Underground Construction articles from January 2007

Underground Construction archives from January 2007

Wrestling with responsibility.(Editor's Log)
January 1, 2007... As 2007 arrived, industry players began looking at the new year with a far different perspective than in the past. Our industry has been struggling mightily for several years; now is the opportunity to prove our significance and capabilities to...

Engineering plastics demand to rise.(NEWSLINE: The Latest Industry Developments)
January 1, 2007... A new study from The Freedonia Group Inc., a Cleveland-based industry market research firm, shows a trend for U.S. engineering plastic demand to grow 3.5 percent annually through 2010. Gains will be driven by a resurgent electrical and...

TEPPCO, Enterprise complete pipeline construction.(NEWSLINE: The Latest Industry Developments)
January 1, 2007... TEPPCO Partners L.P. and Enterprise Products Partners L.P., through their Jonah Gas Gathering Company joint venture, announced that a new pipeline looping project, constructed as part of the Phase V expansion of the Jonah Gas Gathering System,...

Rental associations combat equipment theft.(NEWSLINE: The Latest Industry Developments)
January 1, 2007... Together, the American Rental Association (ARA) and the National Equipment Register (NER) are fighting the $1 billion equipment theft problem. The ARA and NER are urging all rental businesses to actively participate in "Rental Fights Back," a...

United Rentals offers trench safety training.(NEWSLINE: The Latest Industry Developments)
January 1, 2007... United Rentals is now offering Excavation Safety for Competent Person Training at more than 60 United Rentals Trench Safety branches. Conducted by professional trainers in compliance with federal requirements, the classes will be held on the...

Association takes position on marking sewer laterals.(NEWSLINE: The Latest Industry Developments)
January 1, 2007... The Distribution Contractors Association (DCA) board of directors reviewed and approved a position on the location of sewer laterals at their Nov. 14,2006 meeting. The DCA believes that in the underground business, it is the responsibility...

The Netherlands host DCA-Europe 11th Annual Congress.(NEWSLINE: The Latest Industry Developments)
January 1, 2007... To further promote horizontal directional drilling and attract more members to the trenchless industry, the Drilling Contractors Association-Europe (DCA) held its 11th Annual Congress in Den Bosch, The Netherlands on Oct. 11-13, 2006 at the...

Voters reject government takeover of local water utility.(NEWSLINE: The Latest Industry Developments)
January 1, 2007... In November, voters in Lexington, KY, rejected local government's attempt to use eminent domain to condemn Kentucky American Water by a decisive 61-39 percent margin, ending five years of debate over the issue of public vs. private ownership of...

New survey shows permeability a critical corrosion factor.(NEWSLINE: The Latest Industry Developments)
January 1, 2007... According to an independent survey of wastewater engineers, municipal managers and contractors, a chemically resistant lining's permeability to corrosive substances was shown to be the most important consideration during product selection. The...

Tunneling machine emerges at New Indianapolis Airport.(NEWSLINE: The Latest Industry Developments)
January 1, 2007... A 207,000-pound drilling machine that has been burrowing underground for more than four months at the New Indianapolis Airport project site finally emerged Nov. 6, 2006, leaving behind a 2000-foot-long utility connector that will be used for...

INGAA shut out of pipeline bill.(Washington watch)
January 1, 2007... The pipeline reauthorization bill Congress passed at the end of the lame duck session in December contained a holiday gift for INGAA which would have to be characterized as in the "under $1" category. The bill, which includes a number of more...

FERC considers rate adjustments for peaking utilities.(Washington watch)
January 1, 2007... Interstate gas transmission companies are hoping FERC gives electric peaking utilities new leeway to recapture high gas costs they are forced to pay when their ISOs and RTOs suddenly demand those peaking generators be brought into play on...

Kern River repeat?(Washington watch)
January 1, 2007... Pipelines, gas producers and electric generators all want the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to reconsider its Oct. 19, 2006, decision in the Kern River rate case. The gas transmission industry was unhappy with FERC's decision to award...

