The History of Sepura: A Story of Innovation Driven by Customer Needs

Sepura’s history can be traced back to the 1890s, when the Pye Group of Companies was founded, manufacturing products such as televisions, radios, and telecommunications equipment. Pye grew to become one of the leading global technology groups in the UK and helped establish Cambridge’s position as a hotbed for technology innovation in the modern world.

Evolving from Pye Group, Philips and Simoco, Sepura was established in 2002 and has since become a global leader in the design, development and supply of TETRA radios, used by police, fire, ambulance and many commercial users around the world.

The company has since grown into a prominent player in the industry. Sepura's success can be attributed to its unwavering commitment to customer-centric product development, innovation, and operational excellence.

At Sepura's inception, the collective team had a long-established history in PMR (Private Mobile Radio) and public safety. This expertise was instrumental in the company's ability to launch as a new player in an already highly competitive market. With decades of experience in the industry, the founding team understood the critical requirements of their customers and were able to design and develop reliable, robust, and secure TETRA terminals that met the highest industry standards. This allowed the company to quickly establish itself as a trusted partner to security-sensitive organisations in both the public and private sectors.

The team's deep knowledge of the market, combined with their dedication to operational excellence and innovation, laid the foundation for Sepura's journey to becoming a global leader in the design, development, and supply of digital radio solutions.

A collection of photos of the Pye Group, Philips and Simoco devices and users.

Our dedication to listening to customer needs and developing solutions that align with those requirements has been a core value that has propelled our growth. We have a track record of being "first-to-market" with customer-focused products, which demonstrates our commitment to innovation. This approach has led to the development of reliable, robust, and secure TETRA terminals that meet the highest industry standards, backed by a dedicated portfolio of specialist accessories and applications.

At Sepura, we didn't just innovate, we challenged the norm. We've always excelled at being the first to bring new products to market, but we've also been passionate about showing our customers why this new way of thinking is the way forward. Our dedication to listening to customer needs has allowed us to understand the unique challenges and pain points of each industry we serve. By leveraging our expertise and challenging traditional assumptions, we've developed products and solutions that have disrupted entire markets and redefined the industry standards.

Our customers span various sectors, including public safety, critical national infrastructure management, transport, airports, utilities, oil and gas, and mining or industrial sites. In recent years, we have expanded our portfolio to include 4G/5G technology and incorporated additional connectivity options such as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, giving customers a greater choice of wireless solutions.

At Sepura, we believe that customers don't just buy a device; they invest in a relationship. This philosophy is embodied in our global partner network, which provides professional, agile support, repairs, and customer service. With over 300 dedicated employees working behind the scenes and a network of more than 100 local partners, our customers benefit from deep expertise in their geographies and markets.

By fostering these relationships, we have become a trusted partner to security-sensitive organisations in both the public and private sectors.

The heart of our innovation lies in our 170-strong R&D team based in Cambridge, UK. This purpose-built R&D hub is where cutting-edge mission critical products and solutions are developed across a range of technologies. The collaborative environment and dedication to continuous improvement ensure that Sepura remains at the forefront of the industry.

In this state-of-the-art facility, our talented team of engineers, designers, and researchers work together to create ground-breaking products and solutions that shape the future of digital radio communications. Our research and development (R&D) hub is equipped with advanced tools, software, and testing facilities, with investment in verification and accelerated life testing (ALT Testing) tools such as bend and drop testing, temperature etc. This enables our team to explore new technologies, refine existing ones, and push the boundaries of what's possible in the mission critical communications domain.

Our R&D team is highly diverse, bringing together experts with backgrounds in various disciplines such as radio frequency engineering, software development, user experience design, and product management. This diversity fosters a culture of cross-disciplinary collaboration and knowledge sharing, enabling us to approach challenges from multiple angles and develop more holistic and innovative solutions.

We have secured our position as the market leader across Europe for public safety, with significant success, particularly in the UK, Germany, Netherlands, and Sweden.

Despite facing unprecedented demand for our products during the Covid-19 pandemic, along with global electronic component supply chain and tech recruitment challenges, we have continued to manufacture products and secure major contracts. Some notable achievements include supplying over 80,000 radios to UK Police Forces between 2018-2019 and gaining significant business in European and international markets.

We design our hardware and software under one roof, employing over 170 engineers in Cambridge at our modern premises. Our history of being the first to market with a number of technical innovations to achieve network accreditation, and many other product firsts since our inception, showcases our track record of innovation. This has resulted in a large library of intellectual property that benefits users worldwide.

Our commitment to research and development is demonstrated by our £200m cumulative R&D spend in multiple technologies – TETRA, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, 4G/5G, and now a wider range of complementary technologies emerging from the commercial cellular industry.

We set ourselves apart from competitors by listening closely to customer needs and responding accordingly, informing future product development and enabling long-term working relationships. We design and develop our products in-house in the UK under a strict security regime demanded by the UK government, which is respected worldwide. Our products are manufactured in Europe and customised in the UK.

Our company boasts a dynamic culture enabled through close collaboration, fostering innovation and flexibility in design and deployment. Our wealth of experience, with many employees in sales, engineering, and customer support who have been with the company since its founding, further distinguishes us from competitors.

Reliability, safety, and security are critical to our products, which are designed to withstand the harshest environments and tested beyond their operational life. Our devices offer secure encryption that has to be managed, handled, and disposed of when reaching end-of-life.

Our products are used worldwide by police and ambulance services, highways officers, airports, train stations, large venues, and in the extraction industry. Working closely and innovating together, creating a strong collaborative way of working, and coordinating skills and expertise to deliver customer-focused products, Sepura employees play a pivotal part and take pride in keeping the world running efficiently and ensuring the safety of both equipment users and the public.

As we continue to grow and evolve, we remain dedicated to our core values of innovation, customer-centric product development, and fostering long-term relationships. By consistently engaging with clients, anticipating their needs, and investing in research and development, we are well-positioned to maintain our status as a global leader in the digital radio solutions industry.

Our comprehensive technology roadmap supports customers' migration to emerging technologies like LTE, while our global expert network provides professional, agile support, repairs, and customer service. This comprehensive approach ensures that we remain a trusted partner for security-sensitive organisations in both the public and private sectors as they migrate to hybrid critical communications.

Our achievements as a business, coupled with our commitment to operational excellence and unique offerings, demonstrate our ability to successfully compete with larger players in the industry. Despite having fewer resources than some competitors, we have proven ourselves as a trusted supplier within the industry, winning major tenders and securing our position as a market leader in numerous regions.

The story of Sepura is one of growth, resilience, and a relentless pursuit of excellence, fuelled by a deep understanding of customer needs and a commitment to building lasting relationships.

We would like to thank the Cambridge Museum of Technology for allowing us to use some of the photographs shown in this article. Looking at Cambridge's industrial heritage, the museum showcases the former industrial landscape in the city, capturing and celebrating the achievements of local industries and the people who worked in them.

You can find out more about the museum's exhibition on their website.