Industrial Systems and Controls

What Industrial Systems and Controls does

Industrial Systems and Controls (ISC) is a Glasgow-based control engineering consultancy, founded in 1984 and originating from the University of Strathclyde. The firm delivers control engineering consultancy, modelling and simulation, bespoke algorithm development, and real-time software built on National Instruments platforms (LabVIEW, CompactRIO). It serves industrial end-users across automotive, marine, pharmaceutical, process industries, power generation, defence, aerospace, metals processing, oil and gas, and renewable energy. Named engagements span a roster of major OEMs, energy companies, and defence primes, indicating a project-based delivery model focused on technically demanding control problems.

ISC's core products and tooling include the proprietary PROBE benchmarking system, training simulators (including the Dive Control Simulator), and structured academies such as the Rolling Mill Academy and Process Control Academy. The company augments classical control expertise with AI/ML techniques (neural networks, support vector machines, fuzzy logic, digital twins) and battery state-of-charge estimation, with applied research published at venues such as IEEE CASE 2024. R&D collaborations include the NXP GreenBox hybrid energy platform, the SmartCPM Eurostar project, the COTTUS-3 Innovate UK program, and the Applied Control Technology Consortium.

The business model is professional services-led, monetising deep specialist expertise through consultancy fees, bespoke algorithm and software development, and structured training programmes. Distribution leverage comes via the National Instruments Alliance Partner relationship and consortium-driven R&D co-funding. The firm is privately held with no disclosed external funding and operates with a small specialist team (1-10 employees).

Name

Industrial Systems and Controls

Legal name

Industrial Systems and Controls Limited

Website

https://isc-ltd.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Industrial Systems and Controls is a Glasgow-based control engineering consultancy founded in 1984, delivering modelling, simulation, bespoke algorithms, and NI-platform software to industrial clients across automotive, defence, energy, marine, and pharmaceutical sectors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Control Engineering Services

NAICS

Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151), Instruments and Related Products Manufacturing for Measuring, Displaying, and Controlling Industrial Process Variables (334513)

SIC

Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823), Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373)

akta.pro primary industry

Instrumentation, Controls & Automation Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Control System Integration & Engineering Services (Design, Commissioning, Retrofits) (IMAGABAK)

Keywords

• Control engineering services
• Industrial automation consulting
• Process control training
• Model predictive control
• Embedded software development

Headquarters

HQ city

Glasgow

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Control Engineering Consultancy: Provides independent control engineering consultancy services to various industries including automotive, marine, pharmaceutical, process, and power generation. Engages in feasibility studies, control strategy definition, implementation, and troubleshooting of control problems.
2. Training Services: Delivers open scheduled training courses, onsite company-specific training, and bespoke course development. Topics range from fundamental control principles to advanced topics including AI/ML for control applications.
3. Software Development and Licensing: Develops bespoke algorithms and software tools for control, signal processing, and data acquisition. Includes real-time software development using LabVIEW and hardware deployment on NI platforms.
4. Research and Development Services: Participates in government and EU funded research projects including COTTUS-3, SmartCPM, SENSE, Aeolus, and PAM. Provides technology reviews and assessments.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Industrial Systems and Controls (ISC) is a control engineering consultancy that provides independent consultancy, training, and software engineering services to industrial end-users and vendors. Core deliverables include control strategy definition and implementation, dynamic modelling and simulation (digital twins), real-time embedded software development on National Instruments platforms, bespoke algorithm development in MATLAB/LabVIEW/Python/C/C++, AI/ML integration for control applications, and structured training courses covering fundamental and advanced control engineering topics.

Product overview

Industrial Systems and Controls (ISC) is a control engineering consultancy that offers a portfolio of professional services rather than a single software product. The core offerings include Control Engineering Consultancy (strategy definition, control improvement, and implementation), Training Courses (open, on-site, bespoke, and self-paced formats), Modelling and Simulation Services (including digital twins), and Software Engineering Services (real-time development, algorithm development, and HIL testing). Key service modules include PROBE benchmarking software, Training Simulators (Dive Control Simulator), AI/ML for Control integration services, Process Control Academy, Rolling Mill Academy, Virtual Commissioning, Model Integration and Reuse, Test Automation, and the SmartCPM control performance monitoring project. Services are delivered using National Instruments platforms (LabVIEW, CompactRIO, FPGA) and industry-standard development tools including MATLAB/Simulink, Python, and C/C++.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PROBE: A software tool developed by ISC for the Microsoft Windows platform that enables users to compare the performance of control loops against several benchmarks including Minimum Variance using off-line loop data.
• Rolling Mill Academy
• Process Control Academy

