Fugro has opened it’s expanded soils testing laboratory at the group’s UK headquarters in Wallingford, Oxfordshire. An investment of over GBP 1 million has been made in increasing the capacity and in equipment, as a direct result of the increase in the number of samples being taken from offshore wind developments, coupled with Fugro’s existing work in the global offshore oil and gas industry.
The floor space of the laboratory has been increased by 50%, new equipment includes; 12 Computer controlled Stress Path Triaxial systems, four Cyclic Simple Shear systems, four Cyclic Triaxial systems, 10 High Pressure Incremental Oedometer systems and two Resonant Column systems. The number of Fugro laboratory technicians has already been increased by 25% with plans for further employment opportunities. The new facilities now increase the output of the laboratory by 50%. Fugor expects demand to grow from the marine renewables sector during the next few years.