March 2020 Vol. 75 No. 3

In late 2018, a germ of an idea was floated about that turned into a true gem of an idea – how about having a reunion for the horizontal directional drilling industry?

With additional powerful features, a record number of abstract submittals, an increase in exhibitors and even a reunion thrown in, the Underground Construction Technology International Conference & Exhibition (UCT) wrapped up its 25th year in style at the Fort Worth, Texas, Convention Center in January.

Industry pioneers Dick Melsheimer and Martin Cherrington became the first inductees into the HDD Hall of Fame on Jan. 29, in its inaugural ceremony at the Underground Construction Technology International Conference & Exhibition in Fort Worth, Texas.

Bright, white lights shine down on a large, 10-foot-diameter blue pipe that is attached with three chains to a Hitachi ZX870LC-6 excavator. The unit lifts the pipe up and places it into a 35-foot-deep trench. It’s 4 a.m. in Philadelphia, Pa., but for the Marona Construction Company crew, the workday is already halfway over.

In construction and industry, some potential hazards are visibly manifest, such as the risk of falls from heights. Others are more hidden. A confined space may not look dangerous, but workers perish each year because someone assumed the air inside was safe to breathe, when testing would have revealed that it wasn’t.

NASSCO continues to set standards for the assessment and rehabilitation of underground infrastructure. A vast array of individuals has contributed to the success of the association, both in the past and present, and has driven NASSCO’s industry mission. This series of articles recognizes those who have not only been critical to the success of NASSCO, but the industry as well.

During a strategy planning meeting last summer, NASSCO President Jacob Trapani said the association synthesized everything it does into one clear goal: become the industry source for education, technical resources and advocacy.

Feds to Fund Water Infrastructure Projects in Four States The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the availability of $2.7 billion for infrastructure projects that help protect surface water and provide safe drinking water to communities across the country. The State Revolving Fun..

ClockSpring Launches New Concrete Solutions Division clockspring.com ClockSpring|NRI, a manufacturer of engineered products for the repair and rehabilitation of critical infrastructure, acquired Milliken Infrastructure Solutions as its new concrete solutions division. The former Milliken group pr..

Two key President Trump administration environmental regulators have made moves to wipe away potential barriers to new pipeline construction.

HCEA Awards 2019 Top Dealers The Hyundai Dealer of the Year is National Equipment Dealers (NED), which now represents Hyundai Construction Equipment Americas-North America across the Carolinas, Florida and parts of Texas, through a recent merger of Four Seasons Equipment, May Heavy Equipment, Rob’s..

American Augers has introduced a new horizontal directional drilling (HDD) fluid-cleaning system that combines compact size with impressive capacity.

HammerHead Trenchless is introducing a small-pipe extractor for removing old steel gas service lines and installing new plastic pipe in one step.

CASE Launches All-New B Series Compact Track Loaders and Skid Steers CASE Construction Equipment launched its next generation of compact track loaders (CTLs) and skid steers with the introduction of the B Series – five CTLs and eight skid steers spanning radial and vertical lift patterns, as well a..