Lacerta Technology

What Lacerta Technology does

Lacerta Technology Ltd. is a UK private limited company (incorporated in England and Wales) that specialises in thermal analytical instrumentation, with particular depth in Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA) and Dielectric Thermal Analysis (DETA). Its product portfolio centres on the identiPol compact QC instrument for the plastics industry, the DS6000 Dielectric Thermal Analyser for thin films, pastes, adhesives and powdered materials, and a family of DMA instruments developed in-house and sold worldwide by leading thermal analysis companies via OEM/white-label arrangements. The firm has pioneered humidity-controlled DMA and immersion/humidity capabilities as standard features on DMA and DETA instruments, and its founders (John Duncan, John Fisher, Keith Pettitt, and the late Glynn Van-de-Velde) brought combined expertise in materials science, analytical chemistry, electronics, mechanics, and production from prior roles at established thermal analysis firms.

The business generates revenue through four streams: one-time sales of instruments (including rental/hire for identiPol), professional services in the form of contract materials characterisation research and technical training, and recurring maintenance and servicing packages covering both Lacerta-built equipment and third-party Perkin Elmer and Mettler Toledo DMA/DETA systems. Go-to-market combines direct worldwide sales with OEM distribution channels and a network of reseller and industry-body partnerships (RSC Thermal Methods Group, British Plastics Federation, Plastics Consultancy Network, Gammadot Rheology, Ipolytech, Tangram Technology, Warwick Manufacturing Group, LATi). Customer segments span polymer and plastics manufacturers, R&D laboratories, and adjacent verticals such as food, pharmaceuticals, composites, and adhesives, with primary use cases centred on QC batch discrimination, characterisation of glass transition, curing and ageing, and optimisation of processing conditions. The company is led by founder John Duncan, who manages analytical services following the April 2020 death of co-founder Glynn Van-de-Velde.

Name

Lacerta Technology

Legal name

Lacerta Technology Ltd.

Website

https://lacerta-technology.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Lacerta Technology is a UK-based specialist in thermal analytical instrumentation, building DMA and DETA instruments (including the identiPol plastics QC tool and DS6000 dielectric analyser) sold worldwide via direct sales and OEM partners to polymer, plastics, and R&D customers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Shepshed

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Product Sales: Sale of thermal analysis instruments including identiPol quality control instrument, DETA (DS6000) Dielectric Thermal Analyser, and DMA equipment. Products can be bought or hired at very reasonable rates.
2. Contract Research Services: Assistance and advice on materials development and characterisation of mechanical and thermal properties over wide temperature ranges and controlled environments
3. Technical Support and Training: In-depth support and knowledge of Triton/Lacerta Technology, Perkin Elmer and Mettler Toledo DMA/DETA equipment. Training courses available in house or via RSC TMG.
4. Maintenance and Servicing: Maintenance and servicing packages for thermal analysis equipment

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Lacerta Technology designs, manufactures, and services thermal analytical instrumentation for polymer and plastics materials, specialising in Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA) and Dielectric Thermal Analysis (DETA). The portfolio centres on the identiPol QC instrument for thermoplastics, the DS6000 Dielectric Thermal Analyser, and proprietary DMA instruments sold globally by leading Thermal Analysis OEMs. The company complements its hardware with contract materials characterisation research, technical support and training, and maintenance/servicing packages covering Lacerta, Perkin Elmer, and Mettler Toledo DMA/DETA equipment.

Product overview

Lacerta Technology specializes in thermal analytical technologies, particularly Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA) and Dielectric Thermal Analysis (DETA). The product portfolio centers on two main instrument lines: the DETA DS6000 for dielectric thermal analysis and the identiPol product range for affordable plastics quality control. Additionally, Lacerta has developed multiple DMA instruments now sold globally by leading thermal analysis companies. All instruments share core thermal analysis technology for measuring material properties (mechanical, dielectric, thermal) across temperature ranges. The company also provides complementary services including technical support and training, contract research for materials characterisation, and quality control planning.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• DETA (Dielectric Thermal Analyser): DS6000 Dielectric Thermal Analyser for studying relaxation behaviour in materials, particularly useful for thin films, pastes, adhesives and powdered materials. Provides electrical analogue of dynamic mechanical analyser (DMA) measurements.
• identiPol

