AOC Archaeology Group
AOC Archaeology Group is a UK heritage services firm delivering archaeological fieldwork, heritage consultancy, conservation, digital survey, and community outreach across seven British offices, serving developers, museums, and government bodies.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1991
- HeadquartersTwickenham, United Kingdom
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What AOC Archaeology Group does
AOC Archaeology Group is a UK heritage professional services firm founded in 1991 and headquartered in Loanhead, Midlothian, with seven offices across Edinburgh, London, York, Inverness, Leeds, Milton Keynes, and Glasgow. The company delivers archaeological fieldwork, heritage consultancy, conservation, survey and geomatics, geophysical investigation, post-excavation analysis, marine archaeology, and public outreach and education services. Its core technology stack combines 3D laser scanning, photogrammetry, aerial LiDAR, geophysical survey (Electrical Resistance, Gradiometer, GPR), GIS analysis, RockWorks 17 geological modelling, freeze-drying and X-radiography in its conservation laboratory, and the In Situ digital storytelling platform. The firm operates the only archaeological conservation laboratory in Scotland and holds Registered Archaeological Organisation status from the Chartered Institute for Archaeologists.
AOC serves four primary customer segments: development and construction companies requiring planning-condition compliance, heritage organisations and museums needing artefact conservation and research, government and local authorities requiring heritage consultancy and environmental impact assessment, and community groups and trusts for outreach projects. Revenue is generated exclusively through professional services engagements — project-based, quote-driven contracts with no public pricing disclosure — distributed via direct sales, public tenders, and repeat framework agreements. Notable clients include Historic Environment Scotland, National Trust for Scotland, East West Rail, Barrett Homes, HUB Living, Forestry Commission Scotland, Culture Perth and Kinross, and Historic Assynt. The firm operates as a privately held, independent entity with no external institutional investment, and acquired Rathmell Archaeology in 2023 as a wholly-owned subsidiary.
AOC Archaeology Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- AOC Archaeology Group
- Legal name
- AOC Archaeology Group
- Website
- https://aocarchaeology.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1991
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- AOC Archaeology Group is a UK heritage services firm delivering archaeological fieldwork, heritage consultancy, conservation, digital survey, and community outreach across seven British offices, serving developers, museums, and government bodies.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
AOC Archaeology Group industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Archaeological and Heritage Services
- NAICS
- Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (7121), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712), Historical Sites (712120), Geophysical Surveying and Mapping Services (54136)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Historic Preservation & Conservation Planning (BPAHAKAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Museums & Heritage Sites (History, Science, Specialty) (BPAGAHAA), Archives, Special Collections & Preservation Operations (Rare Materials, Conservation) (EDAEAGAJ)
Keywords
Where AOC Archaeology Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Twickenham
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices7 records
Markets served
AOC Archaeology Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Archaeological Services: Full range of archaeology services from survey to excavations, including fieldwork services, watching briefs, site evaluations, and area excavations for commercial developers and private landowners requiring heritage compliance.
- Heritage Consultancy: Planning advice, desk-based assessments, conservation appraisals, environmental impact assessments, expert witness testimony for public inquiries, and cultural heritage environmental statement chapters.
- Conservation Services: Archaeological conservation laboratory services including stabilisation and conservation of artefacts, preventive treatments, freeze-drying of waterlogged materials, X-radiography, and specialist analysis services.
- Community & Outreach Services: Public archaeology team providing community engagement projects, museum displays, educational resources, and fundraising support for heritage groups.
- Survey & Geomatics: Archaeological survey and geomatics services including topographic survey, standing building survey, 3D laser scanning, photogrammetry, artefact digitisation, CAD and illustration, GIS analysis.
- Marine Archaeology Consultancy: Marine heritage consultancy including marine EIA preparation, seabed assessment, and integrated research proposals for marine environment developments.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
AOC Archaeology Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
AOC Archaeology Group provides professional archaeological, heritage, and building conservation services across the UK. Its core offerings span pre-planning heritage assessment, fieldwork, excavation, geophysical and topographic survey, post-excavation analysis, conservation laboratory work, and public/outreach engagement. The firm serves developers, contractors, public-sector bodies, museums, trusts, and private clients from offices in London, Edinburgh, and Inverness.
