Card Geotechnics

What Card Geotechnics does

Card Geotechnics Limited (CGL) is a UK-based specialist geotechnical and geoenvironmental consultancy established in 1994. CGL delivers ground investigation, geotechnical and geoenvironmental design, basement impact assessment, temporary works design, and digital imagery analysis (LiDAR/satellite + GIS) to contractors, developers, structural engineers, consultancies, and infrastructure operators across five sectors — Energy, Rail, Infrastructure, Residential, and Commercial. Service delivery spans the full lifecycle from feasibility and desk study through ground investigation, design, material management, remediation, and construction supervision, with capability to act as either consultant or managing contractor on a project-by-project basis.

CGL's technical differentiation rests on advanced numerical analysis (PLAXIS 3D finite element analysis, WALLAP, PDISP, GWALL, SLOPE, FLAC 2D, CADS A3D, AdSec, SWMD) and a set of proprietary methods including an evolving buttress pile design, the Observational Method for excavation risk, and a 3D grid material management system. The firm operates from six UK offices (Harrogate headquarters, London King's Cross, Billericay, Havant, Tiverton) plus a Dublin office, and is part of the Phenna Infrastructure Division, giving it access to 26 accredited laboratories and 1,500+ infrastructure specialists globally. Quality and compliance are reinforced through ISO 9001/14001/45001, RISQS, Achilles UVDB, Constructionline Gold, and SAFEcontractor accreditations, alongside multiple Ground Engineering Awards and Constructing Excellence awards since 2019.

CGL generates revenue through project-based professional consultancy fees negotiated per engagement; no public pricing is disclosed. The go-to-market is sales-led, relying on technical reputation, awards/shortlistings, project case studies, and direct enterprise relationships with named clients such as Balfour Beatty, Network Rail, Skanska, Taylor Wimpey, Mace, SSEN, and Subsea 7. In February 2025, CGL integrated South West Geotechnical (SWG) as a dedicated division, extending its UK Southwest presence and adding UKAS-accredited laboratory and contractor capability under Regional Director Neil Forrow.

Name

Card Geotechnics

Legal name

Card Geotechnics Limited

Website

https://cgl-uk.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Card Geotechnics Limited (CGL) is a UK specialist geotechnical and geoenvironmental consultancy serving contractors, developers and infrastructure operators across energy, rail, infrastructure, residential and commercial sectors with ground investigation, design, temporary works, and digital imagery analysis.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Godalming

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Geotechnical and Geoenvironmental Consultancy Services: Professional consultancy fees charged for geotechnical and geoenvironmental services including site investigation, design, monitoring, and construction supervision. Revenue is generated through project-based professional service engagements with contractors, developers, design teams, and infrastructure operators.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Card Geotechnics Limited (CGL) is an independent specialist geotechnical and geoenvironmental consultancy providing advice and design solutions for ground-related issues. Services span site investigation, geotechnical design, temporary works design, basement impact and ground movement assessment, earthworks design, and geoenvironmental risk assessment and remediation. CGL delivers these services as a consultant or managing contractor to contractors, developers, structural engineers, and consultancies across the energy, rail, infrastructure, residential, and commercial sectors.

Product overview

Card Geotechnics (CGL) is an award-winning geotechnical and geoenvironmental consulting firm operating since 1994. The company offers four core service areas: Geotechnical Services (basement impact assessment, construction supervision, earthworks design, geotechnical design), Geoenvironmental Services (risk assessment, material management, remediation design), Temporary Works Design (basement propping, excavation stability, working platforms), Digital Imagery Analysis (LiDAR surveying), and Site Investigations (ground investigation, monitoring, verification). In 2025, South West Geotechnical (SWG) was integrated as a division. CGL operates across five sectors: Residential, Commercial, Energy, Infrastructure, and Rail, serving clients throughout the UK with design solutions for ground-related issues.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Geotechnical Services Comprehensive geotechnical engineering services delivered to contractors, developers, structural engineers and consultancies, covering basement impact and ground movement assessment, construction support/supervision/monitoring, earthworks design and control, and geotechnical design using analytical software including PLAXIS 3D, WALLAP, PDISP, GWALL.
• Geoenvironmental Services Comprehensive geoenvironmental services covering qualitative and quantitative risk assessment, material management and waste assessment, remediation design/monitoring/verification, meeting the highest regulatory requirements for contaminated land through all stages of development.
• Site Investigations Site investigation services providing ground investigation, construction monitoring, foundation inspection, verification, monitoring/instrumentation/testing, and Phase 1 desk study site feasibility and planning constraints services for the built environment.
• Temporary Works Design Comprehensive temporary works design services: basement propping schemes (including buttress pile designs), excavation stability analysis, observational method applications, and working platform design using PLAXIS 3D and other specialist geotechnical software.
• Digital Imagery Analysis Visualisation, analysis and interpretation of high-resolution satellite imagery and LiDAR surveying data to produce Digital Terrain Models (DTM) and Digital Surface Models (DSM) for slope instability identification, flood hazard modelling, geomorphological and geological hazard identification, delivered via bespoke GIS modelling.
• South West Geotechnical (SWG) — integrated division South West Geotechnical Limited provides geotechnical consultancy, contracting, and UKAS-accredited laboratory services; joined CGL as a dedicated division in February 2025, extending CGL's UK-wide reach into the Southwest region with Neil Forrow as Regional Director.

