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Petrology On-Line with the world's first 40t all-terrain Grundowinch

As a leading Trenchless Technology equipment specialist manufacturer and supply partner to many major UK Contracting, Civil and Utility organisations, TT-UK were the ideal choice when Petrology needed a very special winch unit for their unique subsea Swagelining operations carried out world wide.

The track-mounted 40t Grundowinch crawler version

Having previously utilised TT-UK’s reliable 10T and 20T Grundowinch units, normally rented-through external hire-outlets, Petrology decided it was time to invest and have their own specialist winch inter-company.

Petrology holds the sole licence for Swagelining subsea pipelines and has also taken possession of the IP Rights to the WeldLink connector. Petrology are an expert lining contractor who specify, procure and test the polymer prior to welding the material together on site, Swagelining, then terminating the liner of up to 1 Kilometre in length inside the host pipeline.

With projects overseas and at home, (one of which was recently in the highlands of Scotland, where the butt-fusion of PE pipes directly onto rail bogies as a parallel activity to eliminate double handling and risk of damage during movement), the Grundowinch was seen as the preferred choice to complement and enhance their Swagelining process.

Following discussions on build design specification, TT-UK were awarded an order to build and supply a 40t (track-mounted crawler version) Grundowinch incorporating a technical specification to facilitate Petrology’s unique sub sea Swagelining operations.

With final build, pre-delivery inspection and pull-tests completed, Petrology took official hand over in Wick, Scotland in October 2008, where it successfully completed its first winching operations.

TT-UK were in attendance to oversee and ensure its correct site operation, undertaking site training and fully supporting Petrology’s investment for the future.

Roger Atherton, Business Development Manager for TT-UK would like to thank Petrology for their support, continued trust and confidence in the TT range of equipment.

NATIONAL GRID INVESTS IN SPECIALIST VEHICLES

TT-UK customer National Grid has placed an order for 10 suction excavator vehicles with Hitachi Capital Commercial Vehicle Services. The specialist vehicles will enable the utility provider to carry out their national gas pipe replacement programme with minimum disruption to local communities while maintaining excellent health and safety standards.

The TT-UK/RSP ESE Suction Excavator mounted on the Mercedes Actros 2644 chassis

The National Grid project aims to replace 91,000km of existing cast iron, ductile and steel gas mains in England within 30 metres of properties in order to maintain a safe and reliable gas distribution network.

Hitachi Capital Commercial Vehicle Services worked closely with TT-UK and their German design and manufacturing supply partner RSP, to develop the bespoke suction excavators. Built onto a Mercedes Actros 2644 chassis fitted with two PTOs (power take offs), the vehicle engine drives the powerful fan units that generate an airflow of 18,000 cfm, which in turn creates a negative pressure that sucks up the ground from around the gas pipes. The spoil is then deposited cleanly and efficiently into an integral tipping container on the back of the vehicle.

“Safety is the top priority of any National Grid project,” explains Rowan Sharples, Director of UK Construction, National Grid: “The specialist suction excavator enables our workforce to access underground pipelines with speed and accuracy, without disturbing existing networks. This significantly reduces the risk to employees from damage to underground power cables - a potential hazard of traditional open cut methods.”

The remote controlled safety suction hose being demonstrated

Richard Dyke, Key Accounts Manager, Hitachi Capital Commercial Vehicle Services explains: “We’ve worked for two years with TT-UK/RSP to develop a bespoke vehicle solution that meets the specific requirements of National Grid for this project. Now we’ve started to deliver the vehicles, we’ll ensure they are maintained and inspected regularly to be fully compliant with operating standards. All National Grid will need to do is put a driver in the vehicle, fuel and insure it – we’ll take care of the rest.”

Hitachi Capital Commercial Vehicle Services will supply National Grid with the biggest order for suction excavators in the UK to date – 10 units on a four year contract hire deal, with an option to extend by a further four years. These specialist vehicles add to the already extensive range funded by Hitachi Capital, which includes cars; small, medium and large vans; and HGVs with bespoke ancillary equipment such as cranes and tail lifts.

TT-UK’s Nigel Gardener, Customer Services Director, and Dan Toms, Sales Manager, handing over at the North London Gas Alliance Depot in Slough

NO-DIG LIVE 2008

TT-UK stand pulled in visitors at NO-DIG Live 2008

Following the success of the NO-DIG event held in 2006 at the Royal Showground in Warwickshire UK, the exhibition organisers Westrade Fair decided that due to ease of vehicular access, good on site parking and its central geographical location, to again hold the 9th bi-annual Trenchless Technology Exhibition (NO-DIG) at this prestigious showground.

