Lankelma Ltd

What Lankelma Ltd does

Lankelma Ltd is a UK-based specialist ground investigation contractor providing cone penetration testing (CPT) and related geotechnical site investigation services. Founded in 1999 and headquartered in Iden, East Sussex, the company operates an extensive fleet of over 20 CPT units and 25+ specialized cone penetrometers for pushing instruments into the ground at constant rates to depths of up to 100 metres, producing real-time data on soil resistance, sleeve friction, porewater pressure, seismic shear wave velocity, and contamination. The company serves engineering consultants, construction contractors, mining firms, government agencies, and offshore energy developers across five primary verticals: construction & infrastructure, rail, mining, marine/offshore, and environmental contaminated land.

The company generates revenue through project-based professional services contracts, delivered on day-rate or per-metre pricing, with services including CPT testing, geotechnical sampling (MOSTAP, water samplers), instrumentation installation (piezometers, inclinometers), and nearshore marine investigations using two C-5 jack-up platforms (Sandpiper and Shearwater). It also offers bareboat rental of the Sandpiper platform for client-operated deployments. Go-to-market is direct enterprise field sales with no resellers; demand generation is built on industry conference presence (ISFOG, Oceanology International), on-site CPT seminars at client offices, free technical publications, and detailed case studies. The business combines high capital intensity (a fleet of specialized rigs and jack-up platforms) with proprietary in-house R&D that has produced the lubrication module, Seismic Moveout seismic method, UV video cone, and an ISO 22476-1:2022-compliant calibration laboratory. Since 2017 the company has been independently owned following the Boskalis acquisition of Gardline, and is now advancing a VISION 2030 strategic agenda anchored on offshore wind, CO2 transport infrastructure, and continued international expansion.

Name

Lankelma Ltd

Legal name

Lankelma Ltd

Website

https://lankelma.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Lankelma Ltd is a UK-based specialist contractor providing cone penetration testing (CPT) and geotechnical site investigation services to engineering consultants, construction firms, mining operators, government agencies, and offshore energy developers worldwide, operating an in-house fleet of 20+ CPT rigs and two jack-up platforms.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Geotechnical Site Investigation Services

NAICS

Testing Laboratories and Services (54138), Geophysical Surveying and Mapping Services (54136)

SIC

Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

Geotechnical Investigation & Site Characterization (Boreholes, In-situ Testing, Lab Testing) (IMAFAOAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Geotechnical Instrumentation & Monitoring (Settlement, Inclinometers, Piezometers) (IMAFAOAH)

Keywords

• Cone penetration testing
• Geotechnical site investigation
• Soil profiling services
• Geotechnical instrumentation installation
• Nearshore marine surveys

Headquarters

HQ city

Iden, East Sussex

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. CPT Testing Services: Project-based cone penetration testing services delivered nationwide and internationally using company-owned equipment and trained field operators. Revenue is generated through day rates and per-metre pricing for testing, sampling, and monitoring services.
2. Geotechnical Installation Services: Installation of geotechnical instrumentation including vibrating wire piezometers, standpipe piezometers, and inclinometer systems for monitoring ground conditions during construction.
3. Nearshore Marine Services: Overwater and nearshore geotechnical investigations using jack-up platforms and marine drilling/CPT equipment. Services include both operated (company-operated) and bareboat (client-hired) jack-up vessel rental.
4. Sampling and Laboratory Services: Soil and groundwater sampling services using MOSTAP and water sampler equipment. Samples are shipped for laboratory testing including moisture content, Atterberg limits, bulk density, and shear strength tests.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Lankelma Ltd is a specialist geotechnical site investigation contractor providing cone penetration testing (CPT) services for soil profiling and geotechnical property derivation. The company delivers CPT-based ground investigation services across land, rail, restricted access, and nearshore marine environments using a proprietary fleet of over 20 CPT units and 25+ cone penetrometers, complemented by soil and groundwater sampling, geotechnical instrumentation installation, and jack-up platform operations. Services are delivered by in-house field teams nationwide and internationally to engineering consultants, construction firms, mining companies, and government agencies.

