FIRE testing specialist, United Kingdom Testing and Certification (UKTC), has broken ground on a £2.5 million expansion at its East Kilbride testing facility.
Acquired by SOCOTEC UK and Ireland in July this year, UKTC’s expansion is set to double its fire resistance testing capabilities and add around 20 new jobs, bringing the number of employees to over 60.
The new development comprises a new building measuring over 7,000 square feet, which will house a new furnace capable of testing horizontal structures that measure three metres wide by four metres long, and vertical structures up to five metres high.
A recent site visit by SOCOTEC CEO Hervé Montjotin, SOCOTEC UK & Ireland CEO Matthew Marriott, and SOCOTEC’s MD of environmental science, Jim Clay marked a milestone in the construction, with steel works beginning.
The new lab size is tipped to improve UKTC’s efficiency, while moving further functions in-house that are currently subcontracted to European suppliers.
The project is being part-funded by Scottish Enterprise, with a grant of £835,000 having been secured in 2024.
Andrew Hutchison, operations director at UKTC, said, “The need to expand and invest in a new test hall was simply to meet growing demand we are experiencing from the construction industry for fire testing, from both existing and new customers. The planned extension will be completed in 2026, and will house a new full-scale fire resistance test furnace. Ultimately, upgrading our facilities will allow us to continue delivering the highest standards of fire testing for our clients across the UK and Europe.”
Matthew Marriott, CEO of SOCOTEC UK and Ireland, added, “The extension of UKTC’s existing facility is incredibly exciting for us. The team in East Kilbride is vastly knowledgeable and talented, so expanding the facilities to meet the increased demand for fire testing services at the site was the logical next step forward to help the continued growth of UKTC, and provide the best service possible to its customers across the UK and Europe.
“We look forward to continued integration of UKTC into the wider SOCOTEC UK and Ireland operations, as there has already been so much interest in the expanded capabilities we can now provide following the acquisition’s completion in July.”
