UK BIOCENTRE LIMITED
UK Biocentre Limited provides end-to-end biological sample storage, high-throughput processing, and cold-chain logistics across two UK facilities, serving government health programmes, pharmaceutical/biotech firms, and academic researchers with a 35 million-sample biorepository.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersMilton Keynes, United Kingdom
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What UK BIOCENTRE LIMITED does
UK Biocentre Limited is a UK-based biobanking and biological sample management provider, founded in 2014 as the service arm of UK Biobank and now operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Azenta UK Ltd following a 2025 acquisition by Nasdaq-listed Azenta, Inc. (AZTA). The company operates two purpose-built facilities — a 70,000 sqft headquarters in Milton Keynes and a satellite storage site in Oxford — offering end-to-end sample solutions spanning long-term storage across temperature regimes (-80°C automated, -196°C vapour-phase liquid nitrogen, ambient), high-throughput processing (nucleic acid extraction, genotyping/sequencing, sample reformatting), temperature-controlled logistics via its in-house BioDrive courier, disaster recovery cover, and bespoke project and advisory services. Underlying infrastructure includes Azenta BioArc Flex and BioArc Ultra automated storage, 24 Thermo Fisher KingFisher Flex extraction systems, Tecan EVO-150 liquid handlers, and a proprietary Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) providing full chain-of-custody traceability.
The business model is enterprise project-based and recurring-storage-driven: revenue is generated through multi-year contract quotes for sample storage (subscription-like), usage-based processing fees, managed logistics services, and professional advisory engagements. Customers are exclusively institutional — large government health research programmes (Our Future Health, Genomics England, NIHR BioResource, NHS Test & Trace, VIVO Biobank) and academic centres (UCL, King's College London, Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial, plus international genomics partners). The company holds HTA licensing (No. 12624), ISO 9001, ISO 27001, and UKAS ISO 15189 (No. 20056) accreditation, which collectively form the regulatory backbone required for handling human tissue at scale in the UK. UK Biocentre achieved first profitability as an independent entity in FY2023-2024, and now operates under Azenta's ownership with its existing leadership intact and a stated mandate to expand across Europe.
UK BIOCENTRE LIMITED firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- UK BIOCENTRE LIMITED
- Legal name
- UK Biocentre Limited
- Website
- https://ukbiocentre.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- UK Biocentre Limited provides end-to-end biological sample storage, high-throughput processing, and cold-chain logistics across two UK facilities, serving government health programmes, pharmaceutical/biotech firms, and academic researchers with a 35 million-sample biorepository.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
UK BIOCENTRE LIMITED industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Biobanking and Sample Management Services
- NAICS
- Blood and Organ Banks (621991), Medical Laboratories (621511), Warehousing and Storage (4931)
- SIC
- Services-Medical Laboratories (8071), Laboratory Analytical Instruments (3826)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Biobank & Biospecimen Management LIMS (HLACAMAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Sample / Biorepository & Biobank Informatics (Chain-of-Custody) (HLAGAJAH), Medical & Clinical Specimen Frozen Storage (Labs, Biobanks) (TLALACAE), Pharmaceutical & Biologics Frozen Storage (Ultra-Low/Deep-Freeze) (TLALACAD), Sample Logistics, Biorepository & IVD Kit Management (Trial Support) (HLAGAEAI)
Keywords
Where UK BIOCENTRE LIMITED is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Milton Keynes
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
UK BIOCENTRE LIMITED business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Sample Storage Services: Long-term biological sample storage in automated and manual facilities. Revenue generated through storage contracts for samples across various temperature ranges including -80°C automated stores, manual freezers, and liquid nitrogen tanks at -196°C. Pricing based on sample volume, storage duration, and temperature requirements.
- Sample Processing Services: High-throughput sample processing including nucleic acid extraction, genotyping, and sequencing services. Revenue from processing fees based on sample volume and processing complexity. Services include DNA/RNA extraction, sample reformatting, and preparation for analysis.
- Sample Shipping & Logistics: Courier and logistics services for biological samples through BioDrive division. Includes temperature-controlled transport, sample retrieval and dispatch, and global shipping coordination.
- Project & Advisory Services: Consulting and project management services for study design, protocol development, and operational support. Advisory expertise on labware selection, process design, and end-to-end study execution.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom project-based pricing |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
UK BIOCENTRE LIMITED product offering
Product offeringCore offering
UK Biocentre provides large-scale biological sample storage and high-throughput sample processing services for biomedical, pharmaceutical, and clinical research organisations. The company operates automated and manual storage facilities (35M sample capacity) using Azenta BioArc Flex/Ultra systems, manual ULT freezers, and liquid nitrogen tanks, combined with nucleic acid extraction (KingFisher Flex), automated liquid handling (Tecan EVO-150, Integra Viaflow 96), in-house courier logistics (BioDrive), and a bespoke LIMS for end-to-end sample traceability.
