History
Keller’s UK business was established in the 1950s as a
site investigation service by GKN plc, the UK-based automotive and
industrial services group. The business was expanded during the
1960s to become a national piling and ground improvement
company.
The business developed internationally in 1974 through the
acquisition of Johann Keller GmbH, a German specialist ground
engineering company, whose business dates back to 1860 and from
which the Group now takes its name.
A significant entry into the large United States market was made
in 1984, through the acquisition of Hayward Baker Inc, a specialist
grouting company based in Maryland. This business has since grown
almost ten-fold, to become the market leader in ground improvement
and specialist grouting in the USA.
In May 1990, the executive directors, supported by venture
capital finance from Candover, led a management buy-out of the
Keller business from GKN, and in May 1994, Keller was floated on
the London Stock Exchange.
Substantial growth has been achieved since then, both
organically and by a number of key acquisitions, particularly in
overseas markets, which are listed below.
Acquisitions since flotation
| 1994 |
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Acquisition of Case, a leading caisson piling business,
based in Chicago. |
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| 1996 |
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Acquisition of Makers, marking a move into the concrete
repair and refurbishment market. |
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| 1997 |
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Acquisition of Smith Drilling, a small US caisson contractor,
which was merged with Case’s southern division to become
Case Atlantic. |
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| 1998 |
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Acquisitions of Denver Grouting, a specialist grouting
contractor based in Colorado; Genco, an Egyptian piling
contractor; and Frankipile, the leading Australian piling
contractor. |
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| 2000 |
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Acquisitions of Allied Mechanical Services, a regional
UK mechanical and electrical services contractor; FSI and
TCDI, two US specialist contractors; MTS, a Swiss
regionalist specialist in anchors, micro piling and soil nailing;
and LCM, a Swedish soil mixing contractor. |
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| 2001 |
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Acquisitions of Suncoast, a leading designer, fabricator
and distributor of post-tension cable systems to the construction
industry in North America and Keller's largest aquisition to date;
and Catoh, a US regional geotechnical construction business
specialising in heavy drilling techniques. |
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| 2002 |
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Acquisitions of Wannenwetsch, a German supplier of
robotic hydrodemolition services for use in concrete refurbishment;
Accrete, a provider of maintenance, refurbishment and
security services to the water and waste-water industry;
Vibropile, a Melbourne-based foundation drilling contractor;
a 51% share in Keller-Terra, a new ground engineering
venture in Spain; and McKinney Drilling, a leading provider
of drilled shaft caissons across the Eastern United
States. |
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| 2004 |
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Acquisition of the remaining 50% minority stake in LCM
in Sweden. |
| 2005 |
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Acquisition of Donaldson, a US specialist in
deep foundation and earth support services, based in Rhode Island
and serving the New England construction market. |
| 2006 |
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Acquisitions of Phi , a specialist contractor
offering slope and excavation retaining wall systems to the UK
construction market; Piling Contractors,
Australia's second largest specialist foundations contractors ; and
Anderson Drilling a provider of heavy foundations
serving the commercial, industrial and public infrastructure
markets on the West Coast of the US. |
| 2007 |
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Acquisitions of Systems Geotechnique, a
specialist contractor offering drilling and grouting services to
the UK construction market and H J Foundation, a
specialist piling contractor which is the market leader in Florida
in Continuous Flight Auger piles. |
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