June 2015, Vol. 70, No.6

John Deere continues to update its K-Series wheel loader lineup to adhere to Final Tier 4 emissions standards and better meet the needs of today’s operators.

Vermeer has introduced a new walk-beside service plow with trencher for contractors who need a productive machine that can work in tight spaces.

Launched at Aquatech China, Dow’s next generation industrial and municipal ultrafiltration water treatment modules are already bringing in the accolades, receiving the show’s “Best Technology Innovation Award” in the membrane category.

TT-UK has recently been working in co-operation with U Mole to supply them with soil displacement hammers.

National Plant Services Inc., a provider of sewer cleaning services throughout California and adjacent states, now has two new mobile water jet sewer cleaning systems that use water reclamation technology to capture, filter and reuse the wastewater from the water jet cleaning of sewers.

The new MA-400TM air-cooled, machine torch system includes a 400 amp, 100 percent duty cycle SpinArc welding torch, control box and control cables. The welding torch connects directly to all existing wire feeders and power sources for a quick upgrade.

United States Patent no. 8,947,205, issued on Feb. 3, was assigned to Berntsen International Inc., Madison, WI.

The HydraLiner rehabilitation process can be used in a variety of gravity and pressure applications such as sanitary sewers, storm sewers, process piping, electrical conduits and ventilation systems.

Built for maximum durability, Super Products’ aluminum “Super Tube” digging tubes are ideal for hydro excavators and sewer cleaners used on the most challenging, toughest job sites.

The new Air Stream cable blowing machine from GMP makes micro fiber cable installation fast and efficient.

BJM Pumps adds to their line existing line of 50 hp and 75 hp KZE-Series pumps with the new 100 hp and 125 hp high capacity hard metal submersible slurry pumps with agitator.

Herrenknecht’s newly developed semi-trenchless method for pipeline installation has completed its third successful undertaking.

Atlas Copco recently introduced two new rammers, replacing the LT5004 and LT6004.

Xylem Inc. unveiled an innovative new water reuse solution for drinking water and hosted an urban resilience planning roundtable discussion at ACE 15.

Vermeer welcomed 300 customers and dealers from across the country to Pella, IA, for its annual Customer Conference.

Featuring patent-pending RAD-AX™ Dual Shredding Technology, the SKG Series is designed to obliterate flushable wipes and other difficult solids in municipal and industrial wastewater applications.

=The Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued on May 1 a final rule to increase protections for construction workers in confined spaces.

Martin Edwards, vice president of legislative affairs, of the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America, lauded the House Resource Committee for advancing H.R. 2295, a bill to amend the Minerals Leasing Act allow natural gas pipelines to be treated like other infrastructure – including electric lines, water lines and communications facilities – when traversing lands administered by the National Park Service. The committee vote was 21 to 15.

Enterprise Products Partners L.P. has executed long-term agreements that support development of a new 416-mile, 24-inch diameter pipeline to transport crude oil and condensate from the company’s Midland, TX, terminal to its Sealy storage facility west of Houston.

Under a memorandum of understanding between the city of Los Angeles and Los Angeles World Airports, an agreement was signed in May that allows them to move ahead on a $40-million stormwater treatment project that has been delayed for five years.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is releasing a draft assessment on the potential impacts of hydraulic fracturing activities on drinking water resources in the United States.

Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf announced on April 22 the investment of over $130 million for 12 water and wastewater projects across eight counties through the Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority (PENNVEST).

As first reported in the <em>Wall Street Journal</em>, during delays involving its Keystone XL project, Calgary, Alberta based-TransCanada Corp. is asking the U.S. government to permit a new and different pipeline project, filing an application to receive a U.S. presidential permit that will let it construct a 200-mile pipeline across the U.S.-Canadian border.

Roger Louis Pentzien, 95, died on April 25 in Omaha, NE. Pentzien was elected president of the Pipe Line Contractors Association in 1980 and became an Honorary Member of the association in 1992.

McElroy is pleased to announce the addition of a new rental partner, Morain Sales & Service, that will serve as a rental house offering a full line of polypropylene pipe fusion products.

