In October 1990, a press-in machine called the Silent Piler installed sheet piles for the foundation of a new international laboratory – the Cambridge Crystallographic Data Centre. That was the first encounter between Giken and Cambridge University. Performance of the Silent Piler working for the university was broadcasted by the BBC TV programme "Tomorrow's World".

Dr Malcolm Bolton in the Geotechnical and Environmental Research Group of Engineering Department was one of those who saw the press-in operation and got became interested. Mr Akio Kitamura, the inventor of the Silent Piler and President of Giken, had been feeling a strong need to scientifically clarify the press-in mechanism. So, there was formed a link between an academic scientist and a practical industrialist. They visited each other and found a great potential for co-operation in this new discipline. Thus the world's first geotechnical research into press-in piling began in 1994.

Collaborative research between Giken and Cambridge University involves a combination of field tests employing full-scale Silent Pilers in Japan and laboratory tests utilizing specialized equipment in Cambridge. Every summer 2 to 3 undergraduates visit Giken's Kochi head office and work together with Giken's technical staff for a month. These encounters between two different cultures and personnel with different characteristics have inspired a spirit of challenge.

Starting with the 2000 DFI international conference in New York, a part of the resulting research has been published on various occasions. Giken scholars have written numerous papers, some of which have won awards. Mr David White was one such excellent Giken scholar and he obtained his PhD entitled "An investigation into the behaviour of pressed-in piles" under Professor Bolton's supervision in October 2002. His was the first doctorate related to press-in piling.

Academic and industrial interest in press-in piling has been growing beyond the framework of Giken Seisakusho Co., Ltd. and the Geotechnical and Environmental Research Group in University of Cambridge. Establishment of the IPA must accelerate the growth and generate global interest, but origin lies in the encounter between two individuals seeking the same dream to integrate theories and actualities in the press-in piling.

Poster Presentation
at DFI Conference
in New York USA, 2000

Presentation by Dr White
at Press-in Exhibition
in Tokyo Japan, 2003