March 2020 Vol. 75 No. 3
Features
HDD Hall of Fame Inducts Cherrington, Melsheimer as Inaugural Pioneers
Industry pioneers Dick Melsheimer and Martin Cherrington became the first inductees into the HDD Hall of Fame on Jan. 29, in its inaugural ceremony at the Underground Construction Technology International Conference & Exhibition in Fort Worth, Texas.
Their award was presented during the HDD Reunion Reception and co-sponsored by Underground Construction magazine and UCT, along with 19 other Founding Sponsors whose support made the historic event possible.
“It's only fitting that these visionary men who invented horizontal directional drilling should be the first inductees into the HDD Hall of Fame," said Underground Construction Editor-in-Chief Robert Carpenter. "In the coming years, we look forward to honoring other industry leaders whose advancement of HDD helped modernize underground infrastructure construction."
In the 1960s, Melsheimer developed the concept, equipment and tools for the “cut-and-bore” method, using horizontal earth boring to facilitate the rapid installation of underground gas and electrical utilities. This was the original horizontal directional drilling method using a pulling swivel and product pipe connected to a backreamer, which would cut as it was pulled back towards the boring machine.
Also in the 60s, Cherrington was inspired to further develop the concept of guided drilling when he saw another company use a hand-held air drill for a gas line installation. Cherrington's crews used air drills to check the bore path – essentially early potholing that is performed today by vacuum excavators – and achieved the first river crossing for Pacific Gas & Electric.
Both remained dedicated to ongoing improvement of HDD and contributed to numerous advancements in the decades since.
Founding Sponsors of the HDD Hall of Fame and HDD Reunion included:
JT Miller
Tulsa Rig Iron
Derrick Corporation
Century Products
American Augers
Drilling Mud Direct
INROCK Drilling Systems, Inc.
TT Technologies
Railhead Underground Products
LaValley Industries
Right Turn Supply
Sharewell HDD
Brownline
Hard Rock Directional Drilling
Mud Technology International
Bell Trenchless Consulting
Vermeer Corp.
Prime Horizontal
DCS Fluid Solutions
Underground Construction Magazine / UCT
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