In this issue of Sustainability Today, we are pleased to feature ION SENSE as our Environmental Sensing Company of the Month.
ION SENSE is a dedicated gas detection sensor technology company focused on helping original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) integrate advanced sensing technologies into their own instruments and systems. Its portfolio includes high-performance photoionisation detection (PID) sensors for detecting volatile organic compounds (VOCs), alongside particulate matter sensors capable of measuring PM1, PM2.5 and PM10 in real time. By combining sensor performance with practical application expertise, ION SENSE supports customers developing solutions for increasingly demanding environmental, health and safety applications.
Headquartered in Fowlmere, Cambridgeshire, ION SENSE develops and manufactures its sensor technologies in the UK, while benefiting from an international presence spanning the United States, France, Italy, India and China. This global network enables the company to support OEM customers worldwide while maintaining its research, engineering and manufacturing expertise in the UK.
ION SENSE is the dedicated sensor technology sub-brand of ION Science, a specialist instrumentation business with more than 35 years of experience in gas detection, PID and sensing technologies. Founded in 1989, ION Science began with a deceptively simple innovation: the Saga Flow Meter, which used a bubble and light-sensor principle to measure flow. That early spirit of practical engineering laid the foundations for a globally recognised manufacturer serving industries where accurate environmental monitoring can help protect both people and the planet.
Over more than three decades, ION Science has developed extensive expertise in gas detection and PID technology, providing the technical foundations on which ION SENSE continues to build. Established in 2025, ION SENSE was created to provide a dedicated focus on advanced sensing technologies for OEM applications, enabling customers to incorporate proven sensing capabilities directly into their own products and systems.
What distinguishes ION SENSE within the sensing industry is not simply its technology, but its collaborative approach. Drawing on decades of expertise, the company works closely with product managers, engineers and system designers to help them select and integrate the most suitable sensing solutions for complex applications. Its technologies are used across environmental monitoring, occupational health and safety, industrial hygiene, emissions monitoring, HVAC systems, smart buildings and semiconductor manufacturing.
That combination of technology and practical expertise is central to ION SENSE’s offering, as Dr Peter Morris, Head of Sensors explains, “What sets ION SENSE apart is the combination of sensor performance, reliability and application expertise. Our PID range delivers fast response times, wide detection ranges and with some also having high-sensitivity options capable of sub-ppb VOC detection. We’ve also designed our technology to perform consistently in challenging environments, with patented Fence Electrode Technology helping reduce the effects of humidity and contamination. Combined with up to 10,000 hours of lamp life and UK-based engineering and technical support, we help OEM customers integrate sensing solutions that are tailored to their specific applications.”
This focus on practical innovation is underpinned by a simple philosophy: ‘Protect lives and preserve the environment.’ It is a purpose reflected in ION SENSE’s investment in sensing technologies designed to provide accurate, reliable data and support better-informed decisions around health, safety and environmental protection.
One of the key technologies underpinning ION SENSE’s offering is the MiniPID 2 PID Sensor, which received the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in Innovation in 2022 for its performance, reliability and contribution to VOC detection. Since its launch in 2007, the MiniPID 2 has become a cornerstone of the wider sensor portfolio, reflecting years of research and development in PID technology.
Today, ION SENSE is building on this established expertise through new partnerships and an expanding portfolio of PID and other sensing technologies. Its development of the ION SENSE PID represents the next generation of PID technology, with a focus on sensitivity, stability, humidity resistance and long-term performance. The particulate matter portfolio complements our PID technology in many air quality applications, while also supporting a wider range of dust and particulate monitoring needs across environmental monitoring, HVAC, smart buildings and industrial settings.
For OEM customers, this expanding portfolio provides opportunities to incorporate sophisticated environmental sensing into products designed for specific markets and applications. Rather than offering a one-size-fits-all approach, ION SENSE works with customers to understand their requirements and identify technologies that can deliver the performance, reliability and integration needed for their specific systems.
Looking ahead, ION SENSE plans to continue investing in research, development and UK manufacturing, while strengthening long-term relationships with OEM customers and technology partners around the world. Quality, reliability and responsible product development will remain central to this growth.
Ultimately, ION SENSE’s ambition extends beyond sensing technology itself. By helping organisations understand the environments in which people live and work, its technology can support safer workplaces, healthier environments and more informed approaches to environmental protection. Backed by the heritage and expertise of ION Science, ION SENSE demonstrates how specialist engineering can turn complex measurements into practical sensing solutions for creating healthier, safer and more sustainable environments.
For more information, please see below:
T +44 (0)1763 208503
sensors@ionsense.com
https://ionsense.com