About UsIndependent Ground Improvement

The Company

Independent Ground Improvement Company Limited (IGI Ltd) started in February 2006, within premises in Widnes, Cheshire. The company was formed by Brian Derby, Suzanne Hayes and Philip Halford.

In April 2006, the initial team was joined part time by Andrew Roberts, who was at the time brought in to formulate the design drawings.

The company initially started by purchasing a single vibro rig (generally known as the blue rig), and with a 3 man crew carried out a number of jobs successfully. These few jobs started to increase the enquiry level and within 6 months a second rig was required to service the jobs won.

In February 2009, IGI Ltd, moved to new premises in Risley Warrington, as a need for larger premises was required. Also at the start of 2008 a third rig was purchased.

In July 2010, Deborah Evans joined the company to help alleviate the pressure on the estimating department due to the growing number of estimates being received. Further to this with increased work load and estimates being serviced, Martin Birtwistle joined the team to also help with tender enquiries and also bring in more experience in the design aspect of the company. In 2011 a fourth rig was purchased to keep the jobs won serviced.

IGI Ltd, has grown and progressed on the back of innovative and sound design judgments', which have brought confidence to the consulting engineers and main contractors we work with. We are and will always try to be a friendly company, striving to make and keep good working relationships will all parties, to further progress our business. This has provided us with alot of repeat business, with both large main contractor, as well as smaller family owned businesses. We have also been successful in providing initial design input into schemes, with consulting engineers, which has bourne numerous jobs, as well as saving clients money. We as a company always try to provide the best solution to any proposed development, even if the proposals do not include work for ourselves.

The Company Details/Information is as follows:

Registered Company Number: 05510239
VAT Number: 878 495353
UTR Number: 56697 29539
CITB Membership: 3636475
SMAS Approved Contractor: 14612
Employers Insurance £10 Million
Public Insurance £5 Million
PI £5 Million

The background of the company is based upon sound and wide expertise, which allows us to formulate innovative solutions. The background of each of the team is provided below:

Brian Derby -Operations Director
Brian started out as a Trainee Foreman back in 1973 with firstly Edmund Nuttall, and then with Soil Mechanics, before moving to Bauer Foundations in 1981 as a Site Foreman. In 1990 he progressed to become a Contracts Supervisor. In 1997 still with Bauer Foundations Brian, was promoted to Design Engineer/Projects Manager, before taking overall control of Operations as manager in 2000. In 2002 Brian joined Roger Bullivant as the North West Area Manager for Ground Improvement. This role was mainly to initiate a ground improvement base in the north of England, with design backup from Graham Harwood, which had been almost nonexistent before he commenced working at RBL. In 2006 after making RBL a major force in Ground Improvement in the North of England, he left to help set up IGI Ltd. Brian has over 35 years experience within the Ground Improvement Industry

Graham Harwood - Technical Director
Graham started out as part of a placement year at University with Strata Surveys Limited, working in all aspects of site investigation, and returning to the company on completion of his degree. He stayed with Strata Surveys Limited until 2000, by which time he had completed his MSc in geotechnical engineering, and progressed to Senior Engineer. In 2000 Graham joined Bauer Foundations as an estimating engineer, but was soon moved into the newly formed Bauer Inner City, to progress the new technologies of Ductile Piling and the Demountable Flood Defence system, as Managing and Sales Manager. In 2002, Graham joined Brian Derby as Geotechnical Engineer, as the north west ground improvement team for Roger Bullivant's, pushing out the ground improvement techniques into the north of England, and making them by 2006 one of the main Ground Improvement contractors. In 2006 with Brian Derby and Suzanne Hayes, Graham helped set up IGI Ltd. Graham has 20 years experience in Soil Engineering, Geotechnics, and Ground Improvement Techniques.

Suzanne Hayes - Commercial Manager
Suzanne started as a Trainee Quantity Surveyor with Amec in 1988, attaining BSc in Quantity Surveying whilst with Amec. In 1993 Suzanne joined Watson Steel as a Q.S., carrying out commercial negotiations, and designing/implementing under graduate training. In 2000, she joined Monarch Engineering and Fabrication, as a Contract Administrator, producing estimates, buying/placing orders and validating/producing final accounts. In 2001, Suzanne joined RBL as Commercial Manager, in charge of all the offices differing departments including piling, house foundations, mini-piling and ground improvement. In 2006 Suzanne joined IGI Ltd, helping setting up the company. Suzanne has over 20 years experience in contract negotiations.

Andrew Roberts - Design Drawing Technician
Andrew joined IGI Ltd whilst carrying out a degree in Building Studies from Liverpool University, as a part time employee. Andrews's job is to carry out all Auto-cad design drawings for the Ground Improvement Designs implemented from the estimating and design team. Andrew after completing his degree, has kept his part-time role as well as being a property developer and landlord.

Martin Birtwistle - Consulting Geotechnical Engineer
Martin joined IGI as a consulting engineer in 2011 , in order to facilitate the increased tender enquiry levels. Martin, has a wealth of experience, having worked in all aspects of foundation engineering, having worked for the likes of Bauer Foundations and Acorn Engineering, as well as spending a number of years as a freelance engineer.

Deborah Evans - Consulting Geotechnical Engineer
Deborah joined IGI as a consulting engineer in 2010, in order to help with the increased tender enquiry levels. Deborah, has a wealth of experience within Ground Improvement, having worked for the likes of Bauer Foundations and Pennine Vibropiling in the past.