The History of Geo-Con / Geo-Solutions, Four Decades of Innovation
Geo-Solutions and Geo-Con merged in December 2012, retaining the name of Geo-Solutions. Geo-Solutions is a specialty geoenvironmental / geotechnical contractor founded by construction minded individuals with technical backgrounds. The senior staff have been in the forefront of numerous construction technologies including soil mixing, jet grouting, slurry walls, bio-polymer collection trenches, and other grouting services for nearly four decades with many individuals having worked together for over 20 years.
We hope you find this short history of Geo-Con and Geo-Solutions interesting. If you know of additional details that you feel would add to the history below, please contact us at info@geo-solutions.com so that we may consider your additions / edits.
2019 - Staff Promotions and Additions
2016 - Geo-Trencher & Canada Geo-Solutions
After years of planning and collaboration with Bucknell University, Geo-Solutions installed a soil-bentonite cutoff wall for ongoing research in Montandon, PA. The wall was installed with funding from the National Science Foundation and has since been the subject of numerous studies, publications (10+), and presentations. Geo-Solutions hopes this wall continues to provide an opportunity to improve the understanding of how these cutoff walls function and behave in situ. Data generated from the sensors in the wall is publicly available here: https://digitalcommons.bucknell.edu/nSF-SB-Cutoff-Wall-dataset/
Geo-Solutions also changes the name of its Canadian subsidiary company from Pennsylvania Geo-Solutions to Canada Geo-Solutions (www.geo-solutions.ca).
Chris Ryan, P.E. and Steve Day officially retire from Geo-Solutions.
2014 - Argentia, Newfoundland
In order to better support its clients, Geo-Solutions opens physical offices in Lakewood (Denver), Colorado and St. Petersburg (Tampa Bay), Florida. This enables Geo-Solutions to further strengthen its position in the western and southern regions of the US.
2013 - Executive Staff Changes
2012 - Acquisition of EBC Assets and the Geo-Con Tradename
With the financial support of RAF Industries, Geo-Solutions embarks on a capital equipment program in 2012 that results in Geo-Solutions having one of the largest inventories of specialty equipment in the industry, including:
- 15 long boom/stick combinations for a PC1250, PC800, PC400, CAT 385 and CAT 375
- 125, 80, and 49 metric ton class excavators for slurry wall work
- Several dozen slurry and grout mix plants
- Multiple soil mixing drills, including two of the largest crane-mounted drill platforms currently manufactured and a Casagrande 360 drill, the largest track-mounted hydraulic drill currently available
2012 - Financial Support Through RAF Industries
2011 - Geo-Solutions Establishes a Working Relationship in Brazil
Geo-Solutions first projects in Brazil include two firsts for the Brazilian market, the first permeable absorptive barrier (PAB) at an active chemical facility near Sao Paulo and the first test program for environmental soil mixing at an inactive facility in Rio de Janeiro.
2011 - Geo-Con is Awarded the Perimeter Wall Stabilization at TVA's Kingston Plant
2010 - Geo-Solutions Completes a Keystone Project in Smithland, Kentucky
A major renovation to Geo-Solutions’ New Kensington, PA facility is also completed. This renovation triples the shop space and doubles the office space.
2010 - Geo-Con Works in New Orleans
2009 - Geo-Solutions Receives a Safety Award for the Bureau of Rec
2008 - Geo-Solutions Forms a Canadian Subsidiary and Watkins Dam, Utah
Geo-Solutions completes a keystone project at the Watkins Dam Reservoir in Utah in late 2008. This project is Geo-Solutions largest project to date and firmly establishes it as a leading specialty geotechnical contractor.
2006 - Geo-Solutions Makes a Strategic Soil Mixing Purchase
2006 - Geo-Con Re-Establishes Pressure Grouting Presence
2005 - Geo-Con Completes Multiple Wetlands Remediation Projects
2004 - Geo-Solutions Establishes a Relationship in Australia
2004 - Geo-Con, Inc. Enters Bankruptcy Protection and EBC is Formed
2003 - Geo-Solutions Establishes a New Office and Begins Work in Canada
Geo-Solutions also starts to bid and perform turnkey construction work in the US and begins working in Canada.
