High Marks in the Mile High City

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High Marks in the Mile High City
Dr. Sam Ariaratnam (left) and Trenchless Technology Canada publisher Bernie Krzys (right) celebrate with NASTT Hall of Fame inductee Ron Halderman of Mears Group.
Dr. Sam Ariaratnam (left) and Trenchless Technology Canada publisher Bernie Krzys (right) celebrate with NASTT Hall of Fame inductee Ron Halderman of Mears Group.

Denver proved to be the perfect host city for NASTT’s 2015 No-Dig Show, attracting a record-setting number of attendees and exhibitors to the Mile High City, March 15-19. The trenchless community was treated to unseasonably warm weather outside and a great atmosphere inside at the Denver Convention Center, blending business, education and networking during the course of the conference.

The Crossing Company met with potential customers.
The Crossing Company met with potential customers.

This marks the first time NASTT has brought its annual trenchless conference and exhibition to Colorado, an integral hub for the engineering community and home to a lot of trenchless technology work. Attendance topped more than 2,300 attendees and the exhibit hall was sold out prior to the event, holding 173 trenchless companies.

The IPEX booth was busy throughout the show.
The IPEX booth was busy throughout the show.

The No-Dig Show brings together the industry’s past, present and future, honoring the indelible work that trenchless professionals have created. The 2015 Trenchless Technology Person of the Year was formally presented to Midwest Mole CEO Dan Liotti and all of the winners of the 2014 Trenchless Technology Projects of the Year were recognized. NASTT inducted its fourth Hall of Fame Class: the late David Magill Jr., Avanti International; Ron Halderman, Mears Group; and Kaleel Rahaim, Interplastics Corp. Stantec Consulting’s Dave Krywiak was the received the NASTT Chairman’s Award for Outstanding Lifetime Service; and Alison St. Clair, of Gibson Thomas Engineering, and Dr. Aliraza Bayat, director of the Consortium for Engineered Trenchless Technologies at the University of Alberta, received the Trent Ralston Award for Young Trenchless Achievement. Source One Environmental and TT Technologies were awarded the Joseph L. Abbott Innovative Product Awards.

Past NASTT Chair Derek Potvin of Robinson Consultants with his wife Shelley at the Gala Dinner.
Past NASTT Chair Derek Potvin of Robinson Consultants with his wife Shelley at the Gala Dinner.

The No-Dig Show has two main attractions that are huge draws. One is its highly-acclaimed Technical Program, with more than 160 peer-reviewed papers through six tracks presented in 2015. The papers represented a broad range of industry topics, covering the gamut of trenchless methods and issues. The sessions also included a Pipe Bursting Forum, as well as a dedicated Gas Industry Track. The other is the exhibit hall, in which attendees can see first-hand the latest products that are keeping the trenchless industry moving forward in its quest to address the utility construction and repair industry.

NASTT Chair Kim Staheli presents Stantec Ltd.’s David Krywiak with the NASTT Chairman’s Award for Outstanding Lifetime Service.
NASTT Chair Kim Staheli presents Stantec Ltd.’s David Krywiak with the NASTT Chairman’s Award for Outstanding Lifetime Service.
Dr. Aliraza Bayat, director of the Consortium for Engineered Trenchless Technologies at the University of Alberta, was a recipient of the Trent Ralston Award for Young Trenchless Achievement.
Dr. Aliraza Bayat, director of the Consortium for Engineered Trenchless Technologies at the University of Alberta, was a recipient of the Trent Ralston Award for Young Trenchless Achievement.

In 2016, the 25th annual No-Dig Show — its silver anniversary — will be held in Dallas, March 20-24 at the Gaylord Texan. Deadline to submit an abstract for the technical program is June 30, 2015.
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