At IEA, one of our core values is innovation. This means that we are continually finding innovative solutions to add value to all the projects that we lead. At the end of the day, we want to be an organization that investigates and implements new products to ensure that we’re cutting down our carbon footprint.
Recently, IEA invested in the industry-leading Vermeer PD10 pile driver. This machinery communicates directly with the Trimble Groundworks system to not only locate the exact location of the pile, but also ensures accurate plumpness, alignment and proper depth. This is a notable improvement over the traditional method of using string lines to align the posts, which had a higher risk of error, longer set up time and added trip hazards. Since depth is managed using GPS, the site no longer has to worry about ensuring the entire site is to grade, which is a large cost saving to the company, as well as our clients.
On top of accuracy, the PD10 pile driver also saves the team time. Traditionally, driving each pile would take approximately 90 seconds. With the new machinery, the team now can save up to 30 seconds on each pile. With 12,599 at Baxley, this is a substantial saving for both IEA and our client.
As we stay on top of advancing technology and the changing needs of our clients, we feel confident in the services that we offer. "Innovation has to be continuous at IEA, and the procurement and deployment of these machines have certainly innovated our solar work," said Chris Hanson, Executive Vice President, Operations. As the solar industry continues to scale and our intensive list of owned machines and resources grow, IEA's ability to perform at the highest caliber is second to none.