Testing labs in Slamannan

Aitken Laboratories is an independent geotechnical testing and site investigation company that has served the construction industry across Scotland and the North of England for over 50 years. The firm supports clients involved in road construction, infrastructure development, and building projects by delivering UKAS accredited laboratory testing, comprehensive site investigations, and in-situ field testing. Their integrated capability — spanning ground investigation, sample recovery, laboratory analysis, and professional reporting — enables end-to-end project support from initial desk study through to final geotechnical data delivery, making them a single-source partner for ground characterisation and materials testing requirements. The company specialises in geotechnical, mineral, and environmental site investigations using a wide range of ground investigation techniques. Field crews are equipped to carry out cable percussive drilling, hydraulic percussion boring, and rotary drilling, as well as window sampling and trial pitting. These methods allow the team to access variable ground conditions across different site types and depths, collecting representative soil and rock samples for laboratory analysis. On-site logging and exploratory hole records are produced by experienced staff including Chartered Engineers and geologists, ensuring that investigation data accurately reflects subsurface conditions for use in design, construction planning, and risk assessment. Aitken Laboratories operates a UKAS accredited in-house geotechnical laboratory that conducts testing in accordance with BS 1377, the British Standard for methods of test for soils for civil engineering purposes, and BS EN ISO 17892, the international suite of laboratory testing methods for geotechnical investigation. The laboratory's test menu covers the full range of soil classification and characterisation work, including moisture content determination, linear density, Atterberg limits (liquid limit, plastic limit, plasticity index), particle size analysis by wet and dry sieving, sedimentation and hydrometer analysis, and particle density. Engineering properties are assessed through compaction testing using the 2.5 kg, 4.5 kg, and vibration methods; California Bearing Ratio (CBR) testing on laboratory-prepared specimens; consolidation (oedometer) testing to quantify compressibility and estimate settlement; and undrained triaxial testing to determine shear strength parameters for design. Rock testing, chemical analysis, and environmental testing are conducted through associated UKAS accredited laboratories, extending the analytical scope beyond standard geotechnical soil work. In-situ field testing services are delivered alongside laboratory analysis, providing direct measurement of ground properties at the point of interest without reliance on extracted samples alone. Aitken's in-situ testing programme includes California Bearing Ratio (CBR) testing performed directly on subgrade and subbase materials — a measurement widely required for highway and pavement design — as well as sand replacement testing to determine the in-situ dry density and degree of compaction of earthworks fills and natural soils, verifying conformance with earthworks specifications on site. Plate load and plate bearing tests are conducted to assess the bearing capacity and load-settlement behaviour of soils and prepared formation layers, generating data that directly informs foundation and pavement structural design. Percolation and soakaway tests evaluate the infiltration capacity of soils for the design of drainage systems, soakaway structures, and sustainable urban drainage solutions, an increasingly important element of planning requirements for new development. Environmental and chemical testing services form part of Aitken's broader investigation capability, delivered through associated UKAS accredited laboratory partners. This scope supports land quality assessment, brownfield site investigation, and contaminated land characterisation programmes — particularly relevant for development on previously used land where soil chemistry and potential contamination need to be understood before construction can proceed. By integrating geotechnical and environmental investigation within a single project framework, Aitken reduces programme complexity and improves data consistency, as all sampling, logging, and analytical commissioning is managed by a single experienced project team familiar with the site conditions. Aitken Laboratories holds UKAS accreditation for its in-house laboratory testing activities, meaning its procedures, calibration systems, and quality management arrangements have been independently assessed against the requirements of ISO/IEC 17025 by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service. The company is a corporate member of the British Drilling Association (BDA), reflecting its commitment to safe and professionally competent drilling and investigation practice, and is registered with Constructionline, the UK's leading construction-sector procurement and supply chain management service. In 2024, Aitken became part of the Built Environment division of Celnor Group, a UK-wide platform specialising in testing, inspection, certification, and compliance (TICC), further strengthening the firm's access to specialist laboratory resources and national technical expertise. The Aitken team comprises Chartered Engineers, geologists, site engineers, and laboratory technicians with extensive combined experience in geotechnical and environmental ground investigation. The business has been delivering high-quality site investigation and laboratory testing services for more than five decades, building a well-established reputation for reliable data, responsiveness to site-specific challenges, and cost-effective project delivery. With fast laboratory turnaround from an in-house facility, experienced direct-employed field crews, and specialist geotechnical and environmental reporting capability, Aitken Laboratories is a credible and well-resourced testing partner for construction and infrastructure projects requiring rigorous ground investigation and materials testing across Scotland and northern England.