What Applied Inspection does

Applied Inspection Ltd is a UK-headquartered specialist inspection services provider, founded in March 1984 and operating from four sites (Chesterfield headquarters, Burton Upon Trent, Ossett and Glasgow) with three fully equipped laboratories and 90+ full-time staff. The company delivers non-destructive testing, welding services and inspection, metallurgical/materials testing, and Level III NDT consultancy to enterprise and mid-market clients in petro-chemical, nuclear, offshore, rail, power generation, mining, gas, construction, foundry and general engineering sectors, with documented project work in more than 40 countries. It serves safety-critical use cases including Network Rail infrastructure, offshore wind fabrication, nuclear (Rolls Royce approved), aerospace forgings, large generator manufacturing, and dispute resolution between EPCM contractors and sub-contractors.

The technical offering spans radiography (X-ray and Gamma Ray with Iridium 192/Cobalt 60), ultrasonic testing including phased array, magnetic particle inspection, dye penetrant inspection, eddy current testing, visual testing, Positive Material Identification using calibrated Bruker/Innov-X XRF analyzers, hardness surveys and metallurgical analysis. Differentiation rests on PCN/ASNT Level III certified personnel, a proprietary radiograph digitisation and filtering workflow for ASME-code interpretation, and continuous research collaboration with TWI, British Energy Plc, Shell UK and Sheffield University.

Revenue is generated entirely from professional services delivered per-contract at client sites or in the company's laboratories, priced on a per-engagement basis with no published rate card. Distribution is direct field sales with named regional NDT, welding, rail and materials-testing managers, supported by 24/7 NDT availability. Quality credentials include ISO 9001:2015, RISQS, BS EN 15085-2 CL-1 & CL-2, BINDT RIS-2701-RST, Alcumus Safe Contractor and Rolls Royce nuclear approvals, and the company publishes annual customer satisfaction reports (93% overall in the latest disclosure).

Name

Applied Inspection

Legal name

Applied Inspection Ltd

Website

https://appliedinspection.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Applied Inspection is a UK-based, 1984-founded inspection services firm delivering non-destructive testing, welding, materials testing and Level III consultancy to enterprise clients in rail, nuclear, oil and gas, power, aerospace and construction across four UK sites and 40+ international markets.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Inspection Services

NAICS

Testing Laboratories and Services (54138), Testing Laboratories and Services (541380), Engineering Services (54133)

SIC

Services-Testing Laboratories (8734), Services-Engineering Services (8711)

akta.pro primary industry

Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) & Inspection Services (IMAIACAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) & Advanced Inspection (Phased Array, TOFD, Guided Wave) (EUAEAKAF), NDT/Inspection & Testing Services (Aviation) (IMABALAJ), Pressure Equipment, Boilers & Heat Exchanger Inspection (EUAEAHAB)

Keywords

• Non-destructive testing
• Welding inspection services
• Materials testing
• Welder training
• NDT consultancy

Headquarters

HQ city

Chesterfield

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) Services: On-site and in-laboratory NDT services including radiography, ultrasonic testing, phased array ultrasonic testing, magnetic particle inspection, dye penetrant inspection, eddy current testing, and visual testing. Delivered 24/7 to petro-chemical, nuclear, offshore, rail, power generation, mining, gas, construction, foundries, and general engineering industries.
2. Welding Services: Comprehensive welding services including production welding, weld repairs, welding procedure development and approval, Responsible Welding Coordinator (RWC) services, and welding engineering consultancy. Delivered on-site and at the company's Burton Upon Trent welding facility. Also includes welder training and certification to BS EN and ASME/AWS standards.
3. Materials Testing and Metallurgical Services: Wide range of metallurgical analysis and materials consultancy including component failure investigations, warranty claims, metallography, reverse engineering, corrosion investigations, hardness surveys, micro and macro examination, material analysis, and Positive Material Identification (PMI). Services are laboratory-based or on-site with collection and delivery available.
4. Training Services: Training courses in metallurgy/materials, welding (BSEN ISO 9606, ASME IX, AWS standards), and non-destructive testing (MT, PT, UT, ET). TWI-approved welder training to NVQ Level 3 in Fabrication and Welding. NDT training to PCN Level II and ASNT Level II nationally and globally. Delivered on-site or at company facilities.
5. NDT Consultancy Services: Level III NDT consultancy services including interpretation of codes and standards, training and certification of NDT personnel, guidance on testing methods, preparation and verification of testing procedures, and third-party independent evaluation. Serves international clients including EPCM organisations and major engineering companies globally.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Applied Inspection provides industrial non-destructive testing (NDT), welding inspection and fabrication support, metallurgical and materials testing, NDT consultancy, and coded welder training services to UK industrial clients. Services are delivered on client sites and from four UK depots (Chesterfield, Burton, Ossett, Glasgow) covering the petro-chemical, nuclear, power generation, rail, construction, and fabrication sectors. The company holds multi-sector accreditations including RISQS, BINDT, and ASNT/PCN/AIRBUS approvals.

