What discoverIE Group does

discoverIE Group plc is a UK-listed specialist electronics company (LSE: DSCV, FTSE250 constituent) headquartered in Guildford that designs and manufactures customized, application-specific electronic components for industrial OEM customers. The group operates through approximately 30 acquired businesses organized into two divisions: Magnetics & Controls (£267.0m revenue in FY2025/26) and Sensing & Connectivity (£176.3m). The product portfolio spans magnetic components for power conversion and signal conditioning, sensors for temperature/pressure/position/force/load measurement, embedded computing System-on-Modules for regulated markets, power-over-Ethernet modules, antennas and RF connectivity, EMC/EMI shielding, X-ray detection modules, and ruggedized human-machine interface devices (trackballs, touchpads, keyboards). Products are designed into customer systems at early development stages, creating long product lifecycles, mission-critical reliability, and high switching costs. Underlying technology differentiation includes patented solutions such as Magnasphere's magnetic switch technology and Silvertel's PoE modules, with 96% of products manufactured under ISO 9001 quality systems and a portfolio serving regulated end-markets including medical devices and defense.

The business model is fundamentally B2B and design-win driven, with pricing determined per customer application, specification, and volume, typically structured as multi-year contracts. The company sells directly to industrial OEM customers through technical field sales teams and serves over 25,000 live customer accounts globally, with over 85% of revenue from long-lasting customer relationships and the longest active relationship exceeding 30 years. Geographic reach spans 20+ countries across the UK, Continental Europe, North America, and Asia (China, India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Taiwan), with manufacturing and engineering presence in each region to support global supply continuity. Five primary vertical markets are targeted: Renewable Energy, Transportation, Medical, Security, and Industrial & Connectivity, where end-market growth drivers include energy transition, electrification, smart medical devices, defense modernization, and industrial IoT/automation.

Growth is delivered through a combination of organic expansion and a serial acquisition programme. Since 2009, discoverIE has invested over £550m across 30 acquisitions, with recent deals including Beacon EmbeddedWorks (2021), 2J Antennas Group (2023, €52.5m), Diamond Technologies Inc. (2024), Burster (2025), Storm Interface (2025, £5.5m), Trival Antene (2026, €45.5m), and the pending 3Gmetalworx (2026, $67.5m/£50m for 90%). FY2025/26 group revenue was £443.3m (up 5% year-on-year), adjusted operating profit was £61.0m (up 1%), and free cash flow was £36.6m. The group is led by Group CEO Nick Jefferies (since 2009) and Group Finance Director Simon Gibbins (since 2010), and is funded for further M&A via a £240m revolving credit facility extended to May 2030, with year-end gearing of 1.2x.

Name

discoverIE Group

Legal name

discoverIE Group plc

Website

https://discoverieplc.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

discoverIE Group plc is a UK-listed (LSE: DSCV) specialist electronics company that designs and manufactures customized, application-specific electronic components - including magnetics, sensors, embedded computing, antennas, and HMI devices - for over 25,000 industrial OEM customers across renewable energy, transportation, medical, security, and industrial markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Customized Industrial Electronic Components

NAICS

Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (33451), Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing (3345), Electrical Equipment Manufacturing (33531)

SIC

Electronic Components & Accessories (3670), Industrial Instruments For Measurement, Display, And Control (3823), Electrical Industrial Apparatus (3620)

akta.pro primary industry

Sensors & Instrumentation Electronics Manufacturing Services (Transmitters, analyzers, industrial sensors) (IMAGAGAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Industrial IoT/Edge Electronics Manufacturing (Gateways, Edge Controllers) (IMAGAGAC), Optoelectronic Components (LEDs, photodiodes, optocouplers, optical sensors) (IMAGAJAF)

Keywords

• Customized electronic components
• Industrial OEM components
• Magnetics and sensing
• Power conversion solutions
• Wireless connectivity antennas