Product overview

Lankelma Ltd is a world-leading provider of cone penetration testing (CPT) for soil profiling and geotechnical ground investigation. The company operates a comprehensive portfolio of CPT equipment including tracked rigs, track-trucks, rail units, and specialist CPT units, alongside nearshore marine capabilities through jack-up platforms (Sandpiper and Shearwater). Their testing methods span standard piezocone to specialized equipment including seismic cone, magnetometer cone, video cone, UV video cone, membrane interface probe (MIP), and push-in shear vane. The company offers sampling services (MOSTAP soil sampler, water sampler) and geotechnical installations (inclinometer systems, standpipe piezometer, vibrating wire piezometer). Nearshore operations utilize wireline CPT systems, top-push CPT rams, rotary and sonic drill rigs, and vibrocorers. The product suite is unified around CPT-based ground investigation services with specialized modules for different environments (land, rail, nearshore, restricted access) and applications (contamination detection, UXO clearance, seismic testing).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cone Penetration Testing (CPT) Services Primary geotechnical testing service involving pushing a specialized cone-shaped tool into the ground to gather soil data up to 100 metres deep, providing real-time results for soil profiling and deriving geotechnical properties. Delivered nationwide and internationally to engineering consultants, construction companies, mining firms, and government agencies.
• Piezocone Testing Standard cone penetrometer measuring pore water pressure during CPT testing, suitable for a range of soils. Measures tip resistance, sleeve friction, and porewater pressure during CPT soundings.
• Lubrication Module Testing Water-based lubrication system that reduces rod-to-ground friction, enabling testing to depths exceeding 30m in stiff clays like London Clay, compared to typical 18-20m depths without lubrication. Requires only 5t push force vs 18t without.
• Magnetometer Cone (UXO Detection) Specialized cone for detecting unexploded ordnance (UXO) during CPT testing, used for site clearance ahead of intrusive activities. Detects magnetic anomalies to identify buried ordnance.
• Seismic Cone Testing 15cm2 seismic cone comprising piezocone unit with accelerometer-based seismic receiver for measuring shear wave velocity and building small strain stiffness profiles at 1m intervals.
• Full Displacement Cone Pressuremeter Testing Testing equipment applying uniform pressure to walls of test hole by expanding a flexible membrane behind cone tip, measuring soil strength and stiffness parameters at strains as low as 0.01%.
• Video Cone Testing Cone with camera and LEDs behind glass window for real-time ground characterization, ideal for identifying geological anomalies, contamination, particles, voids and gas bubbles.
• Membrane Interface Probe (MIP) Testing Specialized probe for assessing contamination in soil, identifying and quantifying organic contaminants in groundwater using a semi-permeable membrane. Works alongside water sampler to take groundwater samples where contamination has been detected.
• UV Video Cone Testing Enhanced video cone with UV-emitting LEDs for faster detection of fuel and oil ground contamination through fluorescence emission detection. Detects cold light emission luminescence from fuels and oils.
• Push-in Shear Vane Testing In-situ shear vane testing equipment deployed via CPT push for measuring undrained shear strength of soils. Used for soil mixing column shear strength verification at mining sites.
• MOSTAP Soil Sampling Service Monster Steek Apparaat soil sampling service using a 65mm diameter sampler for recovering high quality, undisturbed soil samples 1.2m in total length from both granular and cohesive soils, without spoil or pre-drilling requirements. Samples are shipped for laboratory testing.
• Water Sampling Service In-situ bladder pump water sampling service using CPT equipment, with 500ml sample containers. Achieves pump rates up to 1.45L/minute with gentle purging. Used for contamination assessment alongside MIP probes.
• Inclinometer System Installation Installation service for monitoring ground deformation using plastic casing in boreholes, with push-in installation method for fast verticality-controlled deployment and bentonite sealing.
• Standpipe Piezometer Installation Installation of simple, reliable piezometers for monitoring piezometric water level over time using porous tip and riser pipes.
• Vibrating Wire Piezometer Installation Installation of piezo sensors using vibrating wire pressure transducer to accurately measure pore water pressure in all soil types, suitable for slope stability and dam monitoring.
• Sandpiper C-5 Jack-up Platform Operations Modular jack-up platform for geotechnical drilling, borehole investigation and CPT testing in waters up to 15m depth (deeper with extensions). Self-contained with CPT, drilling equipment, power generation, and welfare facilities. Can mobilize in two weeks. Available for operated hire or bareboat rental.
• Shearwater C-5 Jack-up Platform Operations Jack-up platform 21.3 x 18.2m dimensions with 27.4m leg length for nearshore operations in water depths up to 15m (deeper with leg extensions). Introduced in 2025 to strengthen Lankelma's nearshore marine capability.
• Nearshore CPT Operations Comprehensive nearshore CPT services using wireline CPT systems (Wison-APB 90mm tool, 1m or 3m pushes), top-push CPT rams (20 tonne capacity), and seabed CPT units (ROSON 50kN with 1500m depth rating; Seabed CPT Hyson for soft alluvial soils). Delivered from jack-up platforms for cable route, offshore energy, and port infrastructure projects.
• Nearshore Drilling Services Nearshore drilling services using Dando 9000 rotary drill rig, Dando 4000 cable percussion drill rig, CompactRotoSonic XL-Duo dual drill head rig, and High Powered Vibrocorer (HPVC). Provides high quality undisturbed samples and supports Standard Penetration Testing, UT100 Sampling, Piston Sampling, Vane Shear, and Pressuremeter.
• Hybrid Plug-in Electric CPT Crawler (UK23) Operations Operations using the world's first hybrid plug-in ballasted CPT crawler (UK23), 13 tonnes with 20 tonne hydraulic ram set. Can operate on plug-in electric or diesel engine, reducing emissions for environmentally sensitive sites.
• Rail CPT Operations CPT operations on rail infrastructure using world's first dedicated CPT rail truck (UK12) for testing within rails, excavator-mounted unit for cess, four-foot and six-foot positions, and self-propelled rail-crawler (UK24). VAB approved for Network Rail operations. A 15m deep CPT takes approximately 40 minutes, enabling 4-5 tests per 6-hour night possession.
• Track-Truck CPT Operations Versatile self-contained HGV-mounted CPT operations using track-trucks (UK3, UK15, UK20, UK22) with hydraulically deployable tracks for soft or uneven ground conditions. Provides nationwide coverage for greenfield and brownfield site investigation.
• Restricted Access CPT Operations Restricted access CPT operations using basement rams (UK10, UK26), mini crawlers (UK19, UK27), excavator-mounted rigs (UK14, UK25), inclined rams (UK21, capable of 20-90 degree angles), and overwater rams (OW1). Designed for basements, buildings, and constrained sites.
• Cone Calibration Services ISO 22476-1:2022 compliant cone penetrometer calibration service using a new force standards machine. Provides sensor uncertainty values, temperature influence verification, and detailed uncertainty budgets. Located in Lankelma's calibration laboratory at headquarters.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 150m of testing per day achievable
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature17 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• A.P. Van Den BergcoreTechnology or IntegrationEquipment supplier providing ROSON 50kN Seabed CPT unit for nearshore and offshore cable route investigations. This partnership extends Lankelma's nearshore CPT capabilities as the industry develops, including power cable landfall projects such as Celtic, Greenlink, IFA, and Gridlink.
• WisoncoreTechnology or IntegrationSupplier of Wison-APB wireline CPT system - a downhole wireline CPT system with 90mm tool capable of 1m or 3m CPT pushes. This is a key technology for Lankelma's nearshore and deep borehole investigation capabilities.
• Dando Drilling InternationalcoreTechnology or IntegrationSupplier of nearshore drill rigs including Dando 9000 rotary drill rig and Dando 4000 cable percussion drill rig for geotechnical sampling and in-situ testing capabilities.
• Compact RotoSoniccoreTechnology or IntegrationSupplier of CompactRotoSonic XL-Duo drill rig enabling both sonic drilling and Geobor-S drilling from jack-up platforms, providing versatile nearshore drilling capability.
• Woodland TrustminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for tree planting initiative under the MOREwoods scheme. Lankelma has planted 600+ tree saplings at headquarters covering 0.5 hectares to create wildlife habitats and support environmental sustainability.
• University of GlasgowminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership for 25th anniversary celebrations featuring a special lecture on Geoparameter Evaluation Using the CPT by Professor Paul Mayne, sharing knowledge between industry and academia.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• ConeTec: ConeTec is a direct peer — both are specialist CPT contractors offering in-situ soil testing, sampling, and geotechnical site investigation. Lankelma even distributes the ConeTec CPT Design Manual textbook, reflecting their closely aligned offering and target customer base in engineering consultants and infrastructure owners.
• Geotechnical Engineering Ltd: Geotechnical Engineering Ltd is a UK specialist contractor providing site investigation, drilling, and in-situ testing services. Comparable as a direct peer in the UK ground investigation market, competing for similar rail, construction, and infrastructure projects.
• Structural Soils: Structural Soils is a UK-based geotechnical and geoenvironmental site investigation contractor that competes for the same engineering consultancy, contractor, and infrastructure projects. Comparable as a direct peer offering drilling, CPT, sampling, and laboratory testing to similar UK infrastructure clients.