John Deere Construction & Forestry.(Equipment Spotlight: CRAWLER TRACTORS & SIDEBOOM)
January 1, 2007... Well suited for earthmoving work requiring a 99-horsepower machine, the new John Deere 605C Crawler Loader extends the company's crawler loader line to the under 100 horsepower class. The 605C uses the same rugged and reliable drive train and...

Caterpillar.(Equipment Spotlight: CRAWLER TRACTORS & SIDEBOOM)
January 1, 2007... The new T-Series TrackType Tractors--D8T, D9T and D10T--are powered by Cat engines with ACERT technology that meet EPA Tier 3 and European Union Stage IIIa exhaust emissions regulations. All three engines feature an engine controller, which...

Midwestern Mfg.(Equipment Spotlight: CRAWLER TRACTORS & SIDEBOOM)
January 1, 2007... The M510C hydraulic sideboom attachment by Midwestern Mfg. provides a lifting capacity of 10,000 pounds, maximum load of 8,500 pounds and working load of 8,500 pounds with a 4-foot overhang. The three-lever control system allows for safe and...

Worldwide Machinery.(Equipment Spotlight: CRAWLER TRACTORS & SIDEBOOM)
January 1, 2007... Worldwide has developed a replacement winch system for Caterpillar sidebooms. The old mechanical system and its multitude of hand controls is replaced with a modern hydraulically actuated winch system that has only a single lever control. This...

Case.(Equipment Spotlight: CRAWLER TRACTORS & SIDEBOOMS)
January 1, 2007... Case has upgraded its hydrostatic crawler dozers, including models 650K, 750K and 850K. The new K Series 2 machines feature new engines that meet Tier 2 certification. The new engines provide increased displacement and torque rise and improved...

Liebherr Construction Equipment.(Equipment Spotlight: CRAWLER TRACTORS & SIDEBOOMS)
January 1, 2007... The PR 724 Litronic and the PR 734 Litronic feature increased performance, reduced operating costs and greater operator comfort. The hydrostatic driveline provides increased pushing power, outstanding tractive force and true counter-rotation....

When the funding goes away; cities, fed try to find right balance for grants, borrowed money & increased users fees.
January 1, 2007... Six hundred construction workers in Rhode Island are digging an underground tunnel 300 feet below ground. With its 30-foot-diameter mouth, that hollow snake has burrowed three miles under Providence to a point near the Narragansett Bay. ...

Changing world of fiber; continues to drive construction.(Company overview)
January 1, 2007... At the beginning of 2007, it is clear that the telecommunications industry has put recent troubles behind. Service revenues in the global telecommunications industry will reach $1.3 trillion by the close of 2007, says a recent market...

Contractors' perspective.(Fiber)
January 1, 2007... Who knows better about what's going on in telecom construction than the contractors doing the work? Representatives of three respected contracting companies shared their views with Underground Construction. Team Fishel, Rick Keeler,...

Nation's gas focus; continues to increase new, planned pipeline projects.
January 1, 2007... Unprecedented opportunities for pipeline construction continue to grow. This is reflected in Underground Construction's latest worldwide construction figures that indicate 98,232 miles of oil and gas pipelines are under construction and...

Strong demand drives gas distribution spending to all-time high.
January 1, 2007... Early forecasts have the outlook for gas distribution construction looking strong through not only 2007, but for the next several years as well. Although total natural gas consumption declined by 1.1 percent in 2006 primarily due to...

DCA embraces both industry changes & prosperity.(Convention Preview)
January 1, 2007... Members of the Distribution Contractors Association (DCA) stayed busy last year responding to growing levels of natural gas, telecommunications, and other utility construction fueled by low mortgage interest rates and increasing demands for...

Pit-launched HDD unit solves power, footprint problem.
January 1, 2007... There are times when bigger isn't better. Compact pit-launched horizontal directional drill (HDD) models have been around for more than a decade, making it possible for trenchless installations to be made in areas too small for conventional...

Mears Group successfully installs two new HDD river crossings.
January 1, 2007... Mears Group Inc. successfully installs two new crossings of the Elizabeth River for 230 kV transmission lines from Churchland Substation in Portsmouth, VA, to Sewells Point Substation in Norfolk, VA, for Dominion Power in May 2006. Mears...

