High-Growth Sector
Life Science Services
A market overview of active UK companies in Life Science Services. Figures exclude dormant and dissolved companies. Data refreshed 30 Apr 2026.
Active companies
124
trading & on register
Reporting turnover
26
21% of active
Reporting employees
102
82% of active
Register health
10%
of 139 on register are dormant
Company size (employees)
Active companies reporting employee counts
Turnover distribution
Active companies reporting turnover
Where they're based
Active companies by major UK city (30km London, 15–20km elsewhere)
New formations by year
Active companies incorporated under this category (dormant shells excluded)
Largest by turnover
| # | Company | Turnover | EBITDA | Employees | 3y growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ABCAM LIMITED | £236.0M | £151.1M | 635 | -20% |
| 2 | BIO-RAD LABORATORIES LIMITED | £46.0M | £2.0M | 95 | -3% |
| 3 | PERKINELMER AES (UK) LIMITED | £44.7M | £35K | 382 | - |
| 4 | SMITHERS UK HOLDINGS LIMITED | £33.5M | £7.5M | 292 | 8% |
| 5 | MOLECULAR DEVICES (UK) LIMITED | £30.8M | £1.7M | 110 | -4% |
| 6 | APCER LIFE SCIENCES HOLDING LIMITED | £30.3M | £11.0M | 870 | 8% |
| 7 | SOURCE BIOSCIENCE UK LIMITED | £28.0M | £3.7M | 120 | -31% |
| 8 | ACM GLOBAL CENTRAL LABORATORY OPERATIONS LIMITED | £24.4M | £4.6M | 161 | 19% |
| 9 | ACM GLOBAL CENTRAL LABORATORY LIMITED | £24.4M | £4.6M | 161 | 19% |
| 10 | APCER LIFE SCIENCES LTD. | £18.5M | £3.0M | 5 | 5% |
| 11 | AGENDA RESOURCE MANAGEMENT LIMITED | £15.7M | £952K | 172 | 14% |
| 12 | PORVAIR SCIENCES LIMITED | £14.0M | £4.5M | 78 | 8% |
| 13 | CATALYST CLINICAL RESEARCH EUROPE, LTD. | £14.0M | £534K | 54 | - |
| 14 | VWR LAB SERVICES LIMITED | £12.6M | £1.6M | 304 | 9% |
| 15 | SMITHERS MSE LIMITED | £10.3M | £2.8M | 105 | 5% |
| 16 | THE CAMBRIDGE CRYSTALLOGRAPHIC DATA CENTRE | £9.9M | £815K | 109 | 8% |
| 17 | ESMS GLOBAL LIMITED | £7.9M | £3.2M | 64 | - |
| 18 | PERKINELMER (UK) LIMITED | £7.3M | £291K | 62 | - |
| 19 | SMITHERS ERS LIMITED | £7.1M | £942K | 77 | -1% |
| 20 | BIO-RAD SERVICES UK LIMITED | £5.5M | £23K | 59 | -11% |
Fastest-growing
Active companies with turnover ≥ £1m, sorted by 3-year turnover CAGR
| # | Company | Turnover | Employees | 3y turnover growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ACM GLOBAL CENTRAL LABORATORY OPERATIONS LIMITED | £24.4M | 161 | 19% |
| 2 | ACM GLOBAL CENTRAL LABORATORY LIMITED | £24.4M | 161 | 19% |
| 3 | AGENDA RESOURCE MANAGEMENT LIMITED | £15.7M | 172 | 14% |
| 4 | VWR LAB SERVICES LIMITED | £12.6M | 304 | 9% |
| 5 | THE CAMBRIDGE CRYSTALLOGRAPHIC DATA CENTRE | £9.9M | 109 | 8% |
| 6 | SMITHERS UK HOLDINGS LIMITED | £33.5M | 292 | 8% |
| 7 | PORVAIR SCIENCES LIMITED | £14.0M | 78 | 8% |
| 8 | APCER LIFE SCIENCES HOLDING LIMITED | £30.3M | 870 | 8% |
| 9 | APCER LIFE SCIENCES LTD. | £18.5M | 5 | 5% |
| 10 | SMITHERS MSE LIMITED | £10.3M | 105 | 5% |
Newest formations
Most recently incorporated active companies
| # | Company | Location | Incorporated |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ARRAYJET HOLDINGS LTD | Roslin | 2025 |
| 2 | DYNAMIC BIO-SOLUTIONS LTD | London | 2023 |
| 3 | ACM CLINICAL LIMITED | Cambridge | 2023 |
| 4 | PERKINELMER AES (UK) LIMITED | High Wycombe | 2022 |
| 5 | PERKINELMER (UK) LIMITED | High Wycombe | 2022 |
| 6 | BRIEFLY BIO LTD | London | 2022 |
| 7 | SUSSEX PATHOLOGY LIMITED | Brighton | 2022 |
| 8 | CHR LIFE SCIENCES LTD | London | 2022 |
| 9 | BLUE TEST LIMITED | Wakefield | 2021 |
| 10 | AXION BIOSYSTEMS MANUFACTURING UK LTD | Kidlington | 2021 |
| 11 | H1 LIFE SCIENCES LIMITED | Altrincham | 2021 |
| 12 | CLENT LIFE HOLDINGS LTD | Stourbridge | 2021 |
| 13 | CERBA RESEARCH UK LTD | Kingston Upon Thames | 2021 |
| 14 | WICKHAM MICRO LIMITED | Gosport | 2021 |
| 15 | OSB PHARMA LTD | Manchester | 2021 |
| 16 | MYBIO LIMITED | Cardiff | 2021 |
| 17 | ABS LABORATORIES LIMITED | York | 2020 |
| 18 | PHARMA BUSINESS REVIEW LIMITED | London | 2020 |
| 19 | BIOAPP HOLDINGS LIMITED | York | 2020 |
| 20 | CLINICAL AND MICROBIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS LABORATORY LIMITED | Cambridge | 2020 |