Underground Construction - November 2021 - 14

UNDERGROUND CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY
January 25-27, 2022 | Fort Worth, Texas | UCTonline.com
HDD Reunion Returns to UCT 2022;
Hall of Fame Inductees Announced
In conjunction with the Underground Construction Technology
(UCT) International Conference & Exhibition, the second
Horizontal Directional Drilling HDD) Reunion and the annual
HDD Hall of Fame ceremony will be held on Wednesday, Jan. 26,
at the Fort Worth Convention Center.
Industry Support
To make this special HDD Reunion and Hall of Fame possible, leading
HDD companies are stepping up to sponsor the event and support their
friends and customers.
To date, sponsors include:
Bell Trenchless Consulting
Brownline USA Inc.
Century Products
Derrick Corporation
E&M Supply Group
HardRock Directional Drilling
Indumar ProductsInc.
Inrock Drilling Systems
J.T. Miller LLC
LaValley Industries
Mears Group Inc.
Sharewell
TT Technologies Inc.
Vermeer
Underground Construction / UCT
To become an HDD Reunion Sponsor or exhibit at UCT, contact
Jenna Rutan, jrutan@uctonline.com, (713) 520-4413.
HDD Reunion Schedule at UCT
Tuesday, Jan. 25
* HDD Educational Program, 8:30 a.m. to noon
* HDD Exhibition @ UCT, noon to 4:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Jan. 26
* HDD Educational Program, 8:30 a.m. - noon
° HDD Contractors Roundtable, 9:30-10:30 a.m.
° HDD Hall of Fame Conversations with Frank Canon and John Hair,
11 a.m. to noon
* HDD Exhibition @ UCT, noon to 4:30 p.m.
* HDD Reunion, 4:45-6:30 p.m. including introduction of 2022 HDD
Hall of Fame Honorees Frank Canon and John Hair
Thursday, Jan. 27
* HDD Exhibition @ UCT, noon to 4:30 p.m.
For more information on registering to attend, go to UCTonline.com.
14 NOVEMBER 2021 | UCONonline.com
Honored as the 2022 inductees to the HDD Hall of Fame will
be legendary mud man Frank Canon and trailblazing HDD design
engineer John Hair.
As HDD caught fire and exploded in the '90s, UCT was the
primary event that embraced the groundbreaking technology
and continues to do so today. Thus, it remains the perfect place
for the HDD celebration.
The first reunion, held in 2020, far exceeded all expectations.
The crowd that gathered to celebrate HDD more than doubled
expected attendance. The first Hall of Fame inductees Dick
Melsheimer and Martin Cherrington were formally introduced
to the crowd, and their exploits cited, all to rousing applause.
More of the same is anticipated for 2022.
In 2021, due to Covid-19 concerns, UCT was delayed until
July. Held in Nashville, the second annual HDD Hall of Fame
ceremony drew another large crowd as posthumous honors were
bestowed upon Ron Halderman of Mears and Bob Westphal from
Michels. Now it's back to Fort Worth, where UCT will be held
at its regular time in a safe and open environment.
As the underground infrastructure industry enters 2022,
it's a challenging time for HDD. Large rig operators that have
historically focused on energy are struggling, since the slowdown
in pipeline construction work, and are looking to expand into
other markets. Small rig operators, on the other hand, are
backlogged with sometimes too much work, thanks to the
fiber/5G boom. All are experiencing critical workforce shortages
and parts/equipment distribution issues.
Despite those issues, the HDD market remains a highly
popular, effective and amazingly efficient method to install
everything from steel pipe to fiber conduit. HDD continues to
experience geometric growth, as virtually every market segment
for underground utility and pipeline infrastructure construction
heavily utilizes the technology.
Though HDD's early history only dates back to the 1960s, its
participants quickly became a fraternity of visionaries. The HDD
Reunion allows established, older or retired drillers to converse
with current operators. Attendees, young and old, swap stories,
compare and contrast early equipment with modern tools, share
experiences, and renew and sustain old friendships. Those new
to the industry will find the information and knowledge gained
extremely useful in their current jobs.
The event is for all those who have participated in the industry
throughout the years, including contractors, owners, engineers
and manufacturers, no matter the rig size, from jumbo to mini
units. In short, the purpose of the reunion is to celebrate the
comradery that is HDD. *
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Underground Construction - November 2021

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