Expanding Capabilities in the International Rehabilitation Market

From its earliest days, E R Technical Services has prided itself that it could offer not just materials and equipment to the growing pipeline renovation market, but a level of understanding of the techniques involved that enabled its design team to provide intelligent, cost-effective solutions to almost any pipeline problem.

It has often been said that trenchless technology is a family of internationally applicable technologies that more often than not operate on a local level, given the variations in conditions, soils, pipe types, operational techniques and legislation that have to be adhered to in any one country or region.

It was with this in mind that, the ER Technical Services team, which has a combined knowledge and experience of more than 50 years in trenchless technology, has made it an aim to establish excellent industry contacts both domestically and internationally through both specialist equipment suppliers and contractors on the ground. This was in part to ensure that a broad customer base could be established and maintained to ensure good prospects for future business but also to enable a depth of knowledge and understanding to be built up based on the wider experiences of the worldwide trenchless community. This approach has now positioned the company at the forefront of today’s pipeline renovation industry.

It is off the back of this experience and with significant industry feedback that ER Technical Services managing director Graham Evans saw something of a shortfall in the marketplace for an organization that could bring together under one roof the huge range of technical, equipment and materials expertise that now exists across the world.

This led to the launch of CIPP-Global, which is a sister company and website to ER Technical that is designed to bring together this global market knowledge in conjunction with a number of specially selected partner companies.

The intention is to offer a range of independent services including:
• International Training facilities.
• An International Consultancy service.
• International Equipment Hire.
• A Global Skills Network with contacts worldwide from Australia to India and Europe to the United States.

This will not only enable those familiar with trenchless techniques to access information and expertise through a single point of access but will also assist contractors and potential new users in new areas of operation. By combining this level of expertise with the various companies existing with a range of equipment and materials, it will give customers increased flexibility, not just on the selection a renovation materials but with the aim to provide a services that establishes what is the best available solution to the problem in hand. The promise given by the new company is that if it does not have the answer itself it will find it.

While it is easy to say that this level of service is an offer, it has not been an easy task to pull together the partnerships that are necessary to achieve such an outcome. Evans said of the new service: “This has been a target that ER Technical Services has been chasing for some time now. It has only been through extensive travel and negotiation with several independent operations in the world of materials, consultancy, contracting and equipment supply that we are now been able to bring together all the aspects necessary to complete a full analysis of any pipeline problem and come up with the correct solution. Whereas many contractors will be able to offer ‘a’ solution, it is generally based on the availability of materials and equipment they have to hand and are used to using. The idea behind CIPP-Global is to be able to bring together the components for the best solution to the problem, whatever that might be. This is only something that can be achieved by combining the knowledge and skills of various industry players in the best way possible for the job in hand.”

It is no surprise then that the new operation does not only focus on the actual renovation process aspect of a pipe problem but the pre-contract investigation of the problem, the design of the correct solution and then the application of that solution to the highest degree of expertise available.

This can include anything from the correct pipe cleaning process to the CCTV inspection, leak detection preliminary works through the renovation materials design and installation to the final reopening and ultimately sealing of lateral connection where necessary.

Part of the reasoning behind this approach to solving pipeline problems has been that ER Technical Services has always prepared to embrace innovative solutions to assist contractors. For example, the latest being introduction to the company has been that of a new leak detection vehicle, which has the capacity to identify, locate and record individual leaks on a pipeline.

The independent mobile unit is operated by fully certificated, trained staff that come to site in a self-contained unit. A visual display identifies problem areas and a site print out is available. The on-board CCTV unit can be used to investigate the areas identified as problematic.

This unconventional approach can also be seen in other areas. For example, when the company growth required additional office services, ER Technical acquired an office services and stationary outlet to provide increased resources whilst also being able to offer specialist office services to other companies on a contract basis.

One aspect that has been highly important with the development of the new CIPP Global brand has been the capacity to maintain a high level of control of both the design and manufacture of the various bespoke solutions and equipment that arise from the design process being adopted. To deliver this level of control a new manufacturing facility has recently been set up in Central Europe. Owned and managed directly by ER Technical Services, this facility will give better control and flexibility for the manufacture of specialist equipment as and when required. Many new developments are currently under way at the new site there.

The range of solutions available in terms of both equipment and materials continues to grow, but according to Evans: “ER Technical Services, working in association with its CIPP-Global partners, is clearly far more than the usual ‘one-stop shop.’ From answering a few simple questions to assistance in planning and development of method statements right through to project management and site assistance, the new organization can offer much more than any one company might on its own. Furthermore, given the global connections we now have established, it is now possible to bring to bear some of the best site expertise available no matter what the prevailing conditions and circumstances might throw at us. Somewhere in the organization, someone will have experience of a similar situation from somewhere in the world.”

This article was provided by ER Technical Services (North West) Ltd.