safematic
Safematic GmbH is a Swiss manufacturer of compact vacuum coating systems and the patented CDS-020 drying unit for electron microscopy sample preparation, serving research institutions (ETH Zürich, Fraunhofer) and industrial users (Bruker, OC Oerlikon Balzers, Wacker Chemie) across 20+ countries via exclusive distributors.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2010
- HeadquartersZizers, Switzerland
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What safematic does
Safematic GmbH is a Swiss manufacturer of compact vacuum coating systems designed for electron microscopy (EM) sample preparation, headquartered in Zizers, Switzerland. Its core platform is the CCU-010, offered in low-vacuum (LV) and high-vacuum (HV) variants, paired with a family of interchangeable process heads — SP-010/SP-011 sputter heads, the patented CT-010 carbon thread evaporation head, an ET-010 etching unit, and a GD-010 glow-discharge unit — together with stage, chamber, and proprietary "Coating LAB" control software. The product line has been extended upstream into sample preparation with the patented CDS-020 Compact Drying System, and downstream into remote operation via the RC-010 software (2021), so the company now covers drying, coating, and process monitoring within a single integrated workflow.
The company's offering is anchored on a modular, upgradeable chassis (LV-to-HV conversion kits) and an installed-base consumables ecosystem comprising sputter targets in many materials, carbon thread coils, and spare parts. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, and revenue mechanics blend higher-margin recurring consumables and software with the lower-frequency instrument sale. Customers span both academic and industrial end markets: research institutions including ETH Zürich, Universität Zürich, Fraunhofer Institut, Universitätsklinikum Jena, and Berner Fachhochschule, alongside industrial users such as Bruker Biospin, OC Oerlikon Balzers, and Wacker Chemie.
Go-to-market is executed through a network of exclusive distributors covering 20+ countries across Europe, Asia (China, India, Korea, Singapore), and the Americas, with strategic-engineering partnerships such as the Ferrovac AG UHV collaboration (2021) extending the technology envelope. The company is privately held, self-funded (no external funding events disclosed), and sized at 11-50 employees on its corporate profile, consistent with a niche B2B instrument SME operating in the EM-preparation workflow.
safematic firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- safematic
- Legal name
- safematic GmbH
- Website
- https://safematic.ch
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2010
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Safematic GmbH is a Swiss manufacturer of compact vacuum coating systems and the patented CDS-020 drying unit for electron microscopy sample preparation, serving research institutions (ETH Zürich, Fraunhofer) and industrial users (Bruker, OC Oerlikon Balzers, Wacker Chemie) across 20+ countries via exclusive distributors.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
safematic industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Laboratory Vacuum Coating Equipment
- NAICS
- Industrial and Commercial Fan and Blower and Air Purification Equipment Manufacturing (333413)
- SIC
- Industrial & Commercial Fans & Blowers & Air Purifing Equip (3564)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Industrial Vacuum Systems (Wet/Dry, Dust Extraction) (IMAHALAC)
Keywords
Where safematic is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Zizers
- HQ country
- Switzerland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
safematic business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Vacuum Coating Equipment Sales: Sale of compact vacuum coating systems including CCU-010 LV, CCU-010 HV base units, and associated process heads (sputter heads, carbon thread heads, etching units).
- Consumables: Sputter targets in various materials (Gold, Gold/Palladium, Platinum, Silver, Chromium, Nickel, Tungsten, Carbon, Aluminium, Iron, ITO, Copper, Titanium, Platinum/Iridium, Platinum/Palladium, Cobalt, Palladium, Zinc, Tin, Rhodium, Iridium) and carbon thread coils.
- Spare Parts: Replacement components including process chambers, implosion guards, quartz crystals for film thickness monitors, and cleaning pads.
- Service and Support: Remote maintenance, on-site operational support, training programs, and custom extensions or new developments.
- Accessories and Options: Stages and tables (standard stage, slides stage, rotary table, planetary gear table), large chambers, head storage, transport cases, PC software (Coating LAB), pressure reducers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | B2B equipment pricing - quote based |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
safematic product offering
Product offeringCore offering
safematic GmbH manufactures compact vacuum coating systems used for electron microscopy (EM) sample preparation, including sputter coaters and carbon coaters in low- and high-vacuum variants, along with a compact drying system and interchangeable sputter and carbon thread heads. The products are designed for materials science, life science, and industrial quality control laboratories that prepare samples for transmission and scanning electron microscopy (TEM/SEM).
