Availability of GTOSS™ Expanded Overseas to Provide Users Around the World with Excellent Technical Capabilities and Expertise

GIKEN LTD. (Head Office: Kochi-shi, Kochi; President and CEO: Atsushi Ohira; hereafter “GIKEN”) has started to offer GTOSS™, GIKEN Total Support System, in Europe and North America. This is a service that gives comprehensive support to users of press-in machines from GIKEN. GTOSS™ aims to enhance productivity of construction sites and develop the press-in industry as a whole by providing members with the GIKEN Group’s technical capabilities and expertise accumulated over half a century. Around the world, there are many construction issues that cannot be addressed by existing construction methods. To advance the resolution of issues, the press-in technologies developed by GIKEN will be implemented more effectively to accumulate success stories.

This service was launched in Japan in 2003 and made available in Asia in 2021. With the system for technical instructors now in place also for Europe and North America, GIKEN started offering the service in these regions in June. The most appropriate support is given to members, ranging from the basic operation of press-in machines to support for construction and maintenance technologies as well as provision of construction management software. Rental is also provided under this service, including the GRB System™ that allows efficient construction even under harsh conditions such as on water or slopes. GIKEN will support members in growing to become leading companies of the press-in method.

Going beyond the provision of hardware in terms of simply selling press-in machines, various daily operations related to press-in construction—including support for construction technologies and maintenance—are turned into software, which is then offered to paid members of the service.
Besides using actual machines to conduct on-site guidance and various types of classes, the service also offers software filled with the expertise of GIKEN in areas such as project planning, construction management, and technical education (e-learning). Support is also provided for the adoption of the PPT System^TM, an automation technology that measures and controls in real time a pile’s embedded state in the ground. The service also allows rental of the GRB System^TM and such, enabling members to conduct the latest press-in construction while receiving technical guidance.
Within Japan, 162 companies are currently members of this service.

Group company Giken Seisakusho Asia Pte., Ltd. (Head Office: Singapore; Managing Director: Yoshihisa Fujisaki) started providing GTOSS™ in October 2021 and there are now eight companies that are members of this service. At first, there were more than a few cases of difficulties on the ground, including a shortage of engineers due to operators and other workers switching jobs as well as a lack of awareness regarding maintenance. As such, on-site guidance and inspection visits are conducted regularly to raise the standard of press-in techniques and ensure thorough preventive maintenance through maintenance services.
As an example of on-site guidance, there were sporadic cases of issues, such a construction work being stopped due to mud on the part of a press-in machine that grabs a pile, processed sheet piles for corner piling being outside specifications, and slanted piles following the pre-augering holes. Instructors demonstrate the operator’s tasks and point out the importance of daily maintenance such as jet cleaning and greasing. Construction efficiency at sites is improved by also encouraging the use of the PPT System™.

Giken Europe B.V. (Head Office: The Netherlands; Managing Director: Shigeki Fukumaru) started offering this service in response to feedback from construction sites about the desire to properly understand press-in principles and safely complete projects. Italy’s Chimin International SRL. signed up as a member in July, becoming the service’s first member in Europe. Currently, this member is being provided mainly with construction support and guidance for maintenance of machines in its possession. In September, Ivor King (C.E.C.) Ltd.—which is based in the United Kingdom—also joined as a member, bringing the number of members to two companies.
In North America, Giken America Corporation (Head Office: Orlando, Florida; Director President: Takefumi Takuma) has started offering this service, signing up two companies as members: Blue Iron Foundations & Shoring, LLC in July and Zefiro Corporation in August. By striking a balance between the drafting of efficient construction plans and actual construction, the service is expected to help expand the press-in market in North America.

Due to the project to renovate the quay walls of World Heritage-listed canals in the Netherlands, there has been a remarkable increase in interest overseas regarding the technologies of GIKEN. GTOSS™ is positioned as an important service to strengthen such trust in GIKEN.
In Asia, machines are aging in general, and going forward, GIKEN will work on proposing the adoption of new construction methods and machines while further focusing efforts on maintenance services. As for Europe and North America, existing members will be guided by providing the most appropriate support while paying attention to their individual issues to help increase cases of adoption.

■Profile of GIKEN Group
GIKEN developed the SILENT PILER™, the world’s first reaction-based, non-vibratory hydraulic pile driving machine that operates with minimal noise impacts. The GIKEN Group now actively promotes its press-in technology worldwide and contributes to the construction industry by proposing and implementing innovative solutions. The innovative press-in technology provides a unique solution and the adoption of this technology has spread to over 40 nations and regions.