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LONDON, UK – March 8, 2021 - Å·ÃÀÊìÅ®ÂÒÂ× (Element) has been confirmed as a partner in testing and qualification for the City of Los Angeles. The City’s Department for Building & Safety has issued a Testing Agency Licence for non-metallics and work will include materials testing for infrastructure.

The license comes in recognition of Element’s significant contribution in testing composite fiber overwrap used in bridges, pipes and pressure vessels, both in new installations and life extensions. The work will be undertaken in Element’s Los Angeles laboratory with support from its network of over 200 accredited ISO 17025 (testing) and ISO 17020 (inspections) laboratories.

Retrofit and reinforcement of concrete columns and other civil engineering structures is a priority for the region with its high incidence of seismic activity. Composite fiber overwrap systems can prevent a concrete column or span from collapsing during an earthquake and Element’s contribution to this overwrap technology is the validation of materials selection and field installation. For those overwrap systems that include embedded sensors, Element validates that the sensor data is consistent with the performance of the materials and the system, as part of overall asset integrity management. 

Rick Sluiters, EVP of Americas at Element, said: “This approval further confirms the skills and expertise of the aerospace team across the Americas. By using our experience in aerospace technology and adapting it to the civil infrastructure market, we are broadening access to the engaged experts and technology within our network of laboratories. We also bring our clients faster turnaround times and modelling, testing and inspection solutions to increase life cycles and improve fit for purpose evaluation.”

Further use for composite fiber overwrap is to enhance performance of pipes and pressure vessels for the energy, water and wastewater industries, with high pressure and extreme temperate applications as energy storage vessels for energy, automotive and aerospace.

Accredited by A2LA to ISO/IEC 17025 and Nadcap, the Los Angeles laboratory specializes in providing mechanical, electrical, and flammability testing of composites and other non-metallic materials to the aerospace sector. With over 50 years of experience and an international reputation for materials and industry expertise, Element Los Angeles tests a full range of materials including: composites, adhesives, plastics and polymers, elastomers, aircraft interior materials and electrical properties. In addition to its aerospace sector clients, the laboratory also performs tests on advanced materials for the automotive, electronic and medical device sectors. 

About Element 

The Å·ÃÀÊìÅ®ÂÒÂ× Group is one of the world’s leading global providers of testing, inspection and certification services for a diverse range of materials, products and technologies in advanced industrial supply chains where failure is not an option. Headquartered in London, UK, Element’s team of more than 6,000 expert scientists, engineers and technicians operate from around 200 locations across five continents, delivering an extensive range of solutions to customers in critical industries including aerospace, connected technologies, construction, defense, digital engineering, energy and environmental.

In 2021 Element Digital Engineering was launched, moving Element a step closer to being a leader in engineering simulation, modelling, data science and artificial intelligence to solve complex industrial challenges.

For more information about Element, please visit our website, connect with us on and and subscribe to our channel.

Media contacts:

Diana Milford, External Communications Manager
T: +44 (0) 131 333 8052
E: diana.milford@element.com

Devan LaBrash, Pagoda Public Relations
T: +44 (0) 131 556 0770
E: devan.labrash@pagodapr.com