Headquarters

HQ city

Guildford

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices12 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Electronic Components Manufacturing and Sales: discoverIE designs and manufactures customized electronic components for industrial OEM customers. Revenue is generated through the sale of mission-critical components including magnetics, sensors, control interfaces, embedded computing, and connectivity products. The company reports revenue across two divisions: Magnetics & Controls (Revenue £267.0m) and Sensing & Connectivity (Revenue £176.3m). The business model emphasizes design-wins for long-lived products with recurring revenues, with over 85% of Group revenue from long-lasting customer relationships.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

discoverIE Group plc designs, manufactures and supplies highly customized, application-specific electronic components to over 25,000 industrial OEM customers worldwide. The company operates two divisions—Magnetics & Controls (custom magnetics, power conversion, control interfaces, embedded computing, X-ray detection) and Sensing & Connectivity (industrial sensors, antennas, PoE modules, EMC/thermal management, fibre optic connectivity)—serving renewable energy, transportation, medical, security and industrial markets.

Product overview

discoverIE Group is an international specialist electronics company that designs and manufactures highly customized, application-specific electronic components for industrial OEMs. The company operates through approximately 30 businesses organized into two divisions: Magnetics & Controls (revenue £267.0m) and Sensing & Connectivity (revenue £176.3m). The Magnetics & Controls division includes magnetic components for power conversion (Flux, Myrra, Noratel Group, Shape), and control components for interface, monitoring, and X-ray detection (Diamond Technologies, Hectronic, Sens-Tech, Storm Interface, Vertec Scientific, Beacon EmbeddedWorks, Cursor Controls). The Sensing & Connectivity division comprises sensing components for measuring temperature, movement, pressure, position, force, and load (Herga, Limitor, Magnasphere, Phoenix, Positek, Variohm Eurosensor, burster, CPI, Heason), and connectivity components for wireless transmission, fiber optic, electromagnetic shielding, and cable connection (Santon SwitchGear, Silvertel, Stortech, Trival Antene, 2J Antennas, Antenova, CDT, Contour Electronics, Foss, HiVolt, MTC). These products serve five target markets: Renewable Energy, Transportation, Medical, Security, and Industrial & Connectivity.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Flux (Magnetic Components) Magnetic components for use in power conversion, signal conditioning and switching, sold to industrial OEMs.
• Myrra (Magnetic Components) Magnetic components for power conversion and signal conditioning applications, targeted at industrial OEM customers.
• Noratel Group (Magnetic Components) Manufacturer of custom transformers, inductors and magnetic components for power conversion and switching, including liquid-cooled transformers for wind turbines.
• Shape (Magnetic Components) Magnetic components for industrial power applications.
• Diamond Technologies Inc. (DTI) Customized design and engineering solutions for data collection, automation and industrial communications.
• Hectronic (Control Components) Control components for industrial applications.
• Sens-Tech (X-ray and Optical Detection) Specialist sensing and data acquisition modules for X-ray and optical detection applications across medical, transport security, food processing and industrial markets.
• Storm Interface (HMI Controls) Human-machine interface controls and security input devices for industrial and defense applications.
• Vertec Scientific UK (X-ray Detection) X-ray detection and imaging components for medical and security applications.
• Beacon EmbeddedWorks (System on Modules) Mission-critical System on Modules (SOMs) for regulated markets including medical devices, providing embedded computing solutions.
• Cursor Controls (HMI Solutions) Human-machine-interface solutions including trackballs, touchpads and ruggedized keyboards for industrial and medical applications.
• Herga (Sensors) Sensing components for measuring temperature, movements, pressure, force, position, load and incline.
• Limitor (Sensors) Sensing components for industrial temperature and power control applications.
• Magnasphere (Magnetic Contact Sensors) High-performing magnetic contact sensors with patented technology for high-security contact applications.
• Phoenix (Sensors) Sensing components for industrial applications.
• Positek (Position Sensors) Specialized industrial rotary and linear sensors for position sensing applications.
• Variohm Eurosensor (Sensors and Control Systems)
• burster (Precision Sensors) Precision sensors and measuring instruments for industrial force, pressure and torque measurement applications.
• CPI (Control Products, Inc.) Sensing and control components for industrial applications.
• Heason (Motion Control) Motion control and sensing solutions for industrial automation applications.
• Santon SwitchGear (DC Switches) DC switches and switchgear for solar power systems and industrial connectivity applications.
• Silvertel (Power-over-Ethernet Modules) Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) modules, including the world's smallest, highest power and highest efficiency PoE solutions.
• Stortech (Video Surveillance Connectivity) Connectivity solutions for video surveillance and security systems.
• Trival Antene (Communication Antennas) Communication antennas and masts for security, defense and industrial applications.
• 2J Antennas (Industrial Wireless Connectivity) Industrial wireless connectivity antennas for IoT and communication applications.
• Antenova (RF Antenna Solutions) Antennas and RF solutions for wireless connectivity in industrial and IoT applications.
• CDT (Custom Design Technologies) Custom design technologies for connectivity solutions.
• Contour Electronics (Electronic Design and Manufacturing) Electronic design and manufacturing services for specialized connectivity applications.
• Foss (Fibre Optic Connectivity) Fibre optic connectivity solutions for industrial applications.
• HiVolt (High Voltage Connectivity) High voltage connectivity and power management solutions.
• MTC (EMC and Thermal Management) Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) and thermal management solutions for electronic systems.
• Hobart Electronics (Custom Transformers and Inductors) Custom transformers, inductors and magnetic components for industrial applications.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 85% of Group revenue from long-lasting customer relationships
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Scale indicators17 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Diploma PLC: UK-listed FTSE250 specialist distribution and value-added services company focused on electronic components and industrial technologies. Diploma's model of acquiring and supporting niche technical businesses serving industrial OEMs is highly analogous to discoverIE's decentralized acquisition strategy.
• Halma PLC: UK-listed FTSE100 group of niche safety, sensor, and electronic component businesses serving industrial, medical, and infrastructure markets. Halma's decentralized operating model, acquisition-led growth, and exposure to similar safety/sensor verticals closely mirror discoverIE.
• CTS Corporation: US-listed designer and manufacturer of sensors, electronic components, and actuators for industrial, automotive, medical, and aerospace markets. Closely comparable to discoverIE in product scope and customer profile, though smaller in scale.
• Knowles Corporation: US-listed manufacturer of advanced electronic components including acoustic sensors, capacitors, and RF solutions for industrial, medical, and defense markets. Comparable in scale to discoverIE with similar custom component and mission-critical customer focus.
• Sensata Technologies: US-listed global manufacturer of sensors, electrical protection, and connectivity solutions for industrial, automotive, and aerospace markets. Direct overlap with discoverIE's Sensing & Connectivity division in industrial sensors and magnetics-style components.

