Industry News, trenchless products
Program emphasizes safe rental operations for the COVID-19 pandemic and the future
FORT MILL, S.C. – Sunbelt Rentals, North America’s premier equipment rental company, announced it is participating in the American Rental Association’s (ARA) Clean. Safe. Essential. program. The program is aimed at raising awareness of the rental industry’s commitment to safety best practices related to COVID-19.
“Sunbelt Rentals is committed to the safety of our customers and employees and, from the outset of the pandemic, proactively introduced new safety and operational protocols,” says Katy Lovering, vice president of operational excellence at Sunbelt Rentals. “There is so much uncertainty right now and we want to help provide peace of mind in any way we can. Safeguarding our people and our customers is our number one priority.”
“We are pleased that Sunbelt Rentals has committed to the Clean. Safe. Essential. program and will be displaying the logo in each branch location,” says Tom Doyle, ARA vice president, program development. “There are over 3,500-member rental locations participating in this program. Through its participation, Sunbelt Rentals is demonstrating to employees and customers their priority and commitment to safety.”
By joining this program, Sunbelt Rentals branch locations receive a completion certificate as Clean. Safe. Essential. compliant and will have established uniform guidelines along with other rental companies in the industry. ARA previously reviewed Sunbelt’s extensive COVID-19 related safety and operational protocols and trainings and deemed them as compliant with the ARA’s Clean. Safe. Essential. program requirements.
Sunbelt Rentals will continue to work with ARA to advance the program through industry awareness and sharing of best practices.
To date, Sunbelt Rentals has already established curbside pickup of rental equipment, which will be a permanent offering, and can be requested via an online reservation or by phone. In addition, the company is following stringent sanitizing, cleaning and handling guidelines, per the CDC, and observing social distancing and the wearing of face coverings at its branches.
Customers are encouraged to reserve equipment online at sunbeltrentals.com.
Industry News, trenchless products
PELLA, Iowa – Vermeer Corporation announced today it has acquired electric-powered horizontal directional drilling (HDD) and fluid systems technology from Normag. Through this acquisition, Vermeer assumes the rights to develop, manufacture and distribute the proven fully electric HDD rigs, generator sets and fluid management systems, which are currently operating across Europe under the Normag brand.
As a world leader in the HDD and fluid management industry, this acquisition is a key part of the Vermeer strategy to meet growing demand for electric-powered worksite solutions.
The Normag electric HDD technology offers a unique integrated electric power system that optimizes efficiency across the generator set, drill rig and fluid management systems during operations. When connected to the electric grid, the system can operate as a fuel-free system. All systems have also been designed to match standard international shipping container dimensions to reduce the machine footprint, jobsite set-up time, complexity and cost.
“With this technology already proven in operations across Europe, our Vermeer team can now fast-track an electric HDD offering that helps operators better control their cost of operations and worksite impacts through reduced fuel use, near-zero emissions, limited noise and an overall smaller rig footprint,” said Vermeer President and CEO Jason Andringa. “This investment critically supports our innovation and product development focus to continually help customers optimize their worksite efficiency, while limiting environmental impact.”
The Normag HDD system technology has been in development for more than eight years in the Netherlands. It was purpose-built to help companies comply with European transportation and worksite regulations and meet their goals to lower their environmental and worksite impacts. Drill rig and fluid packages have been piloted with customers across Europe for the last several years. Because they are European-market ready and tested, Vermeer will focus first on introducing the products to the European customer base to support large-diameter underground infrastructure projects. Products will be sold under the Vermeer brand in partnership with Vermeer dealers.
All product development, engineering, marketing and production for the technology will immediately move to the Vermeer EMEA headquarters in Goes, Netherlands. Vermeer expects that its first rigs and fluid systems will be in production and ready for distribution in Europe by late 2021. That will likely include a system built around a 120-metric ton HDD rig, a 2,500-liter reclaimer and high-pressure pump. The company also plans to offer additional fluid systems in the first year to establish a range of reclaimers ranging from 750 to 3,000 liters per minute of cleaning capacity.
As the products get established in Europe, the company will look to introduce them in key global markets where electric systems are desired, including North America and Australia. The intent is to bring the products to those markets within the next 24-36 months.
Learn more about this acquisition at vermeer.com.
About Vermeer
Vermeer delivers a real impact in a progressing world through the manufacture of high-quality underground construction, agricultural, surface mining, tree care and environmental equipment. With a reputation for durability and reliability, that equipment is backed by localized customer service and support provided by independent dealers around the world. To learn more about Vermeer, products, the dealer network and financing options, visit vermeer.com.
Vermeer Corporation reserves the right to make changes in engineering, design and specifications; add improvements; or discontinue manufacturing at any time without notice or obligation. Equipment shown is for illustrative purposes only and may display optional accessories or components specific to their global region. Please contact your local Vermeer dealer for more information on machine specifications.
