Helical Drilling

What Helical Drilling does

Helical Drilling is an employee-owned geotechnical design-build construction firm headquartered in Braintree, Massachusetts, founded in 1986. The company delivers a full suite of ground construction services across four product lines: ground improvement (notably Geopier Rammed Aggregate Pier systems, Geopier GCC Rigid Inclusions, rapid and vibratory impact compaction); deep foundations and piles (Ductile Iron Piles, helical piles, drilled and STELCOR micropiles, displacement piles); earth retention (secant pile walls, sheet pile walls, soldier pile and lagging, soil nailing, tiebacks, Geopier SRT slope stabilization); and underpinning together with a broad grouting service offering (compaction, jet, permeation, chemical, void and slab curl grouting, and slab raising). A proprietary innovation is the single-pass secant pile installation method that simultaneously advances outer casing and counter-rotating coaxial auger, enabling vibration-free installation of slender high-stiffness secant piles in constrained urban environments.

The company operates an integrated team of geotechnical engineers, construction managers, and field crews under one roof, executing turnkey design-build projects from feasibility through construction. Service delivery relies on licensed use of third-party ground improvement and foundation technologies — Geopier Foundation Company, IDEAL Group (STELCOR and helical piles), CHANCE Foundation Solutions, and DuroTerra (Ductile Iron Piles) — combined with internally developed installation methods. Go-to-market is direct enterprise field sales: the firm targets general contractors, engineering consultants, developers, and public agencies, bid on RFPs, and competes on value-engineering alternatives that replace specified solutions with faster or lower-cost designs (case studies reference $800K schedule savings and 2-3 month schedule compression on individual projects).

Helical Drilling generates revenue through project-based professional services contracts, primarily across New England (Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island) and into New York. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed, with scope and unit cost driven by site conditions, technique mix, and project complexity. Customer segments span commercial and residential real estate developers, state and municipal transportation authorities, healthcare and institutional buyers, and industrial facilities. The leadership team comprises President Chad Graybill, CFO Scott Crowley, Construction Operations Manager Craig Harris, Ground Improvement Division Manager Michael Pockoski, and Marketing & Business Development Manager Derek Simpson. The company is privately held as Helical Drilling, LLC, an employee-owned entity without external institutional investors.

Name

Helical Drilling

Legal name

Helical Drilling, LLC

Website

https://helicaldrilling.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Helical Drilling is an employee-owned geotechnical design-build firm delivering ground improvement, deep foundations, earth retention, underpinning, and grouting services to commercial, institutional, transportation, and government clients across New England and the Northeast US.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Geotechnical Construction Services

NAICS

Poured Concrete Foundation and Structure Contractors (23811), Site Preparation Contractors (23891)

SIC

Heavy Construction Other Than Bldg Const - Contractors (1600), Construction - Special Trade Contractors (1700)

akta.pro primary industry

Earth Retention & Excavation Support (Sheet/Soldier Piles, Diaphragm Walls, Bracing) (IMAFAOAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Dewatering & Groundwater Control (Wellpoints, Deep Wells, Cutoff Systems) (IMAFAOAF)

Keywords

• Geotechnical construction services
• Ground improvement solutions
• Deep foundation systems
• Earth retention systems
• Underpinning and grouting

Headquarters

HQ city

Braintree

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 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. Geotechnical Design-Build Services: Project-based professional services providing complete geotechnical design-build solutions including ground improvement, deep foundations, earth retention, and underpinning. Revenue is generated through project contracts with general contractors, developers, and government entities.
2. Construction Services: Turnkey construction services delivering ground construction solutions including drilling, pile installation, grouting, and excavation support systems

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Helical Drilling is a geotechnical design-build contractor that delivers turnkey ground improvement, deep foundation, earth retention, underpinning, and grouting solutions for commercial, institutional, transportation, and industrial construction projects. Services are delivered by integrated in-house teams of geotechnical engineers, construction managers, and field crews using licensed Geopier systems, Ductile Iron Piles, helical piles, micropiles, secant and sheet pile walls, and grouting techniques.