NO-DIG LIVE attracts visitors from all the UK Utility Companies; Water, Gas and Electricity. Attendance was up on the previous 2006 event with increased interest by worldwide visitors from as far a field as Oman, Russia and the USA. This increase reflects the ever growing importance of laying pipe and cables using Trenchless Equipment with no disruption to the general public and environment.

Over the three days the TT-UK stand attracted hundreds of visitors and levels of interest were as high as ever. Live demonstrations took place of Grundomat and the all new Grundoburst CP (Constant Pull) as well as static displays of the entire range of TT products. The special characteristics of the Grundoburst 1250CP are it’s two thrust rigs making continuous bursting possible. As there is no return stroke the new pipe is pulled in at an even speed.

The highlight of the demonstrations was the cutting and displacement of 32” (800mm) diameter thick-walled steel pipes, a perfect solution for the trenchless on-line replacement of existing corroded and leaking sewage, water, gas and oil pipelines.

Customers were encouraged to have a ‘hands-on’ approach and take part in the demonstrations and many existing Grundomat operators were keen to show their operational skills with the Grundomat target practice!

Many attendees visited the TT-UK stand to view the Grundodrills on display and discuss their specialist application requirements, some of which focused on geothermal drilling and the latest overwash on-line cable replacement systems. The Grundodrill 15N is precision engineered with a rigid construction which easily handles an impressive 7000Nm of torque and 167 Kn of thrust and pullback. While the new Grundodrill 4X mini HDD rig is small, compact and very versatile for working in confined space drilling.

In addition to the trenchless pipe installation and replacement systems, TT’s new Geodrill 4R geothermal radial drilling system was of great interest to the visitors. The innovative GRD technology enables the installation of borehole heat exchangers in confined spaced properties and new property developments at significantly reduced bore costs. Thus the Geodrill 4R perfectly meets the growing demand for the cost-effective development of renewable energy sources in times of ever increasing energy costs.

Following up on the many enquiries received from the exhibition, product sales have already resulted to both new and existing satisfied TT-UK customers.

TT UK looks forward to the next planned event in 2010.

Stockton Drilling strengthen their HDD activities

Following the success of the NO-DIG event held in 2006 at the Royal Showground in Warwickshire UK, the exhibition organisers

TT-UK and their HDD sales specialist partner Prime Drilling in Germany, reached an agreed sale and supply of a PD 250/90 HDD drill rig with Specialist Pipeline and HDD contractor Stockton Drilling in the UK. Operating nationally and world-wide; Stockton Drilling have the largest privately owned maxi-rig fleet of directional drilling equipment in the UK.

This ‘new’ acquisition will further strengthen their HDD activities where currently Stockton are installing 900mm steel gas pipelines approaching drill lengths of 2000m in London Clays working for AMEC on behalf of National Grid at their Isle Of Grain site facility.

Stockton Drilling (www.stocktondrilling.com) has always been at the forefront of HDD and pipeline installation and with over 25 years experience are a pioneer of Horizontal Directional Drilling installing pipes of varying diameters in a wide variety of challenging situations.

The sale of this latest HDD equipment was managed by Prime Drilling’s representative and sales partner TT-UK Ltd, (www.tt-uk.com) well established and better known for their wide range of popular industry preferred Trenchless Technology equipment supplying the Utility and Contracting Industries.

Roger Atherton, Sales and Business Development Manager for TT-UK (photographed on the left)) congratulated Desmond O’Sullivan, Drilling Manager of Stockton Drilling on their new acquisition wishing them continued success and assuring them of continued service and support in all their future drilling operations.

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UMS - First Suction Excavator in Scotland

In January 2008, Underground Moling Services Ltd, part of the Turriff Group of Companies, became the first company in Scotland to take delivery of a TT-UK/RSP Suction Excavator high speed single fanned machine. This is the first of two ordered by Underground Moling Services Ltd the second being a twinned fan version which is due to arrive at the start of May.

Suction Excavators are machines designed to excavate a hole in the ground, but to do so in such a way as to prevent damaging anything buried in the ground like utilities. It manages this by utilising either high-pressure air or water, (water used in more difficult soil conditions) to penetrate expand and break up soil. As the ground is loosened, it is removed by suction and stored in a holding tank/ hopper. This material can either be used as backfill, if suitable or be transported away from site for disposal.

The decision was made to purchase these Suction Excavators following a visit to the manufacturer’s premises in Germany, which during the trip included on-site demonstrations of the machines capabilities. Underground Moling Services Ltd felt that the Suction Excavator had four main benefits, these being Safety, Environmental, People and Customers. Breaking these main benefits down it was easy to see that investment in the Suction Excavators would increase the Company’s ability to deliver an additional aspect to their already diversionary and complementary skills capability.

