Trenchless Technology Road Show Hits Beantown

The Trenchless Technology Road Show made its final stop of 2013 in Boxborough, Mass., just outside of Boston on Nov. 12-13. The event, organized and hosted by Trenchless Technology, was held at the Holiday Inn Boxborough and was a successful show focused heavily on trenchless work in New England.

The conference, sponsored by Ted Berry Company, Inc., IPR, Northeast Trenchless Association, AQUAREHAB and NozzTeq Inc., attracted attendees from across North America but also included a strong regional showing of engineers, contractors and utility owners involved in underground construction in the greater Boston area.

The show provided attendees with several networking and educational opportunities through the exhibit hall, which included more than 20 exhibiting companies and the technical presentation agenda which included more than 20 presentations by industry experts. Topics covered throughout the technical track ranged from inspection technologies, pipe relining, pipe bursting and microtunneling, to managing trenchless projects, trenchless design, utility locating and asset management.

Presentations were well received by attendees as speakers included some prominent names in the trenchless industry. Bernie Krzys, president and publisher of Trenchless Technology, gave the keynote presentation on the morning of Nov. 12, highlighting 20-plus years of the magazine, and how its coverage has mirrored the growth and development of the industry. Also on hand was Irene McSweeney, director of construction for the Boston Water & Sewer Commission (BWSC) and 2003 Trenchless Technology Person of the Year, who gave a presentation on the City of Boston’s long history performing trenchless work. McSweeney’s presentation was especially well liked by attendees and generated a fascinating discussion on trenchless methods and technologies used by BWSC over the years.

On Nov. 12, the afternoon technical session concluded with a panel discussion with consulting engineers, contractors and utility representatives involved in work in the New England area, who gave an overview of their history working in the region and challenges they’ve faced, followed by an open question-and-answer session with attendees. The day closed with a social hour sponsored by IPR.

The outdoor demos were again another highlight of the Road Show, as Ted Berry Co., NozzTeq, Inserta Tee and Geophysical Survey Systems, Inc., each gave attendees a hands-on approach to some of the new technology and techniques being used in the industry.

The next Trenchless Technology Road Show will be held in Niagara Falls, May 28-29, at the Scotiabank Convention Centre and is being co-organized with Centre for the Advancement of Trenchless Technology (CATT). For details on the Road Show as well as pre- and post-conference courses and events, visit www.catttrenchlessroadshow.com.