What Tascon does

Tascon (legal entity: tascon GmbH) is a privately held German analytical laboratory headquartered in Münster, with a secondary location in Wiesbaden. Founded in 1997 and operating for more than 20 years, the company provides fee-for-service surface analysis to industrial customers across automotive, chemicals, electronics, glass, pharmaceuticals, life sciences, plastics, catalysis, metals, and storage media. The lab is DAkkS accredited under DIN ISO/IEC 17025:2018 and ISO 9001:2015 certified, positioning it as a qualified testing partner for regulated-industry work.

The company's core product is a unified surface analysis offering built on five complementary techniques: ToF-SIMS (Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry), XPS/ESCA (X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy), SEM/EDX (Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy), LEIS (Low Energy Ion Scattering), and Optical Profilometry. Around these techniques, Tascon sells project-based service modules including Failure Analysis, Multilayer Analysis, Material Analysis, Development Support, Reverse Engineering, Quality & Process Control, and an accredited Test Laboratory. Differentiation rests on multi-technique capability under one roof, expertise across multiple verticals, and a standard turnaround of approximately three working days for first results in roughly 90% of cases.

Tascon operates a direct-sales B2B model: customers contact the lab by phone or email, receive a quote, submit samples, and may attend analyses in person or virtually. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and is structured on a quote-based, pay-as-you-go basis per analytical project. The company markets itself primarily through technical content on its website (tascon.eu), supported by a LinkedIn and Facebook presence, and participates in publicly funded research consortia in nanotechnology, life sciences, microplastics, and advanced materials. International reach is claimed, with Europe as the primary operating geography.

Name

Tascon

Legal name

tascon GmbH

Website

https://tascon.eu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Tascon is a German surface analysis laboratory (Münster, est. 1997) offering ToF-SIMS, XPS, SEM/EDX, LEIS, and optical profilometry services to industrial customers in automotive, chemicals, electronics, glass, pharma, and life sciences. It operates a quote-based, pay-per-project B2B model from accredited test facilities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Münster

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Surface Analysis Laboratory Services: Tascon provides fee-for-service laboratory analysis on customer-submitted samples. Customers submit samples for surface analysis using techniques including ToF-SIMS, XPS, SEM/EDX, LEIS, and optical profilometry. The company also offers consulting, failure analysis, reverse engineering, development support, quality control, and process control services. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Turnaround time is typically 3 working days for first results, with written reports within one week.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Tascon is a fee-for-service surface analysis laboratory that characterizes the chemical and physical properties of solid surfaces, layers, and microscopic features on customer-submitted samples. Its core analytical techniques are ToF-SIMS, XPS, SEM/EDX, LEIS, and Optical Profilometry, complemented by specialized service modules including multilayer analysis, failure analysis, material analysis, accredited test-laboratory measurements, quality and process control, reverse engineering, development support, and consulting. The company serves industrial customers internationally across automotive, chemicals, electronics, glass, life sciences, pharmaceuticals, plastics, catalysis, and metals sectors.

Product overview

Tascon operates as a laboratory service provider offering a unified portfolio of surface analysis services rather than a software product. The core analytical offerings include five primary techniques: ToF-SIMS (Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry), XPS (X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy), SEM/EDX (Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy), LEIS (Low Energy Ion Scattering), and Optical Profilometry. These techniques are supported by specialized service modules including Multilayer Analysis, Failure Analysis, Material Analysis, Development Support, an accredited Test Laboratory (DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025), Quality & Process Control, Reverse Engineering, and Consulting services. The offerings serve industrial sectors including automotive, chemicals, electronics, glass, life sciences, pharmaceuticals, and are delivered from laboratories in Münster and Wiesbaden, Germany.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ToF-SIMS Surface Analysis Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry for chemical characterization of solid surfaces, providing atomic, elemental, and molecular composition of the top 1-3 monolayers with ppm-to-ppb detection limits and 300 nm lateral resolution in routine operation. Supports 2D imaging, 3D depth profiling/imaging, organic and inorganic depth profiling, and in-situ organic cleaning via an Ar cluster source.
• XPS / ESCA Surface Analysis X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy for quantitative elemental and chemical-state surface analysis from approximately 5 nm depth, detecting all elements except H and He. Supports point analyses, linescans, 2D element distribution maps, small-spot analysis down to 10 µm diameter, angle-resolved XPS (ARXPS) for thin layers under 10 nm, and depth profiling via ion-bombardment sputtering, with sensitivities typically between 0.1 and 1 atom%.
• SEM/EDX Analysis Scanning Electron Microscopy combined with Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy for microscopic-scale element analysis and element distribution imaging, with sampling depth of approximately 1 µm for elemental composition. Provides primarily physical information such as surface morphology and roughness.
• LEIS Surface Analysis Low Energy Ion Scattering for quantitative determination of the elemental composition of the outermost atomic layer and layer thickness, supporting ultra-thin layer characterization and analysis/optimization of ALD processes. Provides unique information on the first atomic layer of catalyst surfaces.
• Optical Profilometry Non-contact optical surface analysis using confocal microscopy and white-light interferometry (WLI) for 2D and 3D surface topography and roughness measurements, including crater depth determination. Evaluation according to DIN EN ISO 4287 (line profiles) and DIN EN ISO 25178 (3D roughness).
• Surface Analysis Services Comprehensive surface, layer, and microanalysis services providing chemical and physical surface characterization including species identification, localization, and quantification for industrial customers.
• Multilayer Analysis Analysis of multilayer systems on optics, semiconductors, and other substrates using depth profiling techniques to characterize layer structure, composition, trace impurities, and interfaces.
• Failure Analysis Root cause analysis for coating failures including delamination, adhesion failure, paint craters, discoloration, blistering, and contamination identification.
• Material Analysis Chemical and physical characterization of materials including polymers, metals, glass, ceramics, and composites with depth-resolved composition analysis.
• Development Support Research and development support for surface optimization including process development, material selection, and analytical method development tailored to specific project needs.
• Accredited Test Laboratory DAkkS-accredited testing laboratory (DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025:2018) providing certified analytical measurements with documented quality assurance for research and production support.
• Quality and Process Control Quality control and process monitoring services including cleanliness verification, surface cleanliness analysis, and production process optimization support.
• Reverse Engineering Competitive product analysis and reverse engineering services including layer system characterization, additive identification, and formulation analysis.
• Consulting Expert consultation on analysis methods, interpretation of results, and implementation support for solving surface-related problems.