Industry News, trenchless people, trenchless products
Since its founding over 100 years ago, the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce has been steadfast in its mission is to lead the region in business and community development through collaboration and innovation. Currently, over 1,900 regional business and organizations are members of the Chamber. In 1993, the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce created its annual and truly iconic Business Excellence Awards program to celebrate and honor businesses that have distinguished themselves by being a significant presence in and/or providing substantial benefit to the citizens and economy of Stark County.
To be considered, the business must be for-profit and needs to have demonstrated several of the following attributes:
• Growth in business and/or employment (i.e. growth in sales or employees, etc.)
• Stability and longevity in your industry (i.e. adaption to changing industry, viability to the industry, etc.)
• Capital investment or expansion of operations and/or efficiencies
• Innovation (expansion of products/product lines)
• Outstanding customer service
• Entrepreneurship
• Consistent Involvement in the community
This year, the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce is holding its 106TH VIRTUAL ANNUAL MEETING, featuring Community Updates & the 2020 Business Excellence Award Honorees on Tuesday, October 27.
2020 BUSINESS EXCELLENCE AWARD HONOREES:
Barbco Inc.
Combi Packaging
Kempthorn Motors
Mid’s True Sicilian Pasta Sauce
Morgan Engineering
Muggswigz Coffee & Tea
Sand, Sebolt & Wernow Co.
Barbco, Incorporated joins Combi Packaging, Kempthorn Motors, Morgan Engineering, Muggswigz Coffee and Tea, MID’s “True Sicilian Pasta Sauce” and Sand, Sebolt & Wernow Co., LPA in the Business Excellence Awards Class of 2020. Barbco, Incorporated is proud, honored, and humbled to be considered alongside such esteemed companies that are committed to the continued growth and economic strength of the region.
Industry News, trenchless products
Designed for pipeline and large-diameter HDD projects
Vermeer expands its horizontal directional drilling (HDD) fluid management equipment line with the new R600T reclaimer. The new 600-gallons-per-minute (2,271.3-L/min) mud recycling system can pair with maxi rigs pumping between 300 gallons per minute and 600 gallons per minute (1,135.6 L/min and 2,271.3 L/min) on pipeline and other large-diameter installation projects. The R600T features a redesigned linear-motion shaker deck to help reduce weight, increase the available G-force and extend screen life, as well as several other performance and serviceability-enhancing features.
According to Adam Bates, Vermeer product manager for fluid management equipment, the R600T is the successor to the popular R9x12T reclaimer widely used in the pipeline industry. “Since Vermeer launched its first reclaimer, the industry has embraced mud recycling systems because these machines help reduce the amount of drilling fluid additives and freshwater required on HDD projects,” he explained. “Our latest generation of reclaimers, starting with the R250C reclaimer and now the R600T, are excellent machines for contractors because they are so efficient and thorough at separating sand and coarse silts from drilling fluids. Our latest reclaimer model, the R600T, offers excellent jobsite flexibility with its ability to work in conjunction with a range of maxi rig drill sizes.”
The three-tank (scalped, middle and clean) R600T reclaimer has a total fluid capacity of 7,729 gallons (29,257.4 L), and can process 1,100 gallons per minute (4,163.9 L/min) of drilling slurry for a true cleaning capacity suited for HDD projects in the 600-gallons-per-minute (2,271.2-L/min) range. The drilling slurry cycles through two 10-inch (25.4-cm) desanders and a desilter manifold with sixteen 5-inch (12.7-cm) desilters to remove sand and coarse material before being deposited onto the unit’s linear motion shaker decks. The unique design of the desilter manifold reduces turbulence when the liquid exits the hydrocyclone to help minimize recycled sand content and keep spoil/soil moisture levels low.
Also, contractors have the ability to choose their own power source for the R600T. They can configure the reclaimer with an onboard generator set or connect it to another power source they are already using on the job. “Many contractors prefer to rent support equipment on large-diameter pipeline projects,” explained Bates. “Equipped with quick-connect electrical cables, crews can quickly connect the reclaimer to a rented generator or even a shared gen set that may also be powering the drill’s operator cabin.”
With a one-level working deck, fast deploying walkway and centralized main controls area, the R600T sets up quickly and is efficient to operate.
For more information about the Vermeer R600T reclaimer, contact your local Vermeer dealer or visit vermeer.com.
Blog, Industry News, trenchless products
October 2020—Crosslink Technology Inc. has developed PIPE (Pressure Infused Protective Epoxy) Cure, a fast, easy, and cost-effective way to completely rehabilitate the inside of underground pipes, specifically laterals.
PIPE Cure provides a less destructive and less costly alternative to digging out underground pipes for repair, and it also provides unique advantages over the traditional CIPP (Cure in Place Pipe) restoration products.
While CIPP is a widely used trenchless technology, it can use unsaturated styrenated polyester resin, which may give concern to volumetric shrinkage, odor, adhesion/strength, and sensitivity to temperature.
