BST Detectable Products
BST Detectable Products is a UK family-owned manufacturer founded in 1985 that designs metal detectable and x-ray visible plastic products — pens, stationery, PPE, and food-prep tools — for food processing, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, and pet food manufacturers, selling direct in the UK and through 50+ exclusive distributors across 80+ countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1985
- HeadquartersDoncaster, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What BST Detectable Products does
BST Detectable Products is a UK-based, family-owned manufacturer founded in 1985 by Brian S Teasdale, a former British Bakeries engineer. The company designs and produces metal detectable and x-ray visible plastic products — pens, stationery, PPE, food preparation tools, engineering components, and safety equipment — that are intended to trigger food-line inspection systems when foreign-body contamination occurs. Its flagship technology is xdetect®, a proprietary polymer compound used across roughly 400 stocked SKUs, with the DetectaPen® (invented 1985), DetectaBox® (launched 2015), and Detectamark sub-brands anchoring the portfolio. ISO 9001, FDA, EU food contact, BRC, and HACCP compliance underpin the category-leadership position.
The business operates a hybrid go-to-market: direct e-commerce through a Magento storefront for UK customers (headquartered at Doncaster, with 14 office staff, warehouse and assembly teams totalling 26 employees as of January 2025) and a network of 50+ exclusive distribution partners reaching 80+ countries. Approximately 55% of FY2024 net turnover of £3.1 million GBP is generated through exports, and 70% of products are manufactured in Great Britain. Services include bespoke detectable product development (custom machine parts, tags, seals, depanner belting) and on-site contamination risk consultations for enterprise food producers.
Customers are primarily food processors (bakeries, confectionery, meat, fish, dairy, prepared meals) with additional exposure to pharmaceutical, cosmetics, and pet food manufacturers. Detectable products are integrated into customer HACCP systems and support BRC and retailer audit compliance, producing a recurring consumable-style replacement demand for low-cost items alongside higher-value bespoke engineering work.
BST Detectable Products firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- BST Detectable Products
- Legal name
- BST Detectable Products
- Website
- https://bst-detectable.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1985
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- BST Detectable Products is a UK family-owned manufacturer founded in 1985 that designs metal detectable and x-ray visible plastic products — pens, stationery, PPE, and food-prep tools — for food processing, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, and pet food manufacturers, selling direct in the UK and through 50+ exclusive distributors across 80+ countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
BST Detectable Products industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Food Safety Equipment & Detectable Manufacturing Supplies
- NAICS
- Cutlery and Handtool Manufacturing (3322)
- SIC
- Cutlery, Handtools & General Hardware (3420)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Inspection, Checkweighing & Detection Systems (Vision, Metal, X-ray) (IMALAOAH)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Security, Tamper-Evident & Track-and-Trace Printing (IMALAKAJ)
Keywords
Where BST Detectable Products is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Doncaster
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
BST Detectable Products business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Detectable Products Sales: BST generates revenue primarily through the manufacture and sale of metal detectable and x-ray visible plastic products. 70% of product range is manufactured in Great Britain. Approximately 55% of sales revenue is generated by exports to overseas distribution partners. Net turnover was approximately £3.1 million GBP in 2024.
- Bespoke/ Custom Products: BST develops bespoke detectable products including machine parts, tags, seals, gaskets, mixing bowl covers, and in-feed flights. Also offers custom printing services for pens, tags, tape and stickers, and vacuum depanner belting for bakery clients.
- Distribution Partner Sales: BST sells to official distribution partners who have exclusive rights for sale of all products in their respective countries. These partners distribute BST products across 80+ global regions.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
BST Detectable Products product offering
Product offeringCore offering
BST Detectable Products designs and manufactures metal detectable and x-ray visible plastic products using its proprietary xdetect® material. Its portfolio of approximately 400 SKUs includes detectable pens (DetectaPen®), marker pens, stationery, PPE, food preparation tools, engineering materials, and safety signage, sold to food processing, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, and pet food manufacturers to prevent foreign body contamination.
Product overview
BST Detectable Products offers a comprehensive portfolio of metal detectable, x-ray visible, shatter resistant, and antibacterial food safe products for the food processing, pharmaceutical, pet food, and cosmetic industries. The core offering centers on the DetectaPen® pen family (including J800, P950, F700, L550, J850, Eco V1.0 and V2.0 variants) and detectable marker pens, complemented by detectable stationery (clipboards, calculators, rulers), PPE (gloves, earplugs, beard snoods, hairnets, mobcaps, overshoes), food preparation tools (knives, scissors, scoops, jugs, brushes), and safety equipment (first aid kits, plasters, safety knives). The company also distributes engineering materials (lubricants, seals, rubber sheeting) and safety signage. Products utilize proprietary xdetect® technology and are designed to trigger metal detection and x-ray inspection systems to prevent foreign body contamination. The majority of products (70%) are manufactured in Great Britain with approximately 55% of sales from exports.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Detectapen®: BST's signature detectable pen product line, including J800, P950, F700, L550, J850 Gel, Eco versions, and Trace-It variants.
