planarTECH
planarTECH is a Cambridge, UK-based manufacturer of R&D-scale thermal CVD systems (planarGROW), benchtop Raman spectrometers (planarRAM) and reactive ion etching tools (planarRIE) for graphene, 2D materials, CNTs and lab-grown diamond synthesis, sold globally to academic and corporate research laboratories through a multi-region distributor network.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersCambridge, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What planarTECH does
planarTECH, founded in 2012 and headquartered at 10 Wellington Street, Cambridge, UK (with a US LLC in The Woodlands, Texas), designs and supplies R&D-scale process and analytical equipment for graphene, 2D materials, carbon nanotubes and lab-grown diamond synthesis. Its core product families are the planarGROW series of horizontal hot-wall thermal CVD systems (planarGROW-2B/4S/6E for graphene and CNTs, planarGROW-2S-BN for hexagonal boron nitride, planarGROW-2S-MoS2 for transition metal dichalcogenides), the planarRAM benchtop Raman spectrometers (planarRAM-S and planarRAM-E), the planarRIE reactive ion etching system and a turnkey MPCVD lab-grown diamond solution. Systems are built around a LabVIEW-based GUI enabling automated recipe-driven operation, with customisable furnace zones, mass-flow controllers and vacuum/pressure control; complementary analysis tools provide a complete synthesis-to-characterisation workflow.
The business model is a direct and channel-driven sale of high-unit-price capital equipment (lead time ~10–14 weeks, quote-based pricing, no public list prices), distributed through a network of regional distributors across Australia/New Zealand, Taiwan, Malaysia, the Middle East (UAE), India, Mexico, Israel, Turkey and Japan, with direct sales from UK HQ and the US office elsewhere. Customers are predominantly research-led: over 80 systems have been installed globally at institutions including the National Graphene Institute (Manchester), Cambridge Graphene Centre, Stanford, KAIST, POSTECH, SKKU, NUS, Tokyo Institute of Technology, University of Oxford, Leibniz Institute, KIST and KACST, alongside enterprise users such as Samsung SAIT, LG Chem, Graphene Platform Corporation and 2-DTech. Manufacturing is outsourced to a long-standing Korean CVD equipment partner with 20+ years of experience, allowing planarTECH to operate a lean 1–10 employee organisation while serving a global customer base; consulting services for market entry and OEM access in Asia are offered as a complementary revenue stream.
planarTECH firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- planarTECH
- Legal name
- planarTECH (Holdings) Ltd.
- Website
- https://planartech.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- planarTECH is a Cambridge, UK-based manufacturer of R&D-scale thermal CVD systems (planarGROW), benchtop Raman spectrometers (planarRAM) and reactive ion etching tools (planarRIE) for graphene, 2D materials, CNTs and lab-grown diamond synthesis, sold globally to academic and corporate research laboratories through a multi-region distributor network.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
planarTECH industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Semiconductor and Nanomaterials Process Equipment
- NAICS
- Analytical Laboratory Instrument Manufacturing (334516)
- SIC
- Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826), Industrial Process Furnaces & Ovens (3567)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Deposition Equipment (CVD/PVD/ALD/Epitaxy) (HDAHAEAB)
Keywords
Where planarTECH is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cambridge
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
planarTECH business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- CVD Equipment Sales: Sale of thermal CVD systems (planarGROW series) for graphene, CNTs, h-BN, and MoS2 synthesis. Systems are sold in standard configurations with customization options. Lead time typically 10-14 weeks after receipt of order.
- Raman & Analysis Equipment: Sale of planarRAM benchtop Raman spectrometers in standard and advanced configurations for materials characterization.
- RIE Etching Systems: Sale of planarRIE reactive ion etching systems for semiconductor and materials processing.
- Lab-grown Diamond Solutions: Turnkey solutions for MPCVD diamond synthesis, including equipment and process know-how.
- Consulting Services: Market study and entry consulting services for graphene and 2D materials market, providing in-depth market knowledge and access to OEM partners in Asia.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels10 records
Marketing channels4 records
planarTECH product offering
Product offeringCore offering
planarTECH designs and supplies R&D-scale thermal Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) systems (planarGROW series) for the synthesis of graphene, carbon nanotubes, hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN), and molybdenum disulfide (MoS2). Its portfolio is complemented by benchtop Raman spectrometers (planarRAM-S and planarRAM-E) for materials characterization and a reactive ion etching system (planarRIE), plus turnkey Microwave Plasma CVD (MPCVD) solutions for lab-grown diamond production. Equipment is custom-configured and sold globally to academic, government, and corporate research customers.
