Testrade
Testrade Limited is a UK-based specialist distributor, founded in 1971, supplying Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) equipment and consumables — radiography, ultrasonic, magnetic particle, and penetrant inspection products — to industrial manufacturing buyers via e-commerce with next-day delivery.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1971
- HeadquartersWatford, United Kingdom
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Testrade does
Testrade Limited is a UK-based specialist distributor of Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) equipment and consumables, founded in 1971 and headquartered in Watford, England. The company supplies industrial buyers across all major NDT inspection modalities — radiographic testing (X-ray film, processing chemicals, film viewers, radiation safety equipment), ultrasonic testing (flaw detectors, thickness gauges, bolt tension monitors, couplants, probes, test blocks), magnetic particle and penetrant inspection (LED UV-A inspection lamps, MPI/DPI consumables), remote visual inspection, and welding/inspection gauges — sourced from leading global manufacturers including AGFA, Carestream (export only), Dakota NDT, Baker Hughes Krautkramer, Magnaflux, Johnson & Allen, Elcometer, FlawTech, and Chemetall.
The business operates as a stock-and-deliver distributor combined with a B2B e-commerce storefront featuring a quote basket system, next-day delivery on stocked items, and phone/email support for specialist sourcing. Revenue is generated through one-time hardware sales and consumables reorders (X-ray processing chemicals, film, intensifying screens, cassettes, IQIs, markers) at publicly listed unit pricing with some volume-pack options. The company's geographic footprint is primarily UK-domestic with limited export capability (notably Carestream for non-UK markets) and the ability to source specialist NDT products globally on request.
The firm is privately held, independently owned with no disclosed institutional investors or parent company, registered as a private limited company in England and Wales (company number 1011406), and operates with a small team (1-10 employees) from a single Watford office. No funding rounds, acquisitions, or leadership changes are documented in available sources.
Testrade firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Testrade
- Legal name
- Testrade Limited
- Website
- https://testrade.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1971
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Testrade Limited is a UK-based specialist distributor, founded in 1971, supplying Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) equipment and consumables — radiography, ultrasonic, magnetic particle, and penetrant inspection products — to industrial manufacturing buyers via e-commerce with next-day delivery.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Testrade industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Non-Destructive Testing Equipment
- NAICS
- Chemical and Allied Products Merchant Wholesalers (4246), Other Chemical and Allied Products Merchant Wholesalers (42469)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Industrial Machinery & Equipment (5084), X-Ray Apparatus & Tubes & Related Irradiation Apparatus (3844)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) & Inspection Services (IMAIACAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- NDT/NDE Inspection Equipment (Ultrasonic, eddy current, radiography, thermography) (IMAGAFAI), Industrial Radiography & NDT Services (Gamma radiography, source handling, field inspection) (EUAKAIAF)
Keywords
Where Testrade is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Watford
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Testrade business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- NDT Equipment Sales: Sale of non-destructive testing equipment including radiographic equipment, ultrasonic testing devices, magnetic particle and penetrant inspection consumables and equipment, X-ray film, radiation safety equipment, and related accessories.
- NDT Consumables: Sale of consumable products including X-ray processing chemicals (developers, fixers), film, and related supplies for ongoing NDT operations.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Individual product pricing with volume options |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
Testrade product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Testrade Limited distributes non-destructive testing (NDT) equipment and consumables to industrial buyers, covering radiography, ultrasonic testing, magnetic particle inspection, penetrant inspection, and remote visual inspection. The company resells products from leading manufacturers (AGFA, Carestream, Magnaflux, Johnson & Allen, Dakota NDT, Baker Hughes Krautkramer, Elcometer, FlawTech, Chemetall) through an e-commerce storefront with quote basket functionality and next-day delivery on stocked items, plus specialist sourcing from international suppliers.
Product overview
Testrade is a specialist distributor of Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) equipment and consumables, operating since 1971 from the UK. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of NDT products organized into main categories: Radiography (X-ray film, processing chemicals, film viewers, radiation safety equipment), Ultrasonic Testing (instruments from Dakota NDT including flaw detectors and thickness gauges), Magnetic Particle & Penetrant Inspection (UV lamps from Magnaflux and Johnson & Allen), Remote Visual Inspection, and Welding/Inspection Gauges. Key branded product lines include Dakota NDT ultrasonic instruments, AGFA and Carestream X-ray films and chemicals, Magnaflux and Johnson & Allen UV inspection lamps, FlawTech reference standards and training kits, and Kowolux film viewers. The company also supplies extensive radiographic accessories including image quality indicators, intensifying screens, cassettes, and film processing equipment. Testrade operates as a single-point purchase for all NDT requirements, holding stock of most items with next-day delivery available on stock items, serving customers across aerospace, automotive, construction, and industrial sectors.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Companies that use Testrade
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Testrade technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Testrade partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- AGFAcoreDistributor of AGFA Structurix X-ray films and processing chemicals including D2, D3, D4, D5, D7, D8 films and G128, G135 developers, G328, G335 fixers.
- CarestreamcoreDistributor of Carestream Industrex X-ray films and processing chemicals for non-UK markets (export only). Products include AA400, HS800, MX125 films and developer/fixer solutions.
