Environmental services giant SOCOTEC pushes further into UK infrastructure with another major acquisition

Bosses said the deal will expand SOCOTEC’s capabilities in the infrastructure market, including in Ireland, while establishing its first office in Northern Ireland. 

Founded in 2019, Lloyds Datum Group comprises LDG Testing (pile foundation testing), LDG Datum Monitoring (geotechnical and structural monitoring), and LDG Civils (design engineering, micro piling and anchoring contracting, or providing supervision to main contractors). 

LDG managing director Nigel Dillon will continue to lead the business under the new SOCOTEC ownership. 

He said: “With our Belfast HQ and Dublin office in place, we are looking forward to becoming part of SOCOTEC’s presence on the island of Ireland, and building upon our existing legacy, while accessing wider resources and expertise.” 

SOCOTEC generated revenues of €1.7 billion in 2025 (42 per cent in France; 58 per cent globally), serving 250,000 clients, across 26 countries. 

The group provides construction inspection and quality control, geotechnical services, and TIC (Testing Inspection Certification) in construction and infrastructure sectors in the UK, Europe, and US.  

SOCOTEC also plans to increasingly deploy LDG’s expertise across the UK, primarily to complex foundation and micro-piling projects. 

Matthew Marriott, chief executive of SOCOTEC UK & Ireland, said: “This acquisition of Lloyds Datum Group is the next step of our growth strategy and the expansion of our infrastructure capabilities across the UK and Ireland.  

“Following our second Scottish acquisition in two years, our first major acquisition in Ireland marks the next stage of expanding our geographical footprint, doubling our overall office space in Ireland, and demonstrating our commitment to continue investing in this important area.” 

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