MBH Analytical

What MBH Analytical does

MBH Analytical operates as the ARMI|MBH brand, an ISO 17034-accredited manufacturer of metal alloy certified reference materials (CRMs) and reference materials (RMs) marketed under the IARM and MBH labels. The company produces certified standards covering Al–Zn alloys, stainless steels, Inconel, titanium, and other industrial alloys, with documented traceability and metrological rigor required by regulated industrial testing environments. Its portfolio extends beyond metal alloys into non-metallic standards and industrial/geological reference materials, plus specialized CRMs for additive manufacturing applications (stainless steel 316L, Inconel 718, Titanium 6-4 powder verification). The company also offers the proprietary ColdBlock Digestion System—a sample preparation instrument based on Short-Wave IR technology for rapid metal sample digestion—and operates an in-house ISO 17043-accredited proficiency testing program for inter-laboratory comparison in metal alloy analysis.

The business runs a B2B sales-led go-to-market, targeting industrial laboratories, testing facilities, additive manufacturers, and geological/mining operations globally. Revenue is generated through three streams: one-time sales of certified reference materials (with optional exact-weight packaging services), recurring subscription-based proficiency testing schemes, and hardware sales of the ColdBlock Digestion system and related consumables. ARMI|MBH operates as a wholly-owned brand within LGC Group (legal parent LGC Limited), leveraging the parent's global distribution network, regional websites, and shared customer service infrastructure across more than 15 countries. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and requires account login or quotation, consistent with a low-volume, high-margin specialty industrial product set rather than mass-market consumer sales.

The core competitive position rests on a triple-ISO accreditation stack (17034/17025/17043) that creates substantial regulatory barriers to entry, combined with the ColdBlock technology and an extensive catalog built over years of certified production. Distribution reach and brand credibility are inherited from LGC Group's broader reference materials portfolio (Maine Standards, SeraCare, TRC, Mikromol, Dr. Ehrenstorfer, LoGiCal, VHG, AXIO PT, Lipomed), allowing ARMI|MBH to serve global customers without bearing standalone international expansion costs.

Name

MBH Analytical

Legal name

LGC Limited

Website

https://mbh.co.uk

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

MBH Analytical operates as ARMI|MBH, an ISO 17034-accredited manufacturer of metal alloy certified reference materials, serving industrial laboratories, additive manufacturers, and geological/mining testers globally under LGC Group's distribution network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Barnet

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Reference Material Sales: Sale of ISO 17034-accredited metal alloy certified reference materials (CRMs) and reference materials (RMs), including Al-Zn alloys, non-metallic standards, industrial and geological reference materials. One-time purchase model per product with exact weight packaging services available.
2. Proficiency Testing Services: ISO 17043-accredited proficiency testing program for metal alloys, providing interlaboratory comparison samples and evaluation services to laboratories.
3. Sample Preparation Equipment: Sale of sample preparation equipment including ColdBlock Digestion systems and related laboratory consumables.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

ARMI|MBH manufactures ISO 17034-accredited certified reference materials (CRMs) and reference materials (RMs) for metal alloys under the IARM and MBH brands, covering Al-Zn alloys and a broad range of industrial applications. The offering is extended through an ISO 17043-accredited proficiency testing program for inter-laboratory comparison, specialized CRMs for 3D metal printing (stainless steel 316L, Inconel 718, Titanium 6-4), and the ColdBlock Digestion sample preparation system using proprietary Short-Wave IR technology.