Broad incumbents

• TE Connectivity: Global multi-billion-dollar electronic components manufacturer specializing in connectors, sensors, and relays for automotive, industrial, and aerospace. Substantially larger scale but directly overlaps with discoverIE's connectivity and sensing offerings for OEMs.
• Amphenol Corporation: Global leader in electronic interconnect, antenna, and sensor solutions across automotive, broadband, industrial, and defense markets. Much larger than discoverIE but competes in overlapping antenna (2J, Trival), interconnect, and sensing categories.
• Vishay Intertechnology: Global manufacturer of discrete semiconductors (diodes, MOSFETs, optoelectronics) and passive components (resistors, capacitors, magnetics) for industrial, automotive, and consumer markets. Overlaps with discoverIE's magnetics, optoelectronic, and discrete component offerings at larger scale.
• Spectris PLC: Larger UK-listed precision measurement and control instrumentation group, serving industrial customers with high-end sensing and analytics. Spectris overlaps with discoverIE in industrial sensing but operates at materially larger scale with more software/analytics orientation.

Regional players

• Renishaw PLC: UK-listed precision measurement and position sensing specialist serving metrology, healthcare, and industrial automation markets. Overlaps with discoverIE's position-sensing products (Positek, Variohm) but focused on higher-end metrology rather than volume industrial components.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/discoverie-group-plc

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Subsidiaries13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A20 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about discoverIE Group