Back in the day, before the 1960s, special surveys of ships required drilling holes in a ship’s hull to determine steel thickness. Obviously, this was an inefficient and costly practice. After emigrating from the United Kingdom, Cedric Talbot started the company Materiaal Metingen NV in The Netherlands in 1963. He was one of the first pioneers who saw the potential of using ultrasonic technology to carry out marine inspections. The first models of this Non-Destructive Testing equipment were heavy and bulky. However, not having to drill holes was well worth the effort and the new technology found quick adoption throughout the marine industry.
After a few years, Cedric expanded the companies’ scope into corrosion prevention for ships, offshore structures and industrial installations by partnering with the UK based company Wilson Walton Ltd. The business received a considerable boost when it was contracted by the Dutch oil company Shell to survey their tanker fleet. With such references, Materiaal Metingen soon became a trusted partner for oil majors such as Exxon, Total, Aramco, Chevron and Texaco.
Making use of its worldwide network among shipping companies, the company started selling high quality Harbinger aluminium boarding equipment. From the 1980s, the company further broadened its field of activity, offering a growing range of Non-Destructive Testing services across all branches of industry from several locations in The Netherlands.
From the beginning of the 1990s, the company, since then known as MME Group, made a number of strategic acquisitions. After having acquired the NDT training centre of the Rotterdam Drydock Company in 1989, Materiaal Metingen Europe BV was founded a year later. This division focussed on the development of state of the art corrosion and growth prevention solutions. In 1993, the Destructive Testing Laboratory of the Dutch steel piping supplier Van Leeuwen Buizen was also acquired. In the same year, MME Group opened its anode foundry in the United Kingdom. With these expansions, the company became a major player in material science, testing, inspection and corrosion prevention.
Nowadays, MME Group is still family owned and operates all over the world in in Offshore Oil and Gas, Offshore Wind, Shipping, Civil Engineering, Machine Building and other industries. It offers a wide range of products and services that help owners, operators and manufacturers realise “A Longer Life” for their assets and products. With more than 250 employees, 7 branch offices in The Netherlands and the UK and a worldwide agent network, MME Group is at your service!
