New RBL rigs deployed on major housing job

Roger Bullivant Limited (RBL) has deployed its two newest in-house designed rigs for the first time on a live site, supporting foundation works for a 243-home development in St Helens being delivered by Vistry Group.

The 5508 and 5509 rigs, both built on Casagrande B175XP-2 bases and engineered by RBL’s in-house team, are working alongside two additional rigs on the former brickworks and quarry site, which presents complex ground conditions including made ground, deep walls, and historic quarry faces.

To address these challenges, RBL is using a tailored combination of driven precast concrete piles, driven steel tubular piles, and its proprietary Overburden Drilling System (ODS). Precast concrete piles, manufactured by RBL, are being used across most of the site for their cost efficiency, while tubular piles and ODS techniques are deployed in areas with harder driving or deeper support requirements.

“It’s incredibly rewarding to see both the 5508 and 5509 machines being put straight to work on a large, technically challenging site like Ibstock,” said Andy Tebbs, manufacturing director at RBL. “These rigs are the result of careful in-house design and collaboration, and they are already proving their value.”

With four rigs working in tandem, progress on the foundations has been rapid. The project highlights RBL’s commitment to investing in bespoke UK-engineered equipment and supporting the growing demand for efficient, site-specific piling solutions on large-scale residential developments.