"We have a very proud history of success and market leadership in North America," explained James Hind, president, North America. "Combining our capabilities will strengthen our position and give us the platform for further growth and success into the next decade."
Specifically, the current North American companies Bencor, Case, Hayward Baker, HJ Foundation, Keller Canada, McKinney and Moretrench will be integrated into one company and rebranded to Keller.
The new company will be managed as eight business units. Seven will be geographically based, each with similar revenue and offering all relevant products. The eighth will offer speciality services including diaphragm-walls, instrumentation and monitoring, speciality grouting, ground freezing and dewatering, that are currently only offered from a limited number of offices. The move will bring this expertise together with dedicated teams providing those services across North America.
Moretrench Industrial, Suncoast, and Cyntech will stay as separate businesses within the Keller North American organisation and retain their brands.
"Primarily we are making this change for our customers. Operating as one Keller in each local market, offering all products and services, we'll be easier to understand and engage with," said Hind. "And being more customer versus product-focused, customers can be confident they're getting the best, most competitive solutions, especially when these involve multiple techniques.
"Combining all our geotechnical strengths will, therefore, help Keller compete and win in North America. It will also be easier for teams to work together and realise best in class systems and processes, removing duplication and improving efficiency.
"We are making this announcement well in advance to ensure that the transition is planned and executed smoothly and January is a logical starting point," added Hind. "In the meantime, everyone remains firmly focused on continuing to win and execute work safely and successfully day-to-day."
Alain Michaelis, chief executive of Keller concluded: "This is a significant step forward for Keller Group's largest division. The team have done a great job in assessing and planning for a successful implementation. We are confident that these actions will further differentiate Keller as the leading geotechnical specialist contractor in North America."
