A different approach to groundworks…
We’re a leading UK piling specialist, with more than 50 years of experience in civil engineering and construction. But there’s rather more going on at our Nuneaton hub than piling rigs, sheet piles and heavy plant.
IKHQ is also home to a polytunnel full of vegetables, a collection of beehives, and plenty of wildflowers.
It’s all part of the slightly quirky mix that makes Ivor King what it is.
From piling to polytunnels
Here at IKHQ, our polytunnel is used to grow all sorts of fresh produce for everyone to enjoy.
Tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, potatoes, beans, beetroot, onions, lettuce and sweetcorn have all found a home here, with the contents varying with the seasons.
It might seem like an unusual addition to a piling contractor’s facilities, but there’s actually a good reason for it.
Our origins lie in farming, so our connection with the land goes back much further than our 50-plus years in civil engineering.
Growing our own vegetables is a small nod to those roots – and there’s something particularly satisfying about being able to harvest fresh produce that has been grown right here at IKHQ.
We spend a lot of time putting things into the ground. It’s nice when some of them grow!
Our resident beekeeper – and some very busy residents
The polytunnel isn’t the only thing growing at IKHQ.
Our site is also home to a collection of beehives, lovingly looked after by our resident expert beekeeper and Facilities Manager, Dave Brown.
The bees have become a familiar part of life at IKHQ, helped by the environment we’ve created around the site.
Each year, we sow a variety of wildflowers around our verges and embankments, providing an important source of nectar and pollen for bees and other pollinators.
It’s a relatively simple thing to do, but it makes a real difference – creating areas where wildlife can feed, thrive and flourish.
And the bees certainly seem to appreciate it.
In return for all their hard work, they produce a range of useful products, including beeswax, polish and candles, as well as their most famous creation – Dave’s award-winning Galley Honey.
It’s fair to say that the honey has developed something of a following with visitors to our main hub!
Making room for nature
We all know how important bees and other pollinators are to the wider ecosystem, so we’re only too happy to do our bit to provide a welcoming environment for them.
The wildflower areas around IKHQ not only provide food for our bees, but also bring a bit of colour and biodiversity to an environment that is, inevitably, home to plenty of industrial activity.
It’s a good reminder that even a busy civil engineering site can make room for nature.
It’s an unusual combination, perhaps. But we like it.
A little bit of Ivor King
For more than 50 years, Ivor King has evolved from its farming roots into the specialist piling and civil engineering business it is today.
Our work may have changed considerably, but some of that connection with the land remains – whether that’s growing our own vegetables, creating wildflower areas for pollinators or simply maintaining a working environment where there’s room for a slice of nature to thrive.
