Company aims to lead revolution in microscope technology

A York business is on a mission to take the lead in cutting-edge microscope technology, with support from City of York Council and the York and North Yorkshire Growth Hub.

Poppleton-based business York Probe Sources (YPS) make parts for powerful electron microscopes, which use electron beams to generate high-resolution images of samples as small as viruses and nano fibres.

The company specialises in refurbishing older microscopes to make high-tech microscopy more sustainable and accessible for researchers worldwide.

This initiative will have far-reaching impacts in areas such as research into viruses like COVID-19, and in materials science, medical diagnostics and renewable energy technologies.

Since 2023, YPS director Omar El-Gomati and his team have been supported by the council’s Business Growth Manager, Louise Saw.

She has provided the business with advice on their next steps to growth – including taking on more staff and expanding into new premises – and helped them access finance and training.

Louise referred YPS to Mike Pennington, a business relationship manager at the York and North Yorkshire Growth Hub, who helped the firm secure £20,000 in grant funding from the national Made Smarter scheme to scale up their business.

The grant covered half of the cost of a new machine. This machine will automate the manufacture of field emitters – the part of the microscope which produces and emits a beam of electrons.

Until now, this process had been undertaken by older machines in a slow and delicate process which could only produce one unit at a time and which had a high failure rate.

Investing in the new machine has made the manufacturing process more productive and efficient, by allowing multiple units to be produced simultaneously while helping to reduce costly waste.

It has allowed the company to scale up production and offer more competitive pricing to customers as part of its ambition to make electron microscopy more affordable and accessible.

El-Gomati said: “Having built our business in York and developed our unique offer of refurbishing microscopes in a cost-effective and sustainable way, we’re now looking to scale up our production to remain competitive in a fast-moving industry dominated by large international players.

“By investing in new technology with automation and computer control, we’re replacing a tedious, manual process with a faster and more precise method.

“This allows us to produce higher-quality products more quickly and cost-effectively.”

YPS is poised to recruit more technical staff, including apprentices, as it aims to nurture the next generation of engineering talent.

The company is also expanding into bigger lab premises, adjoining its existing facility, and is looking to continue to automate more of its processes in the future.

David Skaith, Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, said: “The diversity of our business community is one of York and North Yorkshire’s greatest strengths.

“York Probe Sources are among our future focused, high growth businesses, who are leading innovation and creating new and higher paid jobs.

“It’s great to see the positive impact of the support they have had, and the partnership working behind it all.”

Councillor Pete Kilbane, City of York Council’s executive member for economy and culture, added: “It’s wonderful to see first-hand the impact of our support for York Probe Sources as they continue to create well-paid jobs for the next generation and lead the way in making vital scientific research more sustainable and more accessible the world over.”

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