Sercal
Sercal is a UK-based non-destructive testing equipment distributor and service provider (subsidiary of Oceanscan Limited) supplying, renting, calibrating, and refurbishing inspection instrumentation across ultrasonic, eddy current, radiography, and visual inspection modalities for oil & gas, railway, manufacturing, and subsea customers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1987
- HeadquartersCannock, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Sercal does
Sercal Non Destructive Test Equipment Ltd is a UK-based specialist distributor and service provider of non-destructive testing (NDT) equipment, operating as a subsidiary of Oceanscan Limited from its headquarters in Huntington, Cannock, Staffordshire. The company supplies and rents inspection instrumentation across ultrasonic flaw detection, phased array, eddy current and pulsed eddy current, computed and digital radiography, remote visual inspection (videoscopes), laser scanning, magnetic particle inspection, thickness gauging, hardness testing, and XRF alloy analysis — representing multi-OEM channel partnerships with Olympus, GE Inspection Technologies, Sonatest, Cygnus, Eddyfi, Leica, Durr, and SIUI. Its direct sales-led go-to-market targets industrial customers in oil & gas topside inspection, railway NDT (RISQS-certified), manufacturing/engineering quality control, and subsea/offshore applications, with named enterprise references including Airbus (wing corrosion inspection procedures) and Sheffield Forgemasters (high-integrity forgings and castings).
Revenue is generated through a mix of one-time equipment sales (new and ex-rental units), usage-based equipment rental (flaw detectors, thickness gauges, videoscopes, phased array systems), recurring UKAS-accredited calibration services, and consumables (MPI/DPI inks and paints, couplant, test blocks, CR imaging plates, film). The UKAS-accredited calibration laboratory, ISO 9001:2015 quality certification, RISQS rail-sector qualification, and a refurbishment service for legacy ultrasonic NDT equipment (launched 2019) constitute recurring-service layers that sit alongside the transactional equipment business. The company is privately held (Company No. 3733273), with no disclosed institutional investors, and operates under Managing Director Ken Hunter; its parent Oceanscan Limited holds an exclusive UK distribution agreement for SREM Technologies' NDT consumables. Geographic scope is single-country (United Kingdom), with marketing conducted via the sercal.co.uk website, LinkedIn, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, newsletter, knowledge base articles, and industry exhibitions such as Advanced Engineering.
Sercal firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Sercal
- Legal name
- Sercal Non Destructive Test Equipment Ltd
- Website
- https://sercal.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1987
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Sercal is a UK-based non-destructive testing equipment distributor and service provider (subsidiary of Oceanscan Limited) supplying, renting, calibrating, and refurbishing inspection instrumentation across ultrasonic, eddy current, radiography, and visual inspection modalities for oil & gas, railway, manufacturing, and subsea customers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Sercal industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) Equipment & Inspection Services
- NAICS
- Testing Laboratories and Services (541380), Testing Laboratories and Services (54138), Search, Detection, Navigation, Guidance, Aeronautical, and Nautical System and Instrument Manufacturing (334511)
- SIC
- Services-Testing Laboratories (8734), Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826)
- akta.pro primary industry
- NDT/NDE Inspection Equipment (Ultrasonic, eddy current, radiography, thermography) (IMAGAFAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) & Advanced Inspection (Phased Array, TOFD, Guided Wave) (EUAEAKAF), Regulatory & Sanctions Compliance Screening for Maritime Operations (Trade Controls, AML) (TLAHANAL), Test, Measurement & Calibration Equipment Manufacturing Services (ATE, DAQ, metrology electronics) (IMAGAGAH)
Keywords
Where Sercal is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cannock
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Sercal business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Equipment Rental: Rental of NDT and inspection equipment including flaw detectors, thickness gauges, videoscopes, radiography systems, and specialized inspection equipment. Equipment available for various rental durations.
- Equipment Sales: Direct sales of new NDT equipment and ex-rental equipment including brands such as Olympus, GE, Sonatest, Durr, Cygnus, and others.
