Sapphire Inspection Systems

Name

Sapphire Inspection Systems

Legal name

Sapphire Inspection Systems Limited

Website

https://sapphire-inspection.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial X-ray inspection equipment

NAICS

Irradiation Apparatus Manufacturing (334517), Other Measuring and Controlling Device Manufacturing (334519)

SIC

X-Ray Apparatus & Tubes & Related Irradiation Apparatus (3844), Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823)

akta.pro primary industry

Inspection, Checkweighing & Detection Systems (Vision, Metal, X-ray) (IMALAOAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Inspection, Checkweighing & Metal Detection Systems (IMAHAOAJ)

Keywords

• X-ray inspection systems
• Food contaminant detection
• Pharmaceutical quality inspection
• Cosmetics assembly verification
• Industrial x-ray components

Headquarters

HQ city

Litlington

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. X-ray Inspection System Sales: Sale of x-ray inspection machines including G20, G30, G35, G40, G50, G70, G80, G120, G180, A-Series, and bespoke/customised systems. One-time capital purchase model for end-of-line inspection equipment
2. X-ray System Rental: Short-term and immediate x-ray system rental solutions allowing customers to solve temporary inspection problems or trial equipment before purchase commitment
3. Service, Training & Support: Comprehensive support services including service contracts, training programs, repairs and refurbishments, and x-ray parts supply for ongoing customer equipment maintenance
4. Cheyney Component Products: Sale of Cheyney-designed x-ray components including detectors, generators, image acquisition cards, and hardware interface controls to equipment manufacturers for integration into their systems

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Sapphire Inspection Systems designs, manufactures, and sells X-ray inspection systems used on production lines by food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetics manufacturers to detect contaminants (metal, glass, stone, bone) and verify product integrity (fill levels, seals, missing components). The portfolio spans the G-Series (G20, G30, G35, G40, G50, G70, G80, G120 VISUM, G120 OS FISH, G180), the A-Series, bespoke customised systems, plus the Cheyney Design line of detectors, generators, image acquisition cards, and control circuits sold to equipment manufacturers.

Product overview

Sapphire Inspection Systems is a technology-led company specializing in X-ray inspection systems for the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetics industries. The product portfolio consists of two main lines: the Sapphire G-Series X-ray inspection systems (G20, G30, G35, G40, G50, G70, G80, G120 VISUM, G120 OS FISH, G180) ranging from entry-level compact systems to large-format industrial inspectors, and the Cheyney Design component line providing X-ray generators, linear detectors, control circuits, and image acquisition cards for equipment manufacturers. The company also offers bespoke/customized solutions and X-ray rental services. All systems feature real-time image analysis with over 70 detection algorithms for contaminant identification including metal, glass, stone, bone, and other foreign materials.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Cheyney Design: Designers and manufacturers of component parts for x-ray systems, including linear X-ray detectors, x-ray generators, image acquisition cards, hardware interface control systems, and the CDD X-ray Product Platform. Cheyney specializes in low energy, end-of-line inspection technology with over 30 years of experience. The brand also focuses on new x-ray generation techniques including carbon nanotube field emission and graphene gate materials.

Products and services

• G20 X-ray Inspection System Bestselling versatile X-ray inspection system for hundreds of loose and packaged items. Adaptable configuration suitable for a wide range of products.
• G30 X-ray Inspection System X-ray inspection system for small rigid containers such as jars and tins.
• G35 X-ray Inspection System
• G40 X-ray Inspection System
• G50 X-ray Inspection System
• G70 Pipeline X-ray Inspection System
• G80 X-ray Inspection System
• G120 VISUM Dual Energy Poultry Inspection System Dual energy poultry inspection system featuring Sapphire TrueDual technology. Revolution in fresh poultry examination combining low-energy and high-energy images for reliable bone and contaminant detection.
• G120 OS FISH Advanced Fishbone Detection System Advanced fishbone detection system for fresh, frozen, and processed fish fillets, planks, and blocks. Uses high-resolution area sensors to detect bones as small as 0.1mm.
• G180 Pharmaceutical X-ray Inspection System Pharmaceutical X-ray inspection system using active pixel sensor technology for medication and medical device inspection. Achieves 10x greater resolution than traditional X-ray technology and detection limits as low as 0.075mm.
• A-Series Compact X-ray Inspection System
• Bespoke X-ray Inspection Systems
• X-ray System Rental
• Cheyney CDD X-ray Product Platform
• Cheyney DE Series Linear Diode Array X-ray Detector
• Cheyney ID Series Embedded Linear X-ray Detector
• Cheyney XG Series High Performance Air-Cooled Monoblock/Tank
• Cheyney X-ray Control Circuit
• Cheyney Image Acquisition Cards

Quantifiable outcome

• Detection sensitivity up to 10x greater than traditional x-ray technology (G180 with Active Pixel Sensor)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability4 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• University of Cambridge (CAPE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCheyney works in partnership with The Electrical Engineering Division of the Department of Engineering of the University of Cambridge (CAPE). This collaboration provides access to academic research and development resources for innovative x-ray technology development.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Fortress Technology: Manufacturer of metal detection and x-ray inspection equipment for food, pharmaceutical, and packaging applications. Direct competitor in the food inspection space with comparable product categories and customer base.
• Ishida: Major manufacturer of food packaging and inspection equipment, including x-ray inspection systems integrated with weighing and packaging lines. Comparable customer base in food manufacturers and complementary product offering.
• Bizerba: German-headquartered provider of weighing, slicing, labeling, and inspection technology for food, retail, and industrial customers. Overlaps with Sapphire in food industry inspection solutions, with broader portfolio including checkweighing and labeling.
• Eagle Product Inspection: Specialist provider of x-ray inspection systems for food, pharmaceutical, and other consumer goods manufacturers. Direct overlap with Sapphire's G-series product range, focused on contaminant detection and quality assurance.
• Anritsu (Infivis Division): Japanese manufacturer with a dedicated x-ray inspection product line (formerly the Anritsu Industrial Solutions x-ray business) serving food and pharmaceutical manufacturers. Highly comparable product offering in contaminant detection and quality inspection.
• Loma Systems: Specialist manufacturer of metal detection, x-ray inspection, and checkweighing equipment for food and packaging industries. Closest direct peer to Sapphire, serving the same food industry verticals with overlapping x-ray product lines.
• Sesotec: European manufacturer of metal detection, x-ray inspection, and foreign object inspection systems for food, plastics, and recycling industries. Strong geographic and product-line overlap with Sapphire, particularly in the food vertical.

Broad incumbents

• Multivac: Global manufacturer of packaging and processing solutions, including integrated x-ray and vision inspection for food, medical devices, and pharmaceutical applications. Comparable end markets with broader packaging-equipment portfolio.
• Mettler-Toledo: Global leader in industrial weighing and inspection solutions, including x-ray and vision-based product inspection for food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetics manufacturers. Directly comparable end markets and product categories, but operates at vastly larger scale and with a much broader portfolio.
• Thermo Fisher Scientific: Diversified scientific instrumentation company with adjacent product inspection and quality assurance offerings, particularly in pharmaceutical and laboratory settings. Operates at significantly larger scale across many verticals, with relevant overlap in pharmaceutical inspection.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SystemsSapphire
• Facebookfacebook.com/sapphireinspection

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Sapphire Inspection Systems