May 2026 Vol. 81 No. 5
Business
Business News: Latest industry developments
Utility Ox
Underground utility contractors often manage critical job information across multiple disconnected systems—paper bore logs in trucks, locate tickets buried in emails, and production updates shared through calls and texts. As projects grow, this fragmentation makes it difficult to track progress, coordinate crews, and stay ahead of problems.
Utility OX, formerly Equappment, launched an updated platform designed to bring all job and operational data into one centralized system built specifically for utility construction. The platform connects job details, tasks, crew assignments, time clock, equipment, documents and locate tickets in a shared environment accessible from both the field and office.
Crews can log progress, quantities, photos, and labor time in real time, creating a live record of production instead of relying on end-of-day reporting.
“Contractors told us they didn’t need more tools — they needed everything to work together,” said Peter Melsheimer, founder of Utility OX. “Our goal is to give them clear visibility into what’s happening on every job, as it’s happening.”
By replacing disconnected workflows, Utility OX helps contractors improve visibility, reduce inefficiencies, and make better decisions that impact profitability.
Prime Horizontal
Prime Horizontal, pioneer and global leading service provider in horizontal directional drilling (HDD) successfully completed a management buyout. The acquisition sees Simon Kench and Nico Dekker become managing partners as CEO and CFO, retrospectively.
Since its founding in 1997, Prime Horizontal has built an established reputation in the market as experts in providing HDD guidance services; over time it has expanded its operations to include sales and rental of HDD downhole tools.
Today the company has offices in the UK, Netherlands, America and Australia enabling the company to provide worldwide customer service. Working with renowned companies across the globe, thousands of utilities and energy pipeline pilot hole drilling projects have successfully been delivered.
CEO Kench began his career as a Guidance Engineer in 1995 and is one of Prime Horizontal’s original founders in 1997. His technical background, combined with his field and management experience, has played a central role in the company’s development.
This expertise is coupled with CFO Dekker’s experience spanning finance, Human Resources and marketing. His focus on operational structure and growth complements Prime Horizontal’s technical strengths, supporting the company’s continued expansion.
The decision to acquire Prime Horizontal was driven by a clear vision to further develop the company’s international service offering. With a diverse and experienced global team in place, the new leadership sees significant opportunity to build on the existing market reputation.
Looking ahead, the company will focus on continuing international growth, increasing global availability of experienced and multilingual teams as well as maintaining and improving high quality and innovative services and tooling to support customer’s needs.
Mecalac
Mecalac North America has strategically relocated from Massachusetts to the FAYAT Group campus in Ridgeway, South Carolina. This move signals a renewed commitment to growing Mecalac’s presence and capabilities in North America and positions the company for enhanced collaboration, training and customer support.
This campus will host a brand-new parts distribution center that will benefit most FAYAT Group brands, with Mecalac in particular standing to gain from improved parts logistics and faster support.
Key benefits of the move include:
- Centralized, state-of-the-art parts logistics through the new depot, improving availability and response times for Mecalac customers.
- Expanded training and technical support infrastructure to accelerate problem-solving and increase uptime.
- Greater collaboration across the FAYAT Group brands to deliver integrated solutions for customers in North America.
- A visible commitment to growth in the U.S. market, reinforced by strategic acquisitions and ongoing investments.
"As we relocate to Ridgeway and join the FAYAT Group campus, we are accelerating our ability to serve customers with faster parts availability, stronger technical support and more integrated solutions across brands,” said Pierre Lahutte, president of Mecalac. “This step reinforces our confidence in North America’s growth potential and demonstrates our ongoing commitment to delivering value to our customers and partners.”
McElroy
McElroy was recognized for its commitment to workplace safety and its participation in the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP).
Oklahoma Labor Commissioner Leslie Osborn presented the company with a proclamation commending leadership and employees at McElroy’s Broken Arrow (Okla.) campus. She and OSHA Consultation Director Jason Hudson also presented company leadership with a flag announcing McElroy’s SHARP-certified status.
