Built for extremes: ESI Technology’s journey

An Interview with Instrumetrics Magazine

For industries where precision is critical and environments are unforgiving, pressure measurement technology must deliver both accuracy and longevity. In this exclusive interview, Instrumetrics World speaks with ESI Technology to explore how the company’s Silicon-on-Sapphire sensor technology continues to support demanding applications across sectors ranging from oil and gas to aerospace and emerging energy markets.

For more than 40 years, ESI Technology has specialized in delivering long-term performance in some of the harshest environments on Earth. Based in Wrexham, Wales, the company designs and manufactures pressure transducers and transmitters for global markets, combining robust sensing technology with a highly customer-focused engineering approach.

At the core of its offering lies a distinctive technology that has defined the company since its earliest days: Silicon-on-Sapphire (SOS) sensing. Combined with a strong emphasis on bespoke solutions, this technology continues to shape ESI’s role in increasingly demanding measurement applications. From aerospace origins to global reach ESI Technology’s origins lie in a period of transition within the pressure measurement industry, as electronic sensing began to replace traditional mechanical instruments. Recognizing this shift, the company’s founder drew on extensive experience in pressure monitoring to establish a business focused on next-generation technology.

“ESI was formed to take advantage of the shift towards electronic pressure measurement, developing transducers and transmitters for industrial, aerospace, and defense markets,” explains Paul Griffiths, Commercial Manager. “Over the years, we’ve grown into a wide range of industries—now oil and gas is our biggest sector—and we offer a broad portfolio of products for different applications and markets,” says Sarah Comer, Marketing Manager at ESI Technology. This growth was driven by the company’s ability to apply its expertise to increasingly challenging environments.

Today, ESI instrumentation is used across industries ranging from subsea energy and marine to industrial manufacturing and research. That adaptability has helped the company build a strong international presence. With a network of around 60 sales partners, ESI exports the majority of its products worldwide.

A culture that encourages innovation

Despite its global reach, ESI remains a relatively small company, employing fewer than 60 people. That scale has helped foster a collaborative environment where ideas can emerge from across the organization.

Importantly, innovation is not confined to the engineering department. Customer-facing teams often play a key role in identifying new opportunities. “Ideas come from everywhere,” Comer explains. “The sales team speak to customers all the time, bringing back valuable insights.” Griffiths echoes this sentiment, emphasizing the company’s customer-centric mindset: “ESI is all about providing outstanding customer support and working closely with clients to provide the ‘perfect solution.’ The resourceful team at ESI, whether commercial or engineering, have a ‘can-do attitude’ with a real interest in projects. It’s important to understand the objectives of the project to focus on engineering the best-fit solution. 3D modelling, prototyping, and making use of ESI’s extensive testing facilities are critical for achieving a product design that delivers.”

This cross-functional approach is reinforced by internal initiatives that recognize employee contributions, whether technical or operational. “The philosophy at ESI is to share experiences from design projects with each other, but also to encourage use of knowledge gained in other industries. Knowledge and ideas are brainstormed between engineering, manufacturing, and commercial departments,” Griffiths adds.

The advantages of Silicon-on-Sapphire

At the heart of ESI’s product range is its Silicon-on-Sapphire sensor technology, which differs fundamentally from conventional pressure sensing methods. “With a unique titanium construction and all-welded sensor cell, SOS offers long service and reliable performance combined with accuracy and stability. Silicon strain gauges are embedded on a sapphire wafer which is fused to a titanium pressure diaphragm, providing resistance to pressure transients and overpressure,” Griffiths explains. This construction provides significant performance advantages. Sapphire’s inherent material properties deliver excellent thermal stability and resistance to environmental stress. “It absorbs temperature changes well, which makes the sensor very stable,” says Comer.

The result is a sensing platform capable of maintaining high levels of accuracy over long periods and across wide temperature ranges. ESI’s digital transmitters, for example, can achieve accuracies of around 0.15%. Durability is another key strength. SOS sensors can operate at extremely high pressures—up to 5,000bar in some applications—making them well suited to challenging environments such as subsea systems.

