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Where did it all begin?
The story of 1st Line Defence started all the way back in 2012, with our Managing Director – Brett Kinsman – and his vision of creating a UXO risk mitigation company that was a class above the rest.
The vision for 1st Line Defence was more than just offering UXO risk mitigation services; Brett wanted to create a company that invested in its people and the very best equipment and processes, with a strong focus of building great relationships with clients and suppliers.
The vision in 2012 was very straightforward:
- Make construction sites a safer place for Commercial, Governmental and Humanitarian organisations to develop and operate in.
- Build a team of talented individuals and provide opportunities for them to progress within a growing company.
- Provide clients with a value for money service and sector leading customer service.
- On 23 March 2012, 1st Line Defence invoiced its first client for a Preliminary UXO Risk Assessment and the company flourished from there.
Where are we now?
1st Line Defence really has grown since its humble beginnings.
In 2012, we started with a team of two staff and soon added our first two historical researchers. It was a time when everyone had to wear many hats and ‘muck in’ with every aspect of the business, and our friendly and practical approach was soon winning over new clients.
We are proud to have built a robust and diverse workforce of over 150+ employees who are trained to deliver the highest levels of customer service.
We have expanded our services to a wider global Land and Marine client base, whilst continuing to maintain the high quality project delivery 1st Line Defence has built its enviable reputation on.
We are the UXO risk mitigation company chosen by many organisations due to being UK Home Office Authorised and Police Licensed, and we hold numerous professional Accreditations & Memberships with industry leading Health & Safety organisations – safety is our top priority and you are in good hands.
1st Line Defence have the capabilities to assess and manage UXO risk on projects of all different shapes, sizes and scopes, and you can have peace of mind that our professionally-trained staff will support you throughout the entire project life cycle.
What does the future hold?
Our portfolio of work over the years has delivered a variety of services to over 4,000 clients, meeting all of their UXO risk mitigation needs and supporting our clients with UXO safety and awareness training, CPD courses and more.
We continuingly invest in our staff, equipment, processes, infrastructure and technology to provide our clients the most cost-effective UXO risk mitigation solutions in the industry.
Our employees sit at the core of our business and we are committed to providing the best possible training, from our ground staff all the way through to our management team.
Supported by a large and dedicated team from offices in Hertfordshire, UK and Florida, U.S.A, our UXO specialists and EOD engineers have used their expertise to mitigate risk across thousands of projects across the UK and Overseas.
It is all of this combined that has enabled us to become renowned as experts in our field. Whether it’s supporting clients that operate on Land or Marine projects, in conflict zones or for humanitarian purposes – you can rely on our knowledge, trustworthiness and professionalism.
Follow the links to browse our client Case Studies and Testimonials and find out more about what we do, and if you need more information – contact us and we will try our best to help.
Company Timeline
- March 2012
- March 2012
- March 2013
- August 2013
- October 2014
- June 2015
- April 2016
- November 2017
- June 2018
- February 2019
- June 2019
- February 2020
- October 2020
- May 2021
- January 2022
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1st Line Defence move into Cavendish House in Hoddesdon
2012 was the year that 1st Line Defence was born and we moved into a 2-room rented office space at Cavendish House in Hoddesdon. The business started with a team of two staff and we soon added our first two historical researchers. It was a time when everyone had to wear many hats and ‘muck in’ with every aspect of the business, and our friendly and practical approach was soon winning over new clients.
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1st Line Defence produces its first UXO Risk Assessment
In March 2012, 1st Line Defence secured its first client and sent out its first invoice, it was for a Preliminary UXO Risk Assessment at a cost of £150 – and the business flourished from there onwards. The research team produce UXO Risk Assessments for land and marine projects across the UK and Internationally.
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1st Line Defence hits £1,000,000 in turnover since it started operating
2013 was the first year the company generated over £1,000,000 turnover in a calendar year, which was a remarkable achievement for the team in such a short period of time.
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1st Line Defence move from Cavendish House to Maple Park in Hoddesdon
By mid-2013, the company had outgrown its two-room rented office and relocated to new premises, purchasing a unit at Maple Park in Hoddesdon. The larger office space allowed the company to expand its operations and employ more staff to support future growth plans. Later, the company undertook a complete refit of the building space to create new offices, meeting rooms, breakout areas and amenities.
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1st Line Defence purchases its first Intrusive UXO Survey Rig
In October 2014, 1st Line Defence purchased its first UXO Survey Rig – this was a key investment for the business as it helped improve and expand its service offering – and made efficiencies with scheduling and resources.
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1st Line Defence awarded accreditations for ISO 9001, ISO 14001 & 18001
In 2015, 1st Line Defence acquired its first ISO accreditations in Quality, Health & Safety and Environment. ISO 9001 was granted 15th June with ISO 14001 & 18001 (now ISO 45001) quickly following in September the same year.
