Underground Construction articles from January 2002

Underground Construction archives from January 2002

New year, new hopes. (Editor's Log).
January 1, 2002... The year 2001 will be remembered for many things, but mostly as the year of terror. No one will forget the ghastly attacks of Sept. 11, and the subsequent rallying of America. The country has done an admirable job of dealing with the...

CH2M Hill Inc. says sewer spills possible. (Newsline: for the latest industry developments).
January 1, 2002... In a new study completed this year by CH2M Hill Inc., it was determined that parts of the Folsom, CA, wastewater system could spring leaks if there's a major storm this winter. The engineering firm measured the amount of sewage flowing through...

Texas studies unregulated rural pipelines. (Newsline: for the latest industry developments).
January 1, 2002... Unregulated rural pipelines and flaws in a state program intended to prevent excavation damage to pipelines will be studied in detail this year by Texas regulators. House Speaker Pete Laney has directed a members' panel to examine pipeline laws...

Proposals sought for HDD curriculum & training guide. (News Item).
January 1, 2002... The HDD Good Installation Practices Consortium has asked for proposals to develop a curriculum and instruction guide to implement the Horizontal Directional Drilling Good Installation Practices Guidelines completed last year. The Good...

New storm water regs for CA. (Newsline: for the latest industry developments).
January 1, 2002... The EPA has gone a long way in dealing with point-source pollution, but now the next step is just about here, according to Winzler & Kelly, a West Coast consulting engineering firm. With the advent of the NPDES Phase II and Total Maximum Daily...

NiSource agrees to sell water assets. (Newsline: for the latest industry developments).
January 1, 2002... NiSource Inc. and its subsidiary, IWC Resources Corp., have reached an agreement with the City of Indianapolis for the city to buy the assets of the Indianapolis Water Company and other subsidiaries of IWCR for $515 million. NiSource was...

GTI, NEGA to develop Operator Qualification training. (Newsline: for the latest industry developments).
January 1, 2002... Gas Technology Institute (GTI) and the New England Gas Association (NEGA) are working together to develop a training program for natural gas industry personnel subject to the requirements of the U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT)...

Henkels & McCoy plays major role in Dominion Telecom expansion. (Newsline: for the latest industry developments).
January 1, 2002... Henkels & McCoy Inc., a diversified utility engineering and contracting company, headquartered in Blue Bell, PA, has been awarded a contract by Dominion Telecom Inc. to support the development of the Chicago to Washington D.C. link of its fiber...

Obituary. (Newsline: for the latest industry developments).
January 1, 2002... Cuba Wadlington, Jr. Cuba Wadlington, Jr., president and chief executive officer of Williams' gas pipeline division and executive vice president of Williams, passed away on Dec. 9, in Tulsa, OK, from complications related to cancer. He was...

EPA forces Baton Rouge to make sewer construction investments. (Washington Watch).
January 1, 2002... The latest EPA consent decree with a city over a faulty sewer system seems to break some new ground. Baton Rouge, LA, has committed to as much as $461 million for underground construction efforts as part of the consent decree it signed with the...

U.S. companies rejoin Alaska project. (Washinton Watch).
January 1, 2002... Major U.S. gas transmission companies have agreed to rejoin the Alaskan Natural Gas Pipeline Partnership which has been kept alive for the past few decades by TransCanada Pipelines, Westcoast Energy and its subsidiary, Foothills Pipeline Inc....

Pipe cost increases expected. (Washintong Watch).
January 1, 2002... Look for the price of large-diameter steel pipe used in oil and gas pipeline projects to head north fast, now that the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) has approved new import tariffs of 30.4 percent on Japanese product. The ITC is...

John Deere Construction & Forestry Company. (Equipment spotlight: crawler tractors and sidebooms).
January 1, 2002... The 655C and 755C Crawler Loaders from John Deere are equipped with two new rear-engine, 130 and 177 horsepower loaders that come standard with electronic-controlled hydrostatic transmissions, featuring an exclusive AutoTrac system. AutoTrac is...

Case Corporation. (Equipment spotlight: crawler tractors and sidebooms).
January 1, 2002... The H Series crawlers deliver durable performance with reliability, comfort and design for the operator. The 650H is a versatile, powerful machine designed for difficult applications. It features a Case 4T-390 engine with a redesigned...

Caterpillar. (Equipment spotlight: crawler tractors and sidebooms).
January 1, 2002... The first of the new Caterpillar G-Series small track-type tractors is the D5G, which replaces the D5C Series III Hystat. The D5G features simpler operation and improved control of the hydrostatic transmission. A new, spacious operator...