Safety

Reduced risk of injury to digging teams due to reductions in Manual Handling injuries
Hand Arm Vibration becomes almost non existent during operation
Avoidance of underground service damage
Reduced plant and equipment on site
Elimination of excavated material within work area
Environmental

Smaller excavation size
Reduced tipping charges
Reinstatement costs reduced through no over excavating
Noise levels far below those of traditional site excavating equipment
Reduction to waste tipping charges
Less air borne pollutants
People

Increased productivity due to reduced time undertaking excavations
Reduction in slips, trips and falls
Excavated material within work area eliminated giving increased work space
Fewer barriers required due to reduced excavation size and spoil removal
Customers

Less localised traffic disruption during works operations
Works completed in a more timely manner
Time spent on site by other plant greatly reduced freeing areas for residents

Following these topics being investigated thoroughly by the Turriff Group, discussions were held with TT-UK, the UK and Ireland distributors for the TT-UK/RSP Suction Excavator machines, which concluded in the order.

David Morrison, the Group Managing Director said, “The suction excavator market has grown as contractors prefer the manoeuvrability and lower running costs of the units. Major benefits of these machines are that they uncover buried utilities in a safe manner, thus reducing accidental strikes on utilities, which interrupt essential services, as well as financial penalties in damages, serious injuries, and in some cases, fatalities”.

Andrew Monaghan, Underground Moling Services Ltd General Manager, continued, “We feel that this first machine will complement our current work activities by way of increased outputs, reducing works programming times along with site efficiency’s in excavations”. Andrew went on to say, “We have worked with TT-UK in the past and decided to purchase this TT-UK/RSP Suction Excavator through them due to their industry experience along with their pre-purchase and after sales service record”.

More information can be found at www.undergroundmolingservices.com or www.tt-uk.co.uk

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TT-UK CELEBRATES 25^TH ANNIVERSARY

Established 1982 – 2007

In an ever changing technological and economic climate, Bedford based TT-UK and it’s hardworking team continue to build on their successes, offering turn-key methods and equipment solutions to Trenchless Technology problems and continued improvements in the method of installing or replacing pipe and cables underground.

An example of TT-UK’s innovation was the development of a continuous PE pipe pushing machine, Slip-Fast, which went on to receive National Grid approval and the prestigious Pipeline Industries Guild Utility Pipeline Technology Award

This year the TT-UK Roadshow Trailer was introduced fully equipped with working or static display products enabling all TT’s latest innovations to be seen and demonstrated first hand in any location.

TT-UK’s employment philosophy has always been to have a youth policy introducing new faces with young enthusiastic ideas to encourage both the experienced and not so experienced to learn from one another and to work together for the future success of the company.

Some members of TT-UK staff have remained with the company in excess of 20 years. It is this proven capable experience which is synonymous with TT-UK’s continued success both here and in many overseas sales outlets.

Modern communications systems have always been key to our success particularly with the increased sales opportunities in the export market. Sales and technical engineers regularly visit far away places like India, Malaysia, South Africa, to name but a few. Overseas activities are supported by a strong distributor network where agents and distributors are encouraged to assist TT-UK to capitalise on the opportunities presented to them by actively promoting our complete range of Trenchless Technology systems.

For example India has achieved many early successes selling the GRUNDODRILL Horizontal Directional Drilling equipment. GRUNDOPILEs sold to South Africa, GRUNDOMATs and GRUNDORAMs to Nigeria and GRUNDOBURST and GRUNDOPIT to Singapore and Ireland. TT-UK wishes to thank all its sales partners for their continued support.

Customer after sales service remains a number one priority at TT-UK and no amount of praise can be given that would truly thank Nigel Gardener, Customer Services Director, Roger Atherton, Business Development Manager and Stephen Buckle, Technical Manager, for their contribution over the last 25 years.

David Toms, Managing Director and a founder of TT-UK and TT Ireland would like to take this opportunity to thank our many hundreds of loyal customers all the staff in Bedford and Navan for their valued support and commitment to the Company. May this success continue for the next 25 years and more.

Photo 1: David Toms receiving the prestigious Pipeline Industries Guild Utility Pipeline Technology Award in 2005 – one of many innovation awards earned by TT-UK .

TT-UK CELEBRATES 25TH ANNIVERSARY

Established 1982 – 2007

Product highlight Pipe Bursting and Impact Moling October 07

Pipe Bursting

Impact Moling

TT-UK CELEBRATES 25^TH ANNIVERSARY