Rock drilling across solar, construction, mining and seismic exploration, plus pile load testing and pile installation for solar.
XCEL was founded in 2015 as a specialty subcontractor focused on renewable energy. In 2018 the company expanded into pile driving for utility-scale solar. The first rock drilling job followed in 2019 in Texas. Drilling on renewable projects continued on the East Coast in 2020 and in Kentucky in 2021, and rock drilling grew from there.
That start was grounded in equipment and technology. The founder brought 22 years in heavy and light construction equipment distribution and rental, and was part of the original team at SmartEquip, a platform that connected rental operators to OEMs for maintenance, repair, and overhaul. That mix of field equipment and connected technology is the background XCEL was built on: a technology-driven pile installation and rock drilling company.
Most of our growth has come from repeat customers. We invested millions in new equipment to take on larger programs, and our safety record has held through that growth: zero recordables and a TRIR of 0 since 2015.
Over 20 GW of utility-scale solar pile load testing since 2018, with multistate coverage, trusted by major EPCs and leading tracker OEMs.
Epiroc SmartROC, FlexiROC and PowerROC rigs, ready for multi-rig programs.
Zero recordables and TRIR 0 since 2015. EMR 0.89. On ISNetworld.
Load testing, drilling and pile driving on one schedule, with our own GPS layout.
XCEL serves projects across the Northeast, Midwest and Ohio Valley, Great Plains, South Central and Mountain West. We coordinate rapid mobilization to the job.
XCEL runs on its field crews: drillers, pile driver operators, load test and data collection technicians, GPS layout techs, mechanics and the foremen who lead them. We grow our own through a DOL-approved Registered Apprenticeship Program, pay above industry standard, and take care of crews on the road with travel per diem, mobilization and ICHRA health coverage. Every employee holds MSHA 48, OSHA 30 and CPR/First Aid, and XCEL is on ISNetworld for contractor prequalification.
Tell us what you're building. We respond to every quote request within 24 hours.