2013 No-Dig Show Pure Gold in Sacramento
The NASTT No-Dig Show, the annual conference and exhibition of the North American Society for Trenchless Technology (NASTT), traveled to Sacramento and brought with it more than 1,600 attendees who successfully mixed business, education and the warmth of the West Coast.
For the first time since 2007, the No-Dig Show returned to California, with trenchless professionals converging in Sacramento March 3-7 for the 22nd annual No-Dig Conference and Exhibition. The all-trenchless event took place at the Sacramento Convention Center and its end-result was true to the Show’s theme of “The Great Trenchless Gold Rush.”
The Show is a great tribute to the trenchless industry’s past and future as icons of its history and torchbearers for its future are honored. NASTT inducted its second Hall of Fame class: the late Eric Wood, founder of Insituform and the CIPP process; Ed Malzahn, founder of the Ditch Witch brand; and trenchless engineer Dr. David Bennett, founder of Bennett Trenchless. Founding NASTT member and chairman Richard Thomasson received NASTT’s Chairman’s Award for Outstanding Lifetime Service; and John Matthews, a principal research scientist at Battelle Memorial Institute, and Ashley Rammeloo, a City of London, Ontario, Canada, sewer operations engineer, received the NASTT Trent Ralston Award for Young Trenchless Achievement. The 2013 Trenchless Technology Person of the Year was presented to LMK Technologies president Larry Kiest Jr. and all the winners for the 2012 Trenchless Technology Projects of the year were recognized.
There are two main attractions that draw people to the No-Dig Show. One is the technical paper sessions that provide detailed, peer-reviewed papers covering a broad range of topics relevant to the industry. There were 155 papers presented covering the gamut of trenchless methods and issues. The other main component of the No-Dig Show is the exhibition hall, in which attendees can see first-hand the latest products that are keeping the industry at the forefront of the utility construction and repair industry. About 150 exhibiting companies occupied the 84,000-sq ft exhibit hall.
Vermeer served as sponsor for the Caribbean Vacation raffle, held during the Closing Luncheon. The 2014 No-Dig Show will be held at the Gaylord Palms, April 13-17 in Orlando, Fla. Deadline to submit an abstract for the technical program is June 30, 2013. For more details, visit www.nodigshow.com.
Sharon M. Bueno is managing editor of Trenchless Technology.
NASTT Hall of Fame Inducts Stellar Second Class
One of the premier presentations at the Gala Dinner was the induction of NASTT’s second Hall of Fame class. Honored at the dinner were: the late Eric Wood, founder of Insituform and inventor of the cured-in-place pipe (CIPP) process; Edward Malzahn, founder of the Ditch Witch brand; and trenchless engineer Dr. David Bennett, founder of Bennett Trenchless.
Eric Wood was the inventor of the cured-in-place (CIPP) process and co-founder of the company Insituform, which revolutionized pipeline repair. Wood developed his unique process in 1971, bringing it to North America from the United Kingdom. The technology has developed into the preeminent method for municipalities and cities to rehabilitate their aging and deteriorating pipelines. Wood was tragically killed in a plane crash in January 1994 at the age of 59 — just as the age of the CIPP process was opening to competitive market.
Edward Malzahn founded the Ditch Witch brand, creating his company in 1949. Considered one of the trenchless industry’s pioneers, Malzahn was at the forefront of the horizontal directional drilling industry, developing drilling rigs and equipment that pushed the fledgling HDD industry forward through his vision and innovation. Malzahn still serves as company president and chairman of the board.
Dr. David Bennett is one the industry’s first true trenchless engineers, actively involved in trenchless technology since the late 1980s. He is currently the owner and president of Bennett Trenchless Engineers and has been a staunch and aggressive advocate of the industry, promoting it through training, academics and research. He has authored over 50 technical papers on aspects of trenchless technology tunneling and geotechnical engineering. He is the co-author of the HDD Good Practices Guidelines and the Pipe Bursting Good Practices Guidelines and continues to teach both courses for NASTT.