Quantifiable outcome

• Turbine Access System won NI Graphical System Design Achievement 2013 Customer Application of the Year and Advanced Control Systems category
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers34 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability8 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• National InstrumentscoreTechnology or IntegrationISC is an NI Alliance Partner with staff certified in LabVIEW development. They develop real-time applications using LabVIEW and CompactRIO, following proven software design processes. The partnership provides access to NI's hardware platform and customer network.
• Houlder LtdcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-term collaboration on offshore wind equipment including Turbine Access System (TAS) and 70-Ton Gripper Arms. ISC developed the control systems for Houlder's motion compensated gangway and gripper arms for offshore wind installation vessels.
• PaleBlue (Stavanger, Norway)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject partner in consortium developing the Dive Control Simulator (DCS). PaleBlue created graphics and dynamic simulation while ISC contributed control engineering expertise.
• Norsk Yrkesdykkerskole NYD (Oslo, Norway)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject partner in Dive Control Simulator (DCS) consortium. NYD is the Norwegian Commercial Diving School providing domain expertise for diving supervisor training.
• ASINCO (Germany)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEurostar funded SmartCPM project partner developing intelligent algorithms for control performance assessment. ASINCO contributes to the project consortium alongside ISC and iba.
• iba (Germany)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEurostar funded SmartCPM project partner for control performance monitoring tools. Forms project consortium with ISC and ASINCO.
• University of Strathclyde - Industrial Control CentrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThrough the Applied Control Technology Consortium, ISC maintains research links with the Industrial Control Centre at University of Strathclyde, supporting academic research projects.
• NXPcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperation on battery management system development and MPC for hybrid electric vehicle energy management. Using NXP GreenBox in-the-loop simulation facility for battery degradation studies.
• Causeway SensorsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProject lead for Innovate UK COTTUS-3 project on automated process development of downstream mAbs purification. ISC contributes process optimisation and connectivity solutions.
• Centre for Process Innovation (CPI)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnology innovation centre supporting COTTUS-3 project for continuous biomanufacturing. CPI provides end-to-end manufacturing system for TITAN biosensor integration.
• BMT Nigel GeeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on Turbine Access System (TAS) development. BMT Nigel Gee designed the lightweight hydraulic gangway while ISC developed the control system.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• ABB Industrial Automation: ABB supplies process automation, control, and optimization solutions for industries including pharma, power, oil and gas, and metals, and was a partner on the EU PAM project where ISC also participated — overlapping with ISC's process industry clientele.
• Honeywell Process Solutions: Honeywell delivers process control systems, advanced control software, and control engineering services for pharma, oil and gas, and power — directly overlapping ISC's process industry customer base such as GSK, EDF, BP and Shell.
• Rockwell Automation: Rockwell offers industrial control, motion, and analytics platforms across discrete and process industries, intersecting with ISC's motion/machine control and process control engineering services for automotive, marine, and metals clients.
• Siemens Digital Industries: Siemens delivers industrial automation, PLCs, and process control software across all verticals ISC serves — automotive, marine, power generation and pharmaceuticals — alongside its own engineering services portfolio.
• Emerson Automation Solutions: Emerson owns National Instruments and provides broad industrial automation, process control, and instrumentation solutions, intersecting ISC's specialist control engineering consultancy in process industries and the NI platform.
• Yokogawa Electric Corporation: Yokogawa provides process control instrumentation, distributed control systems, and advanced control software for oil and gas, power, and pharma — comparable to ISC's process control training, consultancy, and continuous biomanufacturing work.

Direct peers

• ATS Corporation: ATS designs and builds custom automation and control systems for industrial end-markets, overlapping with ISC's control strategy definition, integration, and commissioning work for process and discrete manufacturers.
• dSPACE GmbH: dSPACE develops control system prototyping, Model Predictive Control, and Hardware-in-the-Loop test platforms with strong automotive and industrial focus — directly comparable to ISC's MPC, HIL, and real-time control engineering services.

Others

• National Instruments (now part of Emerson): NI is ISC's core technology platform partner (LabVIEW, CompactRIO) and provides hardware, software, and partner-route engineering referrals to firms like ISC, making it an enabling ecosystem participant rather than a direct competitor.
• MathWorks: MathWorks provides MATLAB/Simulink, the dominant control engineering modelling and simulation environment ISC's engineers use daily — comparable on technology stack but operating as a tooling vendor rather than a consultancy competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/industrial-systems-and-control

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

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 Industrial Systems and Controls