Kobus Services manufacture and sell the Kobus Pipe Puller which is a trenchless technique to safely, quickly and at less cost remove and replace service pipes. The patented pipe pulling Kobus 400 and 300 machines are powerful hydraulic winch systems that will also drag the new pipe into the old bore. Kobus can pull lengths up to 20m or even 25m with a pipe diameter (OD) up to 36mm of lead, copper, steel or plastic. Only small (c. 05 - 1.0 sq m) pits are required to access the pipe at either end.
It is possible to remove and replace up to 5 service pipes per day using Kobus which can be gas or water. Safety, both in terms of the pulling process itself but also utility strikes is a key benefit of the system. A further benefit is minimising disruption on busy streets as well as keeping customer service disruption down to a minimum.
Kobus Services is now expanding internationally and has just set up in Michigan, USA with its own facility to serve the growing demand in North America. This is particularly driven by mounting health concerns over lead in the water supply but also a general need to upgrade ageing infrastructure. At the same time the company is entering multiple European markets where there is a growing need in both the water and gas sectors.