About Us
We are extremely proud of the work we deliver at CAN and strive to always be the very best that we can be. We love a challenge and take great care in ensuring that the service we provide is one which delights our clients at every turn.Mark Richardson
Operations Director
Our Mission
Be the leading specialist geotechnical and structural contractor for delivery of challenging access and stabilisation solutions whilst maintaining a culture of safety, wellbeing, pride, innovation, integrity and collaboration.
Established in the UK in 1983, CAN has remained at the forefront of difficult access solutions. In the early 2000s, CAN Geotechnical and CAN Structures were formed, each with a specialist focus but both remaining closely aligned to allow seamless integration of services and expertise.
Over the years, CAN has grown to employ over 200 staff and in 2019, the CAN group joined the RSK Group. Since, the business has enjoyed the support of RSK but has been encouraged to retain its identity, drawing on the strengths and collaboration opportunities of the group as required.
CAN Geotechnical specialises in:
- Slope stabilisation
- Rockfall containment and protection measures
- Retaining wall stabilisation
Whilst difficult access work comprises a large proportion of what CAN Geotechnical does, the business excels at more traditional ground level stabilisation contracting work.
CAN Structures specialises in difficult access work in the built environment, from buildings and bridges to towers, confined spaces and working over water. CAN Structures provides a wide array of services carried out alongside its access specialism including:
- Inspection
- Cleaning
- Blast and paint
- Electrical and mechanical installations
- Concrete and masonry repair
- And much more.
1983: CAN is established
CAN is established in the UK. Early contracts include local authority high rise inspections, highway, railway and coastal stabilisation schemes. Novel access techniques, adapted from mountaineering and caving, bring new levels of safety to the UK work at height industry.
1986: Inspections in Glasgow
In Glasgow CAN completes city wide programme of external inspections to high rise housing stock for the City Council – the largest UK rope access contract at that time.
1991: Fort Rail Bridge
CAN installs high level floodlighting to the Forth Rail Bridge, as part of the centenary celebrations of this iconic structure.
1991: Remotely Controlled Access
CAN develops a remotely controlled access platform which is used to apply Metalcoat to the stay cables on the new Dartford Crossing. Europe’s longest cable-stayed crossing at that time, it was later renamed the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge.
1996: Secondary Damper Cables
Secondary damper cables are installed by CAN on the newly constructed Second Severn Crossing, to reduce unwanted oscillations in the main bridge stay cables.
1997: Design & Build Stabilisation
CAN completes design and build stabilisation scheme at Pylle Hill in Bristol, acting as Principal Contractor to Railtrack. Works include site clearance, drainage, fencing, soil nailing, netting and masonry repairs
1999: Cable net and fabric roof to the Millennium Dome
CAN installs cable net and fabric roof to the Millennium Dome, the largest membrane structure in the world. Despite the political controversy surrounding the Dome (or O2 Arena) at the time of construction, it is one of London’s most recognisable landmarks.
1999: 80m high limestone cliff is stabilised by CAN
In Gibraltar, an 80m high limestone cliff is stabilised by CAN, to make safe a key recreational area. Work included installation of multi-strand anchors, bolts and rockfall netting within heavily voided limeston
2000: Kent office
CAN opens a Kent office to serve the Greater London area.
2001: CAN cleans Big Ben
One of several cleans undertaken by CAN to the clock faces on the Palace of Westminster, aka Big Ben. This image of us at work is published in UK Sunday papers and subsequently appears in newspapers and magazines around the world.
2003: London office expands
CAN re-locates the London base to larger offices and warehouse in Northfleet, enabling us to hold the full range of plant and equipment on site for fast response to client needs.
2005: CAN works on Wembley Stadium
CAN designs and installs high capacity anchors within the basements of the new Wembley Stadium to support the arch steelwork during the critical erection process. We subsequently undertake post-erection painting of high level steelwork across the stadium.
2011: CAN stabilises Bridge Valley Road
Bridge Valley Road, a vital commuter link within Bristol is stabilised by CAN for the City Council within a SSSI and European SAC. The work requires bulk grouting of a disused rail tunnel, anchoring and soil nailing, masonry repairs and carriageway resurfacing.
2012: CAN successfully registers for ISO 9001
CAN successfully registers for ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 through UKAS Accredited Certification body.
2012: CAN pilots its new CANBeam
Following successful prototype testing, CAN pilots its new CANBeam to provide soffit access over a 32m clear span during the Principal Inspection of the Flintshire Bridge.
2013: CAN works as Principal Contractor
CAN acts as Principal Contractor for the design and build stabilisation of Westmount Quarry and Park Heights, in Jersey. The £6m+ contract, successfully completed over a 16 month period, involves major re-profiling, anchoring, netting, sprayed concrete and drainage.
2014: CAN helps stabilise Dawlish seacliff
Winter storms cause the catastrophic failure of the seawall and adjacent seacliff at Dawlish resulting in the closure of the main line rail link to Cornwall. CAN provides multiple drill crews to re-profile and stabilise the slopes adjacent to the railway. We then install anchors within the inter-tidal zone to secure new retaining wall units, acting as reinforcement for the original failed seawall.
2015: CAN opens Bristol office
CAN opens a new office in Bristol to provide greater support for ongoing contracts within the South West of England and South Wales.
2016: Installation of world’s tallest and longest tunnel slide
CAN completes installation of world’s tallest and longest tunnel slide, spiralling down a vertical drop of almost 80m from the viewing platform of the ArcelorMittal Orbit Tower in London.
2018: RSK announces
Leading environmental and engineering services company RSK Group Ltd announce that it has acquired CAN. Latest announcement takes the number of acquisitions by the group to 11 in recent months.
2019: CAN opens Glasgow office
CAN announces the opening of the new Glasgow office. This is the fourth permanent base supplementing Chesterfield, Northfleet and Portishead and bringing some much needed geographical balance to our UK office locations.
2019: CAN opens Dublin office
CAN announces the opening of the new Dublin office, expanding our presence in the Irish market. This is now the fifth permanent base supplementing Chesterfield, Northfleet, Portishead and Glasgow.
2019: Launch of Confined Space
CAN launches a specialist Confined Spaces Division, with a dedicated team of confined space technicians, estimators and project management staff. This will open our 20+ years of confined space experience to a much larger market.
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