The Broken Arrow campus is the latest addition to McElroy’s four Tulsa-area locations. Purchased in 2023, it houses the assembly, shipping, and warehouse space for the company’s medium-diameter fusion machine lines.
SHARP is an on-site consultation program that offers confidential occupational safety and health services to small- and medium-sized businesses in the U.S., free of charge. Consultants from local agencies or universities work with employers to identify workplace hazards, provide advice for compliance with OSHA standards, and assist in establishing and improving safety and health programs.
To become SHARP certified, companies must first reach out to their local OSHA representatives for a consultation visit. During the visit, representatives study the company’s entire workplace, doing walk-throughs of facilities, examining existing safety programs, interviewing employees, and going through the company’s training records. The process is time- and labor-intensive, and once completed, OSHA representatives provide a report of their findings.
“(McElroy) has been a shining example of appreciating employees and doing the right thing,” said Osborn, referring to the company’s long-standing safety procedures and participation in SHARP.
In 1964, McElroy founder Art McElroy asked for OSHA to visit and help assure compliance with OSHA standards. This predated federal OSHA requirements and is a testament to McElroy’s culture of safety. McElroy was first SHARP certified in 1999 with its Fulton campus, and since then, each of its additional Tulsa locations have gone on to receive certification.
In all, McElroy campuses make up four of the 17 SHARP-certified workplaces in Oklahoma.
This certification extends through February 2027.
Felling Trailers
Felling Trailers, Inc. announced Henry’s Heroes as the 2026 beneficiary of its 14th annual Trailer for a Cause auction. This time-honored tradition involves auctioning a custom Felling FT-12 Pan drop deck trailer online, with 100 percent of the winning bid donated to the selected nonprofit organization.
In the past 14 years, the Trailer for a Cause auction has raised over $57,000 for nonprofits, such as the American Brain Tumor Association, Special Olympics, Pockets of Hope, and Backing the Blue. The goal is to raise awareness for organizations making a difference and support their vital work.
The 2026 Trailer for a Cause auction beneficiary, Henry’s Heroes, was selected by the Felling Trailers’ employees in the form of a vote. Team members cast their votes for the organization of their choice in early spring this year. When the last of the votes were tallied, Henry’s Heroes held the popular vote.
Henry’s Heroes is a Central Minnesota-based nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting families navigating the emotional and financial challenges of a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) journey. The Henry’s Heroes team provides various forms of assistance to the NICU families they serve, including direct financial donations to help offset the real-world costs of a NICU stay, thoughtfully curated care packages to bring comfort and encouragement during long hospital stays, and community outreach to connect families with resources and a network of people who understand the road they are traveling.
A mid-Fall 2026 auction is planned for the Trailer for a Cause. Leading up to the auction, Felling Trailers will collaborate with Henry’s Heroes to raise awareness about the work they do and the families and community members they serve throughout Central Minnesota and beyond.
PPI
The Plastics Pipe Institute, Inc. (PPI) announced its annual industry award winners, noting that there were a record number of projects submitted and winners which required the addition of four categories along with creating a new award for innovation.
“This is the first time in the more than 10 years of the program that we’ve had multiple winners in several divisions, added new award-winning categories in one division plus an entirely new award,” stated David M. Fink, PPI president, for innovation.
Here are the projects of the year related to underground infrastructure.
Drainage Division
Deep Gulch Culvert Rehabilitation, Newfoundland
PPI Member Company: Soleno, Inc. Saint-Jean-Sur-Richelieu, Quebec
In Corner Brook, Newfoundland, this project required the urgent rehabilitation of an aging stormwater system located beneath a major roadway. It also required a resilient and smart solution. The site posed significant engineering challenges that made traditional materials unsuitable for the project.
Engineers selected Soleno’s KUSTOMFLO high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipe solution, which offered superior abrasion resistance, lightweight handling, and a fully watertight system. Some 700 feet of 60-inch diameter and 145 feet of 87-inch corrugated HDPE pipe were used along with four HDPE manholes.