Products and services

• identiPol A compact, affordable quality-control instrument for the plastics industry that measures the same physical parameters as research-grade DMA and DSC instruments. It enables plastics manufacturers to distinguish batch-to-batch variations, identify rogue material batches, and define tight quality standards. The instrument can be bought or hired at reasonable rates with full ongoing support built into any package.
• DETA (DS6000 Dielectric Thermal Analyser) A Dielectric Thermal Analyser (DS6000) that studies relaxation behaviour in materials using an alternating voltage across the sample to measure dielectric constant (ε'), loss factor (ε''), and phase angle (tan delta). Particularly useful for thin films, pastes, adhesives and powdered materials, providing an electrical analogue of dynamic mechanical analyser (DMA) measurements. Features low thermal mass assembly, fast cooling, start temperatures from -190°C, cup electrodes for liquids, and a unique rotating head design.
• DMA (Dynamic Mechanical Analysis) Instruments Thermal analysis instruments for measuring mechanical and thermal properties of materials over a wide temperature range. Lacerta has developed several DMA models that are now sold worldwide by leading Thermal Analysis companies, featuring pioneering immersion and humidity capabilities as standard additions.
• Contract Materials Characterisation Services Contract research services providing assistance and advice on materials development and characterisation of mechanical and thermal properties over a wide temperature range and in controlled environments (air, nitrogen, fluid immersion, varying relative humidity). Delivers materials information for the glassy state, rubbery state, glass transition process, curing, and effects of ageing, with sensitivity to changes in polymeric structure in the solid state (blends, cooling rate, degree of cure for thermoset resins).
• Technical Support, Training, Maintenance and Servicing Technical support, training, and maintenance/servicing packages for thermal analysis equipment. Includes in-depth support and knowledge of Triton/Lacerta, Perkin Elmer, and Mettler Toledo DMA/DETA equipment, with training courses available in-house or via the Royal Society of Chemistry's Thermal Methods Group (RSC TMG).

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Warwick Manufacturing GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership with Warwick University's manufacturing group for business and SME support
• Plastics Consultancy NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of plastics industry consultancies providing industry connections and expertise
• Thermal Methods Group (RSC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRoyal Society of Chemistry's Thermal Methods Group. Lacerta staff have held various roles with the group and can advise on suitable training courses. Glynn Van-de-Velde made an enormous contribution to the group.
• LATiminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal technology and innovation network organization
• British Plastics FederationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUK plastics industry trade federation providing industry connections
• IpolytechminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPolymer technology company

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• TA Instruments (Waters Corporation): TA Instruments is the leading global manufacturer of thermal analysis and rheology instruments, including DMA and DSC. It is the most direct competitive peer to Lacerta, with a much larger product portfolio and global service network.
• Anton Paar: Anton Paar produces rheology and mechanical analysis instruments that directly overlap with Lacerta's DMA and rheology product extensions, serving the same polymer and materials R&D customers.
• Netzsch Analyzing & Testing: Netzsch is a major European manufacturer of thermal analysis and DMA instruments, competing directly with Lacerta in the same polymer and materials characterisation end-markets.
• Rigaku Corporation: Rigaku manufactures thermal analysis and materials characterisation instruments, including DSC and TGA, that compete with Lacerta's DMA and DETA offerings in similar R&D and QC workflows.
• Hitachi High-Tech Science: Hitachi High-Tech (formerly Hitachi NMI) manufactures DMA and thermal analysis instruments used in the same electronics and polymer characterisation applications as Lacerta's DMA and DETA products.
• SETARAM (Kepiab Group): SETARAM is a French specialist in calorimetry and thermal analysis instruments, competing directly with Lacerta in advanced thermal characterisation for polymers and advanced materials.
• Linseis Thermal Analysis: Linseis manufactures thermal analysis and DMA instruments for the same polymer and materials characterisation markets, and is a comparable-size European competitor to Lacerta.

Broad incumbents

• Shimadzu Scientific Instruments: Shimadzu offers thermal analysis instrumentation as part of a broader analytical instruments portfolio, serving the same polymer and materials R&D customer base as Lacerta.
• PerkinElmer (Revvity): PerkinElmer (now Revvity) is a broad analytical instruments incumbent whose DMA/DETA equipment Lacerta Technology explicitly services and supports, making it a peer in both product and service dimensions.
• Mettler Toledo: Mettler Toledo manufactures DMA and thermal analysis instruments that Lacerta Technology explicitly supports, making it both a competitor and a peer referenced in Lacerta's service offering. Operates as a broad lab instrumentation incumbent.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/LacertaTech
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/LacertaTech
• Facebookfacebook.com/Lacerta-Technology-156339528293777
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lacerta-technology-ltd.

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Lacerta Technology