Alan Sampson

Global CEO TriMech Group

Last Reviewed: September 28, 2026

Executive Summary

Alan Sampson founded Solid Solutions in 1998 and built it into the leading independent reseller of SOLIDWORKS 3D design software in the UK and Ireland. He took it through two ownership changes as chief executive. Private equity firm LDC made a minority investment in 2020, and Sentinel Capital Partners-backed TriMech, a US design and manufacturing technology provider, bought the company in 2022. On the sale he became President of TriMech’s UK and European business. By May 2023 TriMech was describing him as its Global CEO. He remains a director of TriMech and Solid Solutions group companies at Companies House.

Career Highlights

• Founded Solid Solutions in 1998. By 2022 it had 23 offices across the UK and Ireland and more than 250 employees.
• Led the business through LDC’s minority investment in February 2020. Revenue grew by more than 35%, to £73 million, while LDC was an investor.
• Oversaw the 2021 acquisitions of Design Rule and Desktop Engineering.
• Sold Solid Solutions to TriMech in June 2022 and was appointed President of TriMech’s UK and European business.
• Named as TriMech Global CEO in the May 2023 announcement that Solid Solutions had acquired GRM Consulting and 3DPRINTUK.

Professional Journey

Sampson set up Solid Solutions in 1998. The management company was incorporated on 27 October of that year, and he has been a director since that day. The business resold and supported SOLIDWORKS, Dassault Systèmes’ 3D CAD software, to engineers and manufacturers. It grew by opening regional offices and acquiring other resellers and specialist firms. Companies House records his directorships of Cadtek Systems and Moonband from 2016, and of New Technology CADCAM and CAE People from 2017, as those businesses came into the group.

In February 2020 the mid-market private equity firm LDC made a minority investment. Sampson ran the business alongside chief technology officer Simon Turner and chief sales officer Kathy Sampson. During LDC’s involvement the company acquired Design Rule and Desktop Engineering in 2021, and revenue rose by more than 35% to £73 million. By the time of the exit it had 23 offices, more than 250 staff and, in its own description, one of the world’s most highly certified SOLIDWORKS support teams.

In June 2022 LDC sold Solid Solutions to TriMech, a Glen Allen, Virginia, company owned by Sentinel Capital Partners that was also founded in 1998. The combined business had more than 50 locations in four countries and over 650 employees. The Solid Solutions management team stayed in place, and Sampson became President of TriMech’s UK and European business. “Joining TriMech is also exciting for our team,” he said at the time, “who recognise all the opportunities they’ll have to serve our clients in new ways.”

When Solid Solutions announced the acquisitions of GRM Consulting, a Leamington Spa design-optimisation and simulation specialist, and 3DPRINTUK, a London 3D printing bureau, in May 2023, the release quoted him as TriMech Global CEO. He described the aim as being a single technology partner for clients across design, engineering and manufacturing. In April 2024 he was also appointed a director of Central Scanning. He remains an active director of TriMech Enterprise Solutions and Solid Solutions group companies. Solid Solutions is now headquartered at Abbey Park near Kenilworth in Warwickshire.

Education

No education record was found in any first-party or press source reviewed.