What Loadpoint does

Loadpoint Ltd. is a UK-based, privately held manufacturer of precision air bearing spindles and dicing machines, founded in 1977 with technology roots extending back to 1959 through predecessor entities Micro Turbines, Westwind Turbines and Semitron. The company designs, engineers and manufactures in-house from raw billets to finished systems, producing air bearing spindles with motion errors below single-digit nanometers and rotational speeds up to 120,000 RPM, along with a family of dicing saws (MicroAce Pro, NanoAce Pro, NanoAce Duo Pro, NanoAce 4220/4230 and MacroAce Pro) controlled by its proprietary NanoControl software platform. It also supplies dicing peripherals, consumables (blades, tapes, chucks), sub-contract dicing services, machine training, and spindle repair services.

The business serves four primary verticals: semiconductor OEMs (wafer dicing, grinding, inspection), optical manufacturers (lens turning for IOLs and contact lenses), automotive paint spraying system OEMs, and metrology equipment manufacturers. Loadpoint operates from two UK manufacturing and engineering sites (Cricklade, Swindon for dicing solutions and Ferndown, Wimborne for air bearing spindles) and a China sales office in Suzhou (Suzhou Haiyuntong Electronic Technology Co., Ltd.), with additional reach via an international agent network and machine installations reported on every continent. It is described as the UK's only remaining dicing machine manufacturer and holds ISO 9001:2015 certification.

The revenue model combines capital equipment sales (machines and spindles), recurring consumables and spare parts, after-sales service contracts, machine training, and sub-contract dicing services, sold direct in the UK/EU and China and through international agents elsewhere. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Customer engagement is heavily event-driven (SEMICON China, LASER World of PHOTONICS China, EFCLIN Congress, CIOE Shenzhen, Wuxi semiconductor exhibition), reflecting a B2B enterprise field sales motion targeting technical OEM buyers. No AI/ML capabilities, external funding rounds, or recent M&A are referenced in available source material.

Name

Loadpoint

Legal name

Loadpoint Ltd.

Website

https://loadpoint.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1977

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Loadpoint is a UK-based manufacturer of precision air bearing spindles and dicing machines serving semiconductor, optical, automotive paint spraying, and metrology OEMs, with global installations and a 60-year heritage.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Precision Semiconductor Dicing Equipment

NAICS

Semiconductor Machinery Manufacturing (333242)

SIC

Ball & Roller Bearings (3562)

akta.pro primary industry

Spindles & High-Speed Drives (Machine Tool Spindles, High-speed Motors) (IMAGACAL)

Keywords

• Precision dicing machines
• Air bearing spindles
• Semiconductor wafer dicing
• Precision machining equipment
• Air bearing technology

Headquarters

HQ city

Swindon

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Precision Machinery Sales: Sale of dicing machines, air bearing spindles, rotary tables, and drives to semiconductor, optical, automotive, and metrology industries
2. Dicing Services: Sub-contract dicing solutions including cutting, drilling, grinding and prototyping services for silicon wafers, ceramics, glass, and specialty materials
3. Spare Parts and Consumables: Sales of chucks, dicing blades, tapes, mounting plates, blade tools, and other consumables for dicing operations
4. After-Sales Service and Repairs: Machine training, servicing, repairs, and spindle repair services for all types of spindles

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Loadpoint designs, engineers, and manufactures precision dicing machines and air bearing spindles in-house from its UK facilities, supplying original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) worldwide with equipment for semiconductor wafer dicing, optical lens turning, precision grinding, and automotive paint spraying. The company also provides complementary dicing peripherals, consumables, sub-contract dicing services, and after-sales support including training and spindle repair.

