Advanced manufacturing specialist Holdson has raised £1.5m in a round led by the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II (NPIF II) to expand its patented electroform™ process and supply businesses across the aerospace, defence, automotive and nuclear fusion industries.
Holdson, which has a production facility near Huddersfield, has developed electroform™, an electromechanical finishing process to enhance the performance of metal parts, including cast and 3D printed components, by refining their surfaces and removing imperfections.
The technology is helping manufacturers design for post-processing, which is an essential stage after the initial manufacturing process. This results in better quality parts, fewer process bottlenecks and more scalable operations.
Holdson raised £500k of the £1.5m round from NPIF II – Praetura Equity Finance, managed by Praetura Ventures (soon to be PXN Group, subject to FCA approval), as part of the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II, with further investment coming from Oval Investments and the Singapore venture capital firm SANDS, which brings strategic links into the Asian and international markets, creating global expansion opportunities.
Holdson will also use the funding round to scale the production of the various electroform™ post-processing devices and machines in its product portfolio, which are attracting growing interest for the gains they provide in the efficiency, precision and durability of parts.
Launched in 2023, Holdson is the product of a collaboration between a team of engineers and entrepreneurs and Huddersfield-based engineering specialists Cummins Turbo Technologies. In just two years, Holdson has grown to a team of 18, with customers across the UK, Europe, the US and Asia.
Aaron Holt, CEO of Holdson, said: “The additive and related industries have reached a point where the conversation has shifted from ‘how do we make this?’ to ‘how do we make it better?’. Customers want stronger, more efficient, more reliable components, produced in greater volumes and with ever more complex designs. electroform™ delivers those gains while staying competitive on cost, and that’s why we’re seeing such strong adoption from OEMs.”
Laurence Tan, investment associate at Praetura Ventures, said: “The advanced manufacturing space is critical to a number of key industries, including the automotive, aerospace and defence sectors, where vital parts and components are growing more complex with each passing year.
“Holdson is an example of a thriving Northern company that’s making these innovations possible. The company has the talent and the technology to continue scaling globally, and we’re pleased to be backing the team on their journey with NPIF II funding to supercharge their growth.”
Holdson was advised by Mills & Reeve with Ward Hadaway advising Praetura Ventures and Oval Investments.
