Fortex

What Fortex does

Fortex Engineering Ltd is a UK-based, privately held manufacturer founded in 1972 and headquartered in Lincoln, United Kingdom. The company designs, manufactures, and distributes production equipment for printed circuit board (PCB) fabrication and photo chemical milling/etching of metal parts, operating with 1-10 employees under the legal entity Fortex Engineering Ltd (formerly Fortex Limited; Company Number 08804584). Its product portfolio spans the full PCB prototyping workflow: laser photoplotters (up to 25,400 x 16,256 dpi resolution), rotary and bubble etching machines, dry film roll and sheet laminators, UV exposure units, screen printing equipment, reflow ovens, CNC drilling/routing machines, through-hole plating lines, and multilayer presses. Proprietary technology includes the Raster Laser Photoplotter platform with a maintenance-free design, and a two-component LPSIM UV-curable solder mask meeting UL 94 V-0, IPC SM 840C, Bellcore TR-NWT-000078, and MIL P55110D specifications.

The company's revenue model is primarily one-time hardware sales across a wide price range (£85 to £10,495+), complemented by a recurring consumables business covering dry film photoresists, processing chemicals, developer/stripper solutions, artwork films, solder masks, and cleaning materials. It also licenses PCB design and layout software (Circuit Wizard, Live Wire, PCB Wizard 3) on a one-time basis. Fortex sells directly through a fully transactional e-commerce website supporting GBP, EUR, and USD with free UK delivery over £150, and reaches overseas markets through an international agents network providing local sales and export coordination. The customer base is horizontal and long-tailed across electronics manufacturers, photo fabrication shops, educational institutions, sign makers, professional model kit manufacturers, and engravers, all requiring prototype or low-volume production rather than mass manufacturing.

The company operates as an independent, privately held entity with no disclosed parent, subsidiaries, institutional investors, or funding rounds. Operating geographies center on Europe with a stated global footprint via the agent network. Strategic activity in recent years is limited to incremental product introductions (XL Manual Screen Printer in February 2024, PA9104 PVC Etching Tank in March 2025, Jetstar inkjet artwork printer in January 2023) and ongoing direct e-commerce distribution, with no acquisitions, leadership transitions, or capital events on record.

Name

Fortex

Legal name

Fortex Engineering Ltd

Website

https://fortex.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Fortex Engineering Ltd is a UK-based, privately held manufacturer founded in 1972 that designs, makes, and distributes PCB fabrication and photo chemical milling equipment — including laser photoplotters, etching machines, laminators, and consumables — sold directly online and via international agents to prototype electronics manufacturers, educational institutions, sign makers, and engravers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

PCB Production Equipment

NAICS

Bare Printed Circuit Board Manufacturing (334412), Metalworking Machinery Manufacturing (33351)

SIC

Printed Circuit Boards (3672), Metalworkg Machinery & Equipment (3540)

akta.pro primary industry

PCB Fabrication (Rigid PCBs) (HDAHAOAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

PCB Assembly (PCBA/EMS) (HDAHAOAI), PCB & Electronics Manufacturing Chemicals (Desmear, micro-etch, plating, fluxes) (IMAEAKAL), Metal Forming & Fabrication Machines (Presses, Bending, Shearing, Stamping) (IMAHADAC)

Keywords

• PCB production equipment
• Photo chemical milling
• Laser photoplotters
• PCB prototyping machines
• Dry film laminators

Headquarters

HQ city

Lincoln

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Equipment and Machine Sales: Sale of production equipment including etching machines, photoplotters, laminators, UV exposure units, reflow ovens, CNC machines, and screen printing equipment. One-time hardware purchases with various price points from £85 to £10,495+.
2. Consumables and Supplies: Sale of consumable products including chemicals and etchants, dry film photoresist, artwork films, solder masks, developer solutions, fixer solutions, cleaning materials, and accessory supplies. Recurring revenue through consumable repurchase.
3. Software Licenses: Sale of circuit design and PCB layout software including Circuit Wizard Design Software, Live Wire Software, and PCB Wizard 3 Software.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Fortex Engineering Ltd manufactures and supplies production equipment for printed circuit board (PCB) fabrication and photo chemical milling/etching of metal parts. The company offers a complete workflow of machinery — etching machines, dry film laminators, laser photoplotters, screen printing units, UV exposure units, and reflow ovens — alongside supporting consumables (photoresists, solder masks, etchants, photoplotter films) and PCB design software. Products are sold directly via the Fortex e-commerce website and through an international agents network.

