Business
Vermeer Mid Atlantic Acquires Vermeer Northeast, Rebrands
Combined dealership group to rebrand as Vermeer All Roads
Water Environment Federation Selects 2019 WEF Fellows
The Water Environment Federation announced its selection of 15 members as the 2019 WEF Fellows recipients. This designation recognizes members’ achievements, stature, and contributions in the water profession.
Michels Celebrates 60th Anniversary
Michels Corporation said it is celebrating its 60th anniversary by dedicating the year to the people, projects and values that have helped the company grow from a regional gas distribution contractor into one of the largest utility and transportation contractors in North America.
John Deere 850L Dozer Pushes Productivity to the Next Level
John Deere’s new 850L dozer is designed to meet the demanding needs of today’s earth movers.
Vacuworx Promotions, New Hires Align with Strategic Goals
Vacuworx announced promotions and new hires as it expands the marketing and strategy teams in support of global growth.
Buddy Barnes Named President of SAME
Lt. Col. Wendell L. “Buddy” Barnes, P.E., F.SAME, USA (Ret.), was elected as the 100th National President of the Society of American Military Engineers (SAME).
Brandt Named Exclusive American Augers Dealer for Canada
American Augers has named the Brandt Group of Companies as the exclusive dealer for American Augers and Trencor products across Canada.
NASSCO Standard Bearer: Steve Gearhart
This month’s profile is of Steve Gearhart, currently chairman of CIPP Corp. He continues to contribute his knowledge and experience to NASSCO, WEF and other industry organizations.
ClockSpring|NRI Adds Milliken Infrastructure Solutions to its Portfolio
ClockSpring|NRI, a Houston-based manufacturer of critical infrastructure, construction and repair products, and provider of associated engineering support and training services, acquired Milliken Infrastructure Solutions LLC, formerly a subsidiary of Spartanburg, S.C.-based Milliken & Company.
Flyability Launches New Generation of Confined-Space Inspection UAVs
Flyability, a Swiss company that has pioneered indoor inspection and exploration drones, launched a new generation of confined-space, inspection units: Elios 2.
Heather Myers Named Program Manager at NASSCO
The National Association of Sewer Service Companies (NASSCO) named Heather Myers to the newly created position of program manager.
CUIRE Board
Abu Abraham, P.E. Technical Manager Instituform Technologies Robert A. Carpenter Editor-in-Chief Underground Construction Walter Chiang, P.E. Founder & Director CP&Y Inc. Bruce Hollands Uni-Bell PVC Pipe Association Aaron Houming Ni Asoe Hose Manufacturing Inc. Julia J. H..
The 14th Annual Trenchless Technology Class is Offered
This summer, the 14th annual trenchless technology and pipeline construction course was offered at the University of Texas at Arlington.
NASTT Student Chapter Members Visit Dallas Tunneling Site
In May, 42 construction engineering and management students, and members of the North American Society for Trenchless Technology Student Chapter at the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) visited the construction site for the Mill Creek Tunnel in Dallas.
CUIRE Holds Annual Conferences
CUIRE Schools at UCT CUIRE held its 17th annual trenchless technology inspector training and certification schools on Jan. 28–29, at the Fort Worth (Texas) Convention Center in conjunction with the Underground Construction Technology (UCT) conference. This year’s program included two sessions focu..
No Dig India Show 2019
No Dig India Show (NDIS) 2019 will discuss core issues where trenchless technology can provide sustainable solutions for underground space, a most vital asset for any smart city and smart society. NDIS 2019 will be held Dec. 11–13 at Aerocity, New Delhi, India.
Najafi to Receive TTC’s Distinguished Alumni Award
In its 30th year of operation, the Trenchless Technology Center (TTC) at Louisiana Tech University has decided to award the first Distinguished Alumni Award to Dr. Mo Najafi, director of CUIRE.
Gold Shovel Reorganizes to Better Serve Industry
The Gold Shovel Standard program was established in 2016 to assist in efforts to protect the country’s buried utility infrastructure from accidental damage that can cut off vital services, is costly and poses serious safety risks to construction workers and the general public.
