublimation Tester with TestWise OS for heat resistance testing.
• AirPro Air Permeability Tester with TestWise software for measuring resistance to airflow through woven, knitted, and nonwoven textile materials.
• WickView Moisture Management Tester using advanced imaging technology to track and record multi-directional moisture transfer through fabric. Tests to AATCC TM217-2025 standard.
• HydroView Hydrostatic Head Tester for determining fabric resistance to water penetration under pressure. Tests across 0-10,000 mbar.
• ProDry Dry Rate Tester with TestWise Touch for measuring how quickly textile specimens dry after being wet. Tests to AATCC TM201.
• TruRain Bundesmann Water Repellency Tester with recirculation system reducing water consumption by 99% and operating costs by 83%.
• Titan 25 Universal Testing Machine with 25 kN capacity for tensile and compressive strength testing with TestWise software.
• Titan 10 10 kN Universal Testing Machine for tensile and compressive strength testing.
• Titan 5 5 kN Universal Testing Machine for tensile and compressive strength testing.
• QuickTest Universal Testing Machine range for tensile and compression testing.
• Multifibre DW Multifibre Adjacent Fabric for colour fastness testing. Compliant with ISO 105 F10 and approved by UK and European specifiers. Woven in the UK.
• Multifibre LW Multifibre Adjacent Fabric with regenerated cellulose strip (approved by Marks and Spencer) for colour fastness testing. More relevant to fibres in current apparel fabrics.
• TestWise OS In-house operating system and touchscreen interface for James Heal instruments. Built by textile technologists and software specialists. Simplifies testing with preset sequences and multiple language options.
• Calibration, Servicing and Technical Support Expert engineers deliver trusted instrument support ensuring accuracy through calibration, efficient servicing, and problem resolution. ISO 9001 quality management certified and UKAS calibration accredited.

Quantifiable outcome

• TruRain reduces operating costs by 83% and water consumption by 99% compared to traditional Bundesmann testers
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The Microfibre Consortium (TMC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJames Heal collaborated with The Microfibre Consortium to develop the test method for microfibre release in domestic washing. The GyroWash instrument is used in developing this test method and is ideal for conducting The Microfibre Consortium test method for quantification of fibre release from fabrics during simulated domestic laundering.
• PPT GroupcoreOthersJames Heal is a brand of PPT Group UK Ltd. The company operates as part of the PPT Group, with shared resources, customer portal (customercare.pptgroup.com), and integrated operations including the KnowledgeHub for technical support.
• Hohenstein InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistoric partnership between James Heal and Hohenstein Institute based on mutual trust. Hohenstein is a leading textile testing and research organization.
• STC GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSTC Group is a textiles testing, inspection and certification organisation based in Vietnam. James Heal supports STC through innovation and design collaboration.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Thwing-Albert: Manufacturer of materials testing instruments including Elmendorf tear testers, tensile testers, and burst testers. Direct competitor to James Heal's ElmaTear, TruBurst, and Titan product lines in paper, textile, and packaging labs.
• Instron (Illinois Tool Works): Manufacturer of universal tensile testing machines (Titan-equivalent category) used by textile labs for strength and elongation testing. Directly competes with James Heal's Titan 5/10/25 product line and TruBurst for fabric mechanical testing applications.
• Tinius Olsen: Manufacturer of materials testing equipment including tensile, impact, and flexural testers. Competes with James Heal's Titan and ElmaTear product lines for textile and material strength testing in labs and quality control environments.
• TestResources: Manufacturer of universal testing machines and accessories for textiles, polymers, and metals. Overlaps with James Heal's Titan range in tensile and fatigue testing for textile manufacturers.
• SDL Atlas: Direct competitor offering a broad portfolio of textile testing instruments including Martindale, pilling, color fastness, and flammability testers, serving the same textile lab customer base globally. Closest head-to-head rival to James Heal in the core abrasion and fastness categories.
• ZwickRoell: European manufacturer of universal testing machines and hardness testers with strong textile industry presence. Comparable to James Heal for tensile, burst, and tear testing instruments used in textile lab settings.

Broad incumbents

• SGS: Global TIC giant operating extensive textile and apparel testing laboratories. Comparable to James Heal from the customer perspective: large-volume buyer of textile testing instrumentation and an influential participant in textile standards development.
• Intertek: Global TIC company that operates textile testing laboratories and influences instrument specification decisions. While primarily a services provider, its standards-setting and lab operations make it a relevant broader-market reference and potential buyer for testing instruments at scale.
• SDL Solutions Group: Parent of SDL Atlas offering a wider portfolio of testing, inspection, and certification services alongside textile testing instruments. Represents a larger, more diversified incumbent competing for the same lab customer wallet share as James Heal.

Emerging players

• Hohenstein Institute: Leading textile testing and research organization that historically partnered with James Heal. While primarily a TIC services provider rather than instrument maker, it develops test methods (including microfibre and performance standards) that drive demand for textile testing instrumentation, including James Heal's portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/jameshheal
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCrLURrTc8fAi6NllXetdOKg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/jamesheal

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 James Heal