Read more here – https://www.1stlinedefence.co.uk/about-us/accreditations-and-memberships/
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1st Line Defence produces its 500th UXO Risk Assessment
In April 2016, 1st Line Defence produced its 500th Preliminary UXO Risk Assessment – a key milestone for the business and the Research Team also completed its 500th Detailed UXO Risk Assessment in May the same year.
Image index: Yellow markers are for Preliminary reports and Green markers are for Detailed assessments.
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1st Line Defence launches new website following sustained growth
In November 2017, 1st Line Defence launched a brand new website to better serve its growing customer base and improve its online presence – through organic search and paid advertising.
Read more here – https://www.1stlinedefence.co.uk/news/1st-line-defence-launches-new-website/
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1st Line Defence wins at the Hertfordshire Business Awards
1st Line Defence’s success was recognised locally in 2018, when the company was honoured to win ‘Business of the Year’ for East Herts at the Hertfordshire Business Awards.
Read more here – https://www.1stlinedefence.co.uk/news/1st-line-defence-win-hertfordshire-business-awards/
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1st Line Defence expand to the United States following huge growth and success in the UK market
In 2019, 1st Line Defence announced its new Florida based company in the United States, 1st Line Defense LLC – following a year of business development attending workshops, exhibitions / conferences and building a network of contacts.
Read more here – https://www.1stlinedefence.co.uk/news/1st-line-defence-expands-uxo-services-to-united-states/
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1st Line Defence raise their 10,000th invoice for providing UXO Services
In 2019, the company’s accounts department raised its 10,000th invoice, and reported on a record number of UXO discoveries from client projects.
Read more here – https://www.1stlinedefence.co.uk/news/discovery-at-uxo-target-investigation-project-in-cambridgeshire/
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1st Line Defence acquire additional premises in Maple Park in Hoddesdon
In 2020, 1st Line Defence expanded its office space further still to provide more room for its growing Operations, Sales and HR Teams of 45+ office staff – which later proved invaluable due to the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Read more here – https://www.1stlinedefence.co.uk/news/1st-line-defence-acquire-new-premises/
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1st Line Defence creates the largest UXO Research Department in the UK
2020 was the year that 1st Line Defence hired its twentieth member of the Research Department, making it the largest of its kind in the UK UXO Sector. Each member of the company’s in-house research team have extensive training, resources and knowledge, and are supported by a senior quality assurance department which review and approve hundreds of Preliminary and Detailed UXO Risk Assessments every year.
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1st Line Defence expands Marine UXO Services team
Following on from rapid growth of our Land UXO Services and exponential rise in demand for our industry leading capabilities, 2021 brought the expansion of 1st Line Defence’s Marine UXO Services team to deliver operations to a wider client base. We work with our clients in the scoping and pre-construction phases of offshore projects and deliver an end-to-end solution for consultancy, survey, investigation, clearance and disposal.
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1st Line Defence purchase their seventh Intrusive UXO Survey Rig
2022 saw the arrival of 1st Line Defence’s seventh Rig to meet increasing demand from its customers, a newly refurbished 10,000kg Intrusive UXO Survey Rig to complement its fleet of owned assets.
Read more here – https://www.1stlinedefence.co.uk/news/introducing-1st-line-defences-new-intrusive-uxo-survey-rig/
Why choose us
- Extensive experience in the sector
- Industry-leading technologies and infrastructure
- Complete project life cycle solutions
- Flexible and responsive approach
- Professional accreditations and memberships
Click on the following link to view or download the UXO Risk Mitigation Strategy we adhere to, in accordance with CIRIA C681 Guidelines.
“I have always found 1st Line to be highly flexible and accommodating to project changes. Their site and office teams are punctual and professional and have given me no reason to look for an alternative supplier.“
Senior Engineering Project Manager, Structural Soils Ltd
Explore our Case Studies
Looking for more information about 1st Line Defence?
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UXO Services
We offer a wide range of professional services and technology to assess, survey, mitigate, support and manage the risk of Unexploded Ordnance (UXO).
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Marine UXO Services
Assess, survey and mitigate the risk of UXO on marine projects. We offer ROV Surveys, Diver Investigation, Dredging and Clearance services.
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Meet the Team
Put a face to a name and meet the team at 1st Line Defence, we're a friendly bunch of professionals all striving for the same goal.
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FAQs
Browse some of the more frequently asked questions about UXO and risk mitigation, and if you can’t find what you’re looking for contact us.
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Want to learn more about 1st Line Defence?
Our friendly, transparent and ethical approach helps us build relationships and experiences with our clients – contact us to find out more.
Call: +44 (0) 1992 245020 or Email: info@1stlinedefence.co.uk
