CIPP, tunneling pioneer Robert “Bob” Affholder passes
(UI) — A pioneer in trenchless rehabilitation and boring/tunneling, Robert "Bob" Affholder passed away Friday, July 26.
He will forever be known for his early efforts in tunneling and development of the cured-in-place pipe market through his company Insituform. His career spanned more than 50 years in the underground construction field. His early life lessons learned growing up on a farm in Kansas as one of 11 brothers and sisters taught him the importance of hard work and the joy that comes from working alongside people you care about and respect. These lessons have been the foundation of his successful career, and his list of former co-workers includes some of his closest friends.
Affholder’s career began in 1958 as a laborer for Armco Industries Metal Products Division. However, his entrepreneurial spirit led him to start his own tunneling and boring business in 1968, Affholder Inc. He dedicated himself to building an organization of highly skilled, honest and hardworking people who were committed to solving customers' problems.
In 1987, Affholder Inc. went public as Insituform Mid-America and later merged to form Insituform Technologies (Aegion and now Azuria Water Solutions). He served as vice chairman and member of the board of directors for 10 years. He was instrumental in the development of the Insituform process, which revolutionized the trenchless industry.
In 2007, Affholder reunited with former Insituform protégés Jerry Shaw and Tom Kalishman at SAK Construction. The company's goal was to return to the original roots of Affholder’s success - hiring the best talent, creating an environment where people are valued, delivering world-class services, and putting customers first.
His contributions to the trenchless industry have been immense, and his leadership and industry expertise continue to be a valuable asset to Affholder and SAK Construction. As a founding member of both companies, he was proud of their success and the opportunity to help make others successful. With the newly christened Affholder company (formerly the tunneling division of SAK), he believed the company was well-positioned for continued growth and success.
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