1st Line Defence Ltd: "APB's professional culture fits ours very well."
In the first quarter of 2015 1st Line Defence Ltd in the United Kingdom put into service its newest asset, a renovated second-hand CPT Truck, originally built by A.P. van den Berg. During the procurement process, the company immediately recognized the benefits of the digital Icone click-on concept and decided to have an Icone data acquisition system with the Icone Magneto Module installed in their CPT Truck. A good reason to dedicate our Newsletter column “Partners in Geotechnical Services” to 1st Line Defence Ltd.
1st Line Defence Ltd
1st Line Defence Ltd was founded by Mr. Brett Kinsman in 2011. The company is now recognized as one of the UK’s leading providers of Unexploded Ordnance (UXO) Risk Mitigation Services providing practical solutions for risks in the field of UXO and Unexploded Bombs (UXB). The company’s expertise lies in dealing with contamination consequences of historic ordnance. Its customers are especially active in construction, site investigation and marine projects, both in the United Kingdom and abroad.
Professionalism and the drive to deliver high-quality cost-effective projects on schedule are the foundation of its activities. To achieve this, the company’s top priority is to treat customers, subcontractors, professional associates and suppliers with honesty and integrity, ensuring this by working closely with them throughout their projects. In order to prolong customer relationships, the company continues to maintain and invest into high standards of safety and ensure quality by investing in new technologies and systems.
Mr. Brett Kinsman at 1st Line Defence Ltd
Mr. Brett Kinsman, who we contacted for this column, is the owner and director of 1st Line Defence Ltd. All his life he has been working in the world of UXO and in 2011 he saw the opportunity to start his own business within this industry. Right from the start, the company ran well and is still growing rapidly. Mr. Kinsman expressed that he enjoys working with enthusiastic employees and providing his customers with the required services. Together with his team at 1st Line Defence, Mr. Kinsman is committed to delivering high quality services where common sense and ethics are the guiding principles.
Cooperation with A.P. van den Berg
Mr. Kinsman was already familiar with A.P. van den Berg CPT equipment and did not hesitate to contact our company when looking for a CPT system. From the start, the communication was very pleasant and friendly. “There was an instant click. A.P. van den Berg’s professional culture fits ours very well.”, commented Mr. Kinsman. He continued to express that he was 100% satisfied with the acquisition of the second-hand CPT Truck. “The purchase process, in which A.P. van den Berg acted as intermediary, went really smoothly. A.P. van den Berg took a lot of hassle out of our hands and did an excellent job on renovating the CPT Truck.” The CPT Truck is equipped with the latest technology in CPT data acquisition; the Icone click-on concept. To start with, 1st Line Defence Ltd has only procured the Icone Magneto that is ideally suited for the detection of unexploded ordnance (UXO). If the company wishes, it can easily expand the system’s capabilities with an Icone, to simultaneously measure the standard CPT-parameters, or with other click-on modules for seismic, vane and conductivity tests. Finally, it is much appreciated that our experienced Service Team is always available for questions or service, even outside of office hours.
Future
The interview ends with the question of what the future plans are for the company. Mr. Kinsman replies that he wants to be the number one Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) company in the United Kingdom and Europe. We believe that they are on the right track, and wish them lots of success for the future.