The GeoCiv Group operates in the highly specialised market of geotechnical engineering. It has the clear vision of being the most efficient and innovative geotechnical company in the Southern Africa region and given the current levels of excellence, it is already attaining this. In fact, its self-coined phrase ‘top of the pile’ is starting to ring true.
Construction World spoke to Greg Whittaker, Group Managing Director and Jean Breedt, Operations Director of GeoCiv Group about the history of the company and how this has, indirectly, set it up to attain number one status in a niche market.
GeoCiv Group’s journey began with the founding of KZN Piling in Durban by Whittaker in 1996. The company quickly gained recognition for its expertise in the niche market of piling and geotechnical works. “It typically specialised in piling and lateral support and in 2004, it rebranded as Mega Pile, and expanded its operations to service industry demands on a national footprint,” says Whittaker.
In 2006 Mega Pile was acquired by JSE-listed company Sanyati Holdings. “This was the period before the World Cup and Mega Pile did exceptionally well,” he says. However, Whittaker did not see himself being part of a corporate conglomerate. “It is not quite what my identity is, as I am an entrepreneur at heart and wanted to stay that way.” He therefore sold his shares and left the industry for 18 months to pursue property development.
Sanyati Holdings dissolved in 2012 and Mega Pile was re-established with Whittaker making his return at the helm, still based in Durban. In 2016, Whittaker rebranded as GeoCiv Group, and reflecting its broader vision and commitment to delivering innovative geotechnical solutions, its head office was moved to Gauteng.
“Jean Breedt joined in 2016 as the Operations Director and thanks to him and the rest of the GEOCIV team we have grown the brand exponentially, to the point where we now have a branch in Cape Town and therefore fulfilling our vision of being a national brand,” says Whittaker.
The legacy continues
Based on a legacy of innovation and excellence that stretches back to 1996, GeoCiv Group is now a leading specialist in geotechnical works, piling and lateral support with a wide footprint. It offers services and products for a full design and construct, or construct-only basis. “GeoCiv Group’s ability to project manage entirely in-house has enabled us to secure major government and private contracts in the commercial, industrial and residential spheres. It is GeoCiv Group‘s objective to further develop our experience, growing in a sustainable, controlled manner, and expanding in terms of both geographical coverage and product offerings,” says Whittaker.
GeoCiv Group consists of a team of motivated, experienced and highly skilled professionals – able to assist in all parts of the process and offer clients the most cost-effective and innovative design for a geotechnical solution. Other key players include Desmond Lange (Financial Director), Dinesh Naidoo (Procurement and Logistics), Burger Rust (Special Works Director), Werner Rix (Contracts Director), Qan Groenewald (Contracts Manager – Cape Town) and Vernon Mouton (Plant and Yard Manager).
“The GeoCiv Group offers a full spectrum of geotechnical services,” says Breedt. “It provides piling for robust foundation solutions for various structures; lateral support; geotechnical investigations to make informed design decisions and design and construct services,” he explains. The company's expertise spans across multiple sectors, including commercial, industrial, residential, and infrastructure projects. Notable projects include the Ford Silverton Press Plant Upgrade, the Msikaba River Bridge in the Eastern Cape, and the Booysendal Mine infrastructure development in Limpopo, as well as several Teraco Data Centres in Johannesburg and Western Cape.
“To meet clients’ exact requirements, the business is underpinned by quality control systems, sound management, financial principles and our core values,” says Whittaker. “At the core of GeoCiv Group's operations is its commitment to quality, safety, and client satisfaction,” he says. The company adheres to stringent quality control systems and safety protocols to ensure the successful delivery of projects. GeoCiv Group's in-house project management capabilities enable it to maintain high standards and meet client expectations consistently.
Bringing the core values to life
Whittaker says the core values of GeoCiv is what sets it apart. “These values give us a competitive edge. When we broke away from Mega Pile, we had a chance to almost reinvent ourselves. It gave us the chance to reboot and to strengthen areas that needed to be strengthened,” he says.
All the core values to which the company aspire to has the same goal. “We want to dominate this niche sector,” says Whittaker. “We want repeat clients and want to be known for our commitment, pride and entrepreneurship, but especially for our innovation which is a major core value.”
Innovation is paramount
“There's a code of practice in terms of lateral support, shotcrete and piling works. What we have learnt of the last 10 years is that this is a mere “guideline” as to how these specialist work must be constructed. We juggle this code that was written as far back as 1989 with new technology, methods and techniques. We are therefore always open to try new things and to INNOVATE. We take something that has worked for 30 years and mould it into something new , that works for us and our clients. It improves production, and that makes is cheaper and safer to install. This is our mindset and it supports the installation techniques and the high tech equipment we are using,” says Breedt.
This innovative approach upholds all aspects in GEOCIV Group – from equipment, safety, to installation procedure and materials used. “We look holistically at the process to innovate, from writing a report, to installation and management of our job sites. We innovate on all fronts and work “smarter, not harder,” he says.
This innovation and excellence is further enhanced by the High Tech equipment that GeoCiv uses to execute projects. “GeoCiv continuously invests in new equipment that is more efficient for production as it improves uptime, provides a better installation process, more cost effective operations and offers a safer work environment,” says Whittaker. “We do not want to be complacent and do things the same way they have always been done in this niche industry. As a company, we do not have that mindset and always think “ out of the box “, and we are driven by the concept of wanting to do it better and push the boundaries,” .
Looking ahead
GeoCiv recently opened a branch in Cape Town. “We're very excited about it. The Western Cape has an increasingly busy construction sector and GeoCiv wants to offer its specialist services. The branch is equipped with new equipment from Europe as we want to offer innovation and excellence for the region,” says Whittaker.
As GeoCiv Group continues to expand its footprint across South Africa and the SADC region, it remains dedicated to innovation and excellence in geotechnical engineering. The company's experienced team and comprehensive service offerings position it to meet the evolving needs of the construction industry, contributing to the development of sustainable and resilient infrastructure across the region.