Product overview
AOC Archaeology Group is an archaeological and heritage services company offering a comprehensive suite of professional services rather than a single unified software product. The portfolio includes core service lines: Archaeology Services (fieldwork, survey, geophysics, post-excavation), Conservation Services (the only archaeological conservation laboratory in Scotland), Consultancy Services (heritage planning, EIAs, geoarchaeology), and Outreach & Education Services. A key digital offering is the In Situ platform, which presents archaeological work through interactive 3D models and digital storytelling. The company operates as one of the best-equipped archaeological units in the UK, supported by ISO-9001 standards and NEBOSH-accredited managers. Services are delivered through offices in London, Edinburgh, York, Inverness, Leeds, Milton Keynes, and Glasgow.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Archaeology Services End-to-end archaeological services for developers, contractors, public-sector bodies, and heritage organisations, covering pre-planning assessment, excavation, fieldwork, post-excavation analysis, and reporting.
- Fieldwork & Survey (Geomatics and Geophysical Survey) On-site survey services including geophysical survey, topographic survey, 3D laser scanning, photogrammetry, aerial LiDAR, and GIS mapping to support archaeological and heritage projects.
- Building Conservation Services Specialist building and object conservation services including laboratory-based conservation (freeze-drying, X-radiography), dendrochronology, and conservation advisory for built heritage.
- Heritage Consultancy Heritage planning and advisory services including heritage impact assessment, desk-based appraisal, and strategic heritage advice for projects across the UK.
- Outreach & Community Engagement Public-facing services delivering archaeology and heritage engagement, including community projects, education, and digital storytelling via AOC's In Situ platform.
- In Situ (Digital Storytelling Platform) Digital storytelling platform developed by AOC to communicate archaeological and heritage narratives to public audiences, complementing the firm's outreach and community engagement services.
Quantifiable outcome
- Trained over 1000 volunteers and welcomed over 1000 school children to site in recent years
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use AOC Archaeology Group
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
AOC Archaeology Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
AOC Archaeology Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- Historic Environment ScotlandcoreMajor strategic partner providing funding and commissioning for wetland archaeology research including the SWAP Programme, Black Loch of Myrton excavations, and conservation call-off contracts. Historic Environment Scotland is AOC's primary government heritage partner in Scotland.
- Perth and Kinross Heritage TrustcoreKey partnership for community excavations at King's Seat hillfort and hillforts of the Tay project. Joint delivery of heritage projects in Perthshire region.
- Historic AssyntcorePartnership with community heritage group for excavation, conservation, and presentation of Clachtoll Broch as part of Coigach Assynt Living Landscape Partnership.
- Forestry Commission ScotlandmajorPartnership for condition and management surveys of archaeological sites and monuments on the National Forest Estate, including 3D laser scanning and innovative survey techniques.
- National Trust for ScotlandmajorOngoing conservation and survey projects including work at Weaver's Cottage, Perth City Hall museum artefacts, and various heritage properties.
- Whithorn TrustminorHosting partner for exhibition of artefacts from Black Loch of Myrton at Whithorn Trust location.
- Destination TweedmajorCo-created community archaeology project 'Uncovering the Tweed' investigating archaeology along the River Tweed valley including Fairnilee moated enclosure.
- Nevis Landscape PartnershipmajorPartnership for Dun Deardail hillfort excavations with volunteer training, school visits, and community engagement over three-year project.
- Tay Landscape PartnershipmajorDelivery of public excavations on Moncreiffe Hill (Moredun Top) as part of landscape partnership programme.
- Dunkeld and Birnam Historical SocietyminorCommunity partner for King's Seat hillfort excavations with volunteers from the local historical society.
- Skylark IX Preservation TrustminorConservation partnership to preserve one of the 'Dunkirk Little Ships' from World War II's Operation Dynamo.
- Sidestone PressminorPublisher partnership for free digital publication of Black Loch of Myrton excavation results and other monographs.