Product overview

Fortex Engineering Ltd is a UK-based manufacturer of production equipment for printed circuit board (PCB) fabrication and photo chemical milling/etching. Founded in 1972, the company offers a comprehensive portfolio of machines and consumables organized into core equipment categories: etching machines (Jet 34D rotary spray etcher, Labstation, bubble etch tanks, PVC etching tanks), dry film laminators (Models 305, 610, 304 for roll and sheet processing), laser photoplotters (FPS25000, FPL25000, FPM25000 series with up to 25400 dpi resolution), and screen printing equipment (vacuum flatbed units, manual XL machines). Supporting accessories include DCR/DRS dust cleaning rollers, PCB storage racks, and dark rooms. Consumables encompass dry film photoresists, liquid photoimageable solder masks, laser photoplotter films, press n peel transfer sheets, and processing chemicals (developers, fixers, etchants). The products serve electronics manufacturers, photo fabrication shops, educational institutions, sign makers, and metal engravers for prototype and low-volume production.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Jet 34D Rotary Rotaspray Vertical Spray Etching Machine Rotary vertical spray etching machine with PVC construction, quartz heater for constant temperature control, digital timer, and board carrier. Achieves line resolution better than 0.1mm and etching speed of 35µm Cu within 65 seconds. Also performs spray developing and resist stripping. Designed for prototype and small batch PCB manufacturing.
• Labstation Etching Machine Laboratory etching machine with static and spray rinse, integrated developer tank, reserve tank for chemical tinning, and squeeze dryer. Emphasises ergonomic and clean etching processes for double-sided PCBs in laboratory and small-batch settings.
• PA110-104 / PA110-210 Heated Bubble Etch Tank Slim acrylic glass bubble etch tank with diaphragm pump and 150W glass heater. Temperature range 36–45°C with adjustable PCB holder. Suitable for laboratory and small batch PCB production.
• PA9104 PVC Etching Tank Free-standing PVC etching tank with 500W heater, thermostat, and bubble bars for even etching. Compatible with ferric chloride and sodium persulphate etchants.
• Dry Film Roll Laminator Model 305 Production-grade double or single-sided dry film laminator for photopolymer resists. Features infrared heater technology, 310mm maximum width, simultaneous double-sided lamination capability, and clean room compatibility.
• Dry Film Photoresist Sheet Laminator Model 304 Lower volume sheet laminator for applying dry film photoresist to substrates up to 325mm width. Uses hot roll infrared technology with pre-set temperature and speed programs.
• Photoplotter Model FPS25000 Laser photoplotter with 25,000 x 16,256 dpi resolution for in-house production of high-end photo plot film layouts. Raster drum design with maintenance-free operation, accepts Gerber and BMP files, maximum plot 230mm x 360mm.
• Laser Photoplotter Model FPL25000 High-accuracy photo plotting machine with 25,400 x 16,256 dpi resolution for dense artworks. Maximum plot format 430mm x 360mm, supports Gerber file imports with aperture editing and panelisation.
• Photoplotter Model FPM25000 Benchmark raster-based laser photoplotter with 25,400 x 16,256 dpi resolution and maintenance-free design. Maximum plot format 360mm x 360mm, used for microfluidics devices, PCB design, and metal etching applications.
• Vacuum Screen Printing Machine Flatbed Table Unit Vacuum screen printing unit for front panels, nameplates, component notation, and solder masks onto PCBs. Available in A2 and A1 bed sizes with adjustable screen frame mounting.
• Screen Printing Table Unit A2 Flat Bed Desktop Unit Bench top hand screen printing table for circuit boards and general applications. Accepts A2 and A3 size frames, used for component notation, idents, and solder masks.
• Manual Screen Printing Machine XL Size XL desktop hand screen printing table with 760 x 620mm capacity. For PCB component idents and solder masks using silk screen stencils or photo-imageable inks.
• Jetstar Artwork Printer High Resolution Inkjet Compact high-speed inkjet printer for dense opaque artworks for PCB and graphics. 1200 x 2400 DPI resolution, A4 monochrome, USB/WiFi connectivity, includes 10 sheets of Jetstar Premium artwork film.
• Shear Bench Top PCB 12 Inch (305mm) 700-500 (DM9001) Bench-top shear for cutting FR4, GRP, PCB laminates up to 3.175mm thick, aluminum up to 1.5mm, and plastics up to 2mm. Popular with electronics, sign makers, and metal engravers.
• Photoplotter Dark Room with Active Extraction Photographic dark room with active ventilation for photoplotter use. Lightweight frame, 130cm x 130cm x 220cm dimensions, includes blower/extractor fan.
• Syphon Pump Bulb-type priming syphon pump with moulded polythene construction. Temperature range -20 to +80°C, suitable for most PCB etchants, 6.5 litres/min flow rate.
• PCB Storage Rack High Temperature Metal ESD-safe universal stainless steel PCB holder for temperatures up to 300°C. Holds up to 30 PCBs, suitable for drying ovens and screen printing applications.
• DCR/DRS Dust Cleaning Rollers and Adhesive Cleaning Pads Dust removal system with tacky polymer cleaning rollers and adhesive cleaning pads. Removes particulate contamination from flat surfaces without liquids. Clean room class rated, used for glass, exposure frames, laminates, and photo tools.
• Dry Film Photo Resist Negative working aqueous-processable dry film photoresist in 40µm and 75µm thicknesses. Suitable for PCB production and chemical metal etching/milling. Available in various widths and roll sizes.
• Liquid Photoimageable Ink UV Cureable Ident Legend & Solder Mask Two-component LPSIM UV curable coating for solder masks and legend ident marking on rigid PCBs. Available in multiple colors (Green, Blue, White, Red, Black, Yellow). UL File #E83246 rated 94 V-0 with resolution capability below 2 mils for ultra fine pitch solder dams.
• RPF Idealine Laser Photoplotter Film High-quality laser photoplotter film for PCB photo tool creation. Dual red sensitivity at 633 and 670nm, antistatic properties, sharp hard-line-edge quality. Supplied in packs of 100 sheets.
• Press n Peel PCB Heat Toner Laser Transfer Sheets Heat toner transfer paper (PnP Blue) for creating PCB resist layouts without UV exposure. Uses laser printer or copier, transfers with iron/laminator. Mylar-backed material with multiple resist coatings.
• Circuit Design and PCB Layout Software Suite (Circuit Wizard, Live Wire, PCB Wizard 3) Licensed circuit design and PCB layout software including Circuit Wizard Design Software, Live Wire Software, and PCB Wizard 3 Software. Sold as one-time licenses for use in PCB schematic capture and board layout design.