Energy Piping Systems Division
Lubicon Lake Band Gasification
PPI Member Companies: Dow Chemical, Midland, MI; Polytubes, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; ATCO Natural Gas Distribution, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
The Lubicon Lake Band Gasification Project was designed to bring safe, reliable, and affordable natural gas service to a remote Indigenous community in northern Alberta. For generations, residents relied on propane and wood-burning heat, which were both costly and difficult to deliver, and associated with inconsistent supply and increased wildfire and safety risks. ATCO procured more than 28 miles (45 kilometers) of Polytubes PE pipe manufactured with Dow’s high-performance bimodal PE2708 resin. This material was selected for its durability, corrosion resistance, and exceptional cold weather performance – critical attributes in northern terrain with short building seasons and fluctuating ground conditions.
This project is providing far reaching benefits: lower household heating costs, reduced reliance on costly delivered fuels, improved indoor air quality, and enhanced community safety.
Municipal & Industrial Division (MID)
The high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipe focused division now has six Project of the Year Award categories.
MID – HDPE Industrial Water
Hyperscale Data Center, Southwest United States
PPI Member Companies: Pipeline Plastics, LLC, Westlake, TX; Milford, a Winsupply Company, Justin, TX; McElroy Manufacturing Inc. Tulsa, OK
To bring water to this confidential 1,000-acre data center site nearly 72,000 feet of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipe in diameters ranging from 8 to 42 inches was used. The pipeline supplies the utility’s infrastructure and also the water-based heat transfer fluid for liquid cooling computing systems. Reliability, leak prevention, and long service life were critical operational considerations. HDPE PE4710 pipe was selected for its corrosion resistance, flexibility under thermal and soil movement, and ability to create fully restrained, leak-free systems through heat fusion. These characteristics were particularly valuable given regional soil variability, temperature swings, and the owner’s requirement for long-term infrastructure reliability with minimal interruption for maintenance. Pipe manufacturer Pipeline Plastics, supplier Milford and fusion equipment manufacturer McElroy received the PPI Project of the Year award in Municipal & Industrial Division’s Industrial Water category.
MID - HDPE Potable Water Transmission
Randall Water, South Dakota
Short Elliot Hendrickson, St. Paul, MN
Hausmann Construction, Inc. Lincoln, NE
PPI Member Companies: Pipeline Plastics, LLC, Westlake, TX; ISCO Industries,
Louisville, KY
The Randall Regional Waterline Project will provide a high-capacity water transmission line that stretches 72 miles across the prairie in the southeast corner of South Dakota. The 30-inch DR 13.5 high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipe is being used in what is being tagged as the largest single-phase HDPE water project in the history of North America.
The new pipeline will help to solve the severe need for water in this southeast corner of South Dakota.
Waterbury, Connecticut Third Water Supply Transmission Main
Tighe & Bond, Middletown, CT
PPI Member Companies: Murphy Pipeline Contractors, Jacksonville, FL; JM Eagle, Los Angeles, CA
The Waterbury Water Department supplies an average of 14 million gallons of drinking water a day to residents and businesses in Waterbury, Watertown, Prospect and Wolcott (CT). There are nearly 400 miles of water main and more than 26,000 water service connections.
The first and second phases of this rehabilitation project saw 1.5 miles of pipeline fitted with new high-density polyethylene (HDPE) PE4710 pipe from JM Eagle. The sliplining installation used CompressionFIT technology to reduce the outer diameter of the 42” DR11 HDPE pipe by forcing it though the reduction die and into the failing Prestressed Concrete Cylinder Pipe (PCCP). The nearly four-inch-thick-walled pipe maintained the required flow rate by maximizing the internal diameter of the host pipe and increasing the C-factor of the pipeline to HDPE’s 150, all while fulfilling the pressure specification of 200 psi.
