The revolutionary technology comes from the province of Quebec, Canada, but is also used in France.  They’ve introduced the idea of screwing helical piles into the ground rather than pouring a concrete slab to support buildings and infrastructures.  In many cases, a traditional slab foundation isn’t always practical or even possible, so the introduction of piles has been a great solution for those projects.

For the urban development of Forlach, architect Sébastien Morfouasse launched an invitation to demonstrate this process.  Twenty people were present to witness how this worked: Galvanized steel helical piles, are screwed into the ground by a hydraulic machine.  The piles are driven into the ground until the load-bearing capacity is then reached.

Techno Pieux Rennes-Vannes’ Olivier Le Bigot explains, "One day was all we needed to drill the ten piles for the house".  They were installed 4 meters deep and cut between 12 to 24 inches above the ground.  Sitting atop the pile shaft is a cap or plate which supports the structure.

The house is 105 square meters on one floor and will also be supported by some retaining walls.  Soil will be placed around the house at the height of the lowest level in order to hide the piles.  Ty Coat Construction was the company that built this wooden house.

Sébastien Morfouasse the architect, has already used this technology in the past…"For this house, we wanted a slab that was as close to the upper-level ground as possible.  Because of poor soil quality, we were forced to dig very deep in order to establish a proper foundation. The idea of ​​installing piles proved to be the best option, otherwise we would have had to pour more concrete, which was too expensive.  In a situation that is not problematic, this technique is not advantageous from an economic standpoint. But from an ecological point of view, it is very smart! The day you want to remove the house, you’ll have no permanent foundation to contend with-clear area only once you remove the piles".

During the demonstration, many questions arose on the longevity and performance of the piles.  The response was, "at least one hundred years, can withstand very heavy buildings and they can be changed after their present lifespan".

Odette Odin, the future owner of the house, was present at the demonstration. Her wooden house will take shape at the beginning of this year, and she is already excited about the idea of ​​moving in. "You can have an eco-friendly townhouse", which she insists it is.  She wanted it to be environmentally friendly and that is exactly what she got.

This is what she had to say about other aspects that pleased her… "All the companies involved, support ways that are friendly not only to the environment but to the people as well.  This includes the materials used, cleanliness of the work, and that no employee carries loads over 55 pounds… "

Source : West France

Helical steel piles have become the number one solution, proposed by Techno Metal Post, when dealing with problem foundations.  Poor soil quality and ground movement can disrupt the stability of buildings, and this method of solidifying them fixes that situation.

Clément Rouchouse and Maxime Albafouille started a new business adventure, in the Rhône and Isere area within France, back in 2012.  They invested in the equipment, and began installing this specialized system, with determination. "We often get called in urgent situations, where the soil quality is not suitable to lay traditional foundations.  We work in the housing industry, but find ourselves expanding to tackle larger infrastructures.  From a traditional concrete foundation on unstable ground, to a slab cast directly onto the piles, or a wood/steel structure built atop them, Techno Metal Post’s approach suits all types of construction", says Clément Rouchouse.

From the technical standpoint, the piles are screwed into the ground until it reaches compact soil.  At the time of installation, the machines measure the torque, which determines the load bearing capacity in real time.  Steel supports are then fixed onto Techno Metal Posts’ foundation piers that support the structure.  Whether the foundation gradually settles or raises the structure (depending on ground movement), the weight is permanently transferred onto the piles.

Thanks to the dedicated and experienced engineering services, Techno Metal Post has developed a range of hydraulic machines, specialized in the installation of helical piles.  The compact and versatile equipment can access different terrain, and allows the installed piles to hold a bearing capacity of 50,625 lbs (225 kg).

"Without excavation, without laborious concrete pouring (whether permanent or temporary), this system also has a very low environmental impact. We are independent but part of the TMP network, which provides us with engineering services that are responsible for analyzing and validating all projects," adds Clément Rouchouse.  At the present time, this revolutionary system that comes from Canada, has been running for over 20 years worldwide and has a network of over 120 dealers.  Techno Metal Post is certified by the CSTB, and intends to establish a solid presence in the French region of Rhône-Alpes.

Source: Journal du bâtiment & des TP - Septembre 10-16, 2015.

The Pikes Peak Region located in the Colorado Springs area will have a Techno Metal dealership to cover El Paso, Douglas, Elbert and Teller counties. Colorado is now being serviced south of Denver by Techno Metal Post Pike Peaks Region.

