Keller North America has acquired the GeoConstruction group Bencor from Layne Christensen. Bencor will retain its name and operate as a separate business unit.
“We have always had a good working relationship with Bencor and have been very impressed with their capabilities,” said John Rubright, managing director of Keller North America. “The addition of Bencor to Keller North America compliments and extends our offerings on civil projects involving deep excavations and cutoff wall requirements. We are excited to welcome Bencor to the Keller group and look forward to continued joint success.”
Keller plans to retain Bencor’s management and all 150 employees. Bencor is known for complex jet grouting expertise and has been an innovator in the diaphragm wall and deep cutoff wall sectors. In a release, Keller said Bencor complements the company’s “existing product lines in North America and abroad in providing clients turn-key, cost-effective geotechnical solutions and design-build services.”
Bencor has a nearly 50 year record in designing and building deep foundation systems including cut-off walls for dams, levees, shafts and underground structures. Keller will assume operations of any ongoing projects and contracts as part of the acquisition. This includes a multi-year project recently started for seepage remediation and a concrete cutoff wall at the East Branch Dam in western Pennsylvania.
Other notable Bencor projects include
- Clearwater Lake Dam located in Wayne and Reynolds counties in Missouri.
- Dam foundation remediation at Mississinewa Lake in Peru, Ind.
- The DC Clean Rivers Project, Division A – Blue Plains Tunnel in Washington, D.C.
For more information on Keller North America's purchase of Bencor, including details about services offered, contact jdhussin@kellerfoundations.com.
Keller offers the construction and civil engineering sectors a variety of ground engineering services. It has more than $2 billion in annual revenue and about 9,000 employees worldwide. For more information about Keller Group, visit www.keller.co.uk.
