What 6 ALPHA ASSOCIATES does

6 Alpha Associates is a specialist UXO (Unexploded Ordnance) risk management consultancy founded in 2004 and headquartered in Bury St Edmunds, UK. The firm delivers end-to-end UXO risk management for land and marine environments — desktop threat assessments, on-site surveys (non-intrusive, magnetometer, MagCone, target investigation), ALARP safety sign-off certifications backed by £10 million professional indemnity insurance, and an in-house EOD Contracting Division established in 2016 for disposal works. Core technology centres on the proprietary Azimuth™ UXO relational database — a GIS-based repository of over one million geo-referenced threat data points compiled over 20+ years — together with the BombSearch mobile self-screening app, the UXO Threat Screening Layer (TSL) for GIS integration, and the bespoke Subsea UXO Relocation System (SURS). Differentiated additionally by its authorship of CIRIA C681 (land, 2009) and CIRIA C754 (marine, 2016), the UK's HSE-endorsed best-practice standards for UXO risk management.

The firm sells project-based professional services to enterprise and government clients across offshore wind, construction and civil engineering, energy (cables, pipelines, interconnectors), ports and airports, insurance, hospitality and international bodies. Go-to-market is direct enterprise field sales via phone and email, supplemented by thought leadership at industry events (Gold sponsor of the Marine UXO Survey and Clearance Symposium), content marketing through the website news blog, and the BombSearch app as a product-led top-of-funnel. Pricing includes fixed fees for standard desk studies (£155–£945) and unit or quoted pricing for toolbox briefs, on-site services, and complex marine engagements. With wholly-owned subsidiaries in Barcelona, Hamburg, and Hong Kong and over 100 projects completed, including 80+ offshore engagements, the firm operates as an independent consultancy with no disclosed external investment.

Name

6 ALPHA ASSOCIATES

Legal name

6 Alpha Associates Ltd.

Website

https://6alpha.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

6 Alpha Associates is a UK-based UXO risk management consultancy founded in 2004 that delivers end-to-end unexploded ordnance assessment, survey, and disposal services for enterprise and government clients in construction and offshore wind. Its Azimuth™ database, CIRIA authorship, and in-house EOD division anchor its market leadership.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

UXO Risk Management Consultancy

NAICS

Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services (5413), Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (541690), Geophysical Surveying and Mapping Services (541360)

SIC

Services-Engineering Services (8711), Oil & Gas Field Services, Nec (1389)

akta.pro primary industry

Mine Action & Explosive Ordnance Risk Reduction (EOD/ERW) (BPADAFAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Reliability, Safety & Risk Engineering (RAMS/PSM) Consulting (BPAHAIAK), Maritime Security Risk Assessments & Audits (BPAKALAF), Security Architecture & Engineering Advisory (Zero Trust, IAM, Network) (BPAKADAF)

Keywords

• UXO risk management
• Unexploded ordnance consulting
• Marine UXO surveys
• Explosive ordnance disposal
• Security risk management

Headquarters

HQ city

Bury Saint Edmunds

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. UXO Consultancy and Risk Management Services: Professional consultancy services including UXO Desktop Studies (Preliminary and Detailed Threat & Risk Assessments), On-Site Services (Non-Intrusive Survey, Down-hole Magnetometer, MagCone UXB Survey, Target Investigation), ALARP Safety Sign-Off Certificates, and EOD Engineering support. Revenue is generated on a project-by-project basis with quoted prices for standard deliverables.
2. ALARP Safety Sign-Off Certification: Certification services warranting that UXO risks have been reduced to As Low As Reasonably Practicable (ALARP). Supported by £10 million professional indemnity insurance. Typically delivered as part of a holistic risk management project engagement.
3. Online and Onsite Toolbox Briefs: Online UXO toolbox briefs streamed to workers (priced at £24 incl VAT per person for land, £40 incl VAT for offshore). Onsite toolbox briefs delivered by qualified EOD Engineers (£780 incl VAT for land, £40 incl VAT for offshore ERP).
4. EOD Contracting Division: In 2016, 6 Alpha launched its own Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Contracting Division in response to increased client demand. Provides holistic UXO risk management from desktop reporting through to EOD disposal works.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

6 Alpha Associates provides specialist UXO (Unexploded Ordnance) risk management consultancy services for both land and marine environments, covering desktop threat assessments, detailed threat and risk assessments, on-site UXO surveys, ALARP safety sign-off certification, and direct EOD disposal works through an in-house contracting division. The offering is differentiated by proprietary in-house technology assets (Azimuth UXO database, BombSearch app, TSL, and the Subsea UXO Relocation System) and the firm's recognised technical authority as co-author of the UK CIRIA C681 and C754 standards.

