Nicholson Construction
Nicholson Construction is a U.S. specialty geotechnical contractor that designs and installs deep foundations, earth retention systems, and ground treatment solutions for public infrastructure projects (dams, tunnels, bridges, water systems). It is the North American subsidiary of Soletanche Bachy and serves government and private clients.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1954
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Nicholson Construction does
Nicholson Construction Company is a U.S. specialty geotechnical contractor founded in 1954 and headquartered in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania. The firm designs and builds deep foundations, earth retention systems, ground treatment solutions, and tunneling infrastructure for public and private owners. Its customer base is concentrated in government and municipal clients — including U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, multiple state DOTs (Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Michigan), and water/sewer authorities (Miami-Dade, Tulsa, NEORSD) — with a smaller private-sector presence in mining (Rio Tinto Kennecott) and sports infrastructure (Comerica Park).
The company operates across four industry verticals — Water, Energy, Buildings/Industrial, and Transportation — and delivers three core product lines: deep foundation elements (drilled shafts, micropiles, augercast piles), earth retention systems (soil nail walls, secant piles, diaphragm walls), and ground treatment (chemical grouting, rock mass grouting). Notable technical capabilities include Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) operations through porous geological formations, post-tensioned strand anchor installation for dam rehabilitation, and high-depth secant pile work (180–230 feet). Design-build delivery is offered alongside traditional general-contractor and specialty-subcontractor roles.
Nicholson generates revenue primarily through project-based, competitively bid contracts, ranging from roughly $2M (school seismic retrofits) to $72.1M (Miami-Dade Norris Cut tunnel). It pursues large work both independently and via joint ventures with peers such as Treviicos, Kraemer, Kuney, Menard, and sister companies within the Soletanche Bachy family (Bessac, Berminghammer). Nicholson is the North American subsidiary of Soletanche Bachy, a French-headquartered global leader in foundations and soil technologies, which provides access to international technical resources and capital backing; the company does not appear to raise external institutional funding.
Nicholson Construction firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Nicholson Construction
- Legal name
- Nicholson Construction Company
- Website
- https://nicholsonconstruction.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1954
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Nicholson Construction is a U.S. specialty geotechnical contractor that designs and installs deep foundations, earth retention systems, and ground treatment solutions for public infrastructure projects (dams, tunnels, bridges, water systems). It is the North American subsidiary of Soletanche Bachy and serves government and private clients.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Nicholson Construction is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices8 records
Markets served
Nicholson Construction business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Geotechnical Construction Services: Nicholson generates revenue through design-build and construction contracts for geotechnical projects, operating as either general contractor or specialist subcontractor. Projects include deep foundations, earth retention systems, ground treatment, tunneling, and dam rehabilitation work. Revenue is project-based, typically awarded through competitive bidding on infrastructure projects.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
Nicholson Construction product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Nicholson Construction is a geotechnical specialty contractor providing design-build services for deep foundations, earth retention systems, ground treatment, and tunneling solutions. The company delivers integrated geotechnical construction for critical infrastructure projects in the water, energy, buildings/industrial, and transportation sectors, working as either general contractor or specialist subcontractor.
Product overview
Nicholson Construction is a geotechnical specialty contractor offering a comprehensive portfolio of foundation and soil technologies. The company operates as a single unified service offering with four core product lines: deep foundation elements (drilled shafts, micropiles, augercast piles), earth retention systems (soil nail walls, secant piles, diaphragm walls), and ground treatment solutions (chemical grouting, rock mass grouting). These are delivered through design-build project delivery across four industry verticals: Water, Energy, Buildings/Industrial, and Transportation. Specialized techniques include post-tensioned strand anchor installation, tunnel boring machine (TBM) services, and secant pile installation. The company is the North American subsidiary of Soletanche Bachy, backed by nearly 100 years of technical experience.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Deep Foundation Elements
- Earth Retention Systems
- Ground Treatment Solutions
- Design-Build Project Delivery
- Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) Tunnel Construction
- Dam Rehabilitation and Post-Tensioned Strand Anchor Installation
Quantifiable outcome
- Norris Cut Project benchmarked underground activity in Florida by opening new solutions for deep sewers in the porous Fort Thompson geological formation
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Nicholson Construction
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Nicholson Construction technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
Nicholson Construction partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.
- TreviicoscoreTreviicos-Nicholson Joint Venture (TNJV) formed to construct the Hoboken Shaft for the Hudson Tunnel Project. TNJV will perform Diaphragm Wall installation and Rock Mass Grouting for this critical 9-mile passenger rail tunnel between New York and New Jersey. The partnership combines specialized tunneling expertise for technically complex underground construction.
