Insitu Geotech Services

What Insitu Geotech Services does

Insitu Geotech Services Pty Ltd (IGS) is a specialist Australian in-situ geotechnical testing and sampling contractor founded in Brisbane in 2000 by Allan McConnell. The company deploys a fleet of more than 20 custom-built testing and sampling rigs — including tracked low ground-contact-pressure platforms (around 25 kPa), pontoon-based units, and high-thrust CPT rigs such as the 2022-launched 'Elsie' (150 kN, expandable to 250 kN ballasted) — to characterize very soft soils, sediments, and tailings dam profiles that conventional equipment cannot access without building access embankments that bias results. Service offerings span CPT/CPTu, seismic CPT, DMT/Medusa DMT, seismic DMT, full flow penetrometers (Tee Bar, Ball-Cone), direct-push electronic vane shear, pressuremeter testing (PENCEL, TEXAMe, PROBEXe via Roctest), and a sampling portfolio that includes the proprietary PPI piston sampler, Sucker samplers, BS Bulk Sediment Sampler, Enhanced Vibracore, and VWP/Casagrande installations.

IGS serves mining and resources operators (tailings dam and ash dam investigation), civil construction and infrastructure clients, and geotechnical engineering consultants, with work governed by project-by-project proposals quoting rig-and-crew daily rates plus cost-plus surcharges for site inductions, insurance, and travel. The company is 100% Australian owned, ISO 9001 and ISO 45001 certified (BSI, 2024), Australian Owned certified (2021), and operates physical offices in Brisbane (HQ), Sydney, Melbourne, and Perth, with virtual bases in Newcastle, Launceston, Townsville, and Port Moresby (PNG). Go-to-market is primarily technical-content driven (newsletters, technical notes, peer-reviewed papers) and conference-led (Gold sponsor of AusIMM Mine Waste and Tailings Conference), supported by long-standing supplier and co-development partnerships with Geomil, Roctest, AP Van Den Berg, and HMA Geotechnical.

Name

Insitu Geotech Services

Legal name

Insitu Geotech Services Pty Ltd

Website

https://insitu.com.au

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Insitu Geotech Services is a Brisbane-founded, 100% Australian-owned specialist in-situ geotechnical testing and sampling contractor serving mining, civil construction, and geotechnical consulting clients across Australia and PNG using a 20+ rig fleet designed for very soft soils and tailings dam characterization.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Geotechnical Testing Services

NAICS

Testing Laboratories and Services (541380), Testing Laboratories and Services (54138), Geophysical Surveying and Mapping Services (541360)

SIC

Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

Geotechnical Investigation & Site Characterization (Boreholes, In-situ Testing, Lab Testing) (IMAFAOAG)

Keywords

• Geotechnical testing services
• In situ soil sampling
• Cone penetration testing
• Geotechnical site investigation
• Tailings dam characterization

Headquarters

HQ city

Brisbane

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Field Testing and Sampling Services: Project-based services providing in situ geotechnical testing and sampling. Charged at rig and crew daily rates as quoted in proposals/quotations. Invoicing at completion of field work or at fortnightly intervals. 14-day payment terms with 1% increase per each 14 days delay.
2. Additional Services and Fees: On-charges for site-specific safety/environmental inductions (cost+15%), medicals, equipment modifications. Additional/different insurances charged at cost+10% handling fee. Travel expenses when weekend work not permitted (cost+15%).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Insitu Geotech Services is a specialist in situ geotechnical testing and sampling contractor that delivers field-based site investigation services to mining, civil construction, and engineering consulting clients. Using a fleet of more than 20 custom-designed CPT testing rigs and proprietary sampling tools, IGS provides CPT/CPTu, seismic, dilatometer, vane shear, pressuremeter, and full flow penetrometer testing along with undisturbed and bulk sampling of soils, sediments, and tailings. Services are quoted per project at rig and crew daily rates and delivered directly to project sites across Australia and PNG.

