Member News: IKM Testing UK expands with opening of third facility and launch of new department

December 19, 2025
Member News: IKM Testing UK expands with opening of third facility and launch of new department

IKM Testing UK has marked a major milestone in its growth with the opening of its third facility, Innovation House, located in Westhill across from their headquarters Peregrine House. The new facility will accommodate team members, following a 3 year period of increasing employee headcount by 50%. The new facility reinforces the company’s plans to expand into international markets, renewables sector and an increase in decommissioning work in the UK.

As part of this development, IKM Testing UK has launched a newly integrated Design, Training & Competence (DCT) Department, bringing together the company’s creative design, 3D animation, digital learning, and training and competence services. This unified department strengthens IKM’s technical training and development capabilities and streamlines delivery for both internal teams and clients.

The department will be led by Lisa Allan as Department Manager, with Erin Hall appointed Team Lead for Training & Competence.

Further supporting the organisational restructure, Jules Smoke, former Head of the Design Department, has transitioned to the IKM Digitalisation team as an AI project manager. In his new role, he will lead the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) across business operations, drawing on his engineering and project management expertise.

Locating the DCT within Innovation House provides more space and enhanced facilities for creative and training activities, allowing teams to deliver improved training programmes, produce high-quality animations and design outputs, and accelerate technical development work for clients.

The facility was officially opened on Thursday, 18 December, by Vidar Haugland, CEO of IKM Testing AS and Executive Vice President at IKM Gruppen AS, who commented, “The Innovation House reflects our commitment to continually evolve and deliver smarter, safer, and more efficient solutions for our customers across the energy sector.”

With its modern, collaborative environment and increased capacity, Innovation House advances IKM Testing UK’s ability to support customers in the UK and globally with innovative, technology-driven solutions.

Barry Summers, Regional Director, IKM Testing UK said, “This integrated department will streamline operations, and improve overall efficiency across internal and client-facing services. The expansion positions IKM for future growth, improved output quality and expanded commercial opportunities.”

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