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Helping develop the local directional drilling industry

Driving around the streets of Perth or Darwin, or even in the regions, you’re likely to see crews performing civil, utility and communications works. Boom times do create extra demands for drilling contractors. As a trusted and knowledgeable market leader, Vermeer Equipment of WA & NT continues to support its customers through the boom times and beyond.

Helping customers manage growth

Vermeer Equipment of WA & NT continues to work with its established customers to help manage their growth, utilising its expertise and product support to improve their efficiencies. Right to the point where the company has dedicated Product Support Managers, visiting customers onsite to guide and assist crews, and to work with business owners to help them improve operational efficiencies.

By discussing future projects, Vermeer Equipment of WA & NT is able to assist its existing customers in choosing the right equipment to meet their immediate and future project needs. Sometimes projects present unique challenges, and this is where the global expertise of Vermeer Corporation comes to play – providing the right technical advice to assist in making the right equipment and operational decisions. 

Recently CD Drilling took delivery of a powerful yet highly manoeuvrable Vermeer D130S directional drill, to undertake large-diameter drilling work both in the Pilbara and Perth metropolitan regions.

CD Drilling Operations Manager Brynn Silke says the guidance provided by Vermeer Equipment of WA & NT was invaluable. 

“We originally thought we’d need two machines for the projects that were emerging. By working with Vermeer Equipment of WA & NT, we found the perfect solution in one machine. Plus, the team really helped us in planning the deployment of the new machine to improve our productivity,” Silke says.

Assisting new market entrants

The current boom has also seen the emergence of companies making the natural progression into the drilling contracting arena. One of these companies is ADCO Group. Starting as a small electrical contractor, the company has developed into a major provider of electrical, mechanical, integration and fire services to the residential, commercial and industrial sectors.

ADCO Group Managing Director Adam Di Placido recounts how Vermeer Equipment of WA & NT provided the right guidance in planning their equipment purchases. 

“Directional drilling was a natural progression for our company, especially with the amount of residential and commercial infrastructure work we were securing. The team at Vermeer Equipment of WA & NT helped us plan a role out of equipment in line with our growth and project schedules. We started with pre-owned Vermeer D20x22 and D20x330 drills and have now secured new Vermeer D10x15 and Vermeer D8x12 drills to add to our fleet. This really helped with our cash flow and bottom line. They helped us invest smartly, as we grew,” says Di Placido.

Growth in technology

One positive result from COVID-19 has been the advancement in drilling technologies. Locked away for long periods, the Vermeer technical experts in the US focused on developing a number of technological advancements, with these now being introduced to customers in WA and the NT. One of these is Vermeer BoreAssist, which provides on-rig bore planning using user-friendly preloaded templates and innovative technology, providing less stress logging while drilling.

“Our company is focused on productivity. That’s why we rely on Vermeer Equipment of WA & NT to incorporate the latest drilling technologies into our operation,” says Stephen Roberts, Director of Boretech Contracting. 

Addressing labour and skills shortages

Vermeer Equipment of WA & NT have listened to their customers’ needs for a more experienced and larger pool of drilling operators. Local drilling contractors also have a strong and unified desire to improve the standing, reputation and professionalism of the industry. This is also echoed by local utility companies. With this, Vermeer Equipment of WA & NT continues to work with industry and government, acting as a conduit to develop industry skills and resources, backed by the technical expertise that only a global company can provide. 

Northern Territory expansion

Vermeer Equipment of WA & NT also operates in the NT through an office and service centre in Darwin. With demand from local drilling contractors also increasing, the company is currently expanding its NT operation, with the appointment of technical and business experts to assist in providing customers with the right advice and equipment choices.

“The demand from the Northern Territory has been phenomenal, especially from the civil construction, mining and agricultural sectors. We’re expanding our support and service functions in the NT, so that we can keep our growing base of customers operational and productive,” says Wes McCartney, MD of Vermeer Equipment of WA and NT. 

Ready to assist

Whether you’re an established drilling contractor, or venturing into directional drilling, Vermeer Equipment of WA & NT is ready to assist. Whether it’s an equipment related inquiry, or looking at ways of improving productivity, the team at Vermeer Equipment of WA & NT is committed to seeing our industry grow.

For more information visit Vermeer Equipment of WA & NT.

This article appeared in the August edition of Trenchless Australasia.

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