- Calibration Services: UKAS accredited calibration laboratory providing calibration services for NDT equipment
- Consumables Sales: Sales of consumables including MPI/DPI inks and paints, couplant, test blocks, CR imaging plates, film, and accessories
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Equipment Rental - various NDT equipment available for rental with flexible terms |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Equipment Sales - new and ex-rental equipment |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Calibration Services - UKAS accredited calibration |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels8 records
Sercal product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Sercal is a UK specialist supplier of non-destructive testing (NDT) and inspection equipment, providing multi-brand equipment sales (new and ex-rental), short- and long-term equipment rental, consumables (probes, calibration blocks, MPI/DPI inks, couplant, CR plates, film), UKAS-accredited calibration services, and refurbishment of legacy ultrasonic NDT equipment. Customers include enterprise inspection teams in oil & gas, railway, manufacturing/engineering, and subsea/offshore applications in the UK.
Product overview
Sercal is a non-destructive testing (NDT) equipment specialist offering a comprehensive portfolio of inspection equipment for rental and sale. The product range centers on ultrasonic flaw detectors (Sonatest Sitescan D-50, D+ Series; Olympus Epoch 600), phased array systems (Olympus OmniScan SX PA), pulsed eddy current solutions (Eddyfi Lyft for CUI detection), thickness gauges (Cygnus 6+ Pro, Olympus 38DL Plus), visual inspection systems (Olympus IPLEX Ultralite, GE Mentor Visual IQ videoprobe), computed radiography (DURR CR35), laser scanning (Leica HDS6200), magnetic particle inspection (Oceanscan MY2 Yoke, ASAMS 12 Underwater MPI), and XRF analyzers (Olympus Vanta). Supporting infrastructure includes calibration blocks, probes, couplant, cables, and a UKAS-accredited calibration laboratory. The company operates primarily as a rental and sales distributor for major NDT equipment manufacturers.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- NDT Equipment Rental Short- and long-term rental of multi-brand non-destructive testing (NDT) and inspection equipment for industrial inspectors in the UK, including flaw detectors, phased array units, thickness gauges, videoscopes, radiography, videoprobes, magnetic particle inspection (MPI) yokes, and accessories, with flexible rental durations.
- NDT Equipment Sales (New and Ex-Rental) Direct sales of new NDT and inspection equipment from manufacturers including Olympus, GE, Sonatest, Durr, Cygnus, and Eddyfi, alongside ex-rental units available for purchase (e.g., Hocking Miniphasec at £650, Epoch III at £1,850, Panametrics 26DL Plus at £550). Trade-in deals are available against new equipment.
- UKAS-Accredited Calibration Services UKAS accredited (Certificate 0381) calibration services for a wide range of NDT instruments including ultrasonic flaw detectors, eddy current, computed radiography (CR) scanners, thickness gauges, magnetic particle inspection (MPI) equipment, light meters, X-ray/radiography, calibration blocks, and ultrasonic probes. Calibration is traceable to national standards and supports regulated industry audits.
- Refurbishment Service for Legacy Ultrasonic NDT Equipment Dedicated refurbishment service for legacy ultrasonic NDT equipment (e.g., Krautkramer USM25 series), extending the operational life of older inspection instruments. Available via the Sercal service offering, with a dedicated website section launched in 2019.
- NDT Consumables Supply (Probes, Blocks, Inks, Couplant, Plates, Film) Supply of NDT consumables and accessories including ultrasonic probes (Phoenix series), cables and leads, couplant, MPI/DPI inks and paints and powders (SREM, J & A, Ardrox, Magnaflux), test blocks (V1, V2), CR imaging plates, radiography film, UV lamps, and miscellaneous accessories. SREM products supplied under the Oceanscan exclusive UK distribution agreement.
- Sitescan D-50 Ultrasonic Flaw Detector Entry-level broadband ultrasonic flaw detector in a portable D-Series casing with full VGA display, 50nS spike 200V pulser, 0.5dB gain resolution, and optional rubber boot. Targeted at weld fabrication, corrosion detection, forgings and castings inspection, and general UT work for industrial NDT inspectors.
- Olympus Epoch 600 Ultrasonic Flaw Detector Digital ultrasonic flaw detector combining Olympus conventional flaw detection with portable form factor and intuitive interface, large full VGA transflective display, and Olympus patent-pending digital high dynamic receiver for stable A-scan in any lighting. Distributed by Sercal for industrial NDT buyers.
- Olympus OmniScan SX Phased Array (PA) System Olympus OmniScan SX 16:64PR phased array unit with conventional UT channel for pulse-echo, pitch-catch, and TOFD inspection. 33% lighter and 50% smaller than the OmniScan MX2. Sold and rented by Sercal to inspection teams needing portable phased array capability.