NASTT Auction Raises Money for Educational Fund
The 12th annual Educational Fund Auction and Reception was held on March 4 — a popular networking event for attendees after a day of technical sessions and walking the exhibit hall. The auction raises financial support for NASTT’s 11 student chapters while attendees have a great time bidding on amazing items. Since 2002, the auction has raised more than $600,000.
Keith L. McLane, BAS, one of the country’s preeminent fundraising auctioneers and special appeal/fund-a-need experts served as the official auctioneer for the popular No-Dig event. Since 1995, he has specialized in organizing and conducting charity and fundraising auctions for schools, charitable organizations and nonprofit groups across the nation. A silent auction was also held and bidders could post bids for items on eBay. During the auctions, a wide range of items were donated and bid on from jewelry and electronics to sporting event tickets and trenchless tools and equipment.
Once again, the popular Mortimer the Sewer Rat was up for bid and he will spend the next year traveling with Akkerman.
NASTT also held a “Best Costume” contest at the auction, inviting everyone to revisit the 1960s and the era of Peace, Love and Charity. Lots of tie-dye shirts, peace signs, long hair and beads roamed the auction reception. Best costume went to Jennifer Glynn, P.E., RMC Water and Environment.
Legends of HDD Scores Big
HDD continues to grow in popularity and acceptance and is especially a force to be reckoned with in shale boom. A truly one-of-a-kind opportunity was given to No-Dig attendees to hear from the HDD pioneers and icons on the early days of a fledgling industry that struggled for acceptance.
The Legends of HDD — From an Idea to an Industry drew a strong audience March 5 to the nearly two-hour session. The panel was comprised of: Martin Cherrington, Cherrington Corp. and considered “the Father of HDD;” Lon Brisco, Direct Horizontal; Ron Halderman, Mears Group; Richard Melsheimer, Melfred Borzall; Bill Riel, Barbco Inc.; and Tom Tibor, Baroid Industrial Drilling Products.
Cherrington kicked off the program with a fascinating and informative presentation that highlighted the early days of HDD’s evolution. The panel then participated in a lively Q&A from the audience, who asked a wide range of questions about their reflections of the early days and perspective about the industry’s evolution.
HammerHead and Electro Scan Receive Joseph L. Abbott Jr. Innovative Product Awards
NASTT annually recognizes two companies with state-of-the-art products in either new installation or rehabilitation for their achievements in advancing the trenchless industry — called the Joseph L. Abbott Jr. Innovative Product Awards. At the 2012 No-Dig Show, HammerHead Trenchless Equipment and Electro Scan are the recipients of this honor.
The award is given in memory of the late Joseph L. Abbott Jr. was an active member of the society since its inception in 1990. Recognized as one of NASTT’s seven charter members, he also served on its Board of Directors from 2003 to 2007. Following his years of service, he continued to be involved at a high level. Joe was an exhibitor and supporter of all the NASTT No-Dig Shows and he will be missed by the entire NASTT family.
Electro Scan and HammerHead were formally recognized at the Gala Dinner.
HammerHead received the New Installation Award for its 34-in. pneumatic pipe ramming hammer, considered to be the world’s largest. HammerHead Trenchless Equipment unveiled its pipe ramming hammer in January 2013. This 34-in. hammer can install casing 48-in. to 180-in. in diameter in drainage culvert and washover applications. It can be used for pipe assist or pipe extraction, guided pilot bore ramming and horizontal directional drilling assist. Electro Scan received the Rehabilitation Award for its Electro Scan ES-620 for Sewer Mains technology. Using patent pending technology that measures the variation of electrical current inside pipes, electro scanning is now available to independently test and certify newly relined and rehabilitated sewer mains and laterals as leak free. While CCTV inspection is often conducted when a pipe is dry, Electro Scan assesses a pipe’s performance under wet conditions. Electro Scan is designed to more accurately find defects in newly relined pipes.
