Severn Trent purchases a quad of GRUNDOBURSTS
Pipebursting is a well proven technology that is enjoying a resurgence in use largely thanks to the water industry’s AMP8 guidelines. The regulatory period of AMP8 began in April 2025 and lasts for five years. It emphasises the use of trenchless technology for pipe renewal and replacement wherever possible to reduce disruption from traditional open trench works and to improve network resilience.
Severn Trent Water was well prepared to adapt to the requirement thanks to some forward thinking and pre planning. The organisation serves millions of customers across the Midlands and surrounding areas; managing extensive networks of buried water mains, sewer pipes, pumping stations and treatment plants. With a mission to use innovative technologies to maintain and upgrade ageing infrastructure, Severn Trent Water set up a Trenchless Division in 2024.
As part of the competitive evaluation of the most suitable trenchless options, a team from Severn Trent attended a bursting course run at TRACTO’s 
HQ in Bedford and subsequently ordered four GRUNDOBURST 400G pipe bursting units which are shared between eight Severn Trent Water regions. The GRUNDOBURST was selected for a variety of reasons:
· Flexibility – the ability to repair, rectify and install a range of pipes from 2” up to 10”.
· Added safety thanks due to the innovative and unique ladder rods that clip together to tackle bends with a radius of up to 35mm
· Machine quality, productivity and efficiency
· All round value
· Customer care including training, site support and comprehensive parts and service
In readiness for the replacement of 29km of pipe over 5 years, a total of 150 operators were trained at TRACTO throughout 2025 and TRACTO bursting operator, Arnie Bailey, a highly qualified trainer, demonstrator and trenchless consultant has also since supported the teams on site to help with the initial bursts.
At Bagnall in Stoke on Trent, one of the new machines has completed 950m of pipe renewal services along a road with ageing infrastructure and severe burst pipe issues. Lawrence Twiddy, Severn Trent Network Construction Manager for Staffordshire, attended the machine training and also arranged for practical support on the first burst;
“Arnie was very knowledgeable and competent and was really helpful in assisting us with the first burst in Bagnall. The team has successfully burst the whole job now and are extremely happy with the kit. This technique and rig will be a revelation for us over the coming 4 years left in AMP8.”
GRUNDOBURST 400G
A compact, hydraulic trenchless static pipe bursting rig designed for underground pipe renewals. Operating from compact pits with negligible need for open cut trenching, the GRUNDOBURST enables reduced surface disruption and lower reinstatement requirements, which helps to speed up the job and save time and money. Trenchless techniques, including bursting causes less hassle for local inhabitants thanks to time savings, but also because it usually means one carriageway can remain open during works.
For the operator, safety is in-built. The innovative ladder rods, unique to the GRUNDOBURST and designed by the engineers at TRACTO, hook together using a quicklock mechanism rather than a screw function. Operators are able to spend less time handling heavy rods and tools and are not repetitively tightening threads under load which reduces risk of injury and strain. The coupling design also helps prevent rods from slipping back during bursts which can lead to sudden machine movement. Rod insertion is very simple and the linkage allows some flexibility which allows the rods to negotiate mild bends in the pipeline.
Easy and safe to operate, pipe bursting is made easy with the GRUNDOBURST 400G.
