Epiroc and Fordia form Exploration Competency Center in the U.S

Construction and mining manufacturer Epiroc and Fordia Powered by Epiroc, which manufactures tools for mineral exploration drilling, have established what they call an Exploration Competency Center in Elko, Nevada, and operated by Fordia.

The companies say the new organization, operated by Fordia, will offer an “exploration solution for all products, parts and aftermarket service needs with greater efficiency and shorter lead times.”

“We recognized an opportunity to integrate exploration products and applications while continuing to focus on developing a customer-centric experience,” says Ron Hankins, business line manager, Surface division. “This is part of our One Exploration strategy. Through one centralized hub, we are able to provide responsive support and solutions to our exploration customers in a more sustainable way.”

In a release, the companies say exploration customers will be able to place a single order for Epiroc exploration rigs, diamond tools, In the Hole tools and any Christensen, Diamec or Explorac machines, parts and service.

Epiroc serves customers in the mining, infrastructure and natural resources industries in more than 150 countries. It develops and produces drill rigs, rock excavation and construction equipment, and also offers services and consumables. For more information, visit www.epiroc.us.

UMA Geotechnical Construction to Build New Headquarters

Specialty contractor UMA Geotechnical Construction plans to build a larger headquarters in Colfax, North Carolina, with an expected move-in of fall 2022.

The geotechnical contractor serving the Mid-Atlantic region has announced that construction will soon be underway on the 15.5-acre parcel at 8051 National Service Road it acquired in December 2020. The facility is currently in the design phase.

“UMA is growing rapidly, and we’re expanding our team and equipment fleet to manage our increasing workload,” says President Brian DeSpain. “This new and improved facility will allow us to accommodate that expansion for years to come.”

The new 24,000-square-foot building will substantially larger than its existing headquarters. In a release, the company says the new building can accommodate four times the number of offices and twice as much shop space. The parcel will also contain enough unused land for secondary specialty shops to be constructed.

The company says the new headquarters will also offer some features that were not included in the existing building, including a dedicated paint room, parts storage areas, multiple conference rooms, and dedicated offices and locations for employees.

UMA is targeting a building completion date of June 2022, barring any unforeseen issues with the municipal approvals process. The contractor plans to occupy the new headquarters in September 2022.

UMA Geotechnical Construction Inc., a leading developer of polymer grouting techniques, works to save clients money with specialized ground engineering solutions. The UMA team, which includes experts in structural support, earth retention and soil stabilization, was among the first to use lightweight structural polymers to improve subsurface soils at depths greater than 40 feet. For more information, visit www.team-uma.com.

DFI Announces New Chair of Seismic and Lateral Loads Committee

The Deep Foundations Institute (DFI) has named Jon Sinnreich, PE, of Load Test Consulting, as the new chair of its Seismic and Lateral Loads Committee.

In a release, the DFI says Sinnreich plays an active role in the group, as an editorial board member of the DFI Journal, and serving on multiple technical committees.

Sinnreich earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and a master’s degree in structural engineering at the University of Florida (UF), and previously worked for Fugro Loadtest. He has participated in hundreds of international bi-directional test projects and led R&D efforts on various technologies, including ultrasonic shaft profiling. While coordinating UF research at the Powell Structures and Materials Lab, he oversaw projects dealing with wind engineering and natural hazards. He is a registered professional engineer in Florida and current chair of ASTM Subcommittee D18.23 (Field Instrumentation Subcommittee under D18 Soil and Rock).

He takes the helm from Kwabena Ofori-Awuah, PE, D.GE, ENV SP, of Koforia.

The DFI Seismic and Lateral Loads Committee focuses on seismic design and construction, as well as related concerns of other lateral load issues that apply in marine applications, ice and permafrost regions.

The DFI is an international association of contractors, engineers, academics and suppliers in the deep foundations industry with more than 3,500 members worldwide. For more information about the Deep Foundations Institute, visit www.dfi.org.

CME Announces New Sales Rep for Mountain States

Drill manufacturer Central Mine Equipment Company has announced a new outside sales representative for the Mountain states. Brad Jouppi, an experienced driller from Littleton, Colorado, joined the company in early April.

In a release, the company says it’s “excited” to have Jouppi aboard due to his experience. He has operated CME drills for several years on geotechnical, environmental and water well projects. CME says customers will find him a valuable resource due to his background, which includes auger drilling, rotary drilling, diamond core drilling, air hammer and Odex systems.

Central Mine Equipment Company manufactures a range of drills for mounting on trucks, rubber tire ATVs, tracked carriers, trailers and skids. The company makes support equipment and standalone carriers, and carries a wide range of tooling and drilling supplies. Drill rigs are custom-built to suit individual drilling and sampling requirements. For more information, visit www.cmeco.com.