Product overview

Applied Inspection is a service company offering a unified portfolio of non-destructive testing (NDT), welding, and materials testing services. The core offerings include NDT services (radiography, ultrasonic testing, phased array, MPI, DPI, eddy current, visual testing), welding services (production welding, repairs, training, consultancy), and metallurgical/materials testing (failure analysis, forensic investigation, reverse engineering, PMI). These services are delivered both on-site and from three UK-based laboratories, supported by a Quality Management System and provided to diverse industries including rail, nuclear, aerospace, petro-chemical, and power generation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Non Destructive Testing (NDT) Non-destructive testing services delivered on client sites and from UK depots using methods including radiography, ultrasonic testing (UT), phased array ultrasonic testing (PAUT), magnetic particle inspection (MPI), dye penetrant inspection (DPI), eddy current testing, visual testing, hardness testing, and positive material identification (PMI). Targeted at industrial clients in petro-chemical, nuclear, power generation, rail, construction, and fabrication sectors requiring accredited inspection of components and assets.
• Welding Services Welding inspection and fabrication support services for industrial clients, including welding coordination, procedure qualification, welder qualification, post-weld heat treatment, and on-site welding inspection. Serves fabrication, petro-chemical, nuclear, rail, and construction projects requiring certified welding oversight.
• Metallurgical Services & Materials Testing In-house metallurgical and materials testing service providing laboratory analysis of metallic and other industrial materials for clients in petro-chemical, nuclear, power generation, rail, construction, and fabrication sectors. Supports component qualification, failure investigation, and materials verification activities.
• NDT Consultancy Consultancy service providing NDT procedure review, audit of existing inspection programmes, and expert advisory support to industrial clients seeking to improve or validate their non-destructive testing arrangements.
• Welder Training Welder training and coded welder qualification service delivered from Applied Inspection's dedicated Chesterfield training centre. Provides coded welding training to industry requirements for welders and welding operators in safety-critical sectors.

Quantifiable outcome

• 93% overall customer satisfaction measured through annual Customer Satisfaction Survey, up from 88.5% in 2000, demonstrating sustained quality and service excellence.
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and notable.

• TWI (The Welding Institute)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerApplied Inspection collaborates with TWI on multiple fronts: (1) TWI-approved welder training at the Burton Upon Trent facility to EAL and EMTA Awards, qualifying welders to NVQ Level 3 in Fabrication and Welding; (2) joint NDT training provision to PCN Level II and ASNT Level II nationally and globally, delivered on-site or at Applied Inspection facilities; (3) collaborative European-backed non destructive testing research projects. The relationship is characterised by mutual benefit: TWI provides certification and accreditation while Applied Inspection delivers training and consultancy services under the TWI umbrella.
• British Energy PlcnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerApplied Inspection participates in European-backed non destructive testing research projects in collaboration with British Energy Plc, alongside other industry and academic partners. The collaboration focuses on advancing NDT technology and methodologies in the energy sector.
• Shell UKnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerApplied Inspection participates in European-backed non destructive testing research projects in collaboration with Shell UK, alongside other industry and academic partners. The collaboration involves advancing inspection technologies for the oil and gas sector.
• Sheffield UniversitynotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerApplied Inspection participates in European-backed non destructive testing research projects in collaboration with Sheffield University. The academic partnership brings research expertise to advance NDT methodologies and technology development.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• SGS: SGS is one of the world's largest TIC companies, offering industrial inspection, NDT, materials testing, and welding-related services globally. It is a broad incumbent competing with Applied Inspection across rail, energy, and general industrial inspection.
• Intertek: Intertek is a global TIC provider with industrial inspection, NDT, welding qualification, and metallurgical testing capabilities serving oil & gas, rail, aerospace, and power generation. It directly overlaps with Applied Inspection's full service portfolio and competes on enterprise NDT and welding certification work.
• Bodycote: Bodycote is a global thermal processing and materials testing services provider serving aerospace, automotive, energy, and industrial markets. It overlaps with Applied Inspection's metallurgical/materials testing capabilities, particularly in failure analysis and mechanical testing.
• Acuren: Acuren is one of the largest non-destructive testing (NDT) service providers in North America, owned by Lone Star Funds. Applied Inspection's email infrastructure runs on the acuren.com domain, strongly suggesting it operates as a UK/European arm of Acuren, with overlapping NDT, inspection, and materials testing capabilities.
• Bureau Veritas: Bureau Veritas is a global TIC (testing, inspection, certification) major providing industrial asset integrity, NDT, welding inspection, and materials testing to oil & gas, marine, rail, and power clients. It competes with Applied Inspection on large enterprise NDT contracts and is the dominant TIC consolidator across the same verticals.

Direct peers

• Mistras Group: Mistras Group is a pure-play NDT and inspection services provider serving oil & gas, aerospace, infrastructure, and power generation. It is a direct competitor to Applied Inspection in advanced NDT methods including ultrasonic, phased array, and radiography for safety-critical applications.
• Applied Technical Services (ATS): ATS is a US-based NDT, materials testing, welding, and calibration services provider serving aerospace, power, nuclear, and oil & gas. It is closely comparable to Applied Inspection as a mid-sized specialist offering the same integrated NDT/welding/metallurgy service stack.
• Element Materials Technology: Element is a major UK-anchored materials testing and NDT services provider serving aerospace, rail, energy, and industrial sectors. It directly competes with Applied Inspection in metallurgical failure analysis, weld qualification, and laboratory-based materials testing.

Emerging players

• TWI (The Welding Institute): TWI is Applied Inspection's training and research partner, providing CSWIP/TWI welding qualifications and collaborative NDT research. It is also an emerging competitor in advanced NDT, materials joining, and welder certification services in the UK and globally.
• NDT Global: NDT Global is an inline inspection specialist for oil & gas pipelines using advanced ultrasonic and electromagnetic methods. It is an adjacent/emerging peer in advanced NDT for energy infrastructure, the same vertical Applied Inspection serves.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance9 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Applied Inspection