The Castleford laboratory has recently been successfuly audited by UKAS.

Click here for the company's new schedule of accreditation, which also now includes Single and Multistage triaxials for Bristol.

Congratulations to the laboratory staff in Castleford, in particular Mark Athorne the laboratory manager and David Trowbridge and his laboratory quality team in Bristol who assisted with the preparations.

All 3 Structural Soils laboratories (Bristol, Castleford amd Hemel Hempstead) are now UKAS accredited.

Coupled with ISO 9001, ISO14001 and OHSAS 18001 Structural Soils must be one of the most highly accredited site ivestigation companies in the UK, if not THE most accredited!

For any related information please contact Laboratory Manager, David Trowbridge.

Structural Soils Ltd, Head Office, Bedminster, Bristol, (david.trowbridge@soils.co.uk) (0117-947-1000).

The Bristol office laboratory recently undertook its UKAS re-assessment to retain the accreditation it has held since 1996.

To continue the raft of enhancements to the successful testing wing of Structural Soils’ the laboratory has been investing in new apparatus to further expand it's testing capabilities.

It can now offer Large (300mm) Shear box tests as part of its expanding range of testing.

Tests on soils, materials and soil/geomembrane interfaces are possible on the laboratories new Geotest data logged Shear machine.

For very competitive rates, availability or any other information please contact Laboratory Manager, David Trowbridge

Structural Soils Ltd, Head Office, Bedminster, Bristol, (david.trowbridge@soils.co.uk) (0117-947-1000).

As of February 19th 2008 Structural Soils Ltd were recommended for registration of our Quality, Environmental and Health & Safety Management System and are now certified to the ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 standards following an audit by Det Norske Veritas (DNV).

This achievement provides recognition of our rigorous adherence to international standards, current legislation and ultimately best working practice throughout all aspects of our business.

Particular praise should go to the Quality Team of Adrian Barby-Moule, Alison Lennon and Barbara Hinch who helped drive this initiative in conjunction with the Business Systems Team of our parent company the RSK Group.

This increased certification sits beside the long-standing accreditation of our geotechnical testing laboratories by UKAS to ISO17025.

Structural Soils Managing Director Alec Handcock was obviously thrilled to achieve the above standards and told soils.co.uk that "This is something that we have wanted to achieve for many years, and joining RSK has enabled us to fulfil this ambition".

The Bristol office laboratory recently undertook its UKAS re-assessment to retain the accreditation it has held since 1996. The audit also included an extension to scope to include Quick undrained triaxials, which it has now successfully added to its schedule of accreditation, barring the completion of a few mandatory findings.

Laboratory Manager David Trowbridge congratulated his team of technicians and support staff and told soils.co.uk the assessor noted in his report that "there was a very good level of conformity to technical standards" which was very pleasing to all involved.

"The result of the audit bodes well for gaining UKAS accreditation at our Castleford laboratory, as the revamped management system that includes Castleford was audited, although obviously accreditation for Castleford will not be achieved until they have their audit in April.

Bristol’s scope of accreditation will be expanded further in the future, with extra tests and insitu testing on the table."

Alec Handcock, Managing Director of Structural Soils Ltd announced the promotion of Principal staff Steve Mackereth (19 yrs at Soils), Adrian Barby-Moule (13.5 yrs at Soils) and John Lawrence (Castleford office manager) to full Directorships and Administration Manager Barbara Hinch (18 yrs at Soils) to the role of Associate Director.

In addition to the internal promotions RSK Managing Director Nigel Board and Vice-Chairman Peter Witherington were also appointed as directors to help with the integration of Structural Soils into the group.

Alec told 'soils.co.uk' that "Soils has expanded rapidly in the last 5 years and we need to maintain that expansion over the coming years. Integration with RSK will assist us in this respect and should enable us to win larger contracts especially in the geo-environmental field. Furthermore the adoption of many of their management systems will enable us to shortly become accredited for Quality, Environmental practices and Health & Safety to British Standards. This will demonstrate to our clients that we have the ability to provide first class information regarding their sites in a safe and environmentally responsible manner. In order to progress and control this expansion we need to strengthen the main board of the company. I am sure you will all join me in congratulating them all and I look forward to seeing the continued success of Structural Soils within the RSK Group over the coming years."

2007

The Senior Staff of Structural Soils Bristol office stand proudly by their new fleet of Landrovers and Rig Trailer.

These vehicles have been procured, partially to replace ageing vehicles, but largely to enhance the company's fleet of support vehicles to accommodate the increasing proportion of internal drilling work Structural Soils are now getting from within the RSK Group.

Three of the Landrovers headed straight up to the Castleford office, one to tow a new Dando 2000 Cable Percussion rig, one to tow a new Window Sample rig trailer and the third to replace a vehicle which was stolen from outside a drillers house in the summer.

