United Kingdom Society for Trenchless Technology: UKSTT - January 2003
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A record 110 companies displayed the latest in trenchless technology at No-Dig Live 2002, held at Stoneleigh Park near Coventry on 15-17 October. Event Director Richard West was pleased with the outcome, and with the new venue, commenting, "The close proximity of the indoor show, the outdoor demonstrations and the seminar and workshop theatres proved popular with exhibitors and visitors. The reaction from exhibitors has been very positive." Although marketed as a UK event, 13% of visitors were from overseas. Total attendance increased dramatically from the 2000 event, reflecting the added appeal and accessibility of the Midlands venue. A key feature of the 2002 show was the introduction of the National Drilling & Tapping Competition, organised by IWO and won by the Bournemouth and West Hampshire Water team. The outdoor exhibition was also popular, with regular demonstrations from 10 exhibitors. |
Among the most popular seminars were the 'Mud School' sessions from James Mansell of Cetco, with high attendance and plenty of dialogue with the audience. More disappointing was the proposed HDD Challenge which attracted no entries. Perhaps the contractors were all busy, or maybe they were nervous about joining battle with rival companies - quite the opposite of attitudes in the USA where the 'HDD Rodeo' is extremely popular and hard-fought. Richard West is not deterred, however. "This has the potential to be a great event," he said. "We intend to throw down the gauntlet again in 2004." The future looks even brighter, with proposals to combine a new-look No-Dig Live with an updated Pipelines show running side-by-side in 2004, again at the Stoneleigh Park venue. This will be a multi-utility event that should attract a wide audience from the UK and around the world. |
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The North American Society for Trenchless Technology (NASTT) will host the 21st International No-Dig Conference and Exhibition in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, from 31 March to 02 April 2003. This is the fourth International No-Dig event to be held in the USA since the series began in 1985. One hundred peer-reviewed papers will be presented, accompanied by a large exhibition with more than 100 exhibitors. |
A new feature will be a virtual tour, the aMAZEing Trenchless Experience, in which delegates can 'walk around' trenchless sites. Practical training sessions in the principal technologies will also be held in conjunction with the exhibition, in addition to a family-orientated social programme. For details contact Trenchless Technology Inc. Tel: 001 330 467 7588. Fax: 001 330 468 2289. E-mail: ttmag@ttmag.com Website: www.nastt.org/nodig.intnl |
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This is a major international exhibition and conference, and the most visited water, energy and environment show in the region. Financial support is available for eligible UK companies through Trade Partners UK. The event is under the patronage of H.H. Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates. Environment & Energy 2001 was a huge success, with 335 exhibitors from over 30 countries worldwide. |
Over 10,000 professional trade visitors attended in 2001, and 2003 promises to be even more successful. For details contact: Christine Chapman, Exhibition Sales Manager, PennWell Water Group. Tel: 01992 656 665. Fax: 01992 656 712. E-mail: cchapman@pennwell.com Website: www.ee-uae.com |
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The UKSTT is co-host with IMM, BTS, PJA, BDA and the Geological Society (Engineering Group) of Underground Construction 2003. This international exhibition and conference will be held on 24-25 September 2003 at ExCel, London Docklands, and up to 300 delegates to the conference are expected from over 25 countries, together with well over 1000 visitors to the exhibition. The UKSTT will have a prominent stand within the exhibition, and corporate members may use the stand to distribute their literature at a nominal charge. There are opportunities for UKSTT members to provide Trenchless Technology Papers for the conference, and to have exhibition space.There is also a proposal for a trenchless demonstration area close to the exhibition hall, where techniques such as directional drilling, |
pipe-bursting and moling could be shown to people unaware of this very important aspect of underground construction. Please contact the UKSTT Secretariat (see back page) as soon as possible if you are interested in providing a demonstration during the exhibition. The financial details have yet to be finalised but it is believed there may only be a nominal charge. There is also a proposal that the demonstration area may feature in the site visits planned for the day following the conference and exhibition. This Exhibition and Conference has a very high international standing, and is a high profile event close to the heart of London. UKSTT members should not miss the opportunity to participate. |
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UKSTT SECRETARIAT
The Council are currently reviewing the present Secretariat arrangements provided by the Institution of Civil Engineers, and are examining other options for the provision of these services. If anyone is interested in offering a proposal, for consideration by the Council, to provide these services for the Society, please contact the Chairman Norman Howell for further details. The deadline for expressions of interest is 24 January 2003. AWARDS DINNER 2003
The UKSTT will hold its annual Awards Dinner at Le Meridien Palace Hotel, Oxford Street, Manchester on the evening of 11 April 2003. The format will be as last year, with presentations of the shortlisted projects before dinner, and the winning awards made after the meal. Bill Oddie will once again introduce the shortlisted projects and present the awards, whilst the entertainer Peter Nelson will provide suitable amusement after the ceremony. Tickets, single £55 or double £105, can be obtained from The Secretary at ICE using the appropriate form. Please telephone 0207 665 2235 for details. You will need to book early for this prestigious event as tables (seating 10 or 12) will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis. SUBSCRIPTION NEWS SERVICE
The launch has been announced of PipeWire.net, a subscription-based news service for all branches of the pipeline industry, which is updated daily with the latest international news for pipeline professionals. PipeWire can be accessed at an introductory rate of $10/month, or for an annual subscription of $110. For details contact: John Tiratsoo, Editor, PipeWire.net, PO Box 21, Beaconsfield, Bucks, HP9 1NS, UK. Tel: 01494 675139. Fax: 01494 670155. TT APPOINTS DON WILKINSON
