SOCOTEC is significantly expanding its Irish operation, committing to double its workforce by 2030 as it builds greater local capacity across engineering, fire safety, environmental monitoring, surveying and testing.

The investment, reported by PBC Today, includes a new Ireland-focused website, a major recruitment campaign and further investment across SOCOTEC’s existing Irish operations. The company says the expansion will help meet growing demand for integrated compliance, risk and testing services.

SOCOTEC is a global testing, inspection and certification provider operating across 26 countries and serving more than 200,000 clients. Its Irish presence has grown through engineering and fire safety services, the acquisition of infrastructure specialist Lloyds Datum Group and the development of operations in Dublin, Letterkenny and Naas.

For Health & Safety professionals, the expansion is significant because it increases access to specialist expertise that supports safer buildings, infrastructure and working environments. SOCOTEC’s wider health and safety offering includes risk assessments, audits, inspections, fire safety, environmental health and safety, occupational hygiene and contractor management. SOCOTEC’s Health & Safety services are designed to support organisations throughout the asset lifecycle.

The local recruitment programme will add technical expertise across engineering, fire safety, environmental services, monitoring, surveying and testing. Bringing more of these capabilities into the Irish market can give organisations greater access to specialists who understand local regulatory requirements while reducing the need to coordinate multiple technical providers.

The expansion also builds on SOCOTEC’s 2025 acquisition of Lloyds Datum Group, which strengthened its capabilities in foundation testing, structural monitoring, geotechnical and environmental systems and established its first Northern Ireland office. The company is now combining those capabilities with its broader engineering, environmental and laboratory expertise.

For the sector, SOCOTEC’s investment highlights the growing importance of specialist technical expertise in managing safety and compliance across complex assets. Expanding locally based engineering, fire safety, monitoring and testing capabilities gives Irish organisations more opportunities to build safety into projects and operations through expert assessment, verification and ongoing support.

Source: PBC Today / SOCOTEC