After meeting with the Director of Development in the United States Serge Larouche, Tim Rushing decided to acquire a Techno Pieux dealership. He immediately put together a dynamic team mainly made up of some of his family and a close collaborator. Even before the contracts were signed TMP Pikes Peak Region was able to awaken interest in this technology in their region. The construction and home renovations experience of Tim and his team really allows them to understand the importance of building on solid foundations that will resist all the ups and downs of the weather.

Étienne St-Laurent (Techno Pieux Director General), Serge Larouche (Director of Development in the United States), Cody Rushing, Kalib Dyche, Tim Rushing (TMP Pikes Peak Region owner), Logan Rushing and Pascal Marceau (Techno Pieux President).

Let's see what took place, at the annual meetings within the Techno Metal Post network.  The gatherings were an excellent opportunity for our dealers to exchange business ideas, and work experiences, which overall strengthened our network.

The 2015 Quebec annual meeting was held in Gatineau on February 13, 14 & 15.  Several local dealers were present, along with their Ontarian colleagues, to share their experiences over the last year.  The program included conferences on new technologies, business strategies and on occupational health and safety.

Two weeks later on February 27th, several of our American dealers crossed the border, to meet with us at our Thetford Mines head office.  We had great presentations, explaining the new developments our mechanical engineering team had been working on.

 

After the April 14th gathering in Saskatoon, that brought our Western Canadian dealers together, we traveled to France for the annual European meeting.  This two-day event brought in dealers from France, Switzerland and Belgium.  It proved to be once again, an excellent example of our networking strength, on the European continent!

The Techno Pieux Meaux Team and the Techno Metal Post Europe design office, recently carried out foundation tests in Croydon, UK (a Greater London southern borough).  Based on these tests, they were able to determine the design and installation costs of a TMP foundation, to cover an outdoor tennis court.  This particular tennis court belongs to a college where over 1000 students are enrolled.

The soil on-site had a limited load bearing capacity of 8 meters deep, which meant TMP's helical piles and compact installation equipment, were the deciding factors for this job proposal.  Another challenge they faced, was that the work needed to be completed during the school year.

There will be further information during the execution of this project.

Last week, from January 12th to the 16th, 3 new dealerships were created and training for 4 new French installers was completed at the Techno Metal Post International offices. Snow and intensely cold temperatures did not stop us from successfully undertaking the practical training session thanks to the training center where we are able to simulate real-life installation conditions while staying inside, away from the bad weather conditions.

Techno Metal Post is happy to consolidate its network in order to provide better service for the French market. The new dealerships are Techno Pieux Alsace-Nord, Techno Pieux Vichy and Techno Pieux Meaux. Besides this territorial growth, 2 new machines are being sent at the end of the month.

Frédérique and Pierre Chaumont have recently decided to enter another phase in the growth of their company. Now, besides continuing to serve the entire western region of La Gironde from Bordeaux to Arcachon, they will also be looking after business in the eastern region of the Department.

Techno Pieux Arcachon has been active since 2008 and has done a number of projects providing top quality service for their customers. Without any doubt, private, construction and professional users in the 33^rd Department will benefit from the Techno Metal Post set-up, especially with the addition of new Techno Metal Post team of installers in the region.

Techno Pieux would like to congratulate Joe Orendorf, new owner of Techno Metal Post SE Wisconsin, LLC. His extensive experience in the field of home construction quickly showed him the enormous potential of the Techno Pieux product.

After several meetings and talks with Serge Larouche, head of development in the U.S., Mr. Orendorf recently visited our factories and met with the Techno Pieux team, reaffirming his decision to join this network of over 120 dealers.

“Wisconsin is a key state in our development strategy; it now lets us be a presence in the Great Lakes area. Our entire team is proud to have a man with Mr. Orendorf’s great experience in our ranks” Serge Larouche stated.

Photo : Joe Orendorf, owner of TMP SE Wisconsin, LLC with Clément Binet, owner of Techno Pieux

Techno Metal Post is pleased to announce the arrival of the following dealers: TMP Regina (Lester Boey) of Saskatchewan, TMP Chinook (Jeremy Comstock), TMP Edmonton South (Matthew Soon) and TMP Grande-Prairie (Steve Desbiens) of Alberta. They have all joined the network in the last three months.

The new dealers emphasized that their meeting with the home office team at Thetford Mines was a great success, confirming their decision to become associated with the Techno Metal Post certified installer network.

The executive team was pleasantly surprised by the considerable trust and professionalism demonstrated by the newly incorporated members. The significant foundation of technical and multidisciplinary knowledge they bring with them represents added value that will benefit the entire network.

The incorporation of these four dealerships is a concrete example of the solid growth of the Techno Pieux network in the rest of Canada.