Hub Foundation is a third-generation family owned business
In our 55-year history Hub has completed more than 1,400 contracts under varied and challenging conditions. Hub has evolved from one of Boston’s largest pile driving companies to become a groundbreaker in the drilled shaft industry. We are now a leader in a broad array of deep foundation technologies in the New England market. Hub has grown from a small family run business to a diverse and talented team specializing in all aspects of deep foundation work. Our success is built upon the efforts of our employees and a commitment to continuously invest in safety and in the quality of our work. As our country’s businesses shift toward multinational conglomerates, Hub remains committed to operating as a local family run business, focused on our employees and the community around us.
Founded in 1966
Hub Foundation was founded by Francis and Kathleen Maxwell in 1966. Francis, who worked for Raymond Concrete Pile Company and New England Foundation, drew on his decades of experience and, along with Ronald Francoeur, launched Hub Foundation as a pile driving outfit. Kathleen, a former particle physicist who worked on the Manhattan Project, used her keen intellect to run the accounting end of the business. After a few years, Jim Maxwell joined his parents at Hub and Ronnie left to form RA Francoeur Pile Driving (now Vynorius Pile Driving). Together the Maxwells ran a successful pile driving business through the 1970s and 1980s.
First Drill Rig
After a trip to Italy in 1990 Jim, who believed that Hub needed to diversify and adapt to changes in the industry, was impressed with the European style drill rigs and their technology. In a big leap of faith, Hub purchased the first Soilmec drill rig sold in North America. This opened the next chapter in Hub’s story as we honed our drilling knowledge on Boston’s Big Dig project in partnership with Trevi Icos. Jeff, Greg and Alissa Maxwell joined the family business after college to make Hub Foundation a third generation company. Tony Barila, longtime co-owner of Terra Drilling, joined us in 2010 to cement our future in the micropile industry. Continued reinvestment and persistence allows the company to grow so our talented employees and sophisticated equipment deliver services to our clients safely and on schedule.
Family History, Family Business
Jim Maxwell with Francis and Kathleen Maxwell at their home in Wellesley, Massachusetts in May, 2015. Jim took over as owner of Hub Foundation in 1981. Francis remained with Jim for five years and Kathleen stayed on at Hub until 2000. As Jim tells it, “once he had retired, when Dad came to pick up Mom after work at the office in Wellesley, he refused to cross the threshold himself, for fear that he had velcro on his shoes and he might get stuck there.”
Hub’s First Drilled Shaft Job
Jim Maxwell drilling and Greg Maxwell swamping on Hub Foundation’s first drilled shaft job with the R-10, Soilmec’s first drill rig sold in America, in the winter of 1990 to 1991. Greg recalls that the frigid temperatures of Florida, Massachusetts were made bearable by placing one’s feet into the spoils spun off the auger that had been heated by the friction of drilling sockets into hard schist.
Continually Expanding
The Maxwells in front of Hub’s 895HD Liebherr Crane in 2002. The purchase of this crane, a duty-cycle 220 metric ton powerhouse, was one of many multi-million dollar investments that has given the company the capacity to expand and perform greater deep foundation projects.
Left to right: Jeff, Jill, Jim, Kathleen, Greg, Francis, and Alissa Maxwell.
