Construction materials group GRS has acquired startup ground stabilisation and enabling works contractor Soil Science in a multimillion-pound deal.
The bolt-on acquisition complements GRS’s growing portfolio of contracting services for the construction industry, which includes enabling works, earthworks, civil engineering and land remediation. With its over £6 million annual turnover, Berkshire-based Soil Science has pioneered a low carbon, zero waste and easily reversible soil treatment for temporary construction works such as compounds, access roads, piling mats and crane pads.
Known as Sureground, the inert soil treatment system reduces the need for contractors to move large volumes of materials off and onto site during temporary enabling works. As a result, it has up to 70% lower carbon impact, results in zero waste and can slash works programme times by as much as half.
Because it is easily reversible and involves minimal vehicle movements, Sureground is ideal for infrastructure works such as power, water, rail and data networks that must go across farmland and nature-sensitive landscapes.
Since launching in 2020, Sureground has grown its workforce to 25 people involved with infrastructure schemes for National Grid, Network Rail and a string of Tier 1 contractors. Most recently, the team completed work on the Hinkley Point OHL Connection Project, involving 24km of haul roads and 82 crane pads.
Jon Fisher, GRS Chief Executive, said: “Soil Science is a dynamic business that’s disrupting the soil stabilisation sector with a proven and cost-effective turnkey solution. We’re hugely impressed by Sureground as a more sustainable alternative to traditional techniques for stabilising ground. Soil Science fits well with other activities in our Integrated Solutions division, and we’re excited about growing this business together.”
Bill Hinge, founder of Soil Science Ltd, said: “We are delighted to be joining the GRS Group. The deal gives us financial stability and gives Sureground great credibility in our sector. This means that our customers can have greater confidence in our capacity and capability to support major infrastructure projects in the long term. We’re looking forward to working with the GRS Integrated Solutions team to grow the business and accelerate the adoption of Sureground.”
GRS has grown rapidly from its aggregates and waste trading roots to become a full-service supply chain partner to the construction industry. Today, with a turnover of more than £500 million, GRS is structured into three main divisions – Trading, Building Products and Integrated Solutions, which is where Soil Science will fit.