Product overview
UK Biocentre operates as a comprehensive biobanking and sample management platform offering end-to-end biological sample solutions. The core offering combines automated and manual storage infrastructure (BioArc Flex, BioArc Ultra, manual ULT freezers, liquid nitrogen cryogenic storage) with high-throughput sample processing services (KingFisher Flex extraction, Tecan EVO-150 and Integra Viaflow 96 liquid handling). A bespoke LIMS provides integrated sample tracking and inventory management across all operations. Additional services include BioDrive temperature-controlled courier logistics, disaster recovery cover, project advisory, and genotyping/sequencing partnerships. The platform supports large-scale biomedical, pharmaceutical, and clinical research programmes.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Sample Storage Solutions Biological sample storage services including automated ultra-low temperature storage (-70°C/-80°C) using Azenta BioArc systems, manual ULT freezers, vapour phase liquid nitrogen cryogenic storage (-196°C), and ambient storage. Capacity to store over 35 million samples across facilities in Milton Keynes and Oxford.
- Sample Processing Services High-throughput sample processing services capable of processing tens to thousands of samples per day using automated systems and scalable operations. Services include nucleic acid extraction (DNA/RNA), genotyping, and sample reformatting.
- BioDrive Sample Courier Service In-house courier service for temperature-controlled sample transportation. Maintains -80°C conditions from automated store to analytical laboratory and back. Operates rolling weekly cycles between Milton Keynes facility and partner laboratories, plus global logistics partner network for international shipping.
- Project & Advisory Services Study design, project management, and advisory services including labware type consultation, pilot process design, bespoke protocol development, and end-to-end study support.
- Genotyping & Sequencing Services On-site genotyping services facilitated through partnership with Illumina iScan systems and NovaSeq platforms with bespoke data delivery and library preparation. Reduces costs and turnaround times by integrating with on-site sample processing.
- Disaster Recovery Cover Emergency sample storage services for organisations experiencing storage failures. Provides temporary capacity in automated -80°C stores, manual freezers, and liquid nitrogen tanks while clients resolve their issues.
Quantifiable outcome
- Processed over 31 million COVID-19 samples during pandemic
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use UK BIOCENTRE LIMITED
Customer profileNamed customers13 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
UK BIOCENTRE LIMITED technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
AI capability4 records
Feature7 records
UK BIOCENTRE LIMITED partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered important and core.
- T-ScanimportantPartnership with T-Scan for environmental monitoring infrastructure upgrade. T-Scan installed over 300 sensors across UK Biocentre's two sites within a three-week timeframe, providing data points every five minutes for temperature monitoring, alarm notifications, and audit-ready reporting. T-Scan's ASSERT system will integrate with the T-Scan Platform for end-to-end visibility throughout the sample lifecycle.
- Azenta Life Sciences (BioArc Ultra)importantPartnership for installation of state-of-the-art BioArc Ultra Automated Storage System at UK Biocentre's Milton Keynes facility. The system holds over 16 million samples with natural air-cooling technology for reduced energy consumption. Expected to be operational in 2026.
- Our Future HealthcoreUK Biocentre serves as bio sample processing and custom array genotyping site for bloods, as well as long-term biobank for this groundbreaking population health research programme. The partnership involves sample processing, 7-day operations, five teams operating overlapping shifts, and long-term sample storage.
- Genomics EnglandcoreUK Biocentre supports Genomics England research programmes including the Generation Study for newborn genome sequencing, processing and storing samples for rare genetic disease research.
- NIHR BioResourcecoreUK Biocentre processes samples for the National Institute for Health and Care Research BioResource, supporting biomedical research across multiple disease areas.
- GRAILimportantUK Biocentre supported the GRAIL Galleri Project, completing the trial in July 2024. This multi-centre cancer detection trial evaluated GRAIL's Galleri blood test for early cancer detection.
- VIVO BiobankimportantUK Biocentre has provided sample processing and storage for VIVO Biobank (previously CellBank and CCLG Tissue Bank) since 2011. VIVO Biobank is UK's national bioresource for samples and data from children and young people with cancer, funded by Cancer Research UK and Blood Cancer UK.
- NHS Blood and TransplantimportantIntegrated into Our Future Health programme, NHS Blood and Transplant enables donors to consent to participate in the study when giving blood, providing future access to donors' genetic data for population health research.
- IlluminaimportantOn-site genotyping services facilitated on Illumina iScan systems and NovaSeq platforms. Partnership enables seamless sample processing with genotyping technology without external sample transport.
- Thermo Fisher ScientificimportantUK Biocentre operates 24 KingFisher Flex systems by Thermo Fisher Scientific for DNA/RNA extraction, providing high-speed automated genetic material extraction capabilities.