Of the two vehicles remaining in Bristol, one is to tow the offices fourth Window Sample rig trailer and the second to replace an ageing vehicle.

Structural Soils Castleford office has recently taken over an adjacent warehouse to store its soil samples. The additional facility (in the region of 180m2) has been required to aid the expansion of this part of Structural Soils' operation.

This now provides the Castleford office with additional laboratory space freed up by moving the sample store. It is anticipated that the laboratory will gain UKAS accreditation early in 2008 which will support both Structural Soils engineering contracts and the laboratory's ever increasing turnover with "laboratory only clients".

This is an exciting development for the Northern office which has seen its in-house drilling capability trebled over the last 12 months and total work force increase by 65%.

For further details please contact Mark Athorne, Laboratory Manager on 01977 552255 or by email: mark.athorne@soils.co.uk

The Structural Soils Castleford office expansion plan continues as this up and coming office is adding to it's fleet of ground exploration equipment with the purchase of a new cable percussion rig. The new rig on order increases the fleet from one cable percussion rig and one window sample rig 12 months ago to 3 cable percussion rigs, 2 window sample rigs and 1 rotary rig at the end of 2007!

To enquire about drilling services provided by the Castleford office for the north of England please contact John Lawrence (Principal Engineer) at the Structural Soils Castleford office on (01977-552255) or email him at john.lawrence@soils.co.uk.

Structural Soils latest acquisition, the soil and rock testing laboratory based in Hemel Hempstead (formerlly Kent Geotechnics) successfully retained its UKAS testing accreditation certificate following the regular yearly assessment visit from UKAS inspectors.

Paul Kent (Hemel office Laboratory Manager) told soils.co.uk "I am delighted that the efforts of all the staff here have been rewarded with another UKAS pass that confirms the attention to detail and quality that we employ at our lab."

David Trowbridge (Structural Soils Laboratory Manager) who co-ordinates all the labs within the company also expressed his delight. "We will continue to improve facilities, equipment, systems and our reporting architecture in the coming year with some large plans in the pipeline. The Castleford office soil testing lab is rapidly moving towards being able to request it's first UKAS assessment visit to gain accreditation. Once all 3 labs are UKAS accredited we will be in a very strong position and able to offer top quality soil and rock testing within reach of all regions of the country."

To enquire about Structural Soils soil, rock, and materials testing capabilities please contact David Trowbridge at the Structural Soils Head office (0117-947-1000) or email him at david.trowbridge@soils.co.uk.

On the 27th July 2007 Keith Steed retired from Structural Soils after 22 years service. He was a director of the company between 1985 and 2002. In fact this was his second retirement! Keith having briefly retired in 2002 but soon realised that he could not live without the excitement of working at Structural Soils and since 2002 he worked 3 days a week, giving him a weekend slightly longer than his working week.

Back in 1985 the company consisted of 3 staff working from a small office with the laboratory in a garage. In those days each new contract was cause for celebration!

The company soon moved to the old train sheds near the centre of Bristol which resembled a rabbit warren with numerous small offices. The size of the offices did not, however, deter Keith from maneuvering one of the biggest desks in Bristol into his office, which just about left room for him behind it! It seems that with time Keith's desks got bigger and bigger, but that was probably just an illusion due to the fact that the next move resulted in Keith having an even smaller office! That was in 2000 when we moved into our current premises - The Old School, Bedminster, Bristol.

Everyone agrees those years in the old tram sheds (now the Zero degrees bar and micro brewery) hold many amusing memories - and Keith was certainly involved in a large number of them!

One year the company entered a team in the Beaujolais run. Although the tradition of the Beaujolais run continues today, back then it was more about speed than distance. As Keith drove the fastest (and possibly largest) car in the company, a 4x4 Granada, it was his car that was used for the event. Although we were far from winning we seemed to drive through France at some alarming speeds returning safely with just a few cases of wine in the boot . . .

We also used to field a Structural Soils cricket team for very occasional matches. We were a shocking team but had great fun on the days. Our last match was against Bristol University Geology department, but unknown to us they had brought in ringers from the University first team. Keith and I opened the batting, but I do not remember getting the bat anywhere near the ball. Our whole team made about 10 runs, so Keith certainly didn't distinguish himself. After that episode we gave up cricket!

All at Structural Soils wish Keith a very happy and deserved retirement.

Alec Handcock

Managing Director

Structural Soils has acquired the UKAS-accredited geotechnical laboratory Kent Geotechnics, gaining a much-needed strategic base near London.

The laboratory, which currently leases space from RSK’s Hemel Hempstead office, is to be recast into a full-scale Structural Soils office in the coming year.

Formed in 2003, the independent, five-person company currently turns over approximately £160K per year, though it is predicted the takeover will increase this to £500K by the end of the year, £1m by next year and £2-3m within four years. The new office and its experienced laboratory staff will be particularly useful for work originating from Structural Soils’ five-year framework agreement with Thames Water.

