April 2026 Vol. 81 No. 4
New Products
New products: Latest industry developments
Vermeer
Vermeer is enhancing the D24 horizontal directional drill (HDD) with a factory-installed cab option, bringing a new level of operator comfort and year-round productivity to the 24,000-pound (11,000-kg) drill class.
Introduced as the latest utility installation equipment designed for urban contractors' evolving needs, D24 is now the first drill in its class to offer a cab. The fully enclosed, climate-controlled operator station is designed to help utility contractors retain skilled operators and maximize utilization in tough weather conditions.
"Utility work doesn't stop for bad weather, and finding skilled operators is more competitive than ever," said Clint Recker, HDD product manager at Vermeer. "We added the cab option to the D24 to directly address these challenges. It creates a comfortable, climate-controlled workspace that helps contractors keep their best people on the job and stay productive year-round."
The cab option complements the powerful features of the D24 HDD. This 24,000-pound (110-kN) class drill is powered by a 100-horsepower (74.6-kW) CAT 3.6L Tier 4F/Stage V engine and delivers impressive performance with a max peak thrust and pullback of 24,700 pounds (110 kN) and a continuous thrust and pullback of 22,000 pounds (98 kN). It also features 3,080 foot-pounds (4,176 Nm) of rotational torque and a 45-gallons-per-minute (170-L/min) mud pump.
The D24 is equipped with advanced technology that simplifies operation and maintenance. Key features include:
- Automated Rod Exchange (ARE): This system streamlines operations by completing an entire rod changeout sequence with a single button push, eliminating up to 19 manual steps.
- Advanced onboard diagnostics: Accessible via a touchscreen display, this system provides step-by-step troubleshooting guidance to maximize operational time.
- Enhanced reliability: The D24 is built with premium hydraulic components typically found in larger pipeline equipment, designed to protect the hydraulic circuit and extend its lifespan.
- Impressive speed capabilities: The D24 boasts a rotation speed of 198 rpm and a carriage speed of 181 fpm (55 m/min), enabling crews to install more feet of product per day.
Volvo
Volvo Construction Equipment is expanding its next-generation excavator, with the debut of the EC560 – an all-new model that can take on the biggest bucket in its size class to deliver industry-leading productivity.
Designed for the most demanding tasks in heavy infrastructure, quarry and aggregates, and building applications, the 56-ton crawler becomes commercially available in early 2027.
“This model is a direct response to customer demand for a machine that offers the size and strength for heavy production work along with the finesse, fuel efficiency and comfort of our next-gen platform,” said Sejong Ko, product manager, Large Excavators. “It’s a great example of how we’re growing this series to meet every challenge our customers face.”
EC560 is set to join Volvo CE’s modernized excavator series, bridging the gap between existing size classes to offer customers a new level of productivity. It combines the operator-centric design of the new generation – including a completely reimagined cab and Human Machine Interface (HMI) – with the robust durability required for mass excavation and material transport.
“While full details will be released closer to its launch, the EC560 excavator targets top-tier performance in its weight class, with a massive 6-cubic-yard (4.6 m3) bucket and 3-percent more digging force, 10-percent more swing torque and a heavier counterweight," Ko added.
Volvo Construction Equipment is a leading international manufacturer of premium construction equipment, and with over 10,000 employees, it is one of the largest companies in the industry. Volvo CE offers a wide range of products and services in more than 140 countries through its global distribution network.
PipeSense
In a bid to revolutionize how operators manage pig tracking within pipelines, the team behind an award-winning portfolio of advanced leak detection and monitoring solutions has introduced a brand-new pigging-oriented technology to the energy market.
PipeSense, the U.S-based provider of obstruction, leak, and anomaly detection technology, has officially launched its PipeTrack solution.
Utilizing cutting-edge pressure monitoring and integrating established leak detection software, PipeTrack is a user-friendly and accessible sensor and signal processing system that provides operators with real-time visibility of pipeline pigs. Accessed via a bespoke customer dashboard, PipeTrack stores detailed event data for verification and ongoing analysis should anything unexpected occur during your run.
