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LPW Technology

MaterialsWidnes, Cheshire, United KingdomFounded 2007· One of 1019 Materials companies tracked by AMPulse

LPW Technology manufactures and supplies ultra-clean metal powders specifically designed for additive manufacturing processes.

CEO / Founder
Phil Carroll
Team Size
51-200
Stage
Acquired
Total Funding
$81M
Latest Round
Acquired
Key Investors
Stratasys, Carpenter Technology

Technology & Products

Key Products

Ultra-clean metal powders with complete traceability and powder lifecycle management solutions.

Technological Advantage

Full traceability of metal powders combined with customized powder solutions tailored to specific additive manufacturing requirements.

Patent position

LPW Technology filed 48 patent families across all years, compared with 3 for Metalysis, 5 for Elementum 3D, and 13 for Equispheres. AMPulse analysis

Filing momentum
3 families filed 2022–2024, 27 in 2019–2021
Filed in
WO 38%EP 33%US 31%JP 2%
Named competitors, AM patent families
Metalysis 3Elementum 3D 5Equispheres 13

48 AM patent families in total. Recent years are still being published, so read a filing change against the same-office figure.

Differentiation

Value Proposition

Provides ultra-clean metal powders with complete traceability, ensuring optimal performance and quality in additive manufacturing applications.

How They Differentiate

Focus on ultra-clean metal powders with comprehensive traceability solutions, setting them apart from competitors.

Market & Competition

Target Customers

Additive manufacturing industries including aerospace, medical, and automotive sectors.

Industry Verticals

Aerospace, Medical, Automotive

Competitors

Metalysis; Elementum 3D; Equispheres

Growth & Milestones

Growth Metrics

Rapid growth with significant sales turnover increase since inception.

Major Milestones

Acquisition by Carpenter Technology in 2018, Development of the first metal powder production facility dedicated to additive manufacturing

Notable Customers

Notable partnerships include collaborations with aerospace and medical implant manufacturers.

https://www.lpwtechnology.com

AM patents

AM-relevant patents linked to this company.

Patents
53
Granted
16
Families
48

Leading domains: process (53), material (52), equipment (46)

Filings by year: 2024: 3 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 20 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 11

  1. Method and apparatus for determining metal powder condition11969789 · US
  2. METHOD OF MANUTACTURE AND PREDICTING POWDER DEGREDATION IN AN ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING PROCESS03714339 · EP
  3. METHOD OF MANUTACTURE AND PREDICTING POWDER DEGREDATION IN AN ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING PROCESS2019102203 · WO
  4. A COUPLING SYSTEM FOR AN ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING PROCESS2021123782 · WO
  5. Docking arrangement for an additive manufacturing process12240175 · US

Funding rounds

  • Acquisition$81.0M2018-10Lead: Carpenter Technology · Source: Carpenter Technology Official PR
  • Strategic InvestmentUndisclosed2017-04Lead: Stratasys · Source: LPW Technology Official PR

Why this company matters

AMPulse analysis, not a company disclosure

LPW Technology manufactures ultra-clean metal powders specifically engineered for additive manufacturing, with a focus on traceability and lifecycle management. Founded in 2007 in Widnes, Cheshire, the company addresses a critical gap in metal AM: inconsistent powder quality and lack of batch-level provenance that can compromise part integrity in regulated industries.

The company's core offering spans nickel-based alloys, titanium, and refractory metal powders optimized for laser powder bed fusion (LPBF), electron beam melting (EBM), and directed energy deposition (DED) processes. LPW's patented powder handling and docking systems enable closed-loop material management, while its lifecycle software tracks each batch from production through reuse, providing auditable data for quality assurance.

Primary customers include aerospace primes, medical implant OEMs, and automotive tier-1 suppliers. Notable partnerships with Stratasys and Airbus APWORKS underscore LPW's position in demanding end markets. The company was acquired by Carpenter Technology in 2018, gaining access to broader distribution and R&D resources while retaining its specialized powder production facility.

LPW's competitive moat lies in its combination of ultra-clean powder metallurgy and digital traceability, a pairing that few metal powder suppliers offer. However, as Carpenter Technology integrates the business, LPW must maintain its specialized focus against larger competitors like Metalysis and Equispheres who also target high-purity AM feedstocks.