Product overview

Insitu Geotech Services (IGS) provides specialist in-situ geotechnical testing and sampling services through a fleet of over 20 custom-designed CPT testing rigs. The core service portfolio centers on Cone Penetration Testing (CPT/CPTu) and seismic variants, complemented by Dilatometer Testing (DMT and Medusa DMT), Full Flow Penetrometer testing (Tee Bar and Ball-Cone), direct-push Vane Shear Testing, and Pressuremeter Testing using PENCEL, TEXAMe, and PROBEXe systems. The sampling division offers undisturbed piston sampling (PPI sampler), floating piston samplers (Ranger and Vertek), bulk sampling solutions (Sucker samplers, Vibracore, BS Sampler), and window samplers. IGS also installs vibrating wire piezometers and Casagrande standpipes for groundwater monitoring. The company operates primarily in Australia (Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth) with virtual bases in Newcastle, Launceston, Townsville, and PNG.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cone Penetration Testing (CPT / CPTu) Cone Penetration Testing and CPTu (with pore pressure measurement) services for geotechnical site investigation, providing continuous soil profiling and material classification data using a fleet of custom-designed CPT rigs. Used by geotechnical consultants, mining companies, and construction firms.
• Seismic CPT and Seismic DMT CPT and DMT testing combined with seismic wave velocity measurement for soil stiffness characterization and shear wave profiling. Used by geotechnical consultants for advanced site characterization.
• Dilatometer Testing (DMT, Medusa DMT, Seismic DMT, P-Wave SPDMT) Flat Dilatometer testing, advanced multi-sensor Medusa DMT, Seismic DMT, and Seismic P-wave profiling (SPDMT) for soil classification, stress history assessment, moduli, and strength parameter determination. Used by geotechnical consultants.
• Full Flow Penetrometer Testing (Tee Bar and Ball-Cone) Full flow penetrometer testing using Geomil D80 Ball Cone and Tee Bar for continuous peak and residual shear strength estimation in soft soils, sediments, and tailings. Used by geotechnical consultants and mining clients.
• Direct-Push Vane Shear Testing Electronic vane shear testing by direct-push methods using AP Van Den Berg equipment to measure undrained shear strength of soils, with proprietary constant-speed rotation method for reliable residual strength measurement. Used by geotechnical consultants and mining clients for soft soil and tailings characterization.
• Pressuremeter Testing (PENCEL, TEXAMe, PROBEXe) In situ stiffness and strength parameter assessment using Roctest pressuremeters including PENCEL (2,500 kPa max - soil), TEXAMe (10,000 kPa max - soil and weak rock), and PROBEXe (30,000 kPa max - strong soil and rock) systems. Used by geotechnical consultants.
• Soil Conductivity/Resistivity Profiling In-situ electrical conductivity and resistivity profiling of soils for geological characterization. Used by geotechnical consultants and mining clients.
• Undisturbed Piston Sampling (PPI Sampler) 63mm or 75mm diameter thin-walled fixed piston sampler for undisturbed sampling of very soft to firm cohesive soils, sediments, and tailings, achieving Category A, Class 1 quality per BS EN ISO 22475-1. Used by geotechnical consultants and mining clients.
• Floating Piston Sampling (Ranger and Vertek Samplers) Direct-push floating piston samplers capable of sampling in almost any soil type, available in U35, U46, U66 configurations with options for stainless steel, plastic, or clear acrylic sample tubes, achieving Category B per BS EN ISO 22475-1. Used by geotechnical consultants.
• Bulk and Specialty Sampling (Sucker, Enhanced Vibracore, BS Sampler, Window) Pneumatic Sucker samplers (Little Sucker and Big Sucker) for disturbed but un-mixed sampling of very soft tailings and sediments with 100% sample recovery; Enhanced Vibracore for high recovery cores up to 6m depth; BS Bulk Sediment Sampler for air-lift sampling of fluid and semi-fluid sediments at discrete depths; and Window Sampler for coarse and gravelly material sampling. Used by geotechnical consultants and mining clients.
• Vibrating Wire Piezometer (VWP) Installation Installation of vibrating wire piezometers using direct-push methods with proprietary adapter systems (HMA Geotechnical products) for groundwater monitoring and pore pressure measurement, with high success rate versus traditional drilled installation. Used by geotechnical consultants.
• Casagrande Standpipe Installation Installation of Casagrande-type open standpipes for groundwater level monitoring and permeability testing using direct-push and CPT casing methods. Used by geotechnical consultants.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% sample recovery rate in materials suited to Sucker Sampler method
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered preferred, core and minor.