Worldwide Machinery. (Equipment spotlight: crawler tractors and sidebooms).
January 1, 2002... The hydraulic sideboom conversion package features a single lever control, anti-tipping systems, free-fall capability, a vertical boom kickout and minimal maintenance is required. The conversion procedure can be performed by your own mechanics...

Midwestern Manufacturing. (Equipment spotlight: crawler tractors and sidebooms).
January 1, 2002... Midwestern introduces a complete line of all hydraulic sideboom attachments for the 15,000 to 20,000 track-type dozer tractors. A complete line of cost-efficient hydraulic conversion kits for mechanically operated draw-works including Cat...

Sabre International. (Equipment spotlight: crawler tractors and sidebooms).
January 1, 2002... The patented SL3CH and SL4CH hydraulic pipelayer attachments from Sabre are designed specifically for the Cat Challenger series tractors. These sideboom attachments provide the speed, mobility and versatility with the following additional...

Komatsu American International. (Equipment spotlight: crawler tractors and sidebooms).
January 1, 2002... Komatsu has expanded its line of compact equipment to include a new class of compact dozers: the D21A-7 and the D21P-7. These two models feature an operating weight from 8,710 pounds to 9,220 pounds, making the machines easier to transport to a...

Morones' comments contrary to Caltrans position: Caltrans confirmed last month that it does not require HDD operators to be certified to work on state highway right-of-way; that it has no plans to require certification in the future; and that the agency does not have the authority to impose such a regulation. (Caltrans).
January 1, 2002... Just when it appeared that the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) had ended its efforts to certify operators of horizontal directional drilling (HDD) equipment, Joe Morones, the highway agency's advocate of HDD operator...

Construction 2002: shaky plus signs: surprisingly, the near-uniform answer from construction forecasters - speaking at three annual conferences in a one-month period-is that this year will be a good one, overall, for construction. That applies to the underground market as well.
January 1, 2002... Construction was one of the strongest sectors of the U.S. economy in 2001. Early 2002 could see the final months of the first recession in 10 years, as well as continuing (if, hopefully, gradually reduced) impacts of the attacks on America....

Quanta CEO sees `boom' coming in T&D.
January 1, 2002... John Colson, CEO of Quanta Services, projects that "the next boom" will be in electric transmission and distribution construction. His contention: "Some 50 percent of the national grid needs attention - significant maintenance, repair or...

Natural gas demand: continues to drive construction activity. (Pipeline Construction Outlook)(Cover Story).
January 1, 2002... Although the U.S. economy, is currently experiencing a slowdown, the economy is expected To recover by mid-year and increase at an average annual rate of 3.0 percent through 2020, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration's Annual...

Surviving in the post-telecommunications boom market: contractors diversify; analysts encouraged by long-term outlook.
January 1, 2002... It is not the best of times to be a contractor specializing in telecommunications construction. Major long-haul routes are finished, and anticipated projects to build local loops and expand broadband services to individual neighborhoods have...

HDD provides solution for force sewer main river crossing.
January 1, 2002... Installing a force sewer main to serve residents in a new subdivision is a big job. This was especially true for an investment group developing a subdivision southwest of Houston in Sugarland. Nestled in the third fastest growing county in the...

HDD installs water line in environmentally sensitive soils.
January 1, 2002... A growing number of project owners are turning to horizontal directional drilling (HDD) because of environmental considerations. The Sandhills Division of APAC Carolina, Marston, NC, recently completed the installation of 68,000 linear feet of...

Vacmaster introduces low-cost, high performance air model. (First Look).
January 1, 2002... Vacmasters has introduced a new, low-cost air vacuum-excavation system - the Vacmasters System 1000. "The System 1000 is a compact, low-cost, high-performance air vacuum excavator that enables utility and contractor crews to quickly and...

NASSCO sets rehab industry standards: NASSCO 26th Annual convention Jan. 30 - Feb. 2 The Sanibel Harbour Resort & Spa Ft. Myers, Fl. (Convention Preview).
January 1, 2002... As it approaches its 26th anniversary, NASSCO can look back on a successful year as it continues to set the standards for the rehabilitation industry. Recognizing the need for standardization in the way sewer pipelines are evaluated,...

PLCA president's profile: Scott E. Summers: Pipe Line Contractors Association 54th Annual Convention Feb. 6 - 10 Hyatt Regency Coconut Point Bonita Springs, Fl. (Convention Preview).
January 1, 2002... The year 2001 will go down in history as one of the most eventful times in modern history, and the pipeline construction has ridden the roller coaster along with the rest of the country. "It has been both a dramatic and traumatic year," agreed...