- Kuney ConstructioncoreNicholson Construction, in Joint Venture with Kuney Construction, awarded Priest Rapids Dam Spillway Stability Improvement Project. This joint venture combines capabilities for dam safety work.
- BerminghammercoreNorth American sister companies Nicholson Construction and Berminghammer joined forces for Virginia's River Renew Project, combining specialized equipment and expertise.
- KraemercoreKraemer/Nicholson Joint Venture awarded $64 million contract for Minnesota DOT's I-35 CMGC Stormwater Storage Facility Project. Partnership enabled pursuit of large-scale transportation infrastructure project.
- BessaccoreSister company Bessac served as tunnel construction manager for the $72.1 million Norris Cut project in Miami. The partnership enabled innovative solutions combining pipe jacking and universal segments with ground treatment from TBM for challenging Fort Thompson geological formation.
- Salini Impregilo Haealy JVmajorGeneral contractor for the Dugway Storage Tunnel project for which Nicholson installed secant piles as temporary support of excavation. Nicholson worked as specialty subcontractor on this NEORSD project.
- MenardcoreNicholson and Menard have partnered on multiple projects including Harlem River Drive in NYC and Grand Rapids' Biodigester Project, combining specialized geotechnical capabilities.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Nicholson Construction competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Hayward Baker: Sister company under Soletanche Bachy and the most directly comparable North American specialty geotechnical contractor. Offers overlapping deep foundation, earth retention, and ground treatment services to similar public-sector and private infrastructure customers.
- Menard USA: Sister company under Soletanche Bachy specializing in ground improvement and geotechnical construction. Directly comparable on transportation, industrial, and energy projects where Nicholson and Menard have partnered (e.g., Harlem River Drive, Grand Rapids Biodigester).
- Bauer Foundation Corp: U.S. arm of Germany's Bauer Group, a global foundation specialist competing on drilled shafts, secant piles, diaphragm walls, and cut-off walls. Directly comparable in specialty foundation methods and complex ground conditions.
- Berkel & Company Contractors: Specialty geotechnical and piling contractor offering augercast piles, drilled shafts, micropiles, and ground improvement — closely overlapping Nicholson's deep foundation portfolio for commercial, industrial, and transportation clients.
- Malcolm Drilling Company: Specialty deep foundation contractor with drilled shafts, micropiles, ground anchors, and earth retention services. Directly comparable on urban infrastructure, transportation, and water/wastewater foundation scopes.
- Case Foundation Company: Specialty foundation contractor focused on drilled shafts, micropiles, augercast piles, and earth retention. Competes head-to-head with Nicholson on transportation, bridge, and heavy civil projects across the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic.
- Bencor Corporation: Specialty foundation contractor delivering drilled shafts, slurry walls, ground anchors, and ground improvement. Comparable to Nicholson on heavy civil infrastructure and water/wastewater tunneling projects.
- Treviicos: Sister company under Soletanche Bachy's parent network providing specialty foundation and ground engineering services in North America. Recently partnered with Nicholson on the Hudson Tunnel Project, indicating highly overlapping capabilities.
- Richard Goettle: Sister company under Soletanche Bachy's North American family delivering drilled shafts, earth retention, and ground improvement. Directly comparable on commercial, industrial, and infrastructure foundation scopes.
Broad incumbents
- Skanska USA Civil: Major civil infrastructure contractor that self-performs significant foundation and ground improvement work as part of larger heavy civil pursuits (transit, highways, bridges). Overlaps with Nicholson on transportation and tunneling scopes but operates at much larger scale and project size.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Nicholson Construction social profiles
Digital presenceNicholson Construction financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Nicholson Construction leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Nicholson Construction funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Nicholson Construction M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Nicholson Construction
What does Nicholson Construction do?
Nicholson Construction is a geotechnical specialty contractor providing design-build services for deep foundations, earth retention systems, ground treatment, and tunneling solutions. The company delivers integrated geotechnical construction for critical infrastructure projects in the water, energy, buildings/industrial, and transportation sectors, working as either general contractor or specialist subcontractor.
Is Nicholson Construction a public or private company?
Nicholson Construction is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Nicholson Construction founded?
Nicholson Construction was founded in 1954. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Nicholson Construction based?
Nicholson Construction is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does Nicholson Construction make money?
One revenue line is on record: geotechnical Construction Services.
Who are Nicholson Construction's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Hayward Baker, Menard USA, Bauer Foundation Corp, Berkel & Company Contractors, Malcolm Drilling Company, Case Foundation Company, Bencor Corporation, Treviicos and Richard Goettle. Skanska USA Civil is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Nicholson Construction have an API?
No public API is recorded for Nicholson Construction.