Ground Investigation

Name

Ground Investigation

Legal name

Ground Investigation Limited

Website

https://g-i.co.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Geotechnical Site Investigation Services

NAICS

Testing Laboratories and Services (54138), Geophysical Surveying and Mapping Services (541360), Site Preparation Contractors (23891)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industries

Geotechnical Design, Engineering & Consulting (Analysis, Design, Peer Review) (IMAFAOAK), Geotechnical & Subsurface Engineering Consulting (BPAHAIAB), Geotechnical Instrumentation & Monitoring (Settlement, Inclinometers, Piezometers) (IMAFAOAH), Geotechnical Site Investigation & Engineering Geology (Borings, Lab Testing) (EUAHAFAE)

Keywords

• Cone penetration testing
• Geotechnical site investigation
• In-situ soil testing
• Seismic dilatometer testing
• Geophysical site characterisation

Headquarters

HQ city

Auckland

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Geotechnical in-situ testing and sampling services: Project-based professional service fees charged for geotechnical site investigation work including CPT, SCPT, DMT, SDMT, DPSH, geophysical surveys, sampling, piezometer installation, and laboratory testing. Pricing is quoted per project with normal business hours (7.30am–5pm Monday–Friday) as the baseline, with standby rates and overtime charges applied for delays or extended hours. Payment due on the 20th of the month following invoice date.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Ground Investigation provides project-based geotechnical in-situ testing, sampling, and laboratory services across New Zealand, using direct-push CPT, SCPT, DMT, SDMT and DPSH methods, surface and downhole geophysical surveys, and an IANZ-accredited soil testing laboratory. Services are delivered by a team of experienced operators using a fleet of 12+ purpose-built rigs capable of operating on difficult-access sites (steep slopes, soft ground, over water, inside buildings, low headroom), and are quoted per project for engineering consultancies, contractors, and developers.

Product overview

Ground Investigation Ltd is a geotechnical site investigation company offering a comprehensive portfolio of in-situ testing services across New Zealand. The core offering centers on direct-push testing methods including CPT (Cone Penetration Testing), SCPT, DMT (Dilatometer Testing), SDMT, and DPSH, complemented by geophysical services (MASW, MAM, HVSR, SRT, ERT, Magnetometer). The company operates an IANZ-accredited soil testing laboratory and provides soil sampling and piezometer installation services. Equipment fleet includes seven distinct rig types ranging from the 22T Geomil CPT Truck Rig (60m+ depth capacity) to Hand Portable CPT Rig (1.5m clearance requirement), enabling operations across difficult access environments including steep slopes, soft ground, tight spaces, and inside buildings. The company has three regional bases in Auckland, Christchurch, and Dunedin providing nationwide coverage.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cone Penetration Testing (CPT) Direct-push in-situ testing service that provides near-continuous data on ground properties by pushing an instrumented cone at a continuous rate, recording cone resistance, sleeve friction, and pore water pressure at 10 mm depth intervals; used by geotechnical engineering consultancies for foundation design, liquefaction assessment, and settlement analysis.
• Seismic Cone Penetration Testing (SCPT) Combined standard CPT and direct-push downhole seismic test that obtains shear wave velocity (VS) measurements alongside usual CPT results (qc, fs, u2) for seismic site classification (Vs30) and ground modelling; for geotechnical consultancies and seismic design projects.
• Flat Dilatometer Testing (DMT) Direct-push test using a blade with an expandable membrane to measure horizontal pressures, providing direct modulus values for Young's Modulus (E) and constrained modulus (M); ideal for settlement and deformation problems on building and infrastructure projects.
• Seismic Dilatometer Testing (SDMT) Combined standard DMT and direct-push downhole seismic test that obtains shear wave velocity (VS) measurements alongside DMT results, enabling modulus estimates at very low strains and operational strains; for projects requiring both stiffness and seismic classification.
• Dynamic Probe Super Heavy (DPSH) Dynamic probe test involving driving a solid 90-degree cone on a rod string using a drop hammer and counting blows per 100 mm, providing an indication of ground conditions; for projects requiring supplementary ground profiling.
• Direct Push Downhole Seismic Testing (DPDH) Direct seismic measurement using a Marchetti true-interval seismic module to determine shear wave velocities (VS) of soil and weak rock materials by directly pushing the seismic module into the ground using a CPT rig; for seismic site classification projects.
• Direct Push Crosshole Testing (DPCH) Direct-push technique using two CPT rigs to vertically push two separate seismic probes into the ground at a set horizontal distance to measure pressure wave and shear wave velocities at depth increments; developed in association with academic partners for high-resolution seismic profiling.
• Multi-Channel Analysis of Surface Waves (MASW) and Microtremor Array Method (MAM) Active surface seismic technique (MASW) using a linear geophone array and hammer source to produce dispersion curves inverted to shear wave velocity profiles, combined with passive MAM using a 2D sensor array to record ambient vibrations and extend investigations to greater depths.
• Horizontal to Vertical Spectral Ratio (HVSR) Passive seismic method using a three-component seismometer to analyse ambient ground vibrations and identify site fundamental resonance frequency and site period from H/V ratio peaks; for seismic site characterisation.
• Seismic Refraction Tomography (SRT) Surface-based geophysical method mapping subsurface structure by measuring travel times of seismic waves refracted through the ground and producing 2D velocity models via tomographic inversion; for bedrock depth mapping and overburden characterisation.
• Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) Non-invasive geophysical method imaging subsurface conditions by measuring electrical resistivity variations with soil/rock type, moisture content, and pore fluid chemistry using electrode arrays; for contamination, groundwater, and geological mapping.
• Magnetometer Survey Direct-push probe with a triaxial magnetometer sensor pushed into the ground using a CPT rig to detect and map buried metallic infrastructure such as steel piles and tanks by analysing magnetic field distortions; for utility clearance and buried asset mapping.
• IANZ-Accredited Soil Laboratory Testing IANZ-accredited in-house soil testing laboratory in Auckland offering Water Content, Atterberg Limits, Linear Shrinkage, Fines Content, Particle Size Distribution (dry/wet sieve, hydrometer), Shrink-Swell Index, One-Dimensional Consolidation, Compaction Testing, Solid Density, Allophane detection, Organic Content, Chloride/Sulphate Content, and Thermal Resistivity; serves geotechnical engineers for design and consent submissions.
• Soil Sampling Services Direct-push and direct-drive sampling services using Pagani sampler, MOSTAP sampler, Shelby sampler, and Terrier environmental sampling to obtain continuous or discrete soil samples for laboratory testing and ground model development.
• Piezometer and Environmental Well Installation Standpipe piezometer and environmental well installation using direct-drive or direct-push systems without rotary drilling, including groundwater level monitoring up to 15 m depth; for groundwater and contamination investigations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Deepest CPT reached: 64 metres
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers12 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