- MagnafluxcoreDistributor of Magnaflux NDT products including EV6000 and EV6500 LED UV lamps, ST700 stationary inspection lamps.
- Johnson & AllencoreDistributor of Johnson & Allen NDT inspection equipment including NeoVU-2, NeoVU-3, NeoVU-4 LED UV inspection lamps and Neolectron 2 battery-operated UV lamps.
- Dakota NDTcoreDistributor of Dakota NDT ultrasonic testing equipment including CX thickness gauges, ZX thickness gauges, FX71/FX81 flaw detectors, BT1/BT2 bolt tension monitors, and MultiMax.
- Baker Hughes KrautkramercoreDistributor of Krautkramer ultrasonic NDT inspection systems (part of Baker Hughes).
- ElcometercoreDistributor of Elcometer NDT inspection equipment, with over 70 years of industry presence.
- FlawTechcoreDistributor of FlawTech NDT testing products including standard reference radiograph sets, ultrasonic kits, RT stacked kits, bubble leak kits, cast specimen sets, and multi-method NDT kits.
- ChemetallminorDistributor of Chemetall NDT products.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Testrade competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Magnaflux: Global manufacturer of magnetic particle, penetrant and UV inspection equipment and consumables. Comparable to Testrade as Magnaflux is both a Testrade distribution partner and an established incumbent whose branded products are sold into the same NDT end-user base.
- Dakota NDT: Manufacturer of ultrasonic thickness gauges, flaw detectors and bolt tension monitors. Comparable to Testrade as Dakota is both a Testrade distribution partner and a manufacturer whose instruments overlap the ultrasonic category Testrade sells into.
- Elcometer: UK-headquartered manufacturer of coating thickness measurement and inspection instruments with over 70 years of history. Comparable to Testrade as Elcometer is both a Testrade distribution partner and a long-established UK inspection-equipment brand serving the same industrial coating and NDT buyers.
- Sonatest: UK-based manufacturer of ultrasonic flaw detectors, thickness gauges and phased-array NDT instruments. Comparable to Testrade as both serve UK/European NDT customers in ultrasonic and related inspection methods, though Sonatest is a manufacturer rather than a multi-brand distributor.
- YXLON International: Global manufacturer of industrial X-ray and CT inspection systems. Comparable to Testrade as YXLON competes for the same industrial radiography spend that drives demand for Testrade's film, processing chemicals, viewers and radiation safety accessories.
- Baker Hughes (Krautkramer): Global industrial OEM offering the Krautkramer line of ultrasonic NDT inspection systems. Comparable to Testrade as Baker Hughes/Krautkramer is both a Testrade distribution partner and a broad incumbent competing for the same ultrasonic testing spend.
- Olympus Industrial: Global manufacturer of industrial NDT instruments including ultrasonic flaw detectors, thickness gauges, eddy current and videoscope products. Comparable to Testrade as Olympus overlaps with much of the Dakota/Krautkramer-style ultrasonic and RVI product categories that Testrade distributes.
- Johnson & Allen: UK manufacturer of NDT inspection equipment, including UV lamps and magnetic particle inspection products. Comparable to Testrade as Johnson & Allen is both a Testrade distribution partner and a direct peer in the UK NDT equipment supply market.
Direct peers
- Ashtead Technology: UK-headquartered specialist in NDT and inspection equipment sales, rental and calibration serving industrial markets. Comparable to Testrade as both distribute NDT equipment and consumables to UK and European industrial customers, with overlapping supplier brands.
- Inspection Solutions: UK-based supplier of NDT equipment, consumables and accessories to industrial inspection customers. Comparable to Testrade as a domestic specialist distributor operating in the same multi-method NDT distribution space with similar product categories and customer base.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Testrade social profiles
Digital presenceTestrade financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Testrade leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Testrade funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Testrade 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 Testrade
What does Testrade do?
Testrade Limited distributes non-destructive testing (NDT) equipment and consumables to industrial buyers, covering radiography, ultrasonic testing, magnetic particle inspection, penetrant inspection, and remote visual inspection. The company resells products from leading manufacturers (AGFA, Carestream, Magnaflux, Johnson & Allen, Dakota NDT, Baker Hughes Krautkramer, Elcometer, FlawTech, Chemetall) through an e-commerce storefront with quote basket functionality and next-day delivery on stocked items, plus specialist sourcing from international suppliers.
Is Testrade a public or private company?
Testrade is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Testrade founded?
Testrade was founded in 1971. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Testrade based?
Testrade is headquartered in Watford, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Testrade make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. NDT Equipment Sales are the primary driver. The others are NDT Consumables.
Who are Testrade's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Magnaflux, Dakota NDT, Elcometer, Sonatest, YXLON International, Baker Hughes (Krautkramer), Olympus Industrial and Johnson & Allen. Direct peers are Ashtead Technology and Inspection Solutions.
Does Testrade have an API?
No public API is recorded for Testrade.
What industry is Testrade in?
Testrade's product category is Non-Destructive Testing Equipment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAIACAI, Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) & Inspection Services, with a secondary code of IMAGAFAI, NDT/NDE Inspection Equipment (Ultrasonic, eddy current, radiography, thermography). Its NAICS code is 4246 and its SIC code is 5084.