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Oxford Instruments

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Oxford Instruments plc
Company typePublic limited company
ISINGB0006650450 Edit this on Wikidata
IndustryTop level markets include materials analysis, semiconductors, and healthcare and life science
Founded1959
HeadquartersAbingdon, Oxfordshire
Key people
Neil Carson (Chairman)
Richard Tyson (CEO)
Paul Fry (CFO)
Alison Wood (Senior Independent Director)
Products
  • Analysers
  • Atomic force microscopes
  • Cryogenic systems
  • CT & MRI systems, maintenance & parts
  • Electron spectroscopes
  • Microanalysis systems
  • Nanoindentation systems
  • Nanomanipulation & nanofabrication
  • Plasma, ALD & ion beam
  • Raman microscopes
  • Scanning probe microscopes
  • Scientific cameras
  • Spectrometers
  • Superconducting magnets
  • X-ray tubes and integrated sources
RevenueIncrease £470.4 million (2024)[1]
Decrease £80.3 million (2024)[1]
Decrease £50.7 million (2024)[1]
Number of employees
2,244 (2024)[1]
Websitewww.oxinst.com

Oxford Instruments plc is a United Kingdom manufacturing and research company that designs and manufactures tools and systems for industry and research. The company is headquartered in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, England, with sites in the United Kingdom, United States, Europe, and Asia.[2] It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.[3]

History

[edit]

The company was founded by Sir Martin Wood in 1959, with help from his wife Audrey Wood (Lady Wood)[4][5] to manufacture superconducting magnets for use in scientific research, starting in his garden shed in Northmoor Road, Oxford, England.[6] It was the first substantial commercial spin-out company from the University of Oxford[7] and was first listed on the London Stock Exchange in 1983.[6] Peter Williams took over as CEO at the time of the flotation.[6]

It had a pioneering role in the development of magnetic resonance imaging, providing the first superconducting magnets for this application. The first commercial MRI whole body scanner was manufactured at its Osney Mead factory in Oxford in 1980 for installation at Hammersmith Hospital, London.[8] Further innovations included the development of active shielding, whereby fringe fields hazardous to pacemaker wearers, causing difficulty and expense in siting, were virtually eliminated.[9] Oxford Instruments was not able to capitalise on these inventions itself, granting royalty-free license to Philips and General Electric whilst developing a joint venture with Siemens in 1989: Oxford Instruments sold its 49% shareholding to Siemens in 2003.[10]

Andrew Macintosh was appointed CEO in 1998.[11] He was replaced as CEO by a former president of the Institute of Physics, Jonathan Flint, in 2005.[12] Ian Barkshire, who had spent much of his career with the company, took over as CEO in 2016.[13]

In November 2019, the History of Science Museum in Broad Street established a section on instruments made by the company.[14]

Richard Tyson joined the company from TT Electronics and was appointed CEO in April 2023.[15]

Acquisitions and divestitures

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Divestitures

  • 2003 Oxford Magnet Technology Ltd, minority shareholding sold to Siemens plc[16]
  • 2016 Superconducting Wire business sold to Bruker.[17]

Acquisitions

  • 2003 Thermo VC Semicon Ltd. Molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) equipment for semiconductor fabrication[18]
  • 2005 HKL Technology A/S. EBSD detector technology for electron microscopy[19]
  • 2008 Link Analytical AB. Sales channel for Oxford Instruments in Scandinavia[20]
  • 2012 Asylum Research Corp. Scanning probe microscopes for industry and research[21]
  • 2014 Andor Technology plc. Scientific cameras, spectrometers and high speed fluorescence microscopes[22]
  • 2021 WITec Wissenschaftliche Instrumente & Technologie GmbH. Raman imaging microscopes[23]
  • 2024 FemtoTools AG. MEMS-based nanoindenters [24][25]

Activities

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The company designs and manufactures products to image, analyse and manipulate materials.[26] It operates an innovation centre in High Wycombe where it carries out advanced material analysis.[27]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Annual Report 2023/24" (PDF). Oxford Instruments. Retrieved 4 February 2025.
  2. ^ "Offices – Oxford Instruments". oxinst.com. Archived from the original on 23 May 2022. Retrieved 26 May 2017.
  3. ^ "OXFORD INSTRMNT share price (OXIG) – London Stock Exchange". londonstockexchange.com. Archived from the original on 20 July 2018. Retrieved 26 May 2017.
  4. ^ "Audrey, Lady Wood (Oxford Instruments, The Oxford Trust, Oxford Innovation)" (PDF). sbs.oxford.edu. Archived from the original (PDF) on 31 July 2017.
  5. ^ Audrey Wood, Magnetic Venture: The Story of Oxford Instruments (Oxford University Press, 2001). ISBN 0-19-924108-2
  6. ^ a b c "Sir Martin Wood and Oxford Instruments" (PDF). Oxford University. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 April 2012. Retrieved 17 September 2011.
  7. ^ "High-tech UK industry; Oxford Instruments". CASE. 4 July 2011. Archived from the original on 19 July 2018. Retrieved 17 September 2011.
  8. ^ "MRI Scanner (1980)". Oxfordshire Blue Plaques Scheme. Oxfordshire Blue Plaques Board. 2 June 2011. Retrieved 6 January 2012.
  9. ^ "Superconducting magnets: The heart of NMR". Ingenia. February 2004. Archived from the original on 19 March 2012. Retrieved 17 September 2011.
  10. ^ "Siemens Acquires Oxford Instruments' Stake in Oxford Magnet Technology". PR Newswire. 2004. Retrieved 17 September 2011.
  11. ^ "Dr Andrew Mackintosh CBE FREng". Royal Academy of Engineering. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
  12. ^ "Sir Martin Wood: the supercool thinker who founded Oxford Instruments". Physics World. 19 April 2022. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
  13. ^ "Ian Barkshire joins Melrose as a non-executive director". Board Agenda. 3 September 2024. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
  14. ^ "Celebrating Sixty Years of Oxford Instruments". The Oxford Trust. 14 November 2019. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
  15. ^ "NewsOxford Instruments outlook upbeat, hires TT Electronics' Tyson as CEO". Morning Star. 13 April 2023. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
  16. ^ "Oxford Instruments plc sells its stake in Oxford Magnet Technology Limited to Siemens plc". www.chemeurope.com.
  17. ^ "Bruker and Oxford Instruments Announce Acquisition of Oxford Instruments Superconducting Wire Business by Bruker's BEST Segment". ir.bruker.com.
  18. ^ "Oxford Instruments acquires Thermo VG Semicon". Laser Focus World. 7 October 2003.
  19. ^ "Oxford Instruments acquires HKL Technology A/S". www.chemeurope.com.
  20. ^ "Oxford Instruments acquires Link Analytical". www.chemeurope.com.
  21. ^ "Asylum Research acquired by Oxford Instruments". Advanced Science News. 19 December 2012. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
  22. ^ "Andor Technology". Qubis.
  23. ^ "Oxford Instruments buys WITec for €42m". Wiley Analytical Science. 16 June 2021. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
  24. ^ Nicky Godding (2 July 2024). "Oxford Instruments completes acquisition of FemtoTools AG". The Business Magazine. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
  25. ^ "About FemtoToolsAG". femtotools.com. Archived from the original on 27 April 2025.
  26. ^ "Oxford Instruments opens Innovation Centre". Compound Semi-Conductor. 12 December 2023. Retrieved 27 April 2025.
  27. ^ "Oxford Instruments launches Innovation Centre for advanced material analysis". Metal Powder Technology. 2 January 2024. Retrieved 27 April 2025.


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