The company was based in Oak Brook, Illinois, but in October 2020 relocated its corporate headquarters to Houston, Texas.

GLD&D dredging operations consist of deepening and maintaining waterways, shipping channels, and ports; creating and maintaining (re-nourishing) beaches; excavating new harbors; reclaiming land in the water or improving low-lying land areas; restoring aquatic and wetland habitats and excavating pipeline, cable and tunnel trenches.

[7] In December 2014, the company was hired to build dunes and berms along 22 miles of the Jersey Shore that had been damaged by Hurricane Sandy.

[8][9] In 1992, a barge operated by GLD&D was driving new pilings for the Kinzie Street Bridge in Chicago when it accidentally punched into an unused service tunnel passing beneath the river at that point.

The work performed on the Kinzie Street Bridge conformed to specifications and did pass City inspection upon completion in 1991.

[13] In December 2009, the National Transportation Safety Board issued a report that blamed the Orange Sun for the accident.

GLD&D also pleaded guilty to violating the Clean Water Act in the case brought against it and, on June 14, 2022, was sentenced and ordered to pay a $1 million fine.

[15][17][16] On November 13, 2023, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it reached a settlement with GLD&D for violations of the Marine Protection, Research, and Sanctuaries Act (commonly known as the Ocean Dumping Act) relating to dredging GLD&D was hired to do for the Portsmouth Harbor Federal Navigation Project under authorizations issued by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

[18] Under the terms of the settlement, GLD&D agreed to pay a penalty of $92,500 and undertake mitigation projects that are estimated to cost more than $100,000 and are designed to prevent future "misdumps.