2002 - Geo-Con, Inc. Completes First Full Scale Application of Soil Mixing with ZVI and Bentonite
2002 - Geo-Solutions in Brunei
2001 - Geo-Con, Inc. Completes Large ISS Project on MGP Site in Cambridge, MA
2000 - Geo-Con, Inc. Completes First Full Scale Slag-Cement-Bentonite Slurry Wall in Dam
1999 - Geo-Con, Inc.'s Early Applications of BP Slurry Trenching
Geo-Con, Inc installs a 56 foot deep permeable reactive barrier (PRB) within a roadway to treat a plume of chlorinated solvents. To mitigate the future impact to the municipal well field, the DEP decided to install a PRB composed of zero‐valent granular iron across the path of the plume. The application of the technology in a roadway with high vehicular traffic and in a residential neighborhood was unique and presented difficulties not typically associated with PRB installations.
1999 - Geo-Solutions Expands it Presence with Denver, CO Office
1998 - Geo-Con, Inc.'s Involvement at Rocky Mountain Arsenal
1997 - Geo-Con, Inc.'s Early Involvement in BP Slurry Trenching
1997 - Geo-Con Inc.'s Deep Soil Mixing for Permanent Excavation Support
1996 - Geo-Con, Inc. Completes Keystone Wetlands Restoration Projects
1996 - The Incorporation of Geo-Solutions
Geo-Solutions is officially incorporated in March 1996. Chris is the founder and original partner. The new firm primarily provides technical assistance and consulting services from 1996 to 2003.
1990-1995 - Geo-Con, Inc.'s Growth & Acquisition
Geo-Con, Inc / Woodward Clyde went on to be acquired by URS, which was subsequently acquired by AECOM. Shortly after the acquisition by URS, Geo-Con, Inc was sold off to a capital venture firm.
Late 80s through early 90s - Geo-Con, Inc.'s Technical Firsts and Technology Development
- Creation of the first U.S. manufactured multi-auger DSM soil mixing rig.
- Perform one of the first significant jet grouting projects in the U.S.
- Creation of the first U.S. manufactured dual stem jet grouting drill rig.
- Installation of a large environmental rock grout curtain which is the largest application of micro-fine cement based grout in the U.S. at the time.
- Demonstrate the use of the DSM technology to contain PCB impacted soils at a site in Florida as part of the U.S. EPA Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation (SITE) Program.
- Perform the first installation of large diameter, single auger soil mixing (also known as Shallow Soil Mixing or SSM) which created one of the mostly widely used techniques for the environmental soil remediation market known as In-Situ Stabilization/Solidification (ISS).
1989 - Geo-Con, Inc. Completes Shallow Soil Mixed Gravity Wall
1987 - Geo-Con, Inc. Completes the Jackson Lake Dam Project & ENR Advertisement Design Award
Geo-Con, Inc.’s DSM Advertisement wins top ten design contest in Engineering News Record (ENR) magazine.
1986 - Geo-Con Inc. Obtains a Financial Investment from Taisei Corporation
1981 to 1985 - Geo-Con Inc.'s Early Growth
1980 - Geo-Con, Inc.'s First Office
1979 - The Birth of Geo-Con, Inc.
The name “Geo-Con” is selected at the first meeting. Geo-Con, Inc originally operates with Chris as the only employee. At the end of 1979, Jim officially joins Geo-Con, Inc as an employee. Geo-Con, Inc produces its first sales brochure in 1979.
Prior to 1979 - Setting the Stage For Geo-Con
D’Appolonia Consulting Engineers forms a geotechnical construction subsidiary called Engineered Construction International (ECI). Chris Ryan, P.E. (Founder of Geo-Con, Inc and Geo-Solutions, Inc.) hears about the upcoming formation of ECI in December 1972 and moves to Pittsburgh to become the first employee.
Once ECI officially forms, the company immediately forms a joint venture (JV) with Soletanche.