Adventure in Iceland

Solving challenges with ground screws in the land of fire and ice

There’s something truly magical about Iceland. Snow-covered mountains give way to vast open fields, frozen lakes shimmering in the distance, and crisp air. At StopDigging, we always look forward to visiting our new partners worldwide when the opportunity comes. This time, our export salesperson, Adam, visited our new partners, Loftur Freyr Sigfússon and Viggo Loftursson, in Iceland, and he was completely taken by the country’s landscape.

“The landscape was breathtaking as I drove an hour southeast of Reykjavik with our local partner, Loftur. We were on our way to a remarkable site near Iceland’s famous “Golden Circle” – a location where 32 modular homes would soon stand, supported entirely by our eco-friendly ground screws.”

This wasn’t just another project. This was an opportunity to bring innovation to one of the world’s most rugged and untouched corners.

A vision coming to life

The goal of the Iceland trip was to determine whether ground screws could serve as a foundation for 32 modular homes in challenging ground conditions. Even before the tests began, Adam was confident in the project’s success: “Standing there in the crisp Icelandic air, I could already picture it: 32 beautiful modular homes standing strong on sustainable ground screw foundations.” However, the beauty of the landscape concealed some serious challenges:

• Soft, waterlogged terrain: The ground was marsh-like, meaning stability would be a concern.
• Sub-zero temperatures: Frost biting into the soil at -20°C.
• Remote access: Getting equipment and materials to the isolated location was no small feat.

Despite these hurdles, Loftur, Viggo and Adam were determined to meet the challenge. Ground screws are designed to adapt to challenging environments, and Adam and the new Icelandic partners were eager to see how they could use the screws in this beautiful location.

Pushing boundaries together: our partners redefine ingenuity in sub-zero conditions

Before the project could start, the first step was to test the soil. Adam, Loftur and Viggo decided to use our standard screws – the SGC76x1600 and SGC76x2000. Together, they worked as a team, conducted pull tests and gathered critical data to refine the foundation design. Adam was more than impressed by the partners’ work:

“And let me tell you, the ingenuity of our partners was inspiring. Loftur’s customised truck and equipment made transporting everything we needed, even on the toughest terrain, possible! Within four hours, we had completed the tests, and the data we collected gave us everything we needed to take the next step in this project. We decided on a combination of extendable screws with larger threads and our SGC89 screws – thicker and tougher, designed to handle the most demanding conditions.”

This experience reminded me why I’m passionate about what we do. Every project is a new story, a new challenge, and a new opportunity to redefine what’s possible in construction.

“If I could bottle up the memories of this trip, these would be the images I’d share”

Every project visit is a unique experience on its own. “This experience reminded me why I’m passionate about what we do. Every project is a new story, challenge, and opportunity to redefine what’s possible in construction,” said Adam. “Iceland’s frozen landscape was as breathtaking as it was challenging, a perfect stage for testing the strength and adaptability of our ground screws. Watching the screws endure the harsh conditions was truly a testament to their resilience.”

Loftur and Viggo’s truck navigated the rugged terrain with unwavering determination, embodying the same tenacity required for such an ambitious project. Amidst the icy wilderness, Adam could picture the future: an inspiring vision of modular homes soon to stand proudly on this site, supported entirely by StopDigging’s eco-friendly foundation solutions.

When Adam was asked to share a final key takeaway from his trip, he said: “What excited me most about this project isn’t just the technical achievement – it’s how we prove that sustainable construction can be used even in the most extreme environments. No concrete or heavy emissions needed, just innovative solutions that respect the landscape.”