Product overview

Loadpoint is a UK manufacturer of precision air bearing and dicing technologies with two core product lines: dicing machines (MicroAce Pro, NanoAce Pro, NanoAce Duo Pro, NanoAce 4220/4230 Fully Automatic, MacroAce Pro) and air bearing spindles (Dicing Spindles, Lens Turning Spindles, Grinding Industrial Spindles, Paint Spraying Spindles, Specialist Spindles, Rotary Tables, and SD2S Drives). Supporting equipment includes dicing peripherals (Washpoint 300, AM-60L/AM-620L Wafer Mounter, Presspoint, AV-50 UV Curing System, FP330 Water Recycling System, DWG200 DI Water Generator), consumables (Dicing Blades, Tapes, Chucks, Blade Tools), and services (Dicing Services, After Sales Support, Machine Training, Spindle Repairs). The company operates from two UK sites with global sales support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• MicroAce Pro Semi-automatic 6-inch dicing saw with 2.2kW spindle standard, suitable for silicon wafer dicing and thick substrate cutting. Features auto-alignment, auto kerf check, self-adjustment, and fragment shape recognition functions. Targeted at semiconductor and electronics manufacturers.
• NanoAce Pro 12-inch automatic dicing saw with vision alignment system and high-resolution closed-loop linear positioning encoders in all axes. Offers high configurability optimized via NanoControl software with 470mm x 270mm touchscreen. Targeted at semiconductor wafer dicing OEMs.
• NanoAce Duo Pro Semi-automatic 12-inch dicing saw with dual facing spindles for simultaneous workpiece dicing at high throughput. Features auto-alignment, auto kerf check, self-adjustment, and statistical analysis functions with small footprint design. Targeted at high-throughput semiconductor wafer processing.
• NanoAce 4220 Fully Automatic Fully automatic 8-inch dicing saw with dual facing spindles for simultaneous high-throughput dicing. Features vision alignment system and high-resolution closed-loop linear positioning encoders in Y axes. Targeted at automated semiconductor and electronics production lines.
• NanoAce 4230 Fully Automatic Fully automatic 12-inch dicing saw with dual facing spindles for simultaneous high-throughput dicing. Features vision alignment system, high-resolution closed-loop linear positioning encoders, auto-alignment, auto kerf check, self-adjustment, statistical analysis, and NanoControl 3.0 with 17-inch LCD touchscreen. Targeted at high-volume semiconductor wafer dicing operations.
• MacroAce Pro Heavy duty dicing machine for ceramic and metal cutting applications with CNC-like power and large work areas. Features 3kW spindle optimized for 1,000-10,000 rpm range, cut depths up to 55mm, and NanoControl 2.0 system. Targeted at industrial ceramic and metal processing.
• Dicing Spindles Precision air bearing spindles for semiconductor wafer dicing applications. Include flange-mounted, gantry-mounted, and round-bodied cantilevered styles covering blade diameters from 50mm to 101mm with speeds up to 60,000 rpm and power up to 2.5kW. Sold to semiconductor equipment OEMs worldwide.
• Lens Turning Spindles Precision air bearing spindles for optical manufacturing including contact lens and IOL turning. Feature motion error (NRRO) measured as low as single digit nanometers. Includes models 09421, 01983, 06526, and 10540 for various optical applications. Targeted at optical OEMs producing intraocular and contact lenses.
• Grinding Industrial Spindles Air bearing solutions for high-speed bore grinding, mould grinding, tool grinding, graphite milling, workheads, PCB drilling, and fibre rolling. Speeds from 100 rpm to 120,000 rpm with power levels from 300W to 15kW. Achieves 1.2 kW of usable power at speeds up to 120,000 rpm with dynamic stability optimization. Sold to industrial OEM grinding and machining equipment makers.
• Paint Spraying Spindles Axial-flow air turbine-driven spindles for electrostatic rotary atomizers in automotive paint application. First introduced in 1983, featuring unique bearing suspension system tolerant of balance issues. Speeds up to 100,000 rpm and bell sizes to 70mm diameter. Targeted at automotive OEM paint system manufacturers.
• Specialist Spindles Custom air bearing spindles for ultra-precision machining applications including contact lens turning, flycutting of optical components, mould grinding, and ultra-precision face grinding. Dynamically balanced to within 0.001 gm cm achieving motion errors as low as 0.05 um peak-peak. Targeted at advanced OEM customers requiring bespoke configurations.
• Rotary Tables High-precision air bearing rotary tables for wafer inspection, diamond tool machining, and precision grinding. Range from 50mm to 400mm diameter with angular position resolutions better than 0.1 arcsecs using DC brushless torque motors with high-resolution encoders. Sold to semiconductor, optical, and metrology equipment OEMs.
• SD2S Drives AC and DC digital-interfaced brushless drives for high-speed applications up to 480,000 rpm. Features up to 64 saved motor parameter sets, supports synchronous and asynchronous motors, and safety category 4 acc. to EN 61508 SIL 3. Targeted at OEM integration of Loadpoint spindles and rotary tables.
• Washpoint 300 Self-contained, fully integrated free-standing washing station for cleaning and drying wafers, substrates, or plates up to 300mm diameter following dicing. Features programmable wash and dry sequences, mist extraction, and adjustable process parameters. Targeted at semiconductor back-end processing facilities.
• AM-60L Manual Wafer Mounter Manual wafer mounter for tape mounting process prior to dicing wafers, QFNs, glass, and substrates. Features precision guide rails, temperature control system, heated worktable, and adjustable roller pressure. Targeted at small-batch and prototype semiconductor packaging operations.
• AM-620L Semi Automatic Wafer Mounter Semi-automatic wafer mounter with automatic film feeding and lamination for bubble-free application. Features precision guide rails and temperature control system for improved stability and ease of operation. Targeted at medium-volume semiconductor back-end and packaging operations.
• Presspoint Low-cost solution for tape ring wafer mounting. Handles 94mm to 225mm tape rings with interchangeable standard tools. Compatible with all types of foil or tape for wafer mounting. Targeted at semiconductor packaging and small-scale wafer mounting operations.
• AV-50 UV Curing System Semi-automatic UV irradiation system for UV-curable dicing tape on film frames with 150mm, 200mm, and 300mm wafer capacity. Provides consistent and uniform UV exposure at 352-400nm wavelength. Targeted at semiconductor back-end packaging operations.
• FP330 Water Recycling System Multi-stage filtration water recycling system with closed-loop water recirculation and integrated chilling. Maintains stable cutting conditions, improves blade performance, and reduces water consumption. Targeted at semiconductor and electronics dicing operations requiring DI water management.
• DWG200 Deionized Water Generator Deionized water generator providing high-purity DI water for semiconductor manufacturing and wafer processing. Produces 200-300 L/h with 18.25 MΩ·cm resistivity using pre-treatment, RO, EDI, and UV sterilization. Targeted at semiconductor fabs and wafer dicing facilities.
• Dicing Blades Dicing blades in resin-bonded, electroformed, and metal-bonded variants. Available in dimensions from 50-127mm outer diameter, thicknesses from 0.012-2.00mm, and grit sizes from 150-7000. Sold as consumables to semiconductor and electronics dicing operations.
• Dicing and Backgrinding Tapes Dicing tapes including low-cost general purpose blue tape, UV tapes, green layering tape, and backing tapes sourced from leading manufacturers. Sold to semiconductor and electronics manufacturers for wafer and substrate dicing.
• Chucks Premium quality chucks manufactured using fine porous ceramic and stainless steel for precise wafer holding and work quality. Includes ceramic vacuum chucks and metal vacuum chucks. Sold to semiconductor dicing and metrology operations.
• Dicing Blade Tools Blade maintenance tools including flange separator, torque spanner, hubbed blade remover, and comprehensive blade handling kit for safe blade changes. Sold to semiconductor and electronics dicing operations.
• Mounting, Handling & Blade Dressing Consumables including film frames (6", 8" & 12"), tape rings, wafer shippers, wax, mounting plates, dressing boards, and dressing sticks for dicing operations. Sold to semiconductor and electronics manufacturers.
• Dicing Services Sub-contract dicing solutions including cutting, drilling, grinding, and prototyping services for silicon wafers, ceramics, glass, PZT arrays, optical components, specialty metals, and MEMs. Up to 12-inch capability with cut depths from 0.010mm to 55mm. Targeted at customers requiring outsourced precision dicing.
• After Sales Service & Support Comprehensive support including telephone technical assistance, on-site support, next-day parts shipment, and flexible service contracts for maintenance. Targeted at existing Loadpoint dicing machine and spindle customers.
• Machine Training Training courses covering basic and advanced machine operation, dicing process, and machine maintenance. Available on-site or at Loadpoint offices in UK, China, or USA. Targeted at customer engineers and operators of Loadpoint equipment.
• Spindle Repairs Spindle repair services with over 60 years of air bearing spindle R&D experience. Offers repair services for all spindle types from legacy to latest models. Targeted at industrial users of air bearing spindles across all industries.

