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A little Pileco History

History: Global Piling and Equipment Co. (GPE) was formed in 2015 with the purpose of bringing new and innovative ideas and equipment to the global piling machine and equipment market. Achieving rapid growth in 2018 GPE was presented with the opportunity to purchase the diesel hammer product line and the associated brand name Pileco from Bauer Maschinen Group.
From PileDrivers.Org (April 8, 2019):
Pileco was founded by Otto Kammerer in Houston, Texas in 1966. Pileco has grown to become one of the best-known hammer brands in the pile driving industry. The business, which Kammerer sold to BAUER in 2005, changed hands again this past November when Global Piling Equipment (GPE) purchased the Pileco name, assets and intellectual property from BAUER-Pileco (now known as BAUER Equipment America). For George Smith, the president and CEO of GPE, things have come full circle his first job in the piling industry was as a mechanic for Pileco back in 1970. "I did whatever had to be done pressure washing, painting, sweeping the floors. I may have been their second employee," he said. "I have a long history with the brand." Smith left in 1976, but he returned to Pileco after a few years and eventually become company president from 2004 to 2009. He says during his time as Pileco president, the company rapidly expanded, growing from a couple of dozen employees to more than 100 and increasing its sales from $15 million to more than $100 million. Smith subsequently worked for International Construction Equipment and he then founded GPE in 2015. He says because his company is relatively new, the Pileco acquisition will benefit GPE by increasing market awareness. "Even though I've been around for a long time and a lot of folks know me, it's still a challenge to start a new brand," said Smith, adding that the plan is to eventually change GPE's name to Pileco Inc. "It made sense for us to have a well-recognized brand that's been around for more than 50 years. "GPE sells and rents foundation machinery and equipment to the piling industry, specializing in its own brand of diesel pile hammers that come in a wide array of sizes ranging from smaller D-6 models to the massive D-800 unit. It also supplies vibratory drivers/extractors and drills built by Hydraulic Power Systems, Inc. as well as an assortment of lead systems, power units and helmets. In addition, GPE provides parts and services for its equipment sales. GPE's diesel hammers and Pileco diesel hammers are built by the same manufacturer in China. GPE/Pileco equipment is available for purchase or rental at GPE's head office in Conroe, Texas, as well as through a network of dealers in the following locations in the United States: Norfolk, Virginia, Kansas City, Missouri St. Louis, Missouri, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Orlando, Florida, Richmond, California, Smith says Pileco's market area covers much of the U.S. and the company also has a dealer in Toronto, Canada, to service piling customers north of the border. He says one of the more notable projects involving GPE hammers is a new 2.4-mile span called the Rodanthe Bridge currently being built in one of North Carolina's Outer Banks islands. The project is being serviced by GeoQuip, a GPE dealer based in Chesapeake, Va. Smith says that 20 people work at GPE, including a few of his associates from his old days at Pileco. "Most of us have all been in this business for some time," he said. Smith has also had a long association with the Pile Driving Contractors Association. GPE is a member, and before that Smith attended numerous PDCA events during his time at Pileco. He says he enjoys networking with his colleagues in the industry and keeping up to date at PDCA functions, as well as reading PileDriver magazine. Smith says he's definitely benefitted from his many years in the pile driving industry. "I've made a science of this and I know the equipment inside out. It just makes it easier when you understand what you're doing," he said. Smith adds that's not to say new challenges don't arise from time to time. "We still see new things happen that we've not ever run across before, so it's ever-changing. Even though our process is the same, each project is different and it's always interesting, or at least it is for me," he said. Smith says he has no plans to quit working any time soon. "I'm not going to retire at all, unless I get to where I can't function. I don't think that's my game plan," he said. "I love what I do, and when you love what you do and enjoy your work, it's not a job."


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