Quantifiable outcome

• In about 90% of cases, first results are available within 3 working days after sample receipt
• +3 more outcomes

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles7 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• NanoBioQuant (Public Research Consortium)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublicly funded joint research project in nanotechnology. Tascon participates in this project as part of its research activities, regularly participating in publicly funded joint projects in the fields of nanotechnology, life sciences, and advanced materials.
• NanoBioDetect (Public Research Consortium)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublicly funded joint project focused on nanoparticle detection in tissue (Nanopartikel im Gewebe). Tascon participates as a research partner contributing surface analysis expertise.
• OptiLIB (Public Research Consortium)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublicly funded joint project in the Oberfläche NRW initiative. Tascon participates as a research partner in surface-related advanced materials research.
• MikroPlastiCarrier (Public Research Consortium)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublicly funded joint project on microplastics. Tascon participates contributing analytical expertise in microanalysis and nanoanalysis for microplastic characterization.
• NanoPaCT (Public Research Consortium)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublicly funded joint research project in nanotechnology. Tascon participates as a research partner providing surface analysis capabilities.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Thermo Fisher Scientific: Dominant analytical instrument manufacturer (XPS, SEM, ToF-SIMS via subsidiaries) with extensive Thermo Scientific™ labs and services that bundle instrument sales with characterization. A broad incumbent competing with Tascon for outsourced surface analysis spend.
• SGS: Global testing, inspection, and certification giant with materials and surface characterization labs in multiple regions. Comparable to Tascon for industrial customers needing accredited, multi-site testing under one brand.
• Intertek: Global TIC provider with materials testing laboratories serving similar industrial sectors (automotive, chemicals, electronics, pharma). Overlaps with Tascon on failure analysis, contamination, and quality control work.
• Eurofins EAG Laboratories: One of the largest commercial surface analysis and materials characterization service providers globally, now part of Eurofins. Overlaps directly with Tascon's failure analysis, contamination, and multilayer services but at a far larger scale and with broader geographic reach.
• Bruker: Major analytical instrument vendor with X-ray, mass spectrometry, and surface analysis product lines and associated service offerings. Comparable to Tascon for industrial customers needing XPS and complementary characterization.

Direct peers

• IONTOF: Germany-based manufacturer of ToF-SIMS instruments that also operates an application lab offering ToF-SIMS surface analysis services. Closest direct competitor to Tascon on the ToF-SIMS side, serving the same German and European R&D customers.
• ULVAC-PHI: Manufacturer of XPS/ESCA instruments with a global application services network. Competes with Tascon on the XPS side, both via instrument sales and by offering characterization services to industrial and academic customers.
• CAMECA: Manufacturer of SIMS, atom-probe tomography, and EPMA instruments with application services. Competes with Tascon's SIMS/surface analysis offerings, particularly in semiconductor and advanced materials.
• JEOL: Manufacturer of electron microscopes (SEM/TEM/EPMA) and mass spectrometers that also runs application labs. Directly comparable on the SEM/EDX side, targeting similar electronics, materials, and life-sciences customers.

Regional players

• Fraunhofer Institute for Surface Engineering and Thin Films (IST): Public German applied-research institute offering surface and coating analysis services to industry. Competes with Tascon for German industrial R&D customers, particularly in coatings, automotive, and manufacturing, though as a publicly funded entity rather than commercial lab.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/TasconGmbH
• LinkedInde.linkedin.com/company/tascon-gmbh

Compliance2 records

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 Tascon