Advanced Drainage Systems Inc., www.ads-pipe.com Al Asher & Sons Inc., www.alasher.com American Augers, www.trencor.com American Pipeline Contractors Assn., www.americanpipeline.org Arntzen Corp. Bit Brokers, www.bitbrokers.com BITCO Insurance Companies BKW Inc., www.bkwinc.com BlueGreen Municipal Solutions, www.southerntrnechless.com Caterpillar Inc. (CATBC) Clock Spring Co., www.clockspring.com Digital Control Inc., www.digitrak.com Ditch Witch Duke's Root Control, www.dukes.com E&M Supply Group, www.drillpipesupply.com

The digital edition of <em><a href="http://digital.turn-page.com/i/524964-june-2015">Underground Construction</a></em>, June 2015, Vol. 70, No. 6.

The American Concrete Pipe Association raised $140,906 at its annual fundraising auction benefitting the ACPA Research & Education Foundation.

The Toro Company announces the addition of two underground equipment dealers to their expanding distribution network.

Planning, engineering and program management firm Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, (LAN) launched its new website: www.lan-inc.com.

Professional Service Industries Inc. (PSI) promoted Jamshid Abedi to staff specialist in its Houston Construction Services Department. He previously served as engineering technician. Abedi earned his Master of Planning and Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Nebraska. He earned his pre-architecture degree from Roosevelt University. He has been a member of the PSI team since 2013. 800.548.7901, www.psiusa.com

Ritchie Bros., the world’s largest industrial auctioneer, has hired Terry Dolan to serve as company president, U.S. and Latin America, effective May 20.

Miller Pipeline, one of the nation’s premier natural gas distribution, transmission pipeline and utility contractors and a wholly owned subsidiary of Vectren Corporation, acquired A & B Trenching Co. Inc. in a strategic move to expand its markets and strengthen its position as a leader in the underground construction industry.

Ditch Witch of Ohio, Western Pennsylvania and Western New York and Ditch Witch of Kentucky recently merged and will now be known as Ditch Witch Mid-States. The two underground equipment institutions were founded nearly 50 years ago.

Hyundai Construction Equipment Americas Inc. announced the appointment of Ernesto Lopez as Service Manager – Construction Equipment.

George M. Denny has joined Vacuworx as the Gulf Coast Sales Director and will be based out of Houston, TX.

Efficiency Production Inc., a leading manufacturer of trench shielding and shoring equipment, has announced the selection of Rod Austin as the company’s new vice president of sales.

Case Construction Equipment was named the 2015 Association of Equipment Management Professional’s (AEMP) Associate of the Year at the organization’s 33rd management conference and annual meeting in Orlando.

Ron Halderman, director of horizontal directional drilling for Mears Group, was inducted into the National American Society for Trenchless Technology Hall of Fame in March.

HammerHead, a Charles Machine Works Company, announced that Brian Metcalf will be departing to assume the role of chief executive officer at the Ring-O-Matic organization based in Pella, IA.

Defining normalcy in the world of horizontal directional drilling has always been virtually impossible.

Trenchless technology and open-cut construction can be fulfilled by increasing the demand for underground construction.

Iowa utility contractor Precision Underground Utilities is described by owner Jamie Nobiling as a small, family-run business with high expectations.

In November 2014, Trenchless Construction Services L.L.C. successfully completed the challenging Mosquito Pass Cable Conduit Installation Project for the Orcas Power & Light Cooperative (OPELCO).

The new Ditch Witch HDD Advisor is an intuitive, web-based tool to help select the best downhole tool options to match the drill unit being used plus job site soil conditions – key elements in successfully completing any horizontal directional drilling (HDD) installation.

After hurricanes, tornadoes, ice storms and other natural disasters that disrupt vital infrastructure services by downing overhead power and communications lines, there invariably is the question: “Why don’t they put those wires underground?” There are two obvious answers: • Immediately after such disasters the priority is restoring services, not planning and executing projects to convert aerial to underground; and • It costs too much – funds simply are not available for costly overhead-to-underground conversions.

It’s a great time to be a horizontal directional drilling contractor.

Here is the <a href="http://ucononline.com/sites/default/files/UC July 14 resg.pdf">2014 Rehab Equipment Selection Guide</a>.

Key House members berated the federal pipeline safety agency in advance of upcoming efforts by Congress to reauthorize federal pipeline safety laws.