Product overview

6 Alpha Associates is a specialist UXO (Unexploded Ordnance) risk management consultancy offering a comprehensive suite of services for both land and marine environments. Their portfolio centres on the BombSearch App for mobile UXO screening, supported by proprietary AzimuthGIS threat database containing over one million data points. Services include Desktop Studies (Preliminary UXO Threat Assessment, Detailed UXO Threat & Risk Assessment), On-Site Services (Non-Intrusive Survey, Down-hole Magnetometer Survey, MagCone UXB Survey, Target Investigation, Emergency Response Plans, Toolbox Briefs, EOD Banksman Support, On-Call EOD Services), and ALARP Sign-Off Certification. They also offer Business Resilience services including Crisis Management Planning, Business Continuity Management, and Emergency Recovery Preparation, as well as Security & Risk Management services encompassing Threat and Risk Assessments, Vulnerability Analysis, and Blast Analysis. The company operates internationally with offices in the UK, Barcelona, Hamburg, and Hong Kong.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BombSearch App: Mobile application for UXO screening enabling users to determine at initial stages whether a Preliminary UXO Threat Assessment is required.
• Azimuth UXO Database

Products and services

• Preliminary UXO Threat Assessment (Desktop Study) Desk-based UXO threat and risk assessment for a proposed site, establishing baseline UXO contamination likelihood to inform planning and pre-construction decisions. Targeted at developers, contractors, and infrastructure owners in the UK and overseas.
• Detailed UXO Threat & Risk Assessment In-depth quantitative and qualitative UXO risk assessment, providing the analytical basis for ALARP justification and risk mitigation design. Used by project HSEQ, design, and pre-construction teams on brownfield and post-conflict sites.
• UXO Survey & Site Investigation Services On-site intrusive and non-intrusive UXO surveys including non-intrusive survey, down-hole magnetometer, MagCone UXB survey, and target investigation to identify, locate, and characterise suspect items before or during construction.
• EOD Contracting Services Direct execution of explosive ordnance disposal works by 6 Alpha's in-house EOD Contracting Division, enabling risk-bearing clearance of suspect items to completion without third-party hand-off. Operational since 2016.
• ALARP Safety Sign-Off Certification Formal ALARP (As Low As Reasonably Practicable) safety sign-off certification documenting that UXO risk has been reduced to a tolerable level, suitable for planning, HSE, and client audit records.
• BombSearch App Mobile application (Apple App Store and Google Play) supporting UXO find reporting and on-site awareness, distributed as a tool for construction and infrastructure site personnel.
• Azimuth UXO Database Proprietary in-house UXO threat intelligence database underpinning the firm's desktop studies, detailed assessments, and screening services, providing a data advantage over competitors without comparable assets.
• UXO Threat Screening Layer (TSL) Proprietary UXO threat screening layer used to rapidly triage site and route UXO risk across portfolios of projects or linear infrastructure corridors.
• Subsea UXO Relocation System (SURS) Proprietary subsea system for the relocation and disposal of underwater unexploded ordnance encountered during offshore wind, dredging, port, and cable/pipeline works.
• Security & Risk Management Services Independent security risk management advisory for government, defence, and corporate clients, delivered without security contractor affiliations to preserve objectivity.
• Business Resilience Services Business resilience and continuity advisory supporting client preparedness, response, and recovery from operational disruptions and high-impact events.
• Toolbox Briefs (Online and Onsite) UXO awareness and site safety training delivered to construction and infrastructure site personnel, available as online modules and onsite briefings.
• On-Call EOD and Emergency Response Services Retained on-call EOD response and emergency response planning support for projects and sites requiring standby explosive ordnance disposal capability.
• EOD Banksman Support Provision of qualified EOD banksman personnel to supervise and support safe excavation, piling, and ground-intrusion works on UXO-affected sites.