Quantifiable outcome

• Error motions less than 0.05 um TIR achieved with air bearings
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Optical OEMscoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerCollaborating with Original Equipment Manufacturers to tailor air bearing spindles for specific optical industry needs including IOL and contact lens manufacturing
• Precision Machining OEMscoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerLeading supplier of spindles to original equipment manufacturers in ultra-precision machining industry for diamond turning applications
• Automotive OEM Paint System ManufacturerscoreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerFull range of paint spraying spindles to suit all major OEM applications for electro-static rotary atomizers in automotive painting

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• DISCO Corporation: DISCO is the global market leader in semiconductor dicing and grinding equipment, producing precision dicing saws and spindles. It is the most direct competitor to Loadpoint's dicing machine line, though at much greater scale and breadth.
• Nakanishi Inc. Nakanishi is a Japanese manufacturer of ultra-high-speed precision spindles and air turbine spindles for grinding, cutting, and dental applications. Direct competitor in the air bearing and high-speed spindle product category that anchors Loadpoint's technology stack.
• HSD S.p.A. (Humanistic Semiconductor Devices): HSD produces high-speed electro-spindles, milling heads, and precision spindle solutions for machine tools and specialized industrial applications. Comparable to Loadpoint's grinding and specialist spindle lines serving precision machining and industrial OEM customers.
• Westwind Air Bearings (Camozzi Group): Westwind Air Bearings, part of Camozzi Group, manufactures precision air bearing spindles for PCB drilling, grinding, and high-speed industrial applications. Direct historical lineage to Loadpoint's predecessor (Westwind Turbines) and a direct peer in air bearing spindle technology.
• Accretech (Tokyo Seimitsu): Accretech manufactures dicing saws, probers, and related semiconductor back-end equipment, competing head-to-head with Loadpoint in wafer dicing machines. Overlapping semiconductor OEM customer base and similar product positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Marposs S.p.A. Marposs is a leading supplier of precision measurement, inspection, and metrology equipment for manufacturing. Comparable to Loadpoint's metrology segment (rotary tables, metrology spindles) and to its air bearing rotary table product line.
• Kulicke & Soffa Industries: Kulicke & Soffa is a large semiconductor and LED assembly equipment provider offering wire bonders and adjacent back-end tools. Less direct overlap with dicing, but competes for the same semiconductor OEM wallet and serves overlapping end customers.
• ASM Pacific Technology: ASMPT is a major global supplier of semiconductor assembly and packaging equipment. While not a dicing specialist, it competes for capital budgets at the same semiconductor OEMs and represents the type of large incumbent Loadpoint must coexist with.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/loadpoint-limited
• Xx.com/loadpointltd

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Loadpoint