Product overview

Helical Drilling is a geotechnical design-build construction firm offering a comprehensive suite of ground improvement, deep foundation, earth retention, underpinning, and grouting services. Their product portfolio centers around four core service categories: Ground Improvement systems (including Geopier GCC Rigid Inclusions, Geopier Rammed Aggregate Pier Systems, Rapid Impact Compaction, and Vibratory Probe Compaction); Deep Foundation/Pile systems (including Ductile Iron Piles, Helical Piles, Drilled Micropiles, STELCOR Micropiles, and Displacement Piles); Earth Retention systems (including Secant Pile Walls, Sheet Pile Walls, Soldier Pile and Lagging Walls, Soil Nailing, Tiebacks, and Geopier SRT Slope Stabilization); and Grouting services (including Compaction Grouting, Jet Grouting, Permeation Grouting, Chemical Grouting, Slab Raising, Void Grouting, and Slab Curl Repair). These solutions address complex geotechnical challenges including unsuitable soil conditions, settlement control, limited access construction, and low vibration requirements.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ground Improvement Services Ground improvement services for unsuitable soils, including Geopier GCC Rigid Inclusions, Geopier Rammed Aggregate Pier Systems, Rapid Impact Compaction, and Vibratory Probe Compaction. Delivered for general contractors, developers, and owners needing enhanced bearing capacity, settlement control, and shallow foundation support in compressible soils.
• Deep Foundations and Piles Services Deep foundation and pile installation services including Ductile Iron Piles, Helical Piles, Drilled Micropiles, STELCOR Micropiles, and Displacement Piles. Provides compression, tension, and lateral load resistance for new building foundations, bridge supports, and underpinning applications.
• Earth Retention Services Earth retention and excavation support services including Secant Pile Walls, Sheet Pile Walls, Soldier Pile and Lagging Walls, Soil Nailing, Tiebacks, and Geopier SRT Slope Stabilization. Delivered for urban excavation support, groundwater cutoff, permanent basement walls, and slope stabilization.
• Underpinning Services Underpinning services for existing structures experiencing settlement or requiring additional support, delivered using Helical Piles and Drilled Micropiles. Used to remediate differential settlement and prevent further structural damage in occupied buildings.
• Grouting Services Grouting services including Compaction Grouting, Jet Grouting, Permeation Grouting, Chemical Grouting, Slab Raising, Void Grouting, and Slab Curl Repair. Provides soil reinforcement, void filling, settlement correction, and groundwater control for new construction and remediation projects.

Named customers15 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Geopier Foundation CompanycoreTechnology or IntegrationLicensed provider of Geopier ground improvement technology including Rammed Aggregate Pier (RAP), GeoConcrete Column (GCC) Rigid Inclusion, and SRT Slope Stabilization systems. Long-standing partnership establishing Helical as a premier Geopier installer in the Northeast.
• IDEAL GroupcoreTechnology or IntegrationProvider of STELCOR Micropile and Helical Pile products. Helical Drilling uses IDEAL Group products for micropile and helical pile installations as specified in project requirements.
• CHANCE Foundation SolutionscoreTechnology or IntegrationProvider of helical pile products and technical design manuals. Helical Drilling utilizes CHANCE products for helical pile applications.
• DuroTerracoreTechnology or IntegrationProvider of Ductile Iron Pile products, technical specifications, and design guidance. DuroTerra products are used for DIP installations across various project applications.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Geopier Foundation Company: Licensor of the Rammed Aggregate Pier, GeoConcrete Column, and SRT systems that Helical Drilling installs. While Geopier is the technology licensor rather than a direct installer in most Northeast geographies, the relationship is direct peer in offering — competing installers of Geopier systems are Helical's closest competitive set.
• DuroTerra: Provider of Ductile Iron Pile products and a strategic technology partner to Helical. Competes indirectly as other DIP installers are direct peers; DuroTerra's regional installer network overlaps with Helical's service territory.
• IDEAL Group: Provider of STELCOR Micropiles and Helical Piles and a core strategic partner. Competing STELCOR and helical pile installers in the Northeast are direct peers serving the same deep foundation customer base.
• GeoStabilization International: Specialty geotechnical contractor focused on soil nailing, micropiles, and geohazard mitigation. Competes with Helical on earth retention, slope stabilization, and underpinning projects across overlapping geographies.

Broad incumbents

• Menard USA: U.S. subsidiary of Menard Group, one of the largest ground improvement specialty contractors globally. Offers a comparable suite of ground improvement, deep foundation, and earth retention services, competing for similar GC and developer relationships on larger-scale projects.
• Hayward Baker (Keller Group): A Keller Group operating unit and one of the largest North American geotechnical specialty contractors. Provides overlapping services in ground improvement, deep foundations, earth retention, and grouting, with significantly greater scale and geographic reach than Helical.
• Hubbell Power Systems / CHANCE Foundation Solutions: Leading manufacturer of helical pile systems and a technology supplier to Helical. Competing helical pile installers using CHANCE products in the Northeast constitute a directly comparable peer group.
• Keller Foundations (North America): North American arm of Keller Group, the world's largest geotechnical specialist contractor. Competes with Helical across virtually all service lines — ground improvement, deep foundations, earth retention — but with substantially broader capabilities and geographic reach.

Emerging players

• Schnabel Engineering: Geotechnical and tunneling engineering firm with design capabilities overlapping Helical's engineering services. While primarily a design firm, Schnabel's involvement in similar projects creates overlap in the design phase of geotechnical work.

Regional players

• Helms & Associates / Regional New England Geotechnical Contractors: Smaller regional geotechnical contractors operating in overlapping Northeast territories with comparable specialty foundation services. Such regional firms represent the most direct same-geography competitive set for Helical's project portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

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Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Helical Drilling