- DetectaBox®
- xdetect®
- Detectamark
Products and services
- DetectaPen® Range (J800, P950, F700, L550, J850, Eco, Eco V2.0) Flagship detectable pen range featuring metal detectable and x-ray visible casings across retractable, felt tip, fineliner, gel, and eco-friendly variants, targeting food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetics manufacturers.
- Detectable Marker Pens Food grade metal detectable and x-ray visible marker pens in permanent, drywipe, highlighter, UV, and meat marking ink formats with various nib styles for food production environments.
- Detectable Clipboards (Detectaboard®) Detectable plastic and stainless steel clipboards for food production environments, featuring reinforced rims for durability, used by production staff in food plants.
- Detectable Nitrile Gloves Metal detectable, latex-free, powder-free, food contact approved nitrile gloves with evenly dispersed metal detectable additive for food processing and pharmaceutical use.
- Magnetic Floor Mat Floor mat designed to attract and retain metal fragments from footwear before entering production areas, used as a contamination barrier at food plant entrances.
- Detectable Calculators Metal detectable and x-ray visible calculators in pocket and desktop variants for production offices in food and pharmaceutical plants.
- DetectaBox® Detectable Stackable Box World's first detectable stackable box solution using xdetect® material, designed to prevent box fragment contamination in food production.
- Catering Knives (Sheffield Stainless Steel with xdetect® Handles) Professional knives made in Sheffield with hardened stainless steel blades and xdetect® polypropylene handles, available in nine colours for food production settings.
- Detectable Glove Guards Blue metal detectable glove guards with a breakaway safety feature to prevent gloves from being lost in factory settings.
- Detectable Earplugs Reusable washable silicone earplugs with steel core and fully detectable construction, plus foam disposable variants for food manufacturing environments.
- First Aid Kits & Detectable Plasters First aid kits and detectable plasters including Sterochef, DetectaPlast, and Leukoplast branded options for food production environments.
- Detectable Loop Tags Food grade, metal detectable, heat resistant loop tags (up to 250°C) with aluminium foil core, available in eight colours for use in food processing.
- Asset Tag Holders Detectable asset tag holders made from impact resistant xdetect® material for displaying safety and inspection information.
- Detectable ID Tags Metal detectable, x-ray visible, food contact approved ID tags in nine bright XDETECT colours for equipment colour coding.
- Detectable Brushes Brushes featuring strong metal detectable PBT bristles for tube, container, and machinery cleaning applications in food production.
- Detectable Food Preparation Products Comprehensive range including catering knives, jugs, scoops, scrapers, stirrers, and buckets for food production areas.
- Detectable Safety Knives Extensive range of detectable safety knives including Secumax, Secunorm, Boxer, GR8, Shark, Fish, Penguin, and other branded safety knives for food and packaging applications.
- LPS Food Grade Lubricants with DETEX Food grade lubrication products with metal detectable caps and actuators using CO2 propellant, distributed by BST for use in food processing facilities.
- Detectable Suction Cups Metal detectable suction cups available in soft and hard variants for vacuum depanner applications in food and bakery production.
- Hygiene Range (Antibacterial Products) Antibacterial clipboards, pens, mouse, and keyboard products for enhanced hygiene control in production environments.
- Engineering Products (Neoprene, O-Rings, Seals, UHMW-PE, Vacuum Depanner Belting) Neoprene rubber sheeting, O-rings, seals, silicone extrusions, TPU extrusions, UHMW-PE materials, and vacuum depanner belting for industrial and food-grade engineering applications.
- Safety Products (Signs, PPE, QC Labels) Fire safety signs, first aid kits, hazard warning signs, magnetic floor mats, PPE signage, and quality control labels for facility safety and compliance.
- Bespoke/Custom Detectable Products Custom engineered detectable products including machine parts, tags, seals, gaskets, mixing bowl covers, and in-feed flights, plus custom printing on pens, tags, tape, stickers, and vacuum depanner belting for bakery clients.