“It is great to welcome Kent Geotechnics on board. We do a lot of work in this region and around London, so this is an ideal opportunity to progress our expansion in this area,” said Structural Soils managing director Alec Handcock.

Contact Alec Handcock for more information.

JULY 2007

- MAY -

- Competitive Edge -

Structural Soil’s Castleford office has recently taken delivery of a new Competitor Dart Window Sampling rig. This adds to the office’s growing fleet of Window Sampling and Cable Percussive capabilities.

For enquiries with regard to Site Investigations in Northern England please contact either John Lawrence, Tim Clifford or Matt Dolby 01977 552255.

Structural Soils is currently working on its biggest project for Thames Water to date, providing geotechnical support ahead of a reservoir development in Darenth, near Dartford. The £150k project involves drilling 14 boreholes with depths of up to 35 metres on undulating farmland with a mixture of cable percussion and rotary drilling, as well as carrying out geotechnical surveys. “While this is probably our biggest single project for Thames Water so far, there are others of similar or bigger size in the pipeline,” said project manager Adam Lumber. Structural Soils is one of only four consultants to provide geotechnical services to Thames Water as a part of a four-year framework agreement. Turning over around £400K in its first year of the contract, it looks set to double that figure by May this year. “Next year, who knows”, said account manager Steve Mackereth.

- MARCH -

- Structural Soils merges with the RSK Group -

- RSK merges with Structural Soils to become the UK’s number one site investigation company -

The Bristol office laboratory recently undertook a successful onsite UKAS assessment to retain the accreditation it has held since 1996.

Laboratory Manager David Trowbridge congratulated his team of technicians and support staff and told soils.co.uk the assessor noted in his report that "the laboratory demonstrated a high standard of proficiency in it's currently accredited activities" which was very pleasing to all involved.

"The laboratory at Structural Soils continues to go from strength to strength with some exciting additions to our capabilities and accredited tests planned for 2007. We provide a quality service to the geotechnical industry and UKAS accreditation for testing is an important marker to tell our customers about the quality testing facilities and management systems that we provide."

Structural Soils Ltd have achieved gINT Level 1 Certification following successful examination.

gINT Professional (from gINT Software, USA) provides industry specific, core business and data management functions for the reporting of geotechnical datasets.

Structural Soils Ltd have been using the gINT software system extensively since the 1990's from gINT DOS version days and now implement the highly successful gINT Professional for Windows version.

Certification provides a commonly accepted measure of user knowledge and a structured path for studying the program. The process of successfully completing the certification examination provides a higher level of competence. Certification leads to more efficient use of the program generating cost savings and higher quality reporting for the office.

gINT Certification tells our clients that we are highly qualified to provide gINT services.

Structural Soils gINT Administrator Mark Bevan told soils.co.uk "With the ever rising demands for electronic data management facilities in an increasingly data rich industry so the flexibility to adapt to client requirements and provide efficient internal practice is increasingly important to commercial success. We have the skills and expertise to meet this challenge and provide advanced services to our clients."

Soils are expecting a Christmas delivery . . . . !

We are excited to announce our laboratory is expecting delivery of a large shear box machine this month to greatly enhance our testing capabilities.

The large shear box will join our Shearbox testing facilities (9 small shearbox and 2 ring shear) and will allow us to provide further testing capabilities to our clients in the form of aggregate and materials testing.

Come back to this page during the month where a full report will be posted detailing this exciting development . . . .

• Geo-Environmental Engineer (Bristol based)
• Geotechnical Engineers (both Bristol and Castleford based)
• Cable Percussion driller and Rotary driller (Bristol based)

• Junior Geotechnical Engineer (both Bristol and Castleford based)

• Geo-Environmental Engineers (Bristol based)

• Senior Geo-Environmental Engineers (Castleford based)

Please visit our Vacancies page for further details!

- STRUCTURAL SOILS LTD in GeoDrilling! -

Structural Soils Ltd plant manager Niel Winter told soils.co.uk that:-

"The NVQ land drilling training programme coupled with the CITB construction skills certification scheme (CSCS) has been of great benefit to our drilling department. Our work practices have been greatly improved. It has made us far more effective in completing contracts on time. More importantly, we are confident in the knowledge that all of our drilling and sampling staff are working in a safe manner.

The training we have received has been of benefit to both new and long standing operators. Many of our customers request NVQ qualified drillers and window sample crews as a minimum standard of competence. We are now perfectly placed to provide this high quality service."

Everyone at Structural Soils would like to congratulate Niel and all our drilling personnel on their achievements.

For more information on our drilling services click here

or contact Niel on 0117-947-1000 or (niel.winter@soils.co.uk)