Developed in-house by PipeSense, early results from customer trials and installations have yielded accurate and repeatable results in challenging conditions, including reducing downtime and personnel exposure. Backed by AI-enabled data analysis, PipeTrack analyzes the pressure pulses created as the pig moves along the pipeline, determining the pig's average speed and precise location.
The introduction of PipeTrack aims to help customers minimize or even move away from traditional methodologies, including Above Ground Markers (AGM), acoustic monitoring, and manual spot checks. While these traditional methods created operational and safety challenges, relating to the uncertainty of specific pig locations when lost or stuck, PipeTrack offers round-the-clock visibility and precise location tracking by maintaining a view of the pig inside the pipeline rather than above it.
Additionally, PipeTrack handles the entire pig run with a simple installation of sensors utilizing above ground small-bore branch locations, spaced accordingly, mitigating the need to move or repeatedly set up equipment.
The goal of the technology is to modernize pig tracking processes used across the industry.
“Applying a common-sense approach to pipeline maintenance and integrity is the ethos at PipeSense,” said Stuart Mitchell, president and chief technology officer. “Like many other pipeline maintenance processes, pig tracking methodologies have long been outdated and ineffective. Operators have long been overdue a solution that shakes up pig-tracking and meets the modern demands of the industry, and we’re proud to provide it.
“PipeTrack will help empower the industry with a field-proven and reliable solution that transforms time-consuming and resource-heavy manual efforts into an adept platform that offers live feedback.”
Grundfos
Grundfos, a global leader in the production of water pumps and water solutions, announced the launch of its Grundfos Connect digital portfolio, a comprehensive suite of digital solutions designed to simplify operations, ensure reliable performance, and maximize return on investment for water utilities and irrigation operators worldwide.
Against a backdrop of ageing infrastructure, increasingly unpredictable weather, regulatory pressure, and workforce shortages, the municipal water sector is facing unprecedented challenges. According to Bluefield Research, in the US nearly 1 in 5 gallons (19.5 percent) of treated water is lost; costing $6.4 billion annually. The launch of the Grundfos Connect digital portfolio responds directly to utilities’ growing need to do more with less, while maintaining compliance, resilience, and service quality.
The portfolio includes Grundfos Connect Asset Monitor, Grundfos Connect Network Analytics, Grundfos Connect Demand Distribution, and Grundfos Connect Sewer Insights. On its own, each solution provides industry-leading intelligence; together, they provide unparalleled visibility and control of a customer’s networks and pumps, enabling data-driven optimization from day one.
Grundfos Connect Asset Monitor is a simple and cost-effective alternative to a SCADA solution, allowing customers to remotely monitor and control their equipment via an online platform. The system is ideal for monitoring a wide range of water assets, from boosters to sanitary lift station pumps, and is easily integrated regardless of the brand of equipment being operated.
Grundfos Connect Network Analytics turns the huge volumes of untapped data into actionable insights that help anticipate issues, optimize energy use and extend asset life. A combination of digital twins and real-time sensor data and analytics can help minimize risk, waste and failures with proactive insights.
Grundfos Connect Demand Distribution helps utilities achieve a more cost-efficient water distribution system by using real-time data to adapt pump performance to actual system needs, maximizing efficiency, preventing pipe bursts and reducing non-revenue water.
Grundfos Connect Sewer Insights is a remote wastewater open-channel flow monitoring solution that uses smart sensors, predictive analytics, and real-time data to help utilities proactively manage wastewater networks and reduce overflow events.
The digital solutions hold the industry’s strongest cybersecurity certifications, providing robust protection for cloud-based operations. By leveraging its certified digital solutions, utilities can confidently embrace cloud technologies without compromising security. Grundfos Connect solutions; Asset Monitor, Demand Distribution, Sewer Insights and Network Analytics, are all developed to the highest standards of cybersecurity and resilience, keeping your data and operations protected.
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