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at 57 Whitehall required careful planning and installation of 687 piles, comprising a 900mm diameter secant wall and 1500mm diameter bearing piles, complete with plunge columns to depths of up to 40m to enable top-down construction.”

Always looking for ways to improve, the company’s Martello piling division has revolutionised the installation of large diameter piles. It has created a unique method that enables piles of 1050 mm diameter to be installed to depths of 40m within as little as 3.5m headroom. Jonny adds: “We are the only company to offer this service, which has led to Martello being used as part of the solution at 57 Whitehall, as well as many other iconic projects such as Battersea Power Station, The V&A Museum and The Royal Opera House.

“A new range of piling rigs was created and patented to achieve this capability, which offers the potential to shorten build programmes by months and achieve significant overall cost savings,” he continues. It is this kind of innovation that resulted in Franki being finalists at the Ground Engineering Awards for Technical Excellence and at the Federation of Piling Specialists Awards for Efficiency Through Technology. They were also awarded Project of the Year by ASUC for their underpinning work.

“It is the expertise and dedication of our people that truly sets us apart in the industry and keeps our clients coming back to us,” states Jonny. “In keeping with our company history, we are a team of can-do problem solvers, who excel at implementing engineered and bespoke solutions for a wide variety of projects and sectors. We have our own Research and Development division to create these bespoke solutions in-house, which upholds the company ethos of continuous improvement and innovation.”

The current economic climate poses a challenge to the construction industry. “While the increase in costs will have already been considered in many projects, margins remain squeezed and the overarching challenge for the entire industry for the foreseeable future is to find ways of building sustainably, without compromising on quality and safety,” he explains. “As an industry, we must resist the temptation to race to the bottom, but instead invest in the resources that add value to clients’ projects and this technical, professional approach will maintain healthy businesses.”

Looking ahead, Franki is focused on becoming the leading provider of piling and foundation solutions, particularly in London and across the South of England. Jonny explains: “Our five-year plan is not simply structured around targeting growth or increased turnover, instead we will continue to stand out through our commitment to a quality-led approach, utilising our technical strengths to meet our clients’ needs, providing unique construction sequencing and processes that incorporate true value engineering.

“We come into 2023 with our strongest forward-order book for over four years,” concludes Jonny. Through our proven strengths of technical expertise, innovation, and high quality, we expect this growth to continue through repeat and new business despite the challenging market.” ■ www.frankifoundations.co.uk