Quantifiable outcome
- Foreign bodies can be rejected on the production line rather than reaching consumers
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use BST Detectable Products
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
BST Detectable Products technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
BST Detectable Products partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- DetectaprocoreOfficial BST distributor for America, Canada, and South America. Contact: [email protected], Phone: 0018 664 415 572
- Blue Supply CompanyminorOfficial BST distributor for America. Contact: [email protected], Phone: 001 888 585 8725
- AmerisanminorOfficial BST distributor. Contact: [email protected], Phone: 001 610 358 1440
- WRD Wells PTY LTDcoreOfficial BST distributor for Australia, Fiji, and Papua New Guinea. Contact: [email protected], Phone: 0061 3 9699 8999
- QA Providing SRLminorOfficial BST distributor for Belgium. Contact: [email protected], Phone: 0032 472 73 10 07
- Niebling Technical BrushescoreOfficial BST distributor for Germany, Liechtenstein, Austria, and Switzerland. Contact: [email protected], Phone: 00049 984 398 940
- Bentley InstrumentsminorOfficial BST distributor for Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland. Contact: [email protected], Phone: 00353 1 4050100
- WRD Wells PTY LTDcoreOfficial BST distributor for Australia, Fiji, and Papua New Guinea. Contact: [email protected], Phone: 0061 3 9699 8999
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
BST Detectable Products competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Ansell: Global manufacturer of PPE including hand protection products for food processing. Sells detectable gloves and PPE to overlapping food industry customers with much larger scale and a broader protective product portfolio.
- EcoLab: Global leader in water, hygiene, and infection prevention with extensive food and beverage safety product offerings. Serves the same food processing customers as BST but with a much broader portfolio, larger sales force, and global scale.
- Mettler-Toledo: Global manufacturer of precision instruments including metal detection and checkweighing systems for food production. BST products are designed to be detected by Mettler-Toledo systems, making the two complementary players in the contamination control value chain.
- Fortress Technology: Manufacturer of industrial metal detection systems used by food processors worldwide. BST explicitly works with leading metal detector manufacturers like Fortress to test detectable products against their inspection systems.
- Loma Systems: Manufacturer of metal detection, x-ray inspection, and checkweighing equipment for food production. BST's xdetect® products are designed to be detected by Loma Systems inspection equipment, positioning them as complementary in the contamination control ecosystem.
- CEIA: Italian manufacturer of metal detection equipment for food, pharmaceutical, and packaging industries. BST's xdetect® products are engineered to trigger detection by CEIA metal detectors in customer production lines.
- Thermo Fisher Scientific: Global leader in food safety testing instruments, reagents, and analytical services. Serves food processors with laboratory testing solutions for contamination and quality, complementary to BST's contamination prevention consumables.
- 3M Food Safety: Diversified food industry safety and testing products division of 3M. Serves the same food processing customers with broader food safety products including detectable PPE and cleaning tools, leveraging global distribution and brand.
Direct peers
- Vikan: Danish manufacturer of detectable cleaning tools, brushes, and food safety equipment. Vikan is a leading European brand in detectable cleaning implements and BST itself carries a 'Vikan Range' product line, indicating deep product overlap.
- Detectamet: UK-based manufacturer of metal and x-ray detectable products for the food processing industry. The closest direct competitor to BST, offering a similar range of detectable stationery, tools, brushes, and PPE for contamination control in food plants.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
BST Detectable Products social profiles
Digital presenceBST Detectable Products compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance5 records
BST Detectable Products financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
BST Detectable Products leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles15 records
BST Detectable Products funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
BST Detectable Products 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 BST Detectable Products
What does BST Detectable Products do?
BST Detectable Products designs and manufactures metal detectable and x-ray visible plastic products using its proprietary xdetect® material. Its portfolio of approximately 400 SKUs includes detectable pens (DetectaPen®), marker pens, stationery, PPE, food preparation tools, engineering materials, and safety signage, sold to food processing, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, and pet food manufacturers to prevent foreign body contamination.
Is BST Detectable Products a public or private company?
BST Detectable Products is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was BST Detectable Products founded?
BST Detectable Products was founded in 1985. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is BST Detectable Products based?
BST Detectable Products is headquartered in Doncaster, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does BST Detectable Products make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Detectable Products Sales are the primary driver. The others are bespoke/ Custom Products and distribution Partner Sales.
Who are BST Detectable Products's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Ansell, EcoLab, Mettler-Toledo, Fortress Technology, Loma Systems, CEIA, Thermo Fisher Scientific and 3M Food Safety. Direct peers are Vikan and Detectamet.
Does BST Detectable Products have an API?
No public API is recorded for BST Detectable Products.
What industry is BST Detectable Products in?
BST Detectable Products's product category is Food Safety Equipment & Detectable Manufacturing Supplies. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMALAOAH, Inspection, Checkweighing & Detection Systems (Vision, Metal, X-ray), with a secondary code of IMALAKAJ, Security, Tamper-Evident & Track-and-Trace Printing. Its NAICS code is 3322 and its SIC code is 3420.