2014 No-Dig Heads to Orlando
Florida will be home to the 2014 No-Dig Show. The 2013 No-Dig Show may have just ended, but plans are already under way for the 2014 No-Dig Show in Orlando, Fla. The event — with the theme “The Magic of Trenchless” — will take place April 13-17 at the Gaylord Palms.
2014 No-Dig Program Committee Chair Kevin Nagle is excited and up to the challenge of bringing the No-Dig Show to Florida. “I’m sure we have a little magic up our sleeve for Orlando. Just this week, we hit the road running, planning for next year’s show,” Nagle says. “We are working to get the technical sessions organized and get the word out about submitting technical abstracts for the 2014 show. The backbone of the No-Dig show is in the quality technical sessions that are presented each and every year, and next year will be no exception.”
So what makes Orlando the perfect spot to celebrate the trenchless industry? “The sunshine, the theme parks and the Gaylord Palms,” says Nagle. “The Gaylord Palms hotel is truly topnotch and has so much to offer, including an indoor waterpark. Orlando is a great place to bring your family for an extended getaway before or after the show.”
As always, there will be technical sessions presenting the highest quality of professional papers in the industry. Attendees will be able to earn Continuing Education Units (CEUs) and Professional Development Hours (PDHs) for their participation in these technical sessions. Deadline for abstracts to be considered is June 30, 2013.
The Kick-Off Breakfast, Educational Fund Auction, Gala and Closing Luncheon will still be iconic parts of the 2014 No-Dig Show. Always looking to improve upon the past, Staheli says she is interested in attendee feedback to make the No-Dig show and its components an even better conference experience.
All additional information will be available at www.nodigshow.com as it is finalized.
2014 Call for Papers!
The 2013 technical program was top-notch but the page has turned to the 2014 program. If you are interested in submitting an abstract for the 2014 No-Dig Show, the deadline is fast approaching.
NASTT is now accepting abstracts for its 2014 No-Dig Show in Orlando, Fla., at the Gaylord Palms April 13-17. Deadline for abstract submittal is June 30, 2013.
Prospective authors are invited to submit a 250-word abstract outlining the scope of their paper and the principal points of benefit to the trenchless industry. The abstracts must be submitted electronically via the No-Dig Show website at: www.nodigshow.com. NASTT’s 2014 No-Dig Show Program Committee will review the abstracts and notify the primary authors of acceptance in August. To ensure meaningful and commercial-free technical content, all papers will be peer-reviewed. Final papers will be published in the conference proceedings.
Abstracts from the following subject areas are of interest to the No-Dig Show Program Committee:
HDD
• Pipeline Inspection and Locating
• Condition Assessment
• Subsurface Utility Engineering
• I&I and Leak Detection
Cutting-Edge Advances in Pipeline and Manhole Rehabilitation
• Cured-in-Place Pipe Lining
• Sliplining
• Pipe Bursting
• Laterals Rehabilitation
• Grouting
• Lining Materials and Application Methods
New Installations
• New Concepts for Trenchless Equipment, Materials and Methods
• Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD)
• Microtunneling
• New Applications for Boring Techniques (Auger Boring and Pipe Ramming)
• Pilot Tube Boring (Tunneling)
Trenchless Research and Development
• University and Industry Initiatives
• Education and Training
Environmental Incentives, Challenges and Sustainability
• Carbon Reduction
• Sustainable Construction Practices
Municipal Issues
• Selection Criteria for Contractors
• Development of Submittal Requirements
• Measuring Quality Assurance/Quality Control
• Project Budgeting and Prioritization
• Selection Criteria for Materials
• Funding for “Green” Technologies
• Lessons Learned
Industry Issues
• Social Costs and Impacts
• Industry Trends, Issues and Concerns
If you have questions, please contact NASTT communications and training manager Michelle Hill at mhill@nastt.org or ph: 440-638-4676.