- Eddyfi Lyft Pulsed Eddy Current (PEC) System High-performance pulsed eddy current solution for corrosion under insulation (CUI) detection, with portable instrument, real-time C-scan imaging, up to 15 readings per second acquisition rate, and ability to scan through metal up to 63mm and insulation up to 203mm liftoff. Supplied by Sercal for topside CUI inspection programmes.
- Cygnus 6+ Pro Ultrasonic Thickness Gauge Ultrasonic thickness gauge with multi-mode measuring capabilities, A-scan, B-scan and comprehensive data logging; uses single and twin crystal probes with multiple echo modes, live A-scan display, rolling B-scans, and Bluetooth v2.0 for data transfer. Distributed by Sercal for thickness measurement across industrial inspection use cases.
- Olympus IPLEX Ultralite Industrial Videoscope Palm-sized industrial videoscope weighing 700g for high-quality inspections in confined or harsh areas, with rugged insertion tube and quick articulation. Supplied by Sercal for remote visual inspection (RVI) in confined-space industrial environments.
- GE Mentor Visual IQ VideoProbe System Advanced VideoProbe with 10-metre stereo measurement capability (described in source as the UK's only), multipoint touchscreen, joystick and hard keys, 6.5-inch XGA colour LCD, adaptive noise reduction, HDR still image capture, and 3D phase or stereo measurement. Marketed via Sercal as a visual inspection solution with measurement-grade capability.
- DURR CR35 Computed Radiography System Digital X-ray imaging system providing the digital equivalent of conventional X-ray film for NDT, eliminating consumables and reducing imaging time; uses storage phosphor plates read by an in-line laser scanner with built-in plate eraser for reuse. Marketed by Sercal as part of its radiography and CR scanner offering.
- Leica HDS6200 High Speed Laser Scanner Next-generation phase-based laser scanner offering the fastest scan rates available for high-accuracy as-built industrial surveys, integrating scanner, data storage, control, and batteries in a single unit. Supplied by Sercal for industrial laser-scanning applications.
- ASAMS 12 Underwater Magnetic Particle Inspection (MPI) System Portable underwater MPI unit powered by a 12V rechargeable battery for shallow-water and tidal conditions, comprising battery/control unit, DC electromagnetic yoke, and high-intensity UV light with arc-discharge bulb. Supplied by Sercal for subsea and offshore inspection work.
- Olympus Vanta XRF Analyzer Handheld X-ray fluorescence device providing rapid, accurate element analysis and alloy identification with laboratory-quality results; rugged design with optional wireless LAN and Bluetooth, and cloud connectivity for real-time data sharing. Marketed by Sercal for positive material identification (PMI) and alloy verification.
- Oceanscan MY2 Yoke with Portable Battery Pack Lightweight portable MPI magnet kit conforming to BS EN ISO 9934-3:2002 and ASTM 1444-01, available for rental with hand-battery or mains operation for site work. Supplied by Sercal for magnetic particle inspection in field and on-site scenarios.
Companies that use Sercal
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Sercal technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Sercal partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- University of Wolverhampton RacingminorSercal sponsors the University of Wolverhampton Racing (UWR) Formula 3 racing team, providing equipment, NDT technical skills, knowledge and experience. Along with parent company Oceanscan, Sercal supports the team trackside and at their base in Telford. The #Racingwolves team is a student-led professional racing team.
- SREM TechnologiescoreSREM Technologies is a French manufacturer of NDT consumables including MPI/DPI inks, paints, and powders. Oceanscan (Sercal's parent company) is the second largest distributor in Europe of SREM products with an exclusive UK distribution agreement. Sercal sales team visits SREM Technologies for training on new products and technologies.
- Oceanscan LimitedcoreOceanscan Limited is the parent company of Sercal and operates as a distributor of NDT equipment. Oceanscan is the second largest distributor in Europe of SREM products and holds an exclusive UK distribution agreement. Sercal operates under the Oceanscan group, with shared resources and complementary product offerings.
- GE Inspection TechnologiescoreSercal is an official channel partner for GE Inspection Technologies in Scotland, offering GE's full range of inspection equipment including Mentor Visual IQ videoprobes, USM flaw detectors, and other GE NDT products.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Sercal competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Eddyfi Technologies: Global leader in advanced NDT including pulsed eddy current (Lyft) and eddy current array (Sharck). Sercal distributes Eddyfi products; directly comparable as a premium NDT provider serving oil & gas, power, and aerospace inspection use cases.