Product overview

ARMI|MBH is an ISO 17034-accredited manufacturer of high quality metal alloy reference materials operating under the IARM and MBH brands. The portfolio centers on metal alloy Certified Reference Materials (CRMs) and Reference Materials (RMs), complemented by non-metallic standards and industrial/geological reference materials. The offering includes specialized sub-products such as ARMI 3D Metal Printing Reference Materials (stainless steel 316L, Inconel 718, Titanium 6-4 CRMs), and is supported by an ISO 17043-accredited proficiency testing program for metal alloys and the ColdBlock Digestion System for sample preparation. The company sources reference materials globally and maintains an extensive catalog of Al–Zn alloys with knowledgeable staff to assist customers in selecting appropriate standards for their analytical projects.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• ARMI|MBH Metal Alloy Reference Materials ISO 17034-accredited certified reference materials (CRMs) and reference materials (RMs) for metal alloys, marketed under the IARM and MBH brands and covering Al-Zn alloys and a broad range of industrial metal alloy applications. Sold to industrial laboratories, testing facilities, and manufacturers requiring traceable standards for elemental analysis.
• ARMI|MBH Proficiency Testing Program ISO 17043-accredited proficiency testing program providing inter-laboratory comparison samples and evaluation services to laboratories performing metal alloy analysis.
• ARMI 3D Metal Printing Reference Materials Certified reference materials tailored to 3D metal printing applications, including stainless steel 316L, Inconel 718, and Titanium 6-4 CRMs certified for major and trace elements. Designed for additive manufacturers verifying the quality of printing powders and fusion bed feedstocks.
• ColdBlock Digestion System Sample preparation equipment that uses proprietary Short-Wave IR technology to rapidly digest metal samples prior to analytical analysis. Sold as a complementary hardware line to laboratories using ARMI|MBH reference materials.
• Non-Metallic Standards Non-metallic reference standards for industrial and geological applications, extending the catalog beyond metal alloys to support laboratories that require non-metal matrix references.
• Industrial and Geological Reference Materials Reference materials for industrial and geological applications, including matrix reference materials, process materials, cement, and soils, intended for mining, cement, and soil testing laboratories.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• LGC GroupcoreOthersARMI|MBH operates as a brand under LGC Group (LGC Limited), a global leader in reference materials, proficiency testing, and laboratory services. LGC Group provides the parent company infrastructure, global distribution network, and additional brand portfolio including Mikromol, Dr. Ehrenstorfer, LoGiCal, VHG, AXIO PT, and TRC.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Alfa Aesar (Thermo Fisher Scientific): Reference materials and high-purity metals catalog sold under Thermo Fisher. Comparable to MBH on metal reference materials but operates as a broader portfolio play rather than an ISO 17034 CRM specialist.
• NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology): U.S. national metrology institute producing Standard Reference Materials (SRMs) including alloy and metal standards. Sets the metrological baseline against which commercial CRMs like MBH's are calibrated and is a benchmark competitor in metal alloy QA.
• Sigma-Aldrich / MilliporeSigma (Merck KGaA): Largest generalist reference materials and analytical standards catalog in the industry, including TraceMetal-grade CRMs. Competes with MBH on breadth, price, and global reach rather than metal-alloy specialization.

Direct peers

• SCP SCIENCE: Manufacturer of CRMs, digestion reagents, and sample preparation consumables for trace metal analysis. Closely comparable to MBH because it overlaps on both CRMs and the sample-preparation hardware/consumables workflow that ColdBlock addresses.
• NSI Lab Solutions / National Scientific: ISO 17034-accredited manufacturer of certified reference materials including metals, inorganics, and consumable standards sold to industrial and environmental laboratories. Direct peer to MBH on accreditation and metal CRM focus.
• Spex Certiprep (Cole-Parmer / Antylia Scientific): Reference materials and certified standards supplier with a metallo-organic and inorganic CRM portfolio sold into industrial and contract testing labs. Overlaps with MBH on CRM format, accreditation posture, and laboratory customer base.
• VHG Labs (LGC sister brand): Producer of oil and metals CRMs and consumables, now part of the LGC Group portfolio alongside ARMI|MBH. It is a direct peer in metal/oil CRM manufacturing and shares the same LGC Standards distribution channel.
• Reagecon: ISO 17034-accredited manufacturer of CRMs including inorganic, metals, and custom standards for analytical laboratories. A close direct competitor to MBH on accreditation depth and metal/inorganic CRM product lines.
• Inorganic Ventures: Independent manufacturer of inorganic and metallo-organic certified reference materials for trace metal analysis. Highly comparable to ARMI|MBH because it competes head-to-head on metal alloy CRMs with ISO 17034 accreditation and similar laboratory QA customers.
• AccuStandard: Manufacturer of certified reference standards including inorganic, metallo-organic, and metal alloy CRMs for analytical laboratories. Directly comparable to MBH Analytical on metal CRM catalog and ISO-accredited laboratory customers.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/LGCStandards
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCIU8C6lQTnG6W6GnLxBNgog
• Facebooken-gb.facebook.com/LGCgroup
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mbh-analytical-ltd

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries4 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 MBH Analytical