Ditch Witch adds track trenchers.
January 1, 2007... Two new track trencher models soon will join the Ditch Witch line of underground construction equipment. The HT220 and HT260 will become the two largest machines in the Ditch Witch trencher lineup. Both will be manufactured by Tesmec USA...

Root control key element of asset management.(Rehabilitation TECHNOLOGY)
January 1, 2007... It is well known that much of the pipelines comprising the nation's sewer collection systems are badly in need of rehabilitation. The problems are many--often simply the age of the system. However, one of the most serious and often...

Illinois project demonstrates effectiveness of grout repairs.(Rehabilitation TECHNOLOGY)
January 1, 2007... Groundwater infiltration is the curse of every treatment facility. Whether due to cracked and corroded pipes or leaking joints, the extra water means additional expense for the facility. Reduce that inflow, and operating costs drop. The...

Relining aging brick sewer pipes.(Rehabilitation TECHNOLOGY)
January 1, 2007... On any given day, the streets of Portland, ORs Hollywood business district bustle with heavy traffic, people, big intersections and the energy of any popular city. That's why when the city of Portland discovered it needed to rehabilitate 3,000...

MaxLiner introduces new MaxTrailer.(PRODUCT FOCUS)
January 1, 2007... MaxLiner unveils the MaxTrailer, an all-in-one mobile cured-in-place-pipeline (CIPP) unit that adheres to ASTM F-1216 for lateral lining in February. "We're making it even easier for contractors to continue to succeed in the 3-10 inch...

CUES.(GROUTING TECHNOLOGY & EQUIPMENT)
January 1, 2007... Stop infiltration and inflow the most economical way! If the structural integrity of the pipe, manhole, or lateral service is not sound, then joint sealing with chemical grout is the most efficient and economical choice. CUES offers a full line...

Parson environmental.(GROUTING TECHNOLOGY & EQUIPMENT)
January 1, 2007... Turbo-Seal is an innovative polymer-rubber gel infused with bentonite and special adhesives ideal for injection grouting leak repair for active or seeping water leaks. Turbo-Seal is a permanent injectable waterproofing membrane pressure...

CETCO drilling products.(GROUTING TECHNOLOGY & EQUIPMENT)
January 1, 2007... CETCO EcoGrouter is a low cost, portable mini grouter that has been designed for pumping volclay granular grout and volclay grout. It is light weight--approximately 230 pounds. (800) 527-9948, cetco.com [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Prime Resins.(GROUTING TECHNOLOGY & EQUIPMENT)
January 1, 2007... Using a repair process called "probe grouting," a low viscosity water-reactive grout is pumped from the surface to the source of the leak, forming a flexible waterproof curtain around the outside of a leaking pipe. Probe grouting is the choice...

Aries Industries.(PRODUCT FOCUS: GROUTING TECHNOLOGY & EQUIPMENT)
January 1, 2007... Aries grout test/seal panel, lateral packer panel and interconnect hose connection options make it easy to operate packers from almost any manufacturer. Aries offers grout reels with 500-foot or 700-foot capacities, with either Quad hose (four...

Avanti Intl.(PRODUCT FOCUS: GROUTING TECHNOLOGY & EQUIPMENT)
January 1, 2007... Avanti International chemical grouts are the only 100 percent method to stop leaks in mainline sewers, laterals and manholes along with preventing erosion and hazardous waste migration. Since 1978, Avanti's product line has grown from...

Strong company.(PRODUCT FOCUS: GROUTING TECHNOLOGY & EQUIPMENT)
January 1, 2007... A pure fused calcium aluminate mortar, Strong-Seal High Performance Mix stops infiltration and restores structural integrity; however, it has been specifically designed for protection against microbiologically induced corrosion. Laboratory and...

De Neef Construction Chemicals.(PRODUCT FOCUS: GROUTING TECHNOLOGY & EQUIPMENT)
January 1, 2007... De Neef Construction Chemicals has added seven new products to its Denepox line of epoxies. De Neef has always had unique epoxies for specialized applications, such as Denepox 1-40, an ultra-low viscosity, long pot life injection epoxy or Dive...