• HMA GeotechnicalpreferredTechnology or IntegrationPreferred supplier of vibrating wire piezometers (VWPs). IGS can install client-supplied VWPs or supply VWPs to client specifications using HMA Geotechnical products.
• GeomilcoreTechnology or IntegrationSupplier who built IGS's innovative cone design with different sleeve set-up and non-standard materials for measuring very low sleeve friction values. Also supplies Ranger Samplers.
• RoctestcoreTechnology or IntegrationSupplier of pressuremeters including PENCEL, TEXAMe, and PROBEXe probes used by IGS for assessing in situ stiffness and strength parameters.
• Civil SafetycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIGS worked in conjunction with Civil Safety to develop specialized training program for staff to attain independent VOC qualifications for operating IGS's rigs.
• AP Van Den BergcoreTechnology or IntegrationSupplier of state-of-the-art electronic vane shear testing devices with bottom-mounted torque motor and measurement transducer.
• EDG Consulting (Jo-Anne Perrett)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-presenter with Allan McConnell on pre-conference workshop on In Situ Testing and Sampling to Characterise Tailings at Mine Waste and Tailings Conference.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• ConeTec Group: ConeTec is a Canadian-headquartered specialist in-situ testing and geotechnical site investigation contractor operating globally with CPT, DMT, sampling, and instrumentation capabilities - the closest international analogue to IGS. Like IGS, ConeTec focuses on CPT and related in-situ testing rather than broad geotechnical consulting.
• Gregg Drilling & Testing (a division of Atlas): Gregg Drilling is a US specialist in-situ testing contractor providing CPT, DMT, vane shear, and sampling services - directly comparable to IGS's service mix. Acquired by Atlas, it remains a recognized brand for CPT-led site characterization, though its primary geography is North America.

Emerging players

• BGC Engineering: Canadian tailings, mining geotechnics, and hydrotechnical engineering specialist. While not a CPT contractor, BGC competes for tailings characterization mandates that often require in-situ testing - making it a comparable buyer-facing technical specialist and a potential channel partner or competitor for IGS-adjacent scopes.

Broad incumbents

• Klohn Crippen Berger: International engineering consultancy with a deep tailings dam and mine geotechnics practice. KCB routinely subcontracts or competes with specialist in-situ testing firms on tailings characterization projects, putting it in direct contention with IGS for the same end-customer engagements.
• Fugro: Global geotechnical, survey, and asset integrity firm with significant in-situ testing, CPT, and geotechnical laboratory capabilities. Fugro's scale and global fleet represent both a competitive threat and a reference point for IGS's expansion path if it internationalizes.
• WSP (including Golder): Global engineering consultancy that acquired Golder Associates, a long-standing IGS customer. WSP/Golder offers in-house CPT and geotechnical capabilities for major mining and infrastructure programs, making it both a customer and a competitor for integrated geotechnical scopes.
• Stantec: Global engineering, environmental, and geotechnical consultancy with active tailings and mining practices. Stantec commissions specialist in-situ testing firms like IGS on projects and competes for integrated scopes where testing is bundled with engineering.

Others

• Geomil Equipment B.V. Dutch manufacturer of CPT and sampling equipment, including the low-friction cone design that IGS uses. Geomil is also a technology partner rather than direct competitor, but its global footprint and customer base in the CPT ecosystem make it a relevant comparable for the specialist supplier side of IGS's stack.
• AP Van Den Berg: Dutch supplier of electronic vane shear, CPT, and sampling equipment - including the bottom-mounted transducer vane IGS uses. AP Van Den Berg serves as both supplier and a comparator firm when buyers evaluate in-situ testing stack configurations.
• Roctest (a division of Spectris / soil mechanics instrumentation): Supplier of PENCEL, TEXAMe, and PROBEXe pressuremeters that IGS uses. Roctest serves the same in-situ testing buyer ecosystem and is a relevant adjacent comparable for the pressuremeter testing line of business.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/insitu-geotech-services-pty-ltd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Insitu Geotech Services