Gabe’s
Gabe's launched a new website, which reflects the company’s hyper focus on the future and the team members that will deliver the essential utilities society depends on.
The site honors Gabe's 83-year legacy and sets the tone for a future centered on the following:
Why: Connecting people to the utilities that enhance the quality of life.
How: Core values and collaborative delivery.
What: Horizontal directional drilling, high-voltage conduit infrastructure and fiber-optic cable services.
PPI
The Plastics Pipe Institute Inc. (PPI) announced the 2024 Projects of the Year.
“We had many innovative, first-of-their-kind projects nominated this year,” stated PPI President, David M. Fink. “And the common thread is that they all had an environmental benefit. Our congratulations to all the winners, plus the environment and our infrastructure which will greatly benefit from each of these projects.”
PPI Drainage Division Project of the Year
Howard Frankland Bridge, Tampa, FL
Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. (ADS), Hilliard, OH
The new Howard Frankland Bridge in Tampa is the largest in Florida, with more than 2.6 million square feet of bridge deck area and costing $875 million.
Use of polypropylene pipe provided the project with a drainage system that would prevent erosion of the low-lying areas leading up to the Causeways. The strength and stiffness of the pipe also provided the required premium joint performance. Slotted high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipe was used to handle runoff and mitigate hydroplaning.
Both types of pipes needed to be resilient to saltwater and not corrode in this aggressive environment. Nearly 10,000 feet of ADS HP Storm polypropylene pipe plus more than 7,000 feet of 12-inch diameter ADS HDPE slotted surface trench drain were used, winning the Project of the Year Award for Advanced Drainage Systems from the PPI Drainage Division.
PPI Energy Piping Systems Division Project of the Year
Upgrading Canadian Oil Producer Pipeline
FlexSteel USA, LLC
A major Canadian oil producer had to rehabilitate an old NPS 14 carbon steel pipeline constructed in the 1980s that supplied freshwater from two wells to a bitumen recovery facility.
Several buildings and other pipelines, however, were in the way. Plus, sections of the old line were under up to 25 feet of soil, and the terrain along the right-of-way included muskeg.
The swampy bog along with the burial depth plus the need for expediency led to pulling 4,000 feet of FlexSteel spoolable 10-inch 1500 psi pipe through the old, buried pipeline. This pipe-in-pipe installation minimized both the amount of excavation and disruption above ground.
The new pipe was pulled through the old in just five days, and the entire 4,000-foot line was restored to production a short time later. FlexSteel received the Project of the Year Award for the Energy Piping Systems Division of PPI.
PPI Municipal & Industrial Division Project of the Year
Boat Harbor, James River Crossing, Treatment Plant, Newport News, VA
High Country Fusion, Fairfield, ID; Performance Pipe, Plano, TX; AGRU America, Georgetown, SC
HDPE Users: Garney Construction, Kansas City, MO; Dewberry Engineering, Fairfax, VA
This project involved running more than a mile of new 42-inch diameter pipe in less than 24 hours for a new force main 100 feet under the James River along with nearly 20,000 feet of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipe. Association-member companies Performance Pipe and AGRU provided the pipe in diameters ranging from 42 to 54 inches for the new pipeline that takes raw wastewater underneath the James River to the Nansemond Treatment Plant in Suffolk, Va., that processes an average of 30 million gallons of wastewater a day.
The HDPE pipe was selected because it is flexible, resilient, can be installed using horizontal directional drilling (HDD), would not be affected by corrosive salt water and would be leak-free, protecting the environment.
PPI Power & Communications Division Project of the Year
Pennsylvania Turnpike Micro-Trenching Project
Dura-Line, Knoxville, TN
More than 500 miles of Dura-Line micro duct was used to build the Pennsylvania Turnpike’s automated collection system that also connects highway condition monitoring units and other devices supporting traffic management. Additionally, the system features other conduit pathways for additional fiber cable installations for the turnpike, and to provide extending broadband reach to underserved communities. Dura-Line received the Power & Communications Division’s Project of the Year award for the use of its FuturePath, 8-way 16/12 mm micro duct. The Plastics Pipe Institute, Inc. (PPI) is the major North American trade association representing the plastic pipe industry and is dedicated to promoting plastic as the materials of choice for pipe and conduit applications. PPI is the premier technical, engineering and industry knowledge resource publishing data for use in the development and design of plastic pipe and conduit systems. Additionally, PPI collaborates with industry organizations that set standards for manufacturing practices and installation methods.
CRC Evans
CRC Evans, a leader in welding, welding technology and coating services, won a major contract renewal to provide project management and pipeline welding services for a transformational water pipeline project in Morocco.
State-owned OCP Group is constructing a 219-km water pipeline to transport desalinated water from its facilities in Jorf Lasfar on the Atlantic coast to its operations in Khouribga, as part of an initiative to combat water shortages in Morocco.
