SOCOTEC Reinforces Position as Leading Player
in the Building & Real Estate Market

SOCOTEC UK, the market leader in testing, inspection and certification (TIC) in the construction and infrastructure sectors, has acquired Hutton + Rostron (H+R), renowned specialists in Building Pathology. This strategic move establishes SOCOTEC as the sole UK company offering end-to-end solutions for all building types, including commercial, residential, industrial, and listed buildings.

The challenges faced by today’s complex construction and built environment, impacts on all types of buildings. Modern buildings pose environmental challenges during both construction and maintenance, while heritage buildings face unique hurdles due to accelerated climate change and material integration. Addressing these issues necessitates a comprehensive and scientific approach, especially in a rapidly changing world under climate stress.

Nicolas Detchepare, CEO of SOCOTEC UK, emphasised the significance of this acquisition: "H+R, Building Pathology experts, are a perfect addition to our existing building expertise, from building control to engineering. This acquisition not only solidifies our leading position in the Building and Real Estate market, spanning commercial and residential sectors, but also supports our expansion into the dispute and advisory market, offering expert witness services for various disputes. H+R, with their unique expertise, empower us to achieve our ambition of becoming the number one integrated player in the UK Built Environment market."

James Hutton, managing director, H+R, said: “Buildings and the built environment are essential for the survival of individuals and cultures. The effective and efficient investigation and remediation of failures in buildings and the built environment is therefore also essential. This is a growing problem in a rapidly changing and increasingly complex world, especially under accelerated changes in the societies that occupy them, and under the stress of the climate crisis. Building Pathology is a holistic subject for the investigation, diagnosis, prognosis, and remediation of failures in buildings and the built environment; based on the understanding of buildings as complex systems evolving over time.  H+R share this philosophy with SOCOTEC and together we will be able to meet this rapidly growing high value market for all our services.”

This acquisition reaffirms the leading position of SOCOTEC UK in the built environment, with a team of 500 building experts and expertise in building envelope, building control, fire engineering, sustainability, and structural engineering. With all these disciplines, the company is the only player able to take a holistic approach, setting new industry standards and meeting with new regulatory, health & safety and environmental requirements.