MID - HDPE Wastewater
Muskegon City, Michigan
Kaminga & Roodvoets, Inc., Grand Rapids, MI; Prein&Newhof, Grand Rapids, MI; Michigan Pipe and Valve, Grand Rapids, MI
PPI Member Company: Pipeline Plastics, Westlake, TX
Lack of available wastewater treatment capacity has been a barrier for economic development in Muskegon County, northwest of Grand Rapids near Lake Michigan. While the Muskegon County Resource Recovery Center does have available wastewater treatment capacity that can support growth in the region, it is located 17 miles north and west of the demand epicenter. The new 93,368-foot-long pipeline was constructed using PE4710 high-density polyethylene pipe in diameters ranging from 24 to 36 inches.
The Southeast Regional Force Main was designed as a long-distance, large-diameter wastewater transmission system with emphasis on hydraulic efficiency, corrosion resistance, constructability, and long-term operational reliability. HDPE pipe was selected as the primary force main material after evaluation of ductile iron and PVC alternatives.
MID - HDPE Potable Water Distribution
Wilbarger County Rural Water; Red River Authority of Texas, Wichita Falls, TX
PPI Member Companies: Performance Pipe, Plano, TX; Dow Chemical, Midland, MI; Modern Dispersions Inc., Leominster, MA
The Wilbarger County Water Pipeline Replacement Project addresses a critical water supply challenge affecting remote rural communities in North Texas. The region’s aging 6-inch PVC transmission line, which was stressed by high seismic activity, shifting soils, and decades of service, was losing more than 60 percent of its daily water volume before ever reaching customers.
To solve this problem, the Red River Authority of Texas partnered with PPI member companies Performance Pipe, Dow, and Modern Dispersions to construct 20 miles of new HDPE pipeline using Performance Pipe’s DriscoPlex 4100 Series HDPE Piping manufactured with Dow’s CONTINUUM DGDC-2502 Bimodal resin. The new system now supplies reliable drinking water to 315 service connections (approximately 1,000 residents), dramatically improving water security in one of the state’s most water stressed regions.
Power & Communications Division
Arizona Statewide Middle-Mile Project
PPI Member Company: Dura-Line, Knoxville, TN
Arizona's Department of Transportation (ADOT) and others in the state government understood that critical infrastructure was needed to bring reliable modern connectivity to all Arizonans. They also understood that public investment in middle-mile infrastructure removes a key barrier to entry for private investment in local fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) networks, particularly in areas that would otherwise remain underserved.
Dura-Line delivered more than 400 miles of its FuturePath Armored 7-way 18/14 mm conduit which was essential to the design and MicroTrench installation. This enabled not only ADOT's ITS and leasing goals, but also delivered several significant advantages for the customer, compared to its previous product choice of three, three-inch standard conduits.
Innovation Award
Transcanyon Water Line (TCWL), Grand Canyon
PPI Member Companies: FlexSteel USA, LLC, Houston, TX; Dow Chemical, Midland, MI
The National Parks Service was able to revitalize the main potable water supply line at Bright Angel Creek by sliplining the deteriorating 6-inch line with more than a mile of 3-inch diameter composite pipe.
For the Tanscanyon Water Line project, NPS selected the FlexSteel reinforced pipe rated at 1500 psi because it would provide the toughness, pressure integrity and long-term durability essential for the steep canyon elevations and be able to handle the substantial hydrostatic pressure variations. The pipe contains a corrosion resistant inner liner and outer layer made from an advanced grade of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) from Dow with a helically wrapped steel reinforcement in the middle.
About PPI
The Plastics Pipe Institute, Inc. (PPI) is the major North American trade association representing the plastic pipe industry and is dedicated to promoting plastic as the materials of choice for pipe and conduit applications. PPI is the premier technical, engineering and industry knowledge resource publishing data for use in the development and design of plastic pipe and conduit systems. Additionally, PPI collaborates with industry organizations that set standards for manufacturing practices and installation methods.
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