Business
Foley Products acquires underground stormwater storage technology patents
(UI) — Foley Products Company LLC and Pre-Con Products have agreed to assign all the patents and trademarks for StormPrism, an underground stormwater storage solution, to Foley in the United States and Canada.
West Virginia American Water completes $27 million acquisition of Jefferson Utilities
(UI) — West Virginia American Water has completed the acquisition of Jefferson Utilities, including the assets of Jefferson Utilities, Inc., Valley Water and Sewer Services, Shenandoah Junction Public Sewer and East Jefferson Sewer Services for $27 million.
New Jersey American Water acquires Somerville sewer system, commits $9.5 million to upgrades
(UI) — New Jersey American Water has completed its acquisition of the Borough of Somerville, N.J.'s wastewater collection system for $7 million and has committed to invest $9.5 million in sewer system improvements in the next ten years.
Schnabel Engineering acquires tunnel expert JCK Underground
(UI) – Schnabel Engineering, a leading provider of tunnel, dam, geotechnical, and infrastructure engineering, has announced its acquisition of JCK Underground, an industry recognized leader in tunnel engineering.
Chesapeake Utilities expands natural gas business with $923 million Florida City Gas acquisition
With the addition of FCG, Chesapeake Utilities' overall natural gas distribution presence in Florida will include an approved regulated rate base of $941 million, serving more than 211,000 customers through nearly 7,000 miles of natural gas distribution company pipeline.
Ditch Witch of Houston acquired by Ditch Witch of South Texas
(UI) — Ditch Witch of South Texas, a portfolio company of Bluestem Equity, LLC., today, announced that it finalized a strategic investment, purchasing Houston based, Ditch Witch of Houston. This strategic move solidifies Bluestem Equity's commitment to expanding its portfolio and enhancing its presence in the construction and infrastructure markets.
Jim Agnew’s vision continues to inspire: Celebrating his enduring legacy at Inrock
Inrock wishes Jim Agnew a hearty congratulations on his HDD Hall of Fame induction. His contributions to the HDD industry are only outmatched by the positive effect he left on everyone he came across.
Business News
Vermeer's 75th anniversary marks a glimpse into the future; Volvo CE to launch a new compact business unit; NAXSA and industry groups formalize alliance with OSHA; Ace Energy Infrastructure sets a record with intersect pipeline installation; and more exciting business updates!
Plastics Pipe Institute launches online course for underground infrastructure professionals
The course is based on requirements of the updated industry standard AWWA C904-22 Crosslinked Polyethylene (PEX) Pressure Tube, 1/2 Inch Through 3 Inch for Water Service, the ANSI-approved standard for PEX tubing intended to deliver potable water into homes and buildings.
McElroy awarded prestigious safety award from Oklahoma Safety Council
The Pinnacle of Safety Award is given to companies that achieve the highest levels of excellence in safety and health. Companies are judged on management commitment, safety culture, and safety performance in the areas of safety and health.
Trenchless Technology Center continues to prosper, provide industry research
(UI) — The Trenchless Technology Center (TTC) at Louisiana Tech University had another busy year and its Industry Advisory Board (IAB) again hit an all-time high in 2023. Research activities were in full swing and in-person training even came back, with forums in Boston and Houston.
Volvo CE strengthens executive management team with three senior appointments
Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) has announced several changes to its Executive Management Team (EMT) with three senior appointments designed to strengthen its global leadership and transformation journey.
REHAU achieves fourth consecutive gold certification for sewer pipe systems
(UI) — REHAU announced that it has achieved the prestigious Cradle to Cradle Certified Gold classification for its AWADUKT PP sewer pipe systems for the fourth consecutive time.
Warren Environmental set to establish roots in Georgia with relocation
(UI) — Warren Environmental and Coatings LLC, a manufacturer of proprietary epoxy products and patented application technologies, has announced its strategic relocation from Massachusetts to Georgia this fall.
Water engineering firm Carollo Engineers expands to mid-Atlantic region with new office opening
The new office, located in proximity to the firm's established locations in northern New Jersey, New York City, and Washington D.C., is poised to deliver cutting-edge water solutions tailored to meet the unique challenges of the Philadelphia Metropolitan Area and Greater Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Southern New Jersey.
PPI presents Donna Stoughton with lifetime achievement award
(UI) — The Plastics Pipe Institute, Inc. (PPI) presented Donna Stoughton with its Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of her many years and vast contributions to the industry.
