PTS completes £1 million investment drive

Staffordshire-based Professional Test Solutions (PTS), an advanced materials and reinforcement testing specialist, has completed a £1 million investment in equipment to mark its fifth birthday. The company, which operates out of a ‘state of the art’ laboratory in Four Ashes, is now positioning itself to support the UK’s infrastructure programme and growing demand from companies seeking CARES (Certification Authority for Reinforcing Steels) certification.

The UKAS-certified independent laboratory has installed additional load cells and universal testing machines to help it cope with the planned expansion and ensure it can continue to offer 14-day lead times. Furthermore, PTS’s reputation now extends into overseas markets, having recently supported a major French contractor in establishing a compliant cut-and-bend facility and assisting a Danish firm in securing the accreditations needed to commission new welding and cut-and-bend equipment.

Jimmy Hague, PTS’s managing director, said: “We have had a strong 12 months, picking up both international and domestic customers, who all required a responsive and reliable service. While best known for reinforcement testing, the business also provides a broad range of specialist testing and inspection services to support complex infrastructure projects.”

CARES-approved testing
He continued: “There is a significant volume of infrastructure investment currently underway across the UK, ranging from HS2 and the Thames Crossing to new energy facilities and major nuclear projects, such as Hinkley Point C and Sizewell C. These will all require CARES-approved testing and quality management systems, and we are already fielding a number of enquiries about how we can help clients oversee the set-up of reinforced concrete and cut-and-bend facilities.”

PTS, which employs a team of professional engineers, materials technicians and chemicals experts, delivers a comprehensive suite of testing, inspection, analysis and consultancy services. Mr Hague added: “There are several ways we differentiate ourselves from competitors. Our lead times, we believe, are the fastest in industry and we are the only company to offer a collection service and same-day feedback.”

PTS will now target new opportunities in the nuclear sector. Building on a proven track record supporting customers at Hinkley Point C, the company is well positioned to help organisations that are developing new facilities or expanding the supply of reinforced products across the next generation of major infrastructure projects.