Element Materials Technology Group
# Element Materials Technology Group

Element Materials Technology Group, trading as Element, is a global Testing Inspection and Certification (TIC) company headquartered in London. It specialises in materials testing and provision of certification schemes in building material, aerospace, transportation, health sciences, oil and gas, and fire protection.

Sector competitors include Intertek, Bureau Veritas, NPL and SGS.

Built upon acquisition, a key precursor was Exova Group plc which was listed on the London Stock Exchange until June 2017.

## History

The Exova brand was established in 2008, following a carve-out transaction from Bodycote, by funds managed by the private equity company Clayton, Dubilier & Rice for £417m in 2008. Exova was subsequently listed on the main London Stock Exchange on 16 April 2014 and entered the FTSE 250 in June 2014. In July 2014 the company acquired Metallurgical Services Private, an Indian testing services firm. In May 2015 Exova also acquired BM TRADA, the international provider of certification schemes and building products testing services.

Element Materials Technology Group was founded in November 2010 after the 3i-backed management buyout of the Materials and Testing group of Stork B.V..

Bridgepoint Group bought Element from 3i in 2015 and went on to acquire at least 29 companies. Its most notable acquisition was Exova Group plc - which had itself acquired several firms - from a collection of shareholders led by Clayton, Dubilier & Rice, for £620m in cash in April 2017.

Element announced a bid to acquire Exova company in April 2017; the transaction completed on 30 June 2017.

The British press reported in July 2017 that Exova had produced reports that allowed combustible cladding to be fitted to tall buildings "arguing fires involving combustible aluminium panels would behave similarly to ones with non-combustible ceramic tiles." At the Grenfell Fire Inquiry, expert witness Dr Barbara Lane criticised Exova’s attitude towards residents with mobility issues, as well as its inability to respond correctly to key questions during the Grenfell refurbishment. Dr Lane said Exova’s advice was inadequate on the project and its 2012 report lacked detail on how those with mobility issues could escape. She reminded the inquiry of the views of Exova’s former principal fire engineer Dr Clare Barker, who ‘did not consider’ these people and that ‘if they did have mobility issues then maybe Grenfell Tower wasn’t the best place for them to live’.

Element was acquired by Temasek Holdings in January 2022, when Bridgepoint agreed to an offer that valued the business at $7bn. Cinven and CPP Investment Board had also been mulling at $4bn bid.

## Operations

As Exova, it operated over 120 laboratories in over 30 countries worldwide. The group tests materials, components, products and systems to ensure compliance with safety, performance and quality standards. The company specialises in testing across a number of sectors including health sciences, aerospace, transportation, oil and gas, fire and construction.

Services include calibration, chemistry and microbiology, corrosion and protection, fire, metal technology, polymers and composites, and structures and systems. The firm operates in different sectors under a number of brands, including:

* Exova Warringtonfire
* Exova Metech
* Warrington Certification
* Exova Catalyst
* Exova RPC
* Exova Metallurgical Services
* Exova BM Trada