- ArchaeopressminorPublisher of free downloadable monograph on King's Seat, Dunkeld excavations.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
AOC Archaeology Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Wessex Archaeology: One of the largest UK commercial archaeology and heritage consultancies. Directly competes with AOC for Historic Environment Scotland framework agreements, developer-led fieldwork, and post-excavation contracts across England and Wales.
- Oxford Archaeology: Major UK archaeology and heritage consultancy with comparable service lines including fieldwork, geophysics, post-excavation, and heritage planning. Directly competes for developer-led and heritage-body contracts across Britain.
- Headland Archaeology: UK-wide commercial archaeology firm delivering fieldwork, heritage consultancy, and post-excavation services. Competes head-to-head with AOC for developer and infrastructure contracts across Britain and Ireland.
- Cotswold Archaeology: Established UK archaeology and heritage practice with a comparable mix of developer-led fieldwork, heritage planning, and conservation services. Directly comparable service offering and target customers to AOC.
- MOLA (Museum of London Archaeology): Large UK archaeology practice offering fieldwork, built-heritage, geoarchaeology, and publication services. Directly comparable to AOC in scope and client mix, particularly for development-led and museum/heritage body projects.
- Pre-Construct Archaeology: UK commercial archaeology firm focused on developer-led and planning-condition work across the South East and Midlands. Directly overlaps with AOC in heritage planning, fieldwork, and post-excavation services.
- Archaeological Research Services Ltd: UK-wide commercial archaeology consultancy delivering survey, evaluation, excavation, and heritage planning. Directly comparable services and customer mix to AOC, particularly for development and infrastructure clients.
Regional players
- GUARD Archaeology Ltd: Scotland-based commercial archaeology practice competing with AOC for development-led, infrastructure, and heritage body contracts in Scotland. Closely comparable service portfolio and Scottish client base.
- CFA Archaeology Ltd: Scotland-based commercial archaeology firm offering fieldwork, heritage consultancy, and post-excavation services. Closest geographic competitor to AOC's Scottish headquarters, competing for the same HES and developer contracts.
Others
- Historic England: UK government's principal heritage advisor and statutory consultee on planning applications. Not a commercial competitor but the key statutory body whose guidance and frameworks shape demand for AOC's heritage planning and advisory services.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
AOC Archaeology Group social profiles
Digital presenceAOC Archaeology Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
AOC Archaeology Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
AOC Archaeology Group subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
AOC Archaeology Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
AOC Archaeology Group M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about AOC Archaeology Group
What does AOC Archaeology Group do?
AOC Archaeology Group provides professional archaeological, heritage, and building conservation services across the UK. Its core offerings span pre-planning heritage assessment, fieldwork, excavation, geophysical and topographic survey, post-excavation analysis, conservation laboratory work, and public/outreach engagement. The firm serves developers, contractors, public-sector bodies, museums, trusts, and private clients from offices in London, Edinburgh, and Inverness.
Is AOC Archaeology Group a public or private company?
AOC Archaeology Group is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was AOC Archaeology Group founded?
AOC Archaeology Group was founded in 1991. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is AOC Archaeology Group based?
AOC Archaeology Group is headquartered in Twickenham, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does AOC Archaeology Group make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Archaeological Services are the primary driver. The others are heritage Consultancy, conservation Services, community & Outreach Services, survey & Geomatics and marine Archaeology Consultancy.
Who are AOC Archaeology Group's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Wessex Archaeology, Oxford Archaeology, Headland Archaeology, Cotswold Archaeology, MOLA (Museum of London Archaeology), Pre-Construct Archaeology and Archaeological Research Services Ltd. Regional players are GUARD Archaeology Ltd and CFA Archaeology Ltd. Historic England is listed as an others.
Does AOC Archaeology Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for AOC Archaeology Group.
What industry is AOC Archaeology Group in?
AOC Archaeology Group's product category is Archaeological and Heritage Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAKAH, Historic Preservation & Conservation Planning, with a secondary code of BPAGAHAA, Museums & Heritage Sites (History, Science, Specialty). Its NAICS code is 7121.