Duke's Root Control.(PRODUCT FOCUS: ROOT CONTROL)
January 1, 2007... Duke's Root Control offers a chemical root control service designed to eliminate sanitary sewer overflows (SSO's) and stoppages caused by root intrusion in sewer lines. All products are EPA registered and approved for use in sanitary sewers....

RootX.(PRODUCT FOCUS: ROOT CONTROL)
January 1, 2007... RootX foaming root control is engineered to be a simple yet effective method for eliminating damaging root growth in municipal and residential pipelines. By simply adding water, RootX creates a powerful root killing foam which will reach to the...

Douglas products.(PRODUCT FOCUS: ROOT CONTROL)
January 1, 2007... Vaporooter is a combination of herbicides that are placed in sewer lines as foam for the purpose of eliminating roots and preventing further destruction of sewer pipe caused by live tree roots. Only roots within the pipe and a very short...

Water rehab coming of age.(WaterWorks)
January 1, 2007... As owners and operators of the nation's "wet" utilities face multiple problems with aging and failing potable water and sanitary sewer systems, they recognize the importance of taking advantage of every option to rehabilitate or install new...

Water crossing the old fashion-way: examination of options reveals trenching best solution.(WaterWorks)
January 1, 2007... The Comox Strathcona Regional District (CSRD) on the east side of Vancouver Island in Canada delivers water to about 50,000 residents including the communities of Courtenay and Comox. In 1982, a 30-inch concrete cylinder watermain was installed...

Insituform blue tackles water rehab.(First Look: WaterWorks)
January 1, 2007... Insituform Technologies is introducing a new company focusing on the trenchless rehabilitation of water infrastructure. Insituform Blue products and services will be presented to the industry for the first time at the 2007 Underground...

Water main/fire line rehabilitation.(WaterWorks)
January 1, 2007... Dirty brown water and poor water flow were the first clues indicating a serious problem. Then the shoe dropped when a mid-Atlantic commercial property owner was put on notice by the local fire department that its water supply lines no longer...

HOBAS Pipe area managers celebrate 20 years of success.(Business: THE LATEST INDUSTRY NEWS)
January 1, 2007... To celebrate its 20-year anniversary, HOBAS Pipe USA gathered its regional and area managers at its Houston,TX, manufacturing facility for a three-day sales training seminar and golf outing. HOBAS is a recognized leader in fiberglass pipe...

Felco Industries.(Business: THE LATEST INDUSTRY NEWS)
January 1, 2007... Matt Bagley and Dan Morrison have joined the sales team at Felco Industries. Bagley is the new Western Sales Manager in Missoula. Prior to joining Felco, he was a sales manager for a nationally known insurance company specializing in finance...

Gas Technology Institute.(Business: THE LATEST INDUSTRY NEWS)
January 1, 2007... Gas Technology Institute (GTI) has appointed three new officers: Ronald N. Snedic has been named vice president of Business Development, Paul G. Chromek has been named general counsel and secretary, and Kenneth L. Wicherek has been named vice...

John Deere.(Business: THE LATEST INDUSTRY NEWS)
January 1, 2007... The U.S. Department of Defense awarded John Deere Construction & Forestry Company an estimated $47 million contract to build 300 Tractor/Rubber Tired/Articulated Steering/Multi-Purpose (TRAM) units. The TRAM units are being built under...

Ingersoll Rand.(Business: THE LATEST INDUSTRY NEWS)(Company overview)
January 1, 2007... Ingersoll Rand announced it has signed an agreement to acquire Geith International, a leading provider of attachment products for construction equipment, from management shareholders and two venture capital funds managed by Bank of Scotland...

GZA GeoEnvironmental.(Business: THE LATEST INDUSTRY NEWS)
January 1, 2007... Joseph D. Guertin, P.E. a senior principal at GZA GeoEnvironmental Inc., has been named an Outstanding Member the Underground Construction Association of SME. Guertin was recently presented the award at the North American Tunneling...