Vermeer Commemorates Year-One Tornado Recovery Efforts, Growth Plans
On July 16, Vermeer Corporation held groundbreaking for a monument commemorating the buildings destroyed by a tornado last July, while celebrating the strength of the Vermeer team, along with the growth and progress currently underway on the company’s expansive campus, commonly called the Vermeer Mile.
The Toro Company to Reorganize Underground Construction Business
The Toro Company announced it is realigning the organizational structure for its underground construction businesses after its recent acquisition of Charles Machine Works.
Aegion Corporation Awarded $5.7 Million Wastewater Pipeline Rehabilitation Contract in Montgomery, Alabama
Aegion Corporation has announced that its subsidiary, Insituform Technologies, LLC, has been awarded a $5.7 million wastewater pipeline rehabilitation contract in Montgomery, Alabama.
Insituform Introduces iPlus Infusion UV Felt CIPP
The new iPlus Infusion UV felt cured-in-place pipe (CIPP), manufactured and installed by Insituform Technologies, an Aegion company, is now commercially available. Insituform patented UV CIPP in the 1980s as an alternative to..
Cortec Announces Breakthrough in Corrosion Protection of Pipelines
Cortec Corporation’s U.S.-patented CorroLogicVpCI Filler meets the long-term protection needs of cased pipeline crossings. Its special blend of vapor phase corrosion inhibitors protects in the liquid-phase, in the vapor-phase, and at the air-water interface. This multi-phase package of corrosion inh..
Granite Acquires Lametti & Sons
Granite Inliner LLC strengthened its position in the water and wastewater market by acquiring CIPP-related assets and equipment of Lametti & Sons Inc.
NASSCO Annual Convention Brings New Traditions
NASSCO’s 2019 Annual Conference kept traditions alive at the Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Ritz Carlton Hotel in April, by welcoming members and guests to the event with a poolside reception. Other traditions included activities such as the golf tournament and awards banquet, where the incoming and outgoing board of directors were recognized, the Trainer of the Year was announced and two new members were inducted to the Select Society of Sanitary Sewer Sleuths.
In Memoriam
John William “Bill” Gilman of Greer, S.C., died last fall at age 73.
Canadian CGA Schedules Symposium
The 7th annual Canadian Common Ground Alliance (CCGA) Damage Prevention Symposium will take place Oct. 8-10 in Niagara Falls, Ontario. Focusing on critical issues specific to Canadian stakeholders, this event features training and networking opportunities with those committed to damage prevention throughout Canada.
TTC, BAMI-I Present One-Day Asset Management Workshop
The Buried Asset Management Institute (BAMI-I) presented a one-day, overview version of its comprehensive certification program for water asset managers, CTAM, for the New Jersey Water Environment Association in early May. More than 40 professionals attended the workshop and received CEU/PDH credit...
Fiber Optic Sensing Association Commends ‘Smart Infrastructure’ Tech Provisions
The Fiber Optic Sensing Association (FOSA), a non-profit organization dedicated to fiber optic sensing technology, commended the recent introduction of an infrastructure package by 31 House Energy and Commerce Committee members.
PPI Announces Awards Winners
The Plastics Pipe Institute (PPI) announced winners of its 2019 awards program, including several who are familiar to the underground utility infrastructure construction and rehabilitation sectors.

- 290-mile gas pipeline expansion proposed across Georgia, Alabama and South Carolina
- City of Albuquerque halts fiber optic construction in response to damage, complaints
- Body retrieved day after fatal trench collapse at Bakersfield, Calif., job site
- $227 million Garnet Valley water project advances, set to create 73,000 jobs in Nevada
- Pasadena, Calif., undergrounding project could take 500 years to finish
- Gehl and Mustang offer world’s largest skid loader
- Growing Pains and Gains
- Authorities investigating trench collapse that killed worker in Ashburn, Va.
- City of Albuquerque halts fiber optic construction in response to damage, complaints
- Pasadena, Calif., undergrounding project could take 500 years to finish