Feature6 records

Scale indicators7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Fugro: Global geotechnical and geo-data specialist with large NZ operations offering CPT, drilling, and laboratory services. Comparable to Ground Investigation through overlapping in-situ testing and lab services, but Fugro is a broad incumbent with a vastly larger scale and service portfolio.

Regional players

• Engtest (NZ): New Zealand geotechnical testing and laboratory services provider. Comparable through overlapping soil testing, CPT, and laboratory offerings to NZ engineering consultancies.
• Strata Group (NZ): New Zealand geotechnical drilling and site investigation contractor. Comparable through NZ site investigation services and overlapping customer base, though more generalist than Ground Investigation's direct-push specialist focus.
• McMillan Drilling: NZ-based drilling and geotechnical investigation contractor. Comparable through NZ site investigation and drilling services, though more focused on rotary drilling and borehole sampling than direct-push CPT.
• Perry Geotechnical: NZ-based specialist CPT and drilling contractor. Comparable through direct-push CPT and in-situ testing offerings and similar NZ customer base of engineering consultancies and developers.

Direct peers

• Lankelma: UK-based specialist in onshore and offshore CPT, seismic CPT, and downhole geophysics. Direct peer in capability set (Brendon Lemm previously worked at Lankelma), competing for the same specialist in-situ testing work and overlapping technical methodologies.
• Igeotest: Spain-based CPT specialist operating in Europe, Central/South America, and North Africa. Marcelo Martinez Torres previously worked at Igeotest. Direct peer in pure CPT/in-situ testing focus, comparable rig types, and similar project-based delivery model.
• Gardline Geosciences: UK offshore geotechnical and geophysical survey firm offering CPT, sampling, and geophysical services. Comparable through CPT-focused offshore operations (Alan Thorp and Brendon Lemm previously worked there) and overlapping seismic/downhole testing methods.
• Geotechnics (Australia/New Zealand): Australia- and NZ-based geotechnical investigation firm offering CPT, drilling, and laboratory services. Most direct NZ/AU competitor providing similar in-situ testing services to engineering consultants, with overlapping customer profiles.

Others

• BCD Group: NZ engineering consultancy. Comparable as a customer-type peer (Ground Investigation lists BCD Group as a client) and as an adjacent ecosystem participant purchasing CPT/testing services for their own projects.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php?id=61560256565006
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ground-investigation-ltd
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Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Ground Investigation