Plastic Pipes Conference Association celebrates 50th anniversary in September 2023
PPCA reports that it has one of the world’s largest databases of technical papers, starting with those presented during its first conference in the 1970s. This library includes nearly 2,000 documents, plus video recordings of recent conferences, all of which are available on its website for free.
Mastenbroek, Port Industries unveil first-ever utility trencher for North American market
The Bulldog’s compact, yet incredibly powerful design, meets the needs of utility cable and pipeline contractors.
Dycom acquires telecom contractor Bigham Cable Construction in southeast US
(UI) — Dycom Industries Inc. has announced that it acquired Bigham Cable Construction Inc. on Aug. 23. Bigham provides telecommunications construction services in the southeastern United States and generated approximately $140 million of revenue over the last twelve months.
NUCA upgrades utility job-site recording solution
NUCA-WINS is a software application allows authorized users to quickly report a variety of job-site events, such as injuries, utility strikes, employee illnesses, near misses, property damage, and safety observations in real-time, utilizing both iOS and Android devices.
Fiber Broadband Association honors industry leaders at Fiber Connect 2023
This year, Brendan O’Boyle from Preformed Line Products (PLP) won the 2023 Photon Award, and Northern Colorado Community Fiber won the 2023 Star Award. S&N Communications won the Gene Scott Education Award, and Stephen Hardy won the Fiber Lifetime Achievement Award.
Illinois American Water to upgrade Village of Broadlands water system with new acquisition
Illinois American Water plans to invest in the first year on critical infrastructure, including installation of water meters and other projects to enhance water quality and system reliability.
Oatey acquires underground pipe and disc plug distributor Lansas BV
(UI) — Oatey Co. has acquired Lansas B.V., a manufacturer and distributor of underground pipe and disc plugs based in Eijsden, Netherlands.
Fiber Broadband Association President wins 2023 Chairman’s Award for advancing fiber deployments across U.S.
Among many FBA successes to date, Gary Bolton’s leadership has expanded fiber broadband’s public policy influence, workforce development initiatives, FBA’s research library, and FBA membership—more than doubling it in less than three years.
Common Ground Alliance opens Call for Proposals for underground utilities conference
The 2024 CGA Conference & Expo, set to take place April 14-18, 2024, in Colorado Springs, Colo., is the damage prevention industry’s premier event, bringing together distinguished experts and decision-makers for a week of focused collaboration and innovation designed to address the industry’s most pressing challenges.
Duke’s Root Control and UIS join forces to enhance underground service offerings
(UI) — Duke’s Root Control Inc. acquires Underground Infrastructure Services (UIS) of Livonia, Mich., significantly expanding its wastewater and gas inspection and remediation services, including inspection and replacement for water, gas, cable, and electrical utilities.
AGA Chair sees future shaped by education, innovation
(UI) — Sitherwood, who plans to retire from Spire this December, sat down with Underground Infrastructure to discuss her career, her outlook for the natural gas industry and her work as the 2023 chair of the American Gas Association (AGA).
SUE Association to hold national subsurface utility engineering conference in September
Formed in 2018, the SUE Association has worked to educate and inform the user community about subsurface utility engineering, grow the SUE market, and promote best practices in the delivery of professional SUE services through ASCE 38-22.
Nominate now for the UI Awards
(UI) — Nominations for the second-annual Underground Infrastructure Awards (UIAs) are open. The Awards are a fantastic way to celebrate innovations and individuals that made a significant contribution to the market within the past year.
Registration open for 19th ASCE UESI/BAMI-I Utility Investigation School
(UI) — The Buried Asset Management Institute – International (BAMI-I) & the ASCE’S Utility Engineering and Surveying Institute (UESI) have teamed to conduct the 19th ASCE UESI / BAMI-I UIS School in 2023.
- DeLa Express seeks FERC approval for Permian-to-Louisiana gas pipeline project
- OSHA penalizes Houston contractor over safety violations resulting in worker's death
- Fiber infrastructure has no known expiration date, Fiber Broadband Association research concludes
- Nevada OSHA fines Elon Musk's Boring Company over safety violations in Vegas tunnel project
- Damage prevention and safety: Turning awareness into action
- Ditch Witch 1030
- Michigan lawmakers introduce bills to create septic codes throughout the state
- Indiana American Water to gain 8,000 water customers with Silver Creek Water acquisition
- Arkansas governor allocates $42 million for water infrastructure projects
- Federal judge finds Flint, Mich, in contempt over lead water pipe crisis