A Brief History of Pier UK Vacuum Excavation

Origins and Early Years

Pier UK Ltd was founded in 2001 by Sean Quinn as a civil engineering and drainage company in Newton-le-Willows, Merseyside. In 2008, the company hired its first vacuum excavator after seeing the safety benefits of this method first-hand while working on a large infrastructure project. Impressed by the ability to excavate without utility strikes, Pier UK purchased their vacuum excavator fleet at the end of 2008.

Transition to Vacuum Excavation

In 2012, Pier UK decided to stop providing civil engineering services and focus solely on vacuum excavation hire. This decision allowed them to concentrate on growing their vacuum excavation business.

Becoming Market Leader

Through continuous investment in expanding its vacuum excavation fleet, Pier UK became the largest provider of vacuum excavation services in the UK by 2015. Just a year later, in 2016, it surpassed all other companies to become the largest vacuum excavation contractor across Europe.

Innovations and Growth

Pier UK introduced innovations like the first ever “Tracked Vac” in 2018 – an off-road vacuum excavator designed for rough terrain to meet increasing demand and access challenging sites. The company’s fleet continued growing year-over-year to maintain its position as Europe’s leading vacuum excavation provider.

By specializing solely in vacuum excavation after 2012 and making strategic investments in its fleet and capabilities, Pier UK was able to rapidly expand its vacuum excavation services to become the dominant market leader in both the UK and the broader European market.

To learn how vacuum excavation can benefit your project, please contact us.