Product overview
planarTECH is a global leader in providing R&D-scale process and analytical equipment for graphene and 2D materials synthesis. The company's product portfolio centers on three main equipment families: the planarGROW series of thermal CVD systems (for graphene, CNTs, h-BN, and MoS2), the planarRAM series of benchtop Raman spectrometers (planarRAM-S and plan arRAM-E), and the planarRIE reactive ion etching system. These deposition and analytical tools are complemented by consulting services for market entry and OEM partner access in Asia. planarTECH has provided over 80 systems globally to leading research institutions.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- planarGROW: Thermal CVD systems for graphene and carbon nanotube synthesis - horizontal hot-wall reactor systems available in configurations including planarGROW-2B, planarGROW-4S, and planarGROW-6E
- planarRAM
- planarRIE
- planarGROW-2S-BN
- planarGROW-2S-MoS2
Products and services
- planarGROW CVD Systems Horizontal hot-wall reactor thermal CVD systems for graphene and carbon nanotube synthesis. Three standard configurations are offered: planarGROW-2B (2-inch), planarGROW-4S (4-inch), and planarGROW-6E (6-inch). Systems support 2-6 inch substrates with customizable furnace zones, mass flow controllers, vacuum/pressure control, and a LabVIEW-based GUI enabling automated operation. Configurable options include high-temperature furnaces (up to 1,450 °C), turbopumps, and RF-ICP modules.
- planarGROW h-BN CVD Systems Thermal CVD systems (planarGROW-2S-BN) specialized for hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) synthesis using liquid borazine or solid ammonia borane precursors. Includes LabVIEW interface for full system control, recipe management, and automated operation. Dual-process capability allows switching between h-BN and graphene growth.
- planarGROW MoS2 CVD Systems Thermal CVD systems (planarGROW-2S-MoS2) for molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) and other metal dichalcogenide synthesis using solid precursors (sulfur powder and MoO3 powder). Features 2-zone heating and direct deposition onto target substrates, with LabVIEW-based GUI for system parameter control, growth recipe management, and auto-process operation.
- MPCVD Lab-grown Diamond Synthesis Solutions Turnkey Microwave Plasma Chemical Vapor Deposition (MPCVD) systems and process know-how for mass production of lab-grown diamonds. Targeted at producers scaling diamond synthesis beyond R&D.
- planarRAM-S Raman System Economical benchtop micro-Raman spectrometer designed primarily for graphene study. Features modified Olympus microscope, TE-cooled CCD detector, 532 nm standard laser, spectral resolution of 1.5 cm-1, and EzScan software for Microsoft Windows 7 with 2D/3D Raman mapping capability.
- planarRAM-E Raman System Advanced confocal Raman spectrometer for studying graphene and other materials. Includes motorized XY or XYZ sample stage options with full 2D/3D confocal imaging capability for high-resolution Raman mapping.
- planarRIE Reactive Ion Etching System Anisotropic plasma reactive ion etching benchtop system handling wafers up to 100 mm (4 inches) in diameter. Supports etching of oxides, nitrides, polymers, silicon, and III-V compounds. Includes 300 W, 13.56 MHz RF generator with auto-matching network and 8.4-inch touchscreen.
- Graphene and 2D Materials Consulting Services Consulting services providing in-depth knowledge of the graphene and 2D materials market landscape, market entry advice, and access to top-tier OEM partners in Asia (Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and China). Targeted at companies entering or expanding in the graphene sector.
Companies that use planarTECH
Customer profileNamed customers20 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
planarTECH technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
Feature6 records
planarTECH partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.
- NewSpec Pty. Ltd.coreAustralia & New Zealand distributor for planarTECH equipment. Located at 330 Glen Osmond Road, Myrtle Bank SA 5064, Australia. Provides local sales, technical support, and installation services for customers in the region.
- EUFLEX Technology Corp.coreTaiwan distributor for planarTECH equipment. Located at 5Fl. No. 500, FuQian St., Xinzhuang Dist., New Taipei City 24250, Taiwan. Provides local sales and support for Taiwan market.
- RANGKAIAN M&E S/BcoreMalaysia distributor for planarTECH equipment. Located at No. 24, Medan Bkt. PermaiDua, Tmn Bkt. Permai, 56100 Kuala Lumpur. Provides local sales and support for Malaysian market.
- BCL UAEcoreMiddle East distributor for planarTECH equipment. Located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Provides local sales, support, and installations for Middle East region.
- Higgs Boson Systems Pvt. Ltd.coreIndia distributor for planarTECH equipment. Located at C2-2694, Sushant Lok 1st, Gurugram, Gurgaon, Haryana 122002, India. Contact: Mr. Rajendra Singh. Provides local sales and support for Indian market.
- D S Industrial S.A. de C.V.coreMexico distributor for planarTECH equipment. Located at Avenida de los Pápagos No. 3, Parque Industrial, 83299 Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico. Also serves as customer reference site for Raman systems installation.
