Acquisition of Charleston, SC-based regional geotechnical contractor expands the company's Earthquake Drain capabilities. Hanover, Md., October 16, 2015 - Hayward Baker Inc. (HBI) announces the acquisition of assets of Ellington Cross, LLC, (EC) a regional geotechnical contractor that provides Earthquake Drainâ„¢ design and installation. Headquartered in Charleston, S.C., EC operates primarily in North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia. Members of EC and HBI will combine operations into the existing Charleston Area Office and operate under the name "Ellington Cross, a division of Hayward Baker." HBI will take on EC's existing management team and employees, as well as assume key existing contracts. EC is a regional geotechnical contractor focused on liquefaction mitigation ground improvement using Earthquake Drains (sometimes referred to as "EQ Drains"). HBI owns the patent for mitigating liquefaction using prefabricated vertical drains throughout North America. Unlike prefabricated vertical wick drains, EQ Drains have a much larger cross-sectional area and flow capacity, intended to limit pore pressure increases in cohesionless soils and subsequent liquefaction during earthquake events. Among EC's noteworthy projects are U.S. Highway 17 ACE Basin Parkway Widening and Bridge Replacements (Segments 1 & 2), performed for the South Carolina Department of Transportation. Earthquake Drains were used to mitigate liquefaction at all bridge approaches over a 21-mile corridor from State Route 64 to U.S. Highway 21.