Beyond performance metrics, SOS technology also contributes to long-term measurement consistency, a factor that is increasingly important as industries place greater emphasis on data reliability and traceability. In applications where sensors remain in operation for extended periods, maintaining calibration stability over time can significantly reduce maintenance requirements and system downtime. This ability to deliver consistent performance over long lifecycles aligns with the needs of industries such
as energy and aerospace, where instrumentation must perform accurately at installation and continue to do so under sustained operational stress. In this context, sensor design becomes as much about longevity as it is about precision.

Designed for demanding environments the robustness of SOS technology makes it particularly valuable in applications where maintenance is difficult or costly. Griffiths highlights a pertinent example: “Deep sea oil production requires reliable and robust solutions operating in extreme conditions. SOS sensing—with reliability at sea depths of up to 4000 meters and stable, high-accuracy reading of hydraulic pressures of up to 1500 bar—provides a solution capable of a service life exceeding 25 years.” This emphasis on durability has helped ESI build strong relationships with customers in industries where equipment must perform consistently over long operational lifetimes.

Custom engineering as a core capability

While SOS technology provides the foundation, much of ESI’s differentiation comes from its ability to deliver customized solutions. The process involves detailed collaboration to ensure that each product meets the specific demands of its application. “The team at ESI will first review the customer requirements and draft a specification, provide drawings, STP files, test results, and prototypes, as applicable. Once agreed upon, the product can be supplied with confidence,” Griffiths explains.

The company’s ability to respond to unique challenges has resulted in a wide range of specialized applications. “One of our most demanding and innovative solutions was a downhole pressure sensor, HI5000, suitable for deep hole drilling for oil exploration. In such applications, the sensor must be able to measure high pressures, be compact and resistant to high temperature, shock, vibration, and aggressive media for extensive periods,” Griffiths explains.

Digital tools enhancing measurement

Alongside hardware innovation, ESI has continued to expand its capabilities in digital tools to simplify measurement and data analysis. A key milestone in this area has been the development of ESI’s USB-enabled measurement solutions. As Griffiths explains, this innovation builds directly on the company’s core sensing technology: “The introduction and subsequent development of SOS sensor technology in 1994 provided the core technology which would lead to exciting innovations, such as the USB-powered pressure transmitter, now known as GD4200-USB.” He continues, outlining the concept behind the system: “The idea was to create a stand-alone product with digital processing that could be powered by a standard PC or laptop to enable accurate pressure monitoring.” The practical advantages of this approach are significant, particularly in terms of accessibility and efficiency. “With free-to-downland ESI-USB software, testing and logging pressures from vacuum to 5000 bar can be carried out easily, without the need for external power supplies or expensive dataloggers. Up to 16 transmitters can be connected at once for testing and leak detection.” Griffiths also highlights how the software simplifies measurement workflows:
“The ESI-USB software provides a simple platform to measure and record pressure without additional hardware, making it a cost-effective solution for data collection and analysis.” Moving forward, ESI is continuing to build on this foundation with new portable solutions designed for field use, combining digital convenience with the robustness required in demanding environments.

Looking ahead

ESI’s long history continues to shape its future direction. “The company has a heritage of offering the best customer service in the most challenging of applications. Today, the business seeks out discerning customers who value suppliers with expertise and a focus on strong, supportive partnerships,” says Randal Hodson, General Manager. The company is also balancing tradition with modern expectations. “The ESI team forges close relationships with customers and sales partners and is constantly listening to the needs of the
market. As a result, the traditional quality of ESI products is complimented by rapid adaptation to meet the ever-changing needs of the market,” Hodson continues. This ability to evolve while remaining grounded in proven sensing technology and engineering principles will be vital to ESI’s continued success.

A measured approach to growth

For a company of its size, ESI Technology’s global reach and technical capabilities are notable. Its success reflects a combination of advanced sensing technology, close customer collaboration, and a culture that encourages innovation at every level. “Today, ESI Technology is represented on every continent across the globe and has developed
solutions for a diverse range of applications. Valuing customer focus, honesty, teamwork, capability, and continuous improvement, ESI is positioned to tackle whatever challenges come its way and will be at the customer’s side from the initial enquiry and throughout the entire product lifecycle,” Hodson concludes.

As industries continue to demand higher levels of precision and reliability, that combination of expertise and adaptability positions ESI Technology to remain a key player in the evolving world of pressure measurement.