Broad incumbents

• SOCOTEC UK: SOCOTEC UK is a broad incumbent providing site investigation, geotechnical testing, and environmental consulting to UK construction and infrastructure clients. It is comparable as it competes on CPT and ground investigation tenders for the same engineering consultant and contractor customer base.
• BAM Ritchies: BAM Ritchies is a UK ground engineering contractor offering geotechnical services including site investigation, piling, and ground improvement. Comparable as it serves the same construction and infrastructure clients and competes on ground investigation scopes, though it is much broader in its service range.
• Fugro: Fugro is a broad incumbent offering geotechnical site investigation including CPT, geophysical surveying, and offshore geotechnics as part of a much larger portfolio. It is comparable as it serves many of the same offshore wind, cable route, and infrastructure customers, but at a far larger scale and broader service scope.
• Bureau Veritas (UK Geo-technics): Bureau Veritas operates geotechnical and site investigation services in the UK through acquired entities, serving infrastructure and construction clients. Comparable as it competes for ground investigation scopes at the premium end of the UK market, though it is a much broader TIC (testing, inspection, certification) incumbent.

Others

• Wison Group: Wison is a supplier of the Wison-APB wireline CPT system used by Lankelma and also provides offshore and engineering services. Comparable as an equipment-side partner/peer in the nearshore CPT market, offering both downhole CPT tools and broader offshore engineering capabilities.
• A.P. van den Berg: A.P. van den Berg is a Dutch supplier of CPT equipment (including the ROSON seabed unit used by Lankelma) and also performs CPT contracting services. It is comparable as a supplier/peer in the specialist CPT market, providing both specialized rigs and in-situ testing services across nearshore and onshore environments.

Emerging players

• Geosyntec Consultants: Geosyntec is a specialist geotechnical and environmental consulting firm with significant CPT and in-situ testing capabilities in the UK and internationally. Comparable as it serves overlapping mining, contaminated land, and infrastructure clients and has begun deploying its own CPT crews in Europe.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lankelma-ltd

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 Lankelma Ltd