Geoforce invests in robust & reliable ROSON 100
For over twelve years Mr. McDonald has been working with A.P. van den Berg equipment. In 2004 he started with performing seabed soil investigations. After a while his activities shifted towards the operation and management of offshore CPT equipment which lead to his current position of Operations Director of Geoforce Technical Services Ltd. When establishing Geoforce in the UK in April 2017 he believed it was important to invest in a robust reliable system that his operators knew, understood and trusted. The company achieved this by purchasing our proven technology: the ROSON 100 seabed system combined with the digital Icone system. This is the reason to dedicate our recurring newsflash “Partners in Geotechnical Services” to this new company.
Early 2017 Mr. McDonald identified a gap in the market. He found that the market was lacking a dynamic geotechnical operator with the right equipment and people to support survey and marine contractors. With this in mind he saw the opportunity to start Geoforce Technical Services Ltd. The main activities of this new company are the provision of geotechnical services including equipment, personnel and project support. Mr. McDonald says: “Our focus is to provide our customers a quality niche product by means of a professional, dynamic, flexible service. This is possible by operating in a safe, well-planned environment and working smarter through innovation. A.P. van den Berg’s engineering expertise fits well with this.”. Right from the start, the company has run well. Together with his team, Mr. McDonald is committed to maintain its quality control. “We would like to become the “go-to”-contractor for shallow near-shore geotechnical operations. With our wealth of experience and “can-do”-attitude we can deliver quality and drive projects forward.”
Cooperation with A.P. van den Berg
The mobilization of the ROSON 100 in June this year was a major milestone for Geoforce. The ROSON with a pushing force of 100 kN is capable of performing CPTs and taking soil samples at water depths up to 1,500 m. The company succeeded in completing a large geotechnical survey without any technical or operational downtime. Mr. McDonald says: “A.P. van den Berg has also contributed to this. The company delivers reliable and high-quality equipment and technical support is there when required. It is nice to have a good level of cooperation with A.P. van den Berg and to be able to exchange ideas with them.” We, as A.P. van den Berg, also take advantage of this information as input for new and/or further development of our technologies. At this time the ROSON is mainly used for cable and pipeline routes at water depths from 300 to 1500 m, but Geoforce is experiencing an increased interest from companies involved in the construction of harbors and wind farms in shallower water depths (up to 300 m). Therefore it is convenient that Geoforce has the capability to configure their ROSON as a near-shore version. Without the need to mobilize the winch, they are able to save operational costs. Besides, if customers of Geoforce would require to build a more comprehensive picture of the subsoil, they can easily offer that by extending their Icone with click-on modules and obtain additional soil parameters (seismic, magneto, vane and conductivity).
Future
The interview ends with the question what the future plans are for the company. Mr. McDonald replies that he wants to be prepared for the future and will invest in new equipment and recruit personnel. Signing a framework deal with a major survey contractor is also on the program. We are happy to support Geoforce with innovative CPT solutions and wish them great success for the future.