Quantifiable outcome

• Saved approximately £7 million for a residential client through 3D grid-based material management for basement arisings disposal
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers24 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• South West Geotechnical Limited (SWG)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 February 2025South West Geotechnical Limited (SWG) joined CGL as a dedicated division in February 2025. The integration brings together SWG's geotechnical consultancy, contractor capabilities, and UKAS accredited laboratory with CGL's established national reputation and resources. Neil Forrow (previously of SWG) leads the unified South West teams as CGL's South West Regional Director, based in Exeter. This is a significant strategic integration designed to strengthen CGL's presence in the Southwest of England.
• CTS (Construction Testing Solutions)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCTS (Construction Testing Solutions) is CGL's internal geotechnical and contamination testing laboratory partner. CTS provides MCERTS-accredited testing soil analysis, UKAS-accredited groundwater monitoring and leachate testing, and gas analysis. This partnership is critical to CGL's service delivery, ensuring quality-assured laboratory data that underpins CGL's interpretative and design reporting.
• DustScan AQminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerDustScan AQ was engaged by CGL as a specialist sub-consultant on the HS2 Old Oak Common Enabling Works project to provide air quality monitoring and occupational and environmental asbestos monitoring, including sampling of airborne asbestos fibres and polyaromatic hydrocarbons.
• Baker HicksminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerBaker Hicks collaborated with CGL and Morgan Sindall Infrastructure on the Fort Augustus to Skye OHL Reinforcement project. Baker Hicks provided design services alongside CGL's ground investigation expertise.
• Phenna Infrastructure Division (Parent Group)coreOthersCGL is part of the Phenna Infrastructure Division, a global Testing, Inspection, Certification and Compliance (TICC) business. The Phenna Infrastructure Division encompasses geotechnical consultancy, materials testing, environmental chemistry, site investigation, and asset management. CGL's integration within Phenna provides access to 26 accredited laboratories, 350 site engineers, and 1,500+ infrastructure specialists globally, supporting UK Pathway to 2030 and Net Zero goals.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Mott MacDonald: Global engineering consultancy with a dedicated ground engineering and contaminated land practice. Comparable to CGL in providing specialist geotechnical input to rail, energy, and development projects, but operates globally and across many more technical disciplines.
• AtkinsRéalis (formerly Atkins / SNC-Lavalin): Large engineering consultancy with UK ground engineering and site investigation capabilities serving rail, highways, energy, and built environment. Overlaps with CGL on Network Rail, highways, and energy sector ground investigation, though at significantly greater scale and breadth.
• WSP: Major global engineering professional services firm with a UK ground engineering and geoenvironmental team serving developers, contractors, and infrastructure clients. Comparable to CGL across project types (basements, OHL, rail, highways) but with a much broader service portfolio.
• AECOM: Global infrastructure consultancy with UK ground engineering and environmental services serving rail, highways, energy, and development sectors. Comparable project portfolio and client base to CGL but at much larger scale and with broader turnkey design capability.
• Jacobs: Global professional services firm with UK geotechnical, environmental, and ground engineering capabilities, particularly active in rail, water, and energy transition infrastructure. Comparable on regulated infrastructure and energy projects but at considerably greater scale and geographic reach.
• Arup: Global engineering consultancy with a substantial geotechnical and geoenvironmental practice serving infrastructure, rail, energy, and built environment clients. Highly comparable to CGL on the technical service mix, though Arup operates at vastly larger scale and across many more geographies and disciplines.

Direct peers

• Fugro: Global site characterisation and geotechnical consultancy providing ground investigation, geophysical surveys, and geo-data services to infrastructure, energy, and offshore markets. Directly comparable on site investigation, digital imagery analysis, and LiDAR-based surveys, with stronger offshore and international presence.
• Soil Mechanics (Enka Infrastructure):

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInuk.linkedin.com/company/card-geotechnics-limited

Compliance10 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Card Geotechnics