- TecanimportantPartnership for Tecan EVO-150 liquid handling systems enabling high-throughput automated sample processing, reformatting, and plate preparation.
Scale indicators15 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
UK BIOCENTRE LIMITED competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Qiagen: Global provider of sample preparation, nucleic acid extraction and biobanking consumables/kits. Comparable on the processing side of UK Biocentre's offering (DNA/RNA extraction) but does not run a service-based biorepository.
- Thermo Fisher Scientific: Supplies the KingFisher Flex extraction systems used at UK Biocentre and offers adjacent biobanking and clinical sample management services through its PPD and bioservices businesses. Broad incumbent in life sciences tools and services.
- Eurofins BioPharma Product Testing: Global life sciences testing group with biorepository and sample storage capabilities as part of a broader contract services portfolio, including support for clinical trials and pharma clients across Europe.
Emerging players
- SPT Labtech: UK-based provider of automated sample storage and liquid handling technologies (e.g. comPOUND, arktic). Comparable in automated -80°C storage product category though smaller scale and primarily equipment-focused.
- TTP Labtech: Specialist in automated sample management and storage for pharma/biotech (comPOUND, arktic, mosquito). Relevant peer on technology overlap with UK Biocentre's automated storage stack.
Direct peers
- Chart Industries / MVE Biological Solutions: Leading supplier of cryogenic storage equipment (vapour-phase LN2 Dewars) and biorepository services used by biobanks and cell therapy manufacturers; UK Biocentre operates 127 MVE-style cryogenic tanks.
- Brooks Life Sciences: Automated biobanking and sample management services provider (now part of Azenta). Operates comparable -80°C automated storage platforms and biorepository services for pharma, biotech and academic customers globally.
- Azenta Life Sciences: Parent company of UK Biocentre and itself a leading global provider of automated sample storage, biorepository services, and life sciences consumables. Most directly comparable peer given identical BioArc platform and overlapping customer base across pharma and academic research.
- Hamilton Company (Hamilton Storage): Manufactures automated sample storage systems (SampleBank, BiOS) and offers biobanking services. Closest equipment and service peer for high-density -80°C automated biorepositories.
- Intertek Pharmaceutical Services (BioStorage Technologies): Operates a global biorepository network offering temperature-controlled storage, sample logistics and chain-of-custody for clinical trials and biobanks, directly comparable in service model to UK Biocentre.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
UK BIOCENTRE LIMITED social profiles
Digital presenceUK BIOCENTRE LIMITED compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
UK BIOCENTRE LIMITED financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
UK BIOCENTRE LIMITED leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
UK BIOCENTRE LIMITED funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
UK BIOCENTRE LIMITED 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 UK BIOCENTRE LIMITED
What does UK BIOCENTRE LIMITED do?
UK Biocentre provides large-scale biological sample storage and high-throughput sample processing services for biomedical, pharmaceutical, and clinical research organisations. The company operates automated and manual storage facilities (35M sample capacity) using Azenta BioArc Flex/Ultra systems, manual ULT freezers, and liquid nitrogen tanks, combined with nucleic acid extraction (KingFisher Flex), automated liquid handling (Tecan EVO-150, Integra Viaflow 96), in-house courier logistics (BioDrive), and a bespoke LIMS for end-to-end sample traceability.
Is UK BIOCENTRE LIMITED a public or private company?
UK BIOCENTRE LIMITED is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was UK BIOCENTRE LIMITED founded?
UK BIOCENTRE LIMITED was founded in 2014. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is UK BIOCENTRE LIMITED based?
UK BIOCENTRE LIMITED is headquartered in Milton Keynes, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does UK BIOCENTRE LIMITED make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Sample Storage Services are the primary driver. The others are sample Processing Services, sample Shipping & Logistics and project & Advisory Services.
Who are UK BIOCENTRE LIMITED's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Qiagen, Thermo Fisher Scientific and Eurofins BioPharma Product Testing. Emerging players are SPT Labtech and TTP Labtech. Direct peers are Chart Industries / MVE Biological Solutions, Brooks Life Sciences, Azenta Life Sciences, Hamilton Company (Hamilton Storage) and Intertek Pharmaceutical Services (BioStorage Technologies).
Does UK BIOCENTRE LIMITED have an API?
No public API is recorded for UK BIOCENTRE LIMITED.
What industry is UK BIOCENTRE LIMITED in?
UK BIOCENTRE LIMITED's product category is Biobanking and Sample Management Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLACAMAG, Biobank & Biospecimen Management LIMS, with a secondary code of HLAGAJAH, Sample / Biorepository & Biobank Informatics (Chain-of-Custody). Its NAICS code is 621991 and its SIC code is 8071.