The win is the second on the project for UK-headquartered CRC Evans and was awarded following successful completion of work on the first phase of the project in 2024, when it worked with local contractors to complete 4,000 welds on a 72km stretch of 52-inch diameter pipe.
In the new phase, the company will project manage welding on 150km of steel water pipeline. Consisting of 56-inch and 40-inch diameter pipes, with around 12,000 welds, the full spread of CRC Evans equipment will include its internal welding machine and P-625 dual torch external welding equipment. The company will also provide manual tie-in welding solutions, along with specialist welding technicians, for the project.
Komatsu
In alignment with Komatsu’s mining strategy of delivering high customer satisfaction and supporting business growth through successful partnerships, the company has transitioned ownership of six independent Core Machinery dealerships to Komatsu-owned dealers in the Southwestern United States.
Three former Core Machinery locations in California (Bakersfield, Mojave and Perris), as well as three in Arizona (Prescott, Phoenix and Tucson), are now Komatsu-owned dealers providing Komatsu mining equipment, parts and services.
Komatsu’s existing mining facility in Mesa, Ariz., has long supported strategic mining customers, and this acquisition strengthens the company’s ability to serve additional businesses across the Southwestern United States. Many of these customers have been integral to the mining industry for years. This expansion will allow Komatsu to continue serving these valued customers while significantly growing the company’s business in this region.
Volvo
In an asset purchase, TranSource acquired the territory, inventory and locations in North Dakota and 19 counties in northwestern Minnesota previously covered by Volvo CE dealer Ascendum Machinery, Inc.Based in Sioux Falls, S.D., TranSource has been in business for over 60 years and currently operates out of three locations. In its new territory, TranSource will offer articulated haulers, excavators, wheel loaders, compact equipment, rigid haulers and a variety of services.
In other news, Volvo Construction Equipment is making a significant investment to expand production worldwide. For crawler excavators, three main sites will see approximately $261 million invested to expand crawler excavator production to meet growing customer demands, mitigate supply chain risks and reduce reliance on long-distance logistics. These sites include Shippensburg, Penn., USA; Changwon, South Korea; and a location in Sweden.In Shippensburg, Volvo CE will not only add crawler excavator production but also expand wheel loader production to include large wheel loaders. Currently, soil and asphalt compactors and mid-size wheel loaders are manufactured at the Shippensburg factory.
Updates will be made to the existing space within the factory to install assembly lines, integrate more automation technologies into the manufacturing process and train employees, with the goal to be production-ready in the first half of 2026.In a rapidly evolving market, strategically enhancing production capacity and flexibility will allow the OEM to meet current and future customer demands more effectively, according to Melker Jernberg, Head of Volvo CE.
The increase in production capacity means that over 50 percent of Volvo North American machine supply can be built in Shippensburg, resulting in shorter lead times while also creating opportunities for supplier growth.
FAYAT Group
FAYAT Group acquired a 100-percent stake in the Mecalac Group, which offers a wide range of compact and innovative construction equipment for urban worksites: excavators, loaders, dumpers and backhoe loaders, with production units in France, Germany, the UK and Türkiye.
The Mecalac Group joined Fayat Road Equipment Division, a world leader in road-building equipment, and will strengthen this Division's offerings, particularly for urban projects, by providing innovative and sustainable solutions worldwide. The Division now has 29 production sites in Europe, Asia and the Americas.
FAYAT Group, a family business with many years of experience in the civil works construction equipment sector. can offer the Mecalac Group the support it needs to remain a stable and reliable partner for its clients worldwide now and in the long term.
Within the Group, Mecalac will retain its autonomy, like the Division's other brands, offering its clients high-end technological solutions marketed under the Mecalac brand. Mecalac will collaborate with other FAYAT Group entities to develop technologies of the future and its distribution network, so that we can keep offering our clients the best solutions and enable them to meet tomorrow’s challenges.
EHC
EHC Inc., a trailblazer in the construction industry renowned for its comprehensive pre-construction, earthwork and infrastructure services, has transitioned to an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), marking a significant milestone in the company’s journey.
Since Jeff Hunt founded EHC in 1990, the company’s growth has been driven by a commitment to rewarding dedication and leadership. Greg Hunt joined in the early 1990s and became a co-owner, followed by Shane Graves in 1998 and Tony Hamilton in 2005, both of whom gained ownership in 2014.
This tradition of expanding ownership now reaches its fullest expression. Through the ESOP, every EHC employee has the opportunity to become an owner. This transition honors the site construction company’s history of sharing success with those who help build it and extends that opportunity to the entire team.
The ESOP also enabled Jeff and Greg to retire from daily operations, while ensuring continuity, and experienced leadership became President (Hamilton) and vice president of Operations (Graves). Importantly, all four continue to serve on EHC’s Board of Directors, providing invaluable guidance as the company moves forward. UI