Product overview
Safematic is a Swiss manufacturer of compact vacuum coating systems for electron microscopy sample preparation. The product portfolio centers on the CCU-010 compact coating unit family, available in low vacuum (LV) and high vacuum (HV) configurations. These modular systems support multiple process modes: sputtering (via SP-010 and SP-011 heads), thermal carbon evaporation (via CT-010 head), plasma treatment/etching (via ET-010), and glow discharge (via GD-010). A range of stages and tables (standard, rotary, planetary, slides) accommodate various sample types. The CDS-020 Compact Drying System addresses critical point drying for biological samples. Peripheral equipment includes Pfeiffer and Edwards backing pumps. The ecosystem is complemented by PC software (Coating LAB) for process visualization, upgrade kits for expanding capabilities, and comprehensive consumables and spare parts.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- CCU-010 LV (Compact Coating Unit, Low Vacuum)
- CCU-010 HV (Compact Coating Unit, High Vacuum)
- CDS-020 Compact Drying System
- CT-010 Carbon Thread Head
- Sputter Heads (interchangeable)
Quantifiable outcome
- Target diameter 54 mm with high target utilization saves costs on consumables
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use safematic
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
safematic technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
safematic partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Ferrovac AGcoreSwiss strategic partner specializing in ultra high vacuum technology. Located in Zürich, complementing Safematic's vacuum coating expertise.
- Microscopy Solutions Pty Ltd (Australia)coreExclusive distributor for Australia, serving the microscopy and research equipment market.
- Van Loenen Instruments (Belgium)coreDistributor for Belgium and Netherlands region, specializing in laboratory instruments.
- Boyue Instruments (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. (China)coreDistributor in Shanghai, China serving the Caohejing Hi-Tech Park region.
- Nanjing Tansi Technology Co.,Ltd. (China)coreDistributor covering Nanjing region in China.
- Eden Instruments SAS (France)coreDistributor for France, located in Valence with access to Lyon area.
- Baltic Präparation e.K. (Germany)coreDistributor for Germany serving the research and industrial preparation market.
- Labtech International Ltd. (Ireland/UK)coreDistributor for Ireland and UK (East Sussex), specializing in electron microscopy equipment.
- Rave Scientific (USA)coreDistributor for USA covering Somerset, New Jersey region.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
safematic competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- JEOL: Global manufacturer of electron microscopes and related EM sample-prep tools. While primarily an EM OEM, JEOL's sample-prep accessories place it in competition with dedicated coater makers like Safematic.
- Leica Microsystems (Danaher): Major microscopy and EM sample-prep solutions provider with a broad product portfolio including EM sample preparation. Competes with Safematic via Leica EM branding and bundled workflows.
- Denton Vacuum: US-based manufacturer of vacuum thin-film deposition systems including benchtop sputter coaters. Adjacent competitor in vacuum coating equipment, though typically serving broader industrial and R&D applications.
- Hitachi High-Tech: Global electron microscope manufacturer with complementary sample-preparation offerings. Competes with Safematic indirectly via integrated EM workflow solutions.
Direct peers
- Tousimis: US manufacturer of critical point dryers (e.g., Autosamdri series) for biological EM sample preparation. Closely comparable to Safematic's CDS-020 product line for life-sciences EM workflows.
- Ted Pella Inc. US supplier of EM sample-prep instruments (including sputter coaters) and consumables. Overlaps with Safematic's product line in compact coating systems and the consumables/replacement parts business.
- Quorum Technologies: UK-based manufacturer of sputter coaters, carbon coaters, and glow discharge systems for SEM/TEM sample preparation (Q-series, e.g., Q150, Q300). Competes head-to-head with Safematic's CCU-010 in the same EM core-facility and research-lab market.
- Agar Scientific: UK distributor and manufacturer of EM sample-prep equipment and consumables, including sputter coaters. Competes with Safematic across both equipment and the recurring consumables supply.
- Cressington Scientific Instruments: Long-established maker of the 108 Auto Sputter Coater and related EM sample-prep equipment. Directly competes with Safematic on compact sputter/carbon coaters sold to electron microscopy labs worldwide.
Regional players
- Buehler (Illinois Tool Works): Materials preparation and analysis equipment manufacturer (ITW) with EM sample-prep solutions such as EcoMet/AutoMet. Overlaps with Safematic in industrial materials labs, though more focused on metallographic workflows.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
safematic social profiles
Digital presencesafematic financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
safematic leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
safematic funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
safematic M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about safematic
What does safematic do?
safematic GmbH manufactures compact vacuum coating systems used for electron microscopy (EM) sample preparation, including sputter coaters and carbon coaters in low- and high-vacuum variants, along with a compact drying system and interchangeable sputter and carbon thread heads. The products are designed for materials science, life science, and industrial quality control laboratories that prepare samples for transmission and scanning electron microscopy (TEM/SEM).
Is safematic a public or private company?
safematic is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was safematic founded?
safematic was founded in 2010. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is safematic based?
safematic is headquartered in Zizers, Switzerland, in the Europe region.
How does safematic make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Vacuum Coating Equipment Sales are the primary driver. The others are consumables, spare Parts, service and Support and accessories and Options.
Who are safematic's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are JEOL, Leica Microsystems (Danaher), Denton Vacuum and Hitachi High-Tech. Direct peers are Tousimis, Ted Pella Inc., Quorum Technologies, Agar Scientific and Cressington Scientific Instruments. Buehler (Illinois Tool Works) is listed as a regional player.
Does safematic have an API?
No public API is recorded for safematic.
What industry is safematic in?
safematic's product category is Laboratory Vacuum Coating Equipment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAHALAC, Industrial Vacuum Systems (Wet/Dry, Dust Extraction). Its NAICS code is 333413 and its SIC code is 3564.