Popular Muni Sewer/Water Workshop returns. (UCT/PRc Seminar Series).
January 1, 2002... To help educate and inform municipal personnel, engineers and contractors in the various trenchless rehabilitation and construction methods used to solve infrastructure needs, the popular UCT Seminar Series returns for its fourth year to Ft....

Rental industry remains healthy. (Rental Update).
January 1, 2002... Despite a sluggish economy, the rental industry enters the new year in a strong position. Rental centers who serve construction markets have good inventories of relative new equipment and are anxious to serve customers who find rental an...

New rental company opens. (Rental News).
January 1, 2002... Former FMC Rents vice president of rental operations, Steve DiLoreto, has left his position with the Pennsylvania-based rental company to start his own rental company, Town Square Rental. DiLoreto opened for business in November in nearby...

Incentives offered to boost ARA membership. (Rental News).
January 1, 2002... To help boost attendance at the American Rental Association (ARA) conventions, ARA is offering monetary incentives for representatives of associate member businesses who recruit rental companies to join the association. Reps and distributors...

Rentmaker offers online quotes. (Rental News).
January 1, 2002... Rentmaker Inc. and Innovative Lease Services Inc. (ILS) have partnered to offer value added service to construction, industrial and government industries online. "This partnership is important to Rent-maker as many of our users...

Sunbelt acquires Super Rents. (Rental News).
January 1, 2002... Super Rent, based in Redmond, WA, was acquired by Sunbelt Rentals. Super Rent's four-location rental company with two facilities in Redmond plus additional branches in Woodinville and North Bend, WA, give Sunbelt 10 branches in the Seattle...

BRH Garver/RePipe. (Business: general industry reports).
January 1, 2002... Robert M. Lux has joined BRH Garver/RePipe and will be representing the Pipe Rehabilitation Group. He will be responsible for the Technical Sales and Business Development in Texas, and other areas of the country where BRH Garver has process...

Barbco appoints sales reps. (Business: general industry reports).
January 1, 2002... Canton, OH-based Barbco Inc., a leading manufacturer of trenchless equipment, announced the recent appointment of national sales manager Terrence Crosier and regional sales manager Dale Dungan. Initially Crosier also will serve as the Eastern...

Multiquip. (Business: general industry reports).
January 1, 2002... Multiquip, Carson, CA, has finalized the purchase of the Stow Manufacturing operations from Bomag's Compaction America Division. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Stow will now be known as Stow Construction Equipment...

Tenbusch, Ram settle lawsuit. (Business: general industry reports).
January 1, 2002... Al Tenbusch and Tenbusch Inc. has announced recently they have completed litigation on patent infringement with Ram Engineering & Construction, a contractor in Tulsa, OK. Tenbusch and his company filed suit against Ram alleging that Ram's...

Corrpro. (Business: general industry reports).
January 1, 2002... Corrpro Companies Inc. has published a new six-page full color brochure profiling the company's products and services for the water and wastewater industry. Entitled "Preserving Our Nation's Water Systems," the brochure outlines the impact and...

H & M Pipe Beveling Machine Company. (Business: general industry reports).
January 1, 2002... H & M Pipe Beveling Machine Company Inc. has just released its latest catalog featuring a reader-friendly format with pictures that make product selection easy. The complete line of high-quality, portable pipe cutting and beveling machines and...

Volvo Construction Equipment North America. (Business: general industry reports).
January 1, 2002... Mick Vaught has been named vice president, Articulated Haulers, and Peter G. Causer has been appointed vice president, Excavators, for Volvo Construction Equipment North America, Asheville, NC, the sales, marketing and product support...

Hancor. (Business: general industry reports).
January 1, 2002... Hancor Inc.'s Brazil, IN, plastic pipe manufacturing plant will continue its operations. Hancor now confirms that plans to close the Brazil facility have been reassessed and that plant closure will not take place. In June 2000, Hancor...

Itochu/Multiquip. (Business: general industry reports).
January 1, 2002... Itochu Corporation, in conjunction with its North American subsidiary Itochu International Inc., donated $1 million to the New York Times 9/11 Neediest Fund to help the victims of the attacks at the World Trade Center. The money is being...

Hobas Pipe. (Business: general industry reports).
January 1, 2002... Hobas Pipe was awarded two contracts. Lincoln, NE, a community of some 250,000 has an on-going program to maintain its infrastructure, chose Hobas Pipe for its new 78-inch diameter interceptor. Lincoln needed the new sewer flow relief of the...

