UTEST is a manufacturer of testing machines and equipment that are used in quality testing of construction materials such as soil, concrete, cement, aggregates, bitumen, asphalt, rock, steel. From very basic tools to complex testing systems, all testing devices that are the concern of these listed materials can be found in their product range.
UTEST has been active and rising to the top in this sector since its establishment in 2004 in its headquarters in Ankara, Turkey, and their products have reached more than 80 countries. The company has three other branches operating in the USA, UK and India and they work through their global distributor network consisting of highly experienced distributors with whom they have cooperated for more than 6 years. UTEST is working on broadening their distributor network even more to be able to reach all countries and provide all of their clients with an equal level of service and support in all countries.
Around 200 employees; all are experts and remarkably qualified in their field, working in the factory and UTEST’s other three branches to offer services to their clients by giving priority to customer satisfaction in the design, manufacturing and supply of testing devices in conformity with the international quality standards. UTEST has a Quality Control and Calibration Laboratory equipped with high technology instruments in which all products are tested in each step throughout the production, and calibrated before leaving the factory. A quality assurance system, conforming to ISO 9001:2008, has been implemented to ensure the high standards of production. As the major supplier of testing equipment used for quality control, they apply the same principles in their own production procedure.
Easy Engineering: What are the main areas of activity of the company?
UTEST: We manufacture testing machines and equipment specialized in construction materials such as soil, concrete, cement, aggregates, bitumen, asphalt, rock, steel. Our main solution partners are universities, state institutions mineral research and exploration, road and highways, environment and city planning or hydraulics, irrigation and hydrology departments, research and calibration laboratories, and construction companies.
UTEST also designs special testing systems and devices to be used in quality control and R&D activities as well as our range of products which are all tested to guarantee quality, reliability and performance, in accordance with the international standards and warranty terms. Our R&D department is always in search of new trends and at the same time they keep up with the updates in standards to apply the changes to our designs.
Our technical service team provide prompt solutions both by visiting our clients in the field and by remote connection.
E.E: What’s the news for 2021 about new products?
UTEST: We have a Wheeltracker coming in 2021, and we believe it will be a game-changer with our high-quality manufacturing, thoroughly worked out the design and competitive pricing. We trust that UTEST will respond to the demand in the market with high success. Ikiflex is our new flexural testing frame with 200 kN capacity that is designed to conduct both parallel and orthogonal flexural tests on concrete beams, kerbs and slabs.
E.E: What are the ranges of products?
UTEST: Our product range is very broad but mainly focused on the requirements of testing construction materials (concrete, cement, aggregates, bitumen, asphalt, and soil as well as steel). Various drying and weighing equipment and glassware, plasticware and hardware which are used in such laboratories are also included in our product range. Our main goal by supplying these complementary products is to better answer the requirements of our clients that plan on setting up a laboratory from start. The major components of our product range are testing systems that are manufactured based on the requirements of standards (EN, ASTM, AASHTO, ISO, Australian Standards, AFNOR, etc.) determined by various international standardization organizations. We can safely to say that we are able to supply our clients with all kinds of products that are needed to set up a material testing laboratory
The most demanded products are our concrete compression testing machines that have had their places in the laboratories of well-known construction giants. Of our soil testing section, our triaxial testing system is highly preferred in geotechnical laboratories all around the world.
E.E: At what stage is the market where you are currently active?
UTEST: We operate in emerging market sectors such as Africa, Mongolia and also into well-established markets in the Gulf, Asia and Europe. We operate globally.
E.E: What can you tell us about market trends?
UTEST: New trends in the market, as in all markets due to the changing dynamics after the recent pandemic, are essentially remotely connected laboratories. In construction giants, such as CEMEX, the laboratories are adapting this new system of connection between their laboratories which makes it possible to start and conduct tests by a remote connection from different laboratories and sites.
E.E: What are the most innovative products marketed?
UTEST: UTEST is famous for innovation and the continuous development of existing products.
In the road design, for instance, we have developed a machine for testing a full road design rather than testing each layer separately. We have some of the best penetrometers in the world and work with some of the biggest clients in the world.
The company has special machines for testing concrete sleepers in railways, pipes.
E.E: What estimations do you have for 2021?
UTEST: 2020 has been a tough year because of the global pandemic, all the fields of work were affected at different levels. However, like all the lessons learned the hard way, the solutions we developed during this pandemic will be of use for a lifetime. Since travel restrictions are still in place, we have planned an online training schedule for all our authorized distributors. In the training scope, new designs of products will be presented to our distributors as well as providing them with instructions of recently developed after-sales solutions. As I stated earlier, we already have exceptionally experienced distributors in key locations that we have been working together for more than almost 6 years; our distributor in Romania, Precisa SRL is a good example. We have signed an increasing number of distributors lately, and there is another training plan constitutes of our whole production line aiming to make them familiar with each product.
This way, we will have reached our goal of serving our clients through our global distribution network by the midst of 2021 and being the best in our field in the world by the end of this year.