Thompson Pump's cold weather pump unvealed.(New Products: THE LATEST PRODUCT DEVELOPMENTS)
January 1, 2007... Thompson Pump & Manufacturing Co. debuts the Arctic Knight cold weather pump package. The Arctic Knight is a simple and reliable cold weather package which allows a diesel-driven pump to be used in climates as cold as 40 degrees below 0...

Mustang Mfg.(New Products: THE LATEST PRODUCT DEVELOPMENTS)
January 1, 2007... Mustang Manufacturing has added a new control option to its mid-sized skid-steer loaders. Designed to be intuitive for the operator, the dual joystick pilot controls for models 2076 and 2086 operate drive functions with the left joystick and...

Envirosight.(New Products: THE LATEST PRODUCT DEVELOPMENTS)
January 1, 2007... Envirosight's new accessory kit doubles the field of view for its patented QuickView zoom inspection camera, allowing it to inspect all walls of a manhole when looking downward, as well as view wide areas of other close-up targets like vessel...

Grindex.(New Products: THE LATEST PRODUCT DEVELOPMENTS)
January 1, 2007... Grindex is now launching Master Inox, the first model in the new pump series Inox. The series comprises three drainage and three sludge pumps in stainless steel. The new pumps originate from Grindex well known red Proline pumps, with the casted...

Vermeer.(New Products: THE LATEST PRODUCT DEVELOPMENTS)
January 1, 2007... The Vermeer S600tx rubber track miniskid steer is designed with two engine options--a 25-horsepower Kohler Command Pro gas engine or a 25-horsepower Kubota D905 diesel engine. A machine width of 35.75 inches allows the S600tx to maneuver...

PFERD.(New Products: THE LATEST PRODUCT DEVELOPMENTS)
January 1, 2007... PFERD's new power tool line, designated as Section 209 in its expanded 2007 catalog, includes pneumatic grinders, electric grinders, flexible shaft machines, drives, accessories and hand pieces. These tools cover operating speeds from 12,000...

Boxer Equipment.(New Products: THE LATEST PRODUCT DEVELOPMENTS)
January 1, 2007... The new 530X mini-skid model is an update of the previous Boxer TL-224-34. The 530X is ideal for the landscaping, rental and construction markets. The 530X sports an efficient 30-horsepower Kohler Command Pro air-cooled gas engine and a...

Quik-Shor.(New Products: THE LATEST PRODUCT DEVELOPMENTS)
January 1, 2007... Quik-Shor has a new-patented shoring pump that reduces the stroke count required to bring a shore to pressure by 60 to 80 percent over the old style of pumps in use today. Quik-Shor's three-stage design reduces the stroke count, and the last...

Hitachi upgrades Zaxis 450LC with dash-3 improvements.(New Products: THE LATEST PRODUCT DEVELOPMENTS)
January 1, 2007... The Zaxis 450LC-3, which replaces the Zaxis 450LC, features the new Isuzu AH-6WG1XYSA-01 six-cylinderTier-3-certified engine, the new Hitachi HIOS III hydraulic system, a new more comfortable cab, strengthened components and easier...

Chicago pneumatic construction tools.(New Products: THE LATEST PRODUCT DEVELOPMENTS)
January 1, 2007... Featuring an advanced vibration reduction system, the new, CP 1210 handheld breaker series offers several innovative features to enhance operator comfort and tool control, as well as increased power to match the performance of heavier breakers....

Kawasaki.(New Products: THE LATEST PRODUCT DEVELOPMENTS)
January 1, 2007... The new ZV-2 Kawasaki wheel loaders feature significant upgrades that allow the operator to customize the wheel loader performance to the environment or application. Dual Power Mode Cummins engines allow the operator to select the appropriate...

Calendar of events.(Calendar)
January 1, 2007... 2007 Jan. 16-18 Associated Equipment Distributors Las Vegas, NV PH: (630) 574-0650 Jan. 20-25 Distribution Contractors Association 46th Annual Convention Atlantis Nassau Paradise Island, Bahamas ...