Testing labs in Sevenoaks

ISO/IEC 17025 accredited by UKAS (No. 2241) testing laboratory (accreditation status: active). Accredited test areas include: Calibration Dimensional; Chemical Elemental Analysis; Construction; Construction Aggregates; Construction Concrete Cement; Mechanical Tensile Compression Flexural; Ndt Radiographic. Located at TN159HZ, Sevenoaks, United Kingdom.

The UK Certification Authority for Reinforcing Steels (CARES) is the world's leading independent certification body for constructional steels, headquartered at Pembroke House, Sevenoaks, Kent, United Kingdom. Established in 1984 as a profit-for-purpose organisation, CARES provides independent, impartial, and trusted assurance to the reinforced concrete industry and its supply chains. Operating across more than 50 countries and with over 40 years of uninterrupted operation, CARES delivers product conformity certification, management systems certification, and responsible sourcing assurance to manufacturers, processors, suppliers, fabricators, and infrastructure clients worldwide. CARES' flagship programme is its Steel for the Reinforcement of Concrete scheme, the definitive certification framework covering the entire reinforcing steel supply chain—from primary steel manufacturers and processors to reinforcement fabricators and distributors. Product conformity certification is based on continuous monitoring and third-party verification of product performance, including surveillance audits of production facilities, factory production control assessments, and independent product testing against internationally recognised standards. Certified companies receive a CARES Certificate of Approval and may apply the CARES mark and Static QR code to product labelling and delivery documentation, enabling end-to-end traceability throughout the supply chain. Product certification under the Steel for the Reinforcement of Concrete scheme requires verified conformance to a suite of British Standards. Reinforcing bars are assessed against BS 4449 (carbon steel bars for concrete reinforcement), BS 6744 (stainless steel bars), BS 4482 (plain steel wire), and BS 4483 (steel fabric for reinforcement). All cutting and bending operations must comply with BS 8666. Assessed product characteristics include mechanical properties—tensile strength, yield strength, ductility, and elongation at maximum force—alongside chemical composition, dimensional tolerances, and rib geometry for deformed bars. CARES-enforced traceability requirements mandate that all reinforcement delivered to site be fully traceable to cast, heat, and batch number, ensuring demonstrable provenance for the most safety-critical structural applications. CARES holds UKAS accreditation as certification body No. 0002 to ISO/IEC 17065:2012 for product certification and ISO/IEC 17021-1:2015 for management systems certification encompassing ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 45001. It is additionally accredited to BS 8902:2009, the sector scheme for responsible sourcing certification of construction products. CARES is a UK Approved Body No. 1244 under the UK Construction Products Regulation 2011, covering structural metallic products and ancillaries, structural metallic sections and profiles, post-tensioning kits, and precast concrete products. This designation allows manufacturers to use CARES certification in direct support of UKCA marking. CARES is further recognised as a UK Technical Assessment body authorised to develop and issue UK Technical Assessment documents for reinforcing and prestressing steel, post-tensioning kits, and structural metallic products. CARES maintains a global network of independently accredited certification entities. CARES Certification Pte Ltd in Singapore holds SAC accreditation No. PD-2022-23 for product certification under ISO/IEC 17065:2012 and management systems accreditation Nos. QS-2023-40, ES-2024-19, and OSH-2024-30 under ISO/IEC 17021-1:2015. CARES Hong Kong is accredited by HKAS (No. 030) to ISO/IEC 17065 and ISO/IEC 17021:2015. CARES Middle East holds EIAC accreditation No. CB-PRD-010 to ISO/IEC 17065 for product certification. This multi-regional structure allows steel manufacturers and construction project owners to obtain consistent, recognised CARES-scheme certification irrespective of country of manufacture or project location. Beyond product certification, CARES provides third-party management systems certification for ISO 9001 (quality management), ISO 14001 (environmental management), and ISO 45001 (occupational health and safety management) to organisations across the construction materials sector. CARES delivers responsible sourcing certification under BS 8902:2009, enabling producers to substantiate sustainability claims with independently verified credentials. In 2026, CARES launched a dedicated EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) Verification Service, providing steel importers and traders with the independently verified embedded carbon data required under EU CBAM legislation—reflecting the organisation's expanding remit into climate-related product assurance. CARES operates a pacesetting digital ecosystem providing real-time certification status verification for any CARES-certified product or company. The platform supports supply chain transparency through CARES Static QR codes printed on certified product labels, enabling contractors, designers, and specifiers to instantly confirm certification standing on site or in procurement workflows. This digital infrastructure is particularly valued on major infrastructure projects—such as the Thames Tideway Tunnel super sewer—where demonstrable product provenance and supply chain assurance are contractual requirements. With four decades of sector-specific expertise, a multi-continental accreditation footprint, and a recognised role at the intersection of product quality, structural safety, and sustainability, CARES is the reference certification partner for the global reinforcing steel industry. Infrastructure clients, structural engineers, designers, procurement teams, and major contractors consistently specify CARES-certified supply chains to satisfy technical standards, regulatory obligations, and sustainability commitments on the world's most demanding construction programmes.