- Evident (Olympus Industrial): Former Olympus Scientific Solutions, manufacturer of OmniScan phased array, Epoch flaw detectors, IPLEX videoscopes, and Vanta XRF analyzers. Broad incumbent that is both a Sercal supplier and a competitor for end-customer relationships, with significantly larger global footprint and direct enterprise sales motion.
- GE Inspection Technologies (Waygate Technologies): Global NDT equipment manufacturer offering the Mentor Visual IQ videoprobe and ultrasonic flaw detectors. Sercal is an official channel partner for GE in Scotland; comparable as an NDT equipment supplier with overlapping product categories and similar end markets.
Direct peers
- Sonatest Limited: UK-headquartered manufacturer of ultrasonic flaw detectors, thickness gauges, and rail NDT equipment. Direct peer because Sonatest products are distributed by Sercal and the companies compete for rail inspection budgets across the UK and Europe.
- Cygnus Instruments: UK manufacturer of ultrasonic thickness gauges including the Cygnus 6+ Pro, distributed by Sercal. Direct peer in thickness gauging for marine, offshore, and rail applications with overlapping UK customer base.
- Oceanscan Limited: Parent company of Sercal and a UK-based NDT equipment distributor offering sales, rental, and calibration of inspection equipment across ultrasonic, eddy current, and MPI modalities. Most directly comparable because of shared customer base, overlapping product lines, and identical distribution model.
- NDE Solutions Ltd: UK-based NDT equipment sales, rental, and service provider covering ultrasonic, MPI, eddy current, and visual inspection. Comparable because of similar sales-led distribution model, equipment rental fleet, and UK industrial customer segments.
- Phoenix Inspection Systems: UK-based NDT inspection services and equipment supplier specializing in ultrasonic testing, phased array, and TOFD for rail, oil & gas, and aerospace. Direct peer with overlapping UK customer segments and rental/service delivery model.
Others
- Mistras Group: Global NDT services and integrated inspection technology provider. Broader incumbent serving oil & gas, aerospace, and rail with proprietary inspection software and services; comparable at the customer-procurement level even though business model leans more services-led than distribution-led.
- TÜV Rheinland / TÜV SÜD (NDT service lines): International testing, inspection, and certification (TIC) firms operating asset integrity and NDT service lines for industrial clients. Comparable as UKAS-equivalent accredited inspection providers competing for the same end-customers' NDT budgets, though not as equipment resellers.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Sercal social profiles
Digital presenceSercal financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Sercal leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Sercal funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Sercal 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 Sercal
What does Sercal do?
Sercal is a UK specialist supplier of non-destructive testing (NDT) and inspection equipment, providing multi-brand equipment sales (new and ex-rental), short- and long-term equipment rental, consumables (probes, calibration blocks, MPI/DPI inks, couplant, CR plates, film), UKAS-accredited calibration services, and refurbishment of legacy ultrasonic NDT equipment. Customers include enterprise inspection teams in oil & gas, railway, manufacturing/engineering, and subsea/offshore applications in the UK.
Is Sercal a public or private company?
Sercal is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Sercal founded?
Sercal was founded in 1987. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Sercal based?
Sercal is headquartered in Cannock, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Sercal make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Equipment Rental is the primary driver. The others are equipment Sales, calibration Services and consumables Sales.
Who are Sercal's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Eddyfi Technologies, Evident (Olympus Industrial) and GE Inspection Technologies (Waygate Technologies). Direct peers are Sonatest Limited, Cygnus Instruments, Oceanscan Limited, NDE Solutions Ltd and Phoenix Inspection Systems. Others are Mistras Group and TÜV Rheinland / TÜV SÜD (NDT service lines).
Does Sercal have an API?
No public API is recorded for Sercal.
What industry is Sercal in?
Sercal's product category is Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) Equipment & Inspection Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAGAFAI, NDT/NDE Inspection Equipment (Ultrasonic, eddy current, radiography, thermography), with a secondary code of EUAEAKAF, Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) & Advanced Inspection (Phased Array, TOFD, Guided Wave). Its NAICS code is 541380 and its SIC code is 8734.