Crosslink Technology Inc.’s PIPE Cure has been formulated to have:
- Excellent strength and adhesion (flexural modulus of over 500,000 psi and flexural strength of 7000 psi)
- Exceptionally low linear shrinkage (0.0001 inch/inch)
- No odor
- Ability to cure in underground temperatures as low as 10°C/ 50°F (without a heat source AND regardless of the ambient temperature when it was mixed)
- Excellent wetting out of fiber in the liner
- Better health and safety rating than styrene
With Crosslink Technology’s PIPE Cure, you will get a safe, easy, budget-friendly cure for your underground pipe repair problems.
About Crosslink Technology Inc.:
At Crosslink Technology Inc., we deliver innovative thermoset solutions which make a real difference to our customers’ business. We produce a wide range of Epoxy and Polyurethane applications and Custom-cast Electrical components which lower processing costs, improve product quality, and boost profitability.
Since 1981, we have dedicated ourselves to staying on the leading edge of technical innovation, creating solutions tailored to customer needs and processes.
Today our dedicated and knowledgeable workforce produces applications embraced by companies in the United States, Mexico, Australia, and the Far East.
For More Information:
Christa Foy
Product Manager
Crosslink Technology Inc.
6380 Viscount Rd.
Mississauga, ON L4V 1H3 Canada
Cell: (437) 244-7620
Industry News, trenchless people, trenchless products
SewerAI secures $2 million in seed funding for its breakthrough technology
San Francisco, CA, August 3, 2020—SewerAI , a startup that uses artificial intelligence and computer vision to inspect, identify and analyze sewer infrastructure defects before they reach catastrophic levels, announced that it has secured $2 million in seed funding led by venture capital firms Builders VC and EPIC Ventures.
SewerAI was established by sewer infrastructure inspection technology veterans to address the
massive problem of aging pipe infrastructure—with over 6 billion feet of sewer pipe in just the
U.S. alone, approximately 3 billion feet are in need of repair or replacement. US municipalities
spend approximately $50 billion each year maintaining this infrastructure, mainly using manual
inspections, data delivered via physical disks, and desktop-based software. SewerAI harnesses
the power of artificial intelligence and computer vision, along with a cloud workflow platform to
automatically detect pipeline defects, allowing sewer inspections to be completed in a fraction of
the time with increased accuracy.
“The cost to state and local communities to maintain and repair aging pipes, and the cost of
system failures, are in the billions of dollars,” explained SewerAI CEO Matthew Rosenthal.
“Utility companies and engineering firms help to manage the problem of aging pipes by
deploying robotic cameras to identify defects, collecting tens of thousands of hours of video each
day that are manually reviewed and assessed in a painstaking and time consuming process. This
inspection process is typically slow, expensive, and inconsistent—not to mention subject to
human error.”
Matt Rosenthal and Bill Gilmartin have separately been working in the industry for more than 10
years and have a unique combination of technical capability and real-world operational
experience. They have prior experience and seeing the problems for 10+ years and that is what
led to this AI that is solving real industry problems.
SewerAI’s groundbreaking AI, cloud-based software AutoCode™ significantly enhances and
accelerates this sewer infrastructure inspections.
“With our technology, sewer inspection crews in the field can now change their workflow to
survey significantly more feet of pipe per day,” continued Mr. Rosenthal. “ Machine learning
training dataset consists of millions of feet of labeled video inspection data, all reviewed and
validated by our expert labelers. This training dataset grows every day, allowing SewerAI
AutoCode to gain intelligence with every foot of inspection processed through the SewerAI IMP.
As the data comes in, our clients save money, accelerate their work flows, and receive more
accurate asset information than ever before.”
This technological breakthrough is setting the stage for the wastewater industry to enter the 4th
technological revolution; creating an entirely new category of business in the process.
Mr. Rosenthal added, “The cost savings to utility companies and their customers that can be
achieved with our technology, coupled with the environmental and public health benefits
resulting from a modernized sewer infrastructure, are tremendously beneficial to our society.”
With over 860 billion gallons of raw sewage leaking into lakes, wetlands, rivers and oceans, the
dire environmental impact of a deteriorating sewer infrastructure makes the need for accurate,
fast, and cost-effective inspections all the more urgent.
Coupled with the SewerAI Inspection Management Platform® (IMP)—a web-based tool that
stores the inspection data and enables users to stream inspection videos, view reports, and access
data analytics and predictive models for risk assessment—AutoCode™ empowers asset owners
to move from expensive reactive maintenance activities to more cost-effective proactive asset
management strategies.
SewerAI’s mission is to challenge the status quo of infrastructure management by delivering
advanced technology that helps engineers plan repair projects, automate routine maintenance
schedules, and manage environmental compliance with unparalleled efficiency and accuracy. For
more information, visit http://www.sewerai.com/
FORT MILL, S.C. – Sunbelt Rentals, North America’s premier equipment rental company, announced it is participating in the American Rental Association’s (ARA) Clean. Safe. Essential. program. The program is aimed at raising awareness of the rental industry’s commitment to safety best practices related to COVID-19.
