Mark Your Calendars: Planning Under Way for 2016 HDD Academy

Arizona State University, Benjamin Media Partner for Two-Day Program

Buoyed by the phenomenal success of the 2015 HDD Academy, Arizona State University’s Del E. Webb School of Construction and Benjamin Media Inc. (BMI) are once again working together to plan the 2016 Horizontal Directional Drilling Academy (HDD Academy).

Horizontal directional drilling (HDD) is rapidly emerging as the primary choice for owners when confronted with river, road and railway crossings or situations requiring minimal disruption to surface activities. The technique provides a less-disruptive method and, oftentimes, a lower-cost opportunity for utility pipeline installations. The goal of the HDD Academy is to establish an annual learning platform for owners, regulators, contractors and engineers focusing on the options and opportunities for future utility pipeline projects.



The 2016 HDD Academy will take place Feb. 11-12, at the Tempe Mission Palms Hotel, located across from the conference hotel, the Marriott Residence Inn Tempe Downtown. Arizona State University will award 1.8 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) upon successful completion of the course. Registration is limited in order to provide quality networking with HDD industry leaders and maintain a low student-instructor ratio.

Last year’s inaugural event sold out and brought together more than 100 HDD experts and contractors to Tempe, all of whom were interested in gaining knowledge about HDD and networking with HDD professionals.

“The success of the 2015 HDD Academy is a testament to the growing strength of the HDD market and thirst for very specific industry education,” says BMI president Robert Krzys. “Drillers want good information from experts in the field. They don’t want a sales pitch. The HDD Academy is exactly what they are looking for.”

HDD Academy program instructors are all industry leaders who will cover numerous topics including HDD contracts and specifications; estimating; designing projects for specific pipe materials; drilling fluids; locating; damage prevention; and case studies covering HDD installations for several pipe materials, Direct Pipe installations and installations for specific utilities.

To date, supporting associations include the Distribution Contractors Association (DCA), Pipeline Contractors Association (PLCA), Pipeline Contractors Association of Canada (PLCAC), International Pipeline and Offshore Contractors Association (IPLOCA) and Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM). Event sponsors to date include Herrenknecht Tunneling Systems, Underground Solutions Inc., Vermeer and Derrick.

Benjamin Media Inc is a multi-faceted business-to-business media company in markets ranging from construction to water infrastructure. It is dedicated to meeting the expectations of its readers, advertisers, vendors and all stakeholders in the markets it serves. BMI has found success identifying and promoting emerging markets through quality publications and innovative exhibitions and conference programs. BMI currently publishes eight trade magazines: Compact Equipment, NASTT’s Trenchless Today, North American Oil and Gas Pipelines, Solar Builder, TBM: Tunnel Business Magazine, Trenchless Technology, UIM: Water Utility Infrastructure Management and Utility Contractor.

The Del E. Webb School of Construction (DEWSC) is housed within the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University and is one of the top Construction programs in the country. Established in 1957, the DEWSC is home to Construction Management and Construction Engineering degree programs. Currently, there are 17 full-time faculty members and over 400 undergraduate and graduate students in the School. This past July, the DEWSC moved into a new $55 Million, 130,000 sq. ft. state-of-the art facility in Tempe, Ariz.

For more information, visit hddacademy.com. For sponsorship opportunities, contact Brittany Maurer at bmaurer@benjaminmedia.com.