Quantifiable outcome

• Line resolution better than 0.1mm achievable with rotary spray etching machines
• +3 more outcomes

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• International Agents NetworkcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFortex maintains a network of international agents providing worldwide coverage for their PCB production equipment and consumables. These agents represent Fortex in various international markets, handling local sales, customer support, and export coordination.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Roland DG: Japanese manufacturer of CNC milling machines and PCB prototyping devices, including the popular monoFab and iModela lines. Overlaps with Fortex's PCB milling/cutting and prototyping equipment customer base as part of a broader digital fabrication portfolio.
• Nano Dimension: Israel-based provider of 3D-printed PCB and additive electronics systems. Comparable to Fortex in serving prototype and low-volume PCB production customers, though Nano Dimension operates at a larger scale with broader additive manufacturing technology.
• Chemcut: US-based manufacturer of wet processing equipment for PCB and chemical milling applications. Comparable to Fortex's etching and chemical milling machinery but at a larger industrial scale, serving high-volume PCB and metal parts producers.

Emerging players

• BotFactory: Canadian manufacturer of desktop PCB prototyping and assembly machines. Targets a similar low-volume, in-house PCB production customer as Fortex but with a digitally-integrated approach.
• Voltera: Canadian startup producing desktop PCB prototyping printers. Comparable to Fortex in targeting in-house PCB prototyping but with a more modern, digitally-driven approach aimed at R&D and educational segments.

Direct peers

• ATMA: Taiwan-based manufacturer of PCB production equipment including screen printers, exposure units, and coating/laminating lines. Overlaps with Fortex's screen printing and PCB processing equipment offerings, particularly for SMT and PCB fabrication customers.
• LPKF Laser & Electronics: German-headquartered specialist in PCB prototyping and micro-material processing equipment, including laser-based prototyping systems and circuit board plotters. Directly comparable to Fortex in serving PCB prototyping customers across industrial and R&D segments.
• Mega Electronics: Bulgarian manufacturer of PCB prototyping and small-batch production equipment. Overlaps with Fortex in exposure units, etching systems, and related tooling for the in-house PCB prototyping market.
• Pluritec: Italian-headquartered manufacturer of equipment for PCB production, including drilling, routing, and direct imaging systems. Comparable to Fortex as a European equipment supplier serving PCB fabricators, though at larger production scale.
• Bungard Elektronik: Germany-based manufacturer of PCB prototyping equipment, exposure units, etching machines, and laminators. Closely mirrors Fortex's product portfolio and serves a similar European customer base of electronics manufacturers and educational institutions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCXcr4bInXwXT85K71Sam8dg/videos
• Xx.com/fortexltd
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fortex

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 Fortex