- PicoTechcoreIsrael distributor for planarTECH equipment. Located at 17 Hamefalsim st., Petah-Tikva 49514, Israel. Provides local sales and support for Israeli market.
- Nova Analitik SistemlercoreTurkey distributor for planarTECH equipment. Located at Atatürk Mh. Vedat Günyol Cd. Sedef Sitesi 46 H Blok D:1 34750 Ataşehir / İSTANBUL, Turkey. Provides local sales and support for Turkish market.
- Graphene Platform CorporationcoreJapan-based partner distributing planarTECH equipment. Located in Tokyo, Japan. Provided standard planarGROW-6E 6-inch CVD system for Graphene Platform and represents planarTECH in Japanese market.
- Leading Korean CVD Equipment ManufacturerflagshipClose partnership with leading Korean manufacturer for production of deposition equipment for graphene, CNTs, and other 2D materials. Factory has 20+ years of experience in the market. Products widely used in Korea with customer base including Samsung SAIT, LG Chem, and major Korean universities.
- Top-tier OEM Partners in AsiacoreThrough consulting services, planarTECH provides access to top-tier OEM partners in Asia including Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and China for customers seeking market entry into graphene and 2D materials sector.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
planarTECH competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Oxford Instruments: Large diversified scientific instrument company with plasma processing, CVD, and analytical systems serving similar academic and industrial R&D buyers as planarTECH. Significantly larger but overlapping end markets.
- AIXTRON SE: Large publicly listed MOCVD/CVD equipment maker serving LED, power electronics, and emerging 2D materials production. Comparable technology base but targets production-scale fabs rather than planarTECH's R&D-scale focus.
Direct peers
- MTI Corporation: Richmond, CA supplier of materials research and battery R&D equipment including tube furnaces, CVD systems, and characterization tools. Comparable R&D customer base and global distribution model.
- Plasma-Therm: US supplier of plasma etch and deposition equipment (RIE, ICP, CVD, PECVD) for semiconductor R&D and production. Directly comparable to planarTECH's planarRIE and adjacent to its CVD portfolio.
- Annealsys: French manufacturer of rapid thermal processing (RTP) and CVD/PECVD systems targeted at research and pilot-scale semiconductor and nanomaterials applications. Closely comparable product architecture.
- 2D Semiconductors: US-based specialist in graphene and 2D materials equipment and materials, including custom CVD systems and wafer products. Direct niche competitor to planarTECH in graphene growth hardware.
- HQ Graphene: Supplier of graphene growth, transfer, and characterization equipment for research labs. Closely comparable product line to planarTECH's planarGROW series targeting similar 2D materials customers.
- CVD Equipment Corporation: US-based manufacturer of custom CVD, ALD, and PECVD systems for research and small-scale production. Direct overlap with planarTECH's CVD equipment portfolio across materials and substrate sizes.
Emerging players
- Ossila: UK supplier of benchtop materials science instruments and consumables for organic electronics, perovskites, and 2D materials research. Comparable SMB distribution and academia-focused model with adjacent rather than direct product overlap.
- Graphenea: Spain-based graphene materials producer that also supplies graphene growth systems and tooling to research labs. Overlaps with planarTECH on equipment but adds a materials catalog dimension.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
planarTECH social profiles
Digital presenceplanarTECH financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
planarTECH leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
planarTECH funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
planarTECH M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about planarTECH
What does planarTECH do?
planarTECH designs and supplies R&D-scale thermal Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) systems (planarGROW series) for the synthesis of graphene, carbon nanotubes, hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN), and molybdenum disulfide (MoS2). Its portfolio is complemented by benchtop Raman spectrometers (planarRAM-S and planarRAM-E) for materials characterization and a reactive ion etching system (planarRIE), plus turnkey Microwave Plasma CVD (MPCVD) solutions for lab-grown diamond production. Equipment is custom-configured and sold globally to academic, government, and corporate research customers.
Is planarTECH a public or private company?
planarTECH is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was planarTECH founded?
planarTECH was founded in 2012. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is planarTECH based?
planarTECH is headquartered in Cambridge, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does planarTECH make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. CVD Equipment Sales are the primary driver. The others are raman & Analysis Equipment, RIE Etching Systems, lab-grown Diamond Solutions and consulting Services.
Who are planarTECH's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Oxford Instruments and AIXTRON SE. Direct peers are MTI Corporation, Plasma-Therm, Annealsys, 2D Semiconductors, HQ Graphene and CVD Equipment Corporation. Emerging players are Ossila and Graphenea.
Does planarTECH have an API?
No public API is recorded for planarTECH.
What industry is planarTECH in?
planarTECH's product category is Semiconductor and Nanomaterials Process Equipment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAHAEAB, Deposition Equipment (CVD/PVD/ALD/Epitaxy). Its NAICS code is 334516 and its SIC code is 3826.