Quantifiable outcome

• 25% reduction in UXO magnetometer survey for South Korea Offshore Wind Farm project, saving approximately £400,000 in survey fees and 8 days of schedule
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments12 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• AtkinsRéalisminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2024AtkinsRéalis acted as Survey Manager for the ScotWind Floating Offshore Wind Farm project where 6 Alpha provided UXO ALARP safety sign-off certification. Working relationship on specific offshore wind projects.
• JNCC (Joint Nature Conservation Committee)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner6 Alpha co-authored JNCC Report 776: 'Seabed disturbance following high order clearance of unexploded ordnance' with authors Cooke, S. and Bardwell, R. (2025). Produced alongside DEFRA's Joint Position Statement for UXO Clearance in Marine Environments and JNCC guidelines for minimising risks to marine mammals from UXO clearance.
• MAT Kosovo (Mines Advisory Team)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner6 Alpha has sent eight employees for IMAS Level 2 training at MAT Kosovo. In May 2026, 6 Alpha donated 2 Vallon VMXC1-3 Detectors to MAT Kosovo for use in delivering training to Ukrainian agency personnel, as part of ongoing support for humanitarian demining efforts.
• CIRIA (Construction Industry Research and Information Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSelected by CIRIA in 2007 to co-author the UK's first HSE-endorsed publication on managing UXO risk on land (CIRIA C681, published 2009). Selected again in 2015 as lead technical co-author for the equivalent marine guide (CIRIA C754, published 2016). These are the de facto industry standards.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• BACTEC International: UK-based specialist UXO risk management consultancy offering desktop studies, on-site surveys, and EOD support to construction and offshore clients. Direct competitor to 6 Alpha across both land and marine UXO services in the UK market.
• Zetica UXO: UK specialist UXO and geophysical consultancy offering desktop threat assessments, magnetometer surveys, and borehole surveys. Direct competitor to 6 Alpha in the land UXO segment, particularly for pre-construction site investigations.
• SafeLane Global: International UXO risk management and landmine clearance company with UK operations, delivering threat assessments, clearance, and EOD services. Competes with 6 Alpha on both terrestrial and select marine UXO engagements.
• 1st Line Defence: UK UXO risk consultancy providing threat and risk assessments, on-site support, and EOD engineer services to construction, infrastructure, and offshore clients. Closest direct competitor to 6 Alpha on land-based UXO desktop and on-site work.

Broad incumbents

• RAMBOLL: International engineering, environment, and energy consultancy with marine and offshore wind expertise, including UXO advisory and survey support. Competes with 6 Alpha as a multidisciplinary alternative for offshore wind developers.
• RPS Group: UK-based international consultancy providing environmental, planning, and engineering services, including UXO risk management for infrastructure and development clients. A broader incumbent competing with 6 Alpha for integrated tenders.
• Tetra Tech: Global consulting and engineering firm with a strong environmental and security risk practice, providing UXO services to government and infrastructure clients. A broad incumbent whose scale and integrated offerings challenge 6 Alpha on larger multi-disciplinary bids.
• Fugro: Global marine geotechnical and geophysical services company with growing UXO survey and clearance capability for offshore wind and cable projects. A broad incumbent competing with 6 Alpha on marine UXO survey and target investigation scopes.
• BMT Group: International maritime and offshore engineering consultancy providing marine survey and risk services, including UXO-related advisory for offshore energy projects. Competes with 6 Alpha in the marine UXO and offshore wind support segment.

Emerging players

• Wessex Archaeology: UK archaeological and heritage consultancy with a dedicated UXO service line, providing desktop studies and on-site watching briefs. Overlaps with 6 Alpha on land-based UXO threat assessment and pre-construction risk management.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights8 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/6_alpha

Compliance12 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 6 ALPHA ASSOCIATES