Socotec UK and Ireland has announced the acquisition of United Kingdom Testing and Certification (UKTC), an independent fire testing laboratory located in East Kilbride, Scotland. This is a significant expansion of Socotec’s capabilities in fire safety and compliance, marking its second Scottish acquisition in the past year, following the purchase of Aspect Land & Hydrographic Surveys last July.
With the regulatory landscape shaped by the Grenfell Tower tragedy and introduction of the Building Safety Act, Socotec has accelerated its investment in building safety and compliance services across the UK.
UKTC is well known for its expertise in fire resistance testing, reaction-to-fire assessments and certification services across a wide variety of building materials and systems. The lab’s UKAS-accredited facilities enable comprehensive evaluation of products and materials to British, European and international standards, supporting manufacturers, specifiers and building owners in meeting enhanced fire safety requirements.
The acquisition complements the group’s established offering in fire risk assessments, fire engineering, façade and structural engineering, building control and third-party certification. The addition of UKTC also allows Socotec to extend its lab-based, end-to-end support for asset owners and project teams across all stages of the building lifecycle – from design and planning through to construction and operation.
“The move aligns with Socotec Group’s global expertise in fire safety, with over 300 fire safety experts worldwide, allowing the UK operation to leverage internationally held knowledge and skillsets from across the company’s presence in 27 countries,” said Hervé Montjotin, CEO of Socotec Group, “Socotec’s global fire and building safety portfolio includes specialised centres of excellence across Europe, the Middle East and the USA.”
“The move aligns with Socotec Group’s global expertise in fire safety, with over 300 fire safety experts worldwide, allowing the UK operation to leverage internationally held knowledge and skillsets from across the company’s presence in 27 countries,” he added, “Socotec’s global fire and building safety portfolio includes specialised centres of excellence across Europe, the Middle East and the USA.”
Matthew Marriott, CEO of Socotec UK and Ireland, said, “The acquisition of UKTC represents a significant milestone in our growth strategy and commitment to enhancing building safety across the UK. This marks our second acquisition in Scotland within the last 12 months, demonstrating our intention to continue investing in this important region, as well as developing our capabilities to serve clients throughout the UK and Ireland.”