S&Z offers a variety of trenchless installation methods including horizontal directional drilling (HDD), tunnel boring (TB) and auger boring (AB).
General Manager Jim Pound tells Trenchless Australasia that the company is a trusted and valued partner to industry leaders throughout the water, sewer, power, telecommunications, and gas segments, providing trenchless services throughout southern Australia.
“Our company has skilled installers using the latest equipment,” he says. “Our aim is to exceed customer expectations and provide solutions for difficult projects where open trench construction is not an option.
Through S&Z Australia’s commitment and dedication, Pound says the company has become an industry leader and a trusted specialist subcontractor.
Traditionally known as a directional drilling company, S&Z Australia has recently made the move to tunnel boring.
Starting with a small drill, the company has grown, purchasing the larger drills and rock drills, working mainly in the water, sewer, gas, power, and telecommunication sectors.
However, when S&Z started working in the sewer industry, Pound says there was an opportunity to move into the tunnel boring market due to directional drills not being as precise as tunnel boring machines in achieving grade.
“We like to think we are at the beginning of our growth cycle. I have only been part of the company for two and a half years and the company owners keep investing back into it,” he says. “Both of the directors are hands on working with the teams out in the field and working on the machines. This gives our crew a really good culture as our directors are out on site and helping ensure all the work is being done safely, accurately and economically.”
“We are only a small business with three Horizontal Directional Drills (HDDs) and two Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs), but we have a large variety of clients and work on a range of different infrastructure projects from rail improvement projects, new water & sewer mains, to being part of Snowy 2 the “largest energy project in Australia” that will underpin Australia’s transition to a renewable energy future.
“We really want to focus on being trenchless specialists in both directional drilling and tunnel boring.”
With the move to tunnel boring comes a new drill, which was purchased from Bohrtec and delivered in January 2022.
When selecting the machine Pound says the company not only looked at the quality of equipment but the versatility and the suitability in all different ground conditions.
“The tunnel boring market is always growing because there is more call for trenchless technology and directional drills have their limit,” he says. “We feel there is an opportunity in the market as there is a growing demand for tunnel boring machines.”
As a result of the tunnel boring machine, S&Z Australia hope its work will expand across Australia as the new machine will allow it to drill up to 800 mm diameter of sewer and storm water pipe, or other pipes and conduits where setback for a HDD machine is not achievable.
Pound says when installing pipe on a flat grade a tunnel boring machine with a laser is needed to help keep it on grade and on the correct alignment.
“There aren’t many Bohrtec machines in Australia and we believe it will be an excellent option for any ground conditions we will encounter here in Victoria or anywhere in Australia,” he says.
With a commitment to minimising the impact of its activities on the surrounding environment through adherence to its Environmental Management System, S&Z’s philosophy toward environmental management is one of education, communication, continual improvement, and whole company involvement.
By embracing these principles, the company aims to minimise pollution created during any works process and continually monitor its impact on the environment through ongoing reports, audits, and inspections.
“S&Z endeavour to constantly improve our installation methods and efficiencies. We pride ourselves on innovation that provides benefits to the client and the environment,” says Pound. “The rise of trenchless technology has significantly grown in recent years, and we really want to be the experts in it and offer numerous installation methods to provide quality solutions to our clients, their customers and the community.”