Don Wilkinson has been appointed as Area Sales Manager for TT UK Ltd. Don joined the company in October 2002 and is responsible for managing trenchless technology equipment sales in the Midlands and North West regions. He has successfully worked within the UK construction sector for nearly 20 years in both a technical and sales capacity. |
KOREAN OPPORTUNITY FROM NO-DIG LIVE
J-D Associates, with assistance from Trade Partners UK, coordinated the visit to No-Dig Live of Dr Young Dae Lee, Director of the Korean Environment Ministry's Taskforce on Sewer Construction and Rehabilitation. Dr Lee met with ten UKSTT member companies and toured the exhibition to get a feel for what the UK had to offer. On his return to Seoul he met with Mrs Kyejin Chay, Commercial Officer at the British Embassy to express his encouragement for UK firms seeking to participate in the upcoming Paldang Pilot Project, first step in a major programme to improve the Korean sewer network. Commencing early in 2003, the project will invest £350 million in the construction of 692 km of new pipe, and the rehabilitation of 151 km of existing sewer. In the longer term Korea plans to spend £2 billion on new sewers and £1 billion on rehabilitation of its 68,000 km network. Member companies interested in participating in the Korean market need to move fast to find local partners or customers for their equipment and technology. Contact Dec Downey at J-D Associates for further information - DecDowney@aol.com AGM AND ELECTIONS
The UKSTT is managed by its Council, which is composed entirely of elected members. Successful candidates serve on Council for three years, which means that each year a number of Council members stand down and an election is held to replace them. Retiring members can of course stand for re-election. This year three members stood down: Jon Boon, Dec Downey and Keith Mole. With Alistair Hodgson and Mark Steiner also tendering their resignation from Council, a total of five vacancies were left. However, Council's proposals to increase the size of the Council from 15 to 20 meant that there were ten vacancies to fill. In August all members were asked to nominate candidates for election to Council, and a record number of 13 candidates were put forward. Ballot papers were sent out to the membership in September. The ballot was close, and resulted in Dec Downey, Keith Mole and Jon Boon being re-elected. We also welcome the following new members to Council: Rod Brewis, Claire Busby, Gary Deakin, Shauna Herron, Steve McKellar, Steve Orchard and Andrew Russell. Many thanks to retiring Council members Alistair Hodgson and Mark Steiner for their contributions to the work of the Society. The AGM was held at No Dig Live on October 16th when Council's proposal to increase the Council membership was accepted unanimously. The other main business of the AGM was the election of honorary officers of the Society. For reasons of continuity and stability, the Chairman's post is for two years and Norman Howell continues into his second year. Jon Boon was elected as Vice Chairman, Keith Mole as Treasurer, and Les Metcalf as Honorary Secretary. |
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Bodycote Materials Testing Group Ltd, based in Sheffield, has acquired Pipeline Developments Limited (PDL), one of the UK's leading pipeline consultancy and testing businesses. Now trading as Bodycote Pipeline Developments, the business operates from premises in Salford Quays, Manchester, and is close to Bodycote's materials testing laboratory. PDL has an excellent reputation, most notably in serving the UK water and other utility companies in the areas of asset quality assurance, inspection, testing and materials/design advice. |
An in-house laboratory provides creep, pressure, tensile and other mechanical and chemical tests. Bodycote Materials Testing Group operates 41 independent materials testing laboratories around the world, 21 of which are in the UK. For information contact: David Shipley, Business Development Director, Bodycote Materials Testing Group Ltd. Tel: 0114 265 4500. Fax 0114 265 4509. Email: Shipley.d@bodycote-mt.com |
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A new Grundoream backreamer has been introduced by TT UK Ltd to allow easy, fast, interchange of backreaming blades. The idea is that, as changing soil conditions are encountered, the cutting blade profile can be selected and changed on site to ensure optimum bore hole cuttings and maximum mud flow, combined with down hole spoil removal. The smaller Grundoream Backreamer comprises one basic element and three blade sizes to produce diameters of 100, 150 and 200 mm. A larger version has a basic element and three blade sizes which can produce diameters of 200, 250, 300, 350 and 400 mm. |
Advantages include optimum adaptation to soil conditions due to different profile blades, modular construction for economy, light weight, fast blade exchange, flexible field applications due to exchangeable blades, and fast and inexpensive exchange in case of wear and tear. For details contact: TT UK Ltd, Windsor Road, Bedford, MK42 9SU, UK. Tel: 01234 342566. Fax: 01234 352184. E-mail: ttuk@compuserve.com Website:www.tt-uk.com |
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U Mole Ltd has recently introduced a compact sewer bursting system aimed at smaller works including domestic sewer renovation, where traditional rod bursting systems have proved too big or time consuming. The PB30 portable burster was spotted by U Mole's MD Russell Fairhurst during a recent trip to the USA. Designed to fit into manholes, the PB30 can be transported in a small van. Power is supplied from a mini-excavator or a small powerpack. The burster and its hydraulic hosed are transported on a wheeled barrow that doubles as the control station. |
Bursting is carried out by pulling on a specially designed rope, up to 60 metres long, with the hydraulic winch unit. This rope is attached to bursting heads that incorporate a towing head connected to the PE product pipe. The unit produces up to 30 tons of pull, and can burst 45 degree bends and fittings. Although designed for small sewer replacement, the system has also proved successful for short 4" and 6" cast iron pipe bursting. U Mole offers the PB30 for both rental and sale, with or without a power pack or trailer. For further information contact U-Mole on 01480 218722, e-mail info@umole.co.uk, or visit www.umole.co.uk. To receive a copy of this newsletter via post, click here to see how to join UKSTT. |