Driller Supply catalog boasts comprehensive HDD products. (Business: General Industry Reports.).
January 1, 2002... A new horizontal directional drilling catalog from Drillers Supply Inc. (DSI), an InRock Company, includes a comprehensive array of products and services for the HDD industry. DSI, based in Houston, carries a complete line of supplies and...

Bobcat introduces A220 All-Wheel Steer Loader.
January 1, 2002... Bobcat Company has again revolutionized the compact equipment industry with the introduction of its new A220 All-Wheel Steer Loader. The A220 is the first loader of its kind to offer selectable steering modes. Bobcat engineers have...

A&E Construction Supply.
January 1, 2002... The Wolfe/Man 7000 wheel trencher is powered by a 325 horsepower 3406T Cat engine and has independent hydrostatically-driven Cat track systems. The 7-foot deep wheel trencher is 20 to 36 inches wide with 48,000 pounds of center pivot wheel for...

Ring-O-Matic Mfg.
January 1, 2002... Ring-O-Matic's 275 Jet Vac is available on a 14-foot trailer or as a skid mount easily slid into an 8-foot pickup bed. These units have a 25 horsepower gas engine and a 300 CFM blower. With a 21-inch manway and pressurized blow-off, the spoils...

Hotsy.
January 1, 2002... Hotsy's new hot water pressure washer is designed specifically for construction, mining and off-road vehicle cleaning. The new Model 5645 provides cleaning power with six gallons per minute of water volume at 3,000 psi of pressure and is...

GBA Master Series Inc.
January 1, 2002... Two new software programs, the GBA Fleet MasterT and GBA Equipment MasterT, complement the powerful suite which includes applications for management of water distribution, sewer, storm water, street and pavement systems. The suite also includes...

New Grundoram offers HDD assist methods.
January 1, 2002... TT Technologies has developed several pipe ramming techniques to help prevent and salvage failed directional drilling bores. Property configured, Grundoram pipe rammers can be used to salvage product pipe after a failed bore, remove stuck...

Pumpex.
January 1, 2002... The distinctive closed loop cooling system that is featured in Pumpex dry pit submersible pumps eliminates the problems and expense of thermal overload, debris entrapment, and frequent maintenance experienced with pumped liquid or fan-cooled...

Trimble.
January 1, 2002... Trimble has completed its Spectra Precision optical line of constructor total stations with the inclusion of the Constructor 55 which offers onboard data storage. The Constructor 50, 55 and 100 are a complete line of construction site layout...

Rogers Brothers Corp.
January 1, 2002... Rogers Brothers has redesigned its Ultima Series trailers to haul additional payload, while still complying with the GVWR regulations. The Ultima Series trailers include spring or air ride models as well as a variety of styles and capacities....

Everest VIT.
January 1, 2002... Everest VIT is offering a free upgrade program to enhance the video, language and storage functionality of its VideoProbeR XL PROT and Industrial XL PROT. The XL PRO is a portable, multi-purpose video borescope incorporated with Everest VIT's...

Tesmec.
January 1, 2002... Tesmec's new bucket trencher, the TRS 1175 wheel is driven through hydraulic fly wheel gearboxes to minimize shock leading to both the tractor and the hydraulic system. The fly wheel gearboxes also serves as a "power-multiplier" when needed to...

Save time and money with airvac's vacuum sewer system.
January 1, 2002... Airvac can cost up to 60 percent less than conventional gravity systems because of its many advantages, such as fast installation, shallow burial depths, small-diameter mains, and having no lift stations, manholes or confined space. Airvac...

Atlas Copco.
January 1, 2002... Atlas Copco's new DIAMEC U6 core drill incorporates the latest hydraulic and electronic technology into a modern compact design and includes many options for flexibility. The rig is optimized for Atlas Copco's latest diamond bit and core barrel...

Subsite TMS Plus software designed for planning/mapping HDD installation.
January 1, 2002... The new Trac Management System (TMS) Plus software package from the Subsite Electronics division of the Ditch Witch family or products is an easy-to-use Windows-based computer program designed to assist the horizontal directional drilling...

Calendar: important upcoming industry events.
January 1, 2002... 2002 January 15-17, 2002 Underground Construction Technology International Conference and Exhibition George R. Brown Convention Center Houston, TX. Contact: Shannon Langford (281) 558-6930 ext. 17 slangford@uctonline.com ...