Smiths Detection is a world-leading designer and manufacturer of sensors that detect and identify explosives, weapons, chemical agents, biohazards, nuclear and radioactive material, narcotics and contraband.
Our technology helps customers in the global transportation, ports and borders, critical infrastructure, military and emergency responder markets. We have the most comprehensive range of detection technologies in the world, including -ray, trace detection, infra-red and gamma ray spectroscopy, and millimetre-wave.
Key facts
Employees 2,300
2012 Revenue £519m
2012 Operating profit margin 13.3%
Principal operations regions
Our nine manufacturing centres are concentrated in North America, Germany, France, Russia, Malaysia and the UK. We sell to over 180 countries around the world either direct or through third-party distributors.
Customers
A significant majority of sales are influenced by more than 100 governments and their agencies, including homeland security authorities, customs authorities, emergency responders and the military. These include the US Department of Defense, US Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and the UK Ministry of Defence.
Competitors
Smiths Detection’s broad portfolio in the homeland security and defence sectors brings it into competition with a wide range of companies in individual segments. Principal competitors include: Morpho (air transportation), Rapiscan (air transportation, ports and borders, critical infrastructure), L3 Security & Detection Systems (air transportation), Nuctech (ports and borders), AS&E (ports and borders), FLIR (air transportation, defence), SAIC (ports and borders), Chemring (military), Bruker (military, emergency responders), and Thermo Fisher (military, emergency responders).
Suppliers
We are actively developing synergies across sites and restructuring our purchasing group to ensure that we fully leverage the size of our business. These developments will be ongoing taking into account the demand for local content with some of our major customers as well as our stringent quality and delivery requirements. Our procurement team has now been centralised and our engagement with suppliers is being standardised across all business operations.
Financial highlights
Revenue performance
Revenue by sector £519m
- Transportation 47%
- Ports and borders 16%
- Military 11%
- Emergency responders 4%
- Critical infrastructure 21%
- Non-security 1%
Where we operate
Our eight manufacturing centres are concentrated in North America, Germany, France, Russia and the UK.
We sell to over 150 countries around the world either direct or through third-party distributors.