Trenchless Technology Canada Editor’s Message: The Trenchless Network
Kezdi
The winter/early spring round of conferences are coming to a close and it was a fruitful season of travel for the Trenchless Technology Canada team. We’ve reconnected with contacts and made some new ones along the way all in an effort to bring you the greatest Canadian trenchless industry coverage.
The last stop for us — for the time being — is the 2019 Trenchless Technology Road Show in Vancouver and it will no doubt prove to be another fruitful event. It’s through attendance at these events that we learn about cool projects, innovations and the issues facing the trenchless industry in Canada.
My takeaway from all of these events in the first quarter of 2019, is that the trenchless industry is alive and thriving across not just Canada, but North America as a whole. This is important because there are many Canada-headquartered contractors, engineers and manufacturers that benefit from a booming trenchless industry on both sides of the border. The best part is, there is plenty of room for growth across all sectors both in terms of new installation and rehabilitation.
Later in the year we’ll be back on the road at the UESI Pipelines 2019 Conference July 21-24 in Nashville, Tennessee, USA. Pipelines 2019 is part of the ASCE’s Utility Engineering & Surveying Institute (UESI). I attended my first Pipelines Conference last year in Toronto and was amazed by how big of a role trenchless plays in both the technical session agenda and the exhibit hall floor. The event provides a forum for pipeline engineers and practitioners from all around the world to share their experiences in meeting the challenges of today’s pipeline infrastructure.
I would encourage you attend this conference, not only for the educational aspects and networking, but because Nashville is a great city. More information, and the preliminary agenda, is available at pipelinesconference.org.
While we are on the topic of UESI, Ophir Wainer, senior principal SUE, Canadian business development leader at T2 Utility Engineers, is working to establish UESI chapters across Canada. Thus far, he has helped organize the Ontario-GTA and Alberta-BC chapters.
Continuing on this education and association theme is another key, must-attend, trenchless event that is new for 2019. Benjamin Media (our publisher) and the Canadian NASTT Chapters have joined together to present the 2019 No-Dig North show, taking place in October at the Telus Convention Centre in Calgary. More information is available at nodignorth.ca. One cool aspect of this show will be the awarding of the 2019 Canadian Project of the Year and the BC Chapter, GLSLA Chapter and NW Chapter Projects of the Year.
RELATED: Submit Projects for 2019 No-Dig North Project of the Year Awards
I encourage everyone to attend both of these shows because they are great conduits for information whether it’s networking with your peers, education and technology or the latest trends happening in the industry.
If you’re planning on attending, let me know. I would love to sit down — enjoy a coffee or a pint — and discuss the trenchless industry with you.
Award-Worthy Projects
Trenchless Technology is accepting nominations for its 2019 Projects of the Year competition. Projects of the Year are awarded in two categories — New Installation and Rehabilitation — based on the following criteria: technical advancements; technical complexity; milestones and records; interaction and cooperation; and industry advancement. Projects should be completed between July 1, 2018, and June 30, 2019. Only North American projects are recognized.
Visit trenchlesstechnology.com/project-of-the-year-submission/ to submit your entry. Deadline to apply is July 1.
FYI, the 2018 Project of the Year Rehabilitation Runner Up was the NATS Rehabilitation in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The Robinson Consultants-designed project involved the rehabilitation of the Northwest Arm Trunk Sewer (NATS) for Halifax Water. Completing the 4,000 m rehab were Liquiforce, Insituform, Uni-Jet Industrial Pipe, Empipe and Atlas Dewatering. Read more about that project at trenchlesstechnology.com/northwest-arm-trenchless-cipp-halifax.
Sharing Your Story
One of the highlights of working on Trenchless Technology Canada is talking to the boots on the ground in the trenchless industry, hearing their stories, how they have grown their companies, how they embrace innovation and their concerns about the industry. Whether you are a distributor, contractor, engineer or manufacturer, my door (well in this case email inbox) is always open. Feel free to reach out to me with news and story ideas or other ways in which we can improve the magazine to better suit your needs.
Cheers!
Mike Kezdi, Managing Editor, Trenchless Technology Canada
E: mkezdi@benjaminmedia.com
O: 330-752-1916
Twitter: @MichaelKezdi
