Published Job Stories

Anchorage Alaska Contractor Installs Big Pipe, Big Distance with Help of Custom-Built Trench Box  Anchorage, Alaska.  The Anchorage Water and Wastewater Utility recently let a $7 million bid to install 4,200 linear feet of hi-capacity 48 in. steel spiral water main pipe, in 40 ft. joint lengths.  Taking on the challenge is Pruhs Construction, Inc.. of Anchorage.  The new pipeline is part of the larger project, the Anchorage Waterloop project.  (Full Story)

Edmonton’s EPCOR Utilities installs electrical vaults on “easy” street with Efficiency Slide Rail  Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.  Installing utilities 20 ft. deep in a densely urban area is a daunting task even for the most experienced underground contractor. EPCOR Utilities, Inc. of Edmonton, Alberta– one of Canada's top providers of energy and energy-related services and products–is installing 17 new electrical vaults as deep as 20 ft. for the first time.  (Full Story)

D.P. Nicoli, Efficiency Production help contractor update Sacramento State’s sewer system to “Green” status  Sacramento, California.  California State University - Sacramento (Sacramento State) is “going green.”  They have several new building projects underway which are incorporating aspects of “green building,” a process to create buildings and supporting infrastructure that minimize the use of resources, reduce harmful effects on the environment, and create healthier environments for people.  (Full Story)  Creative Ideas in Shoring & Shielding (pdf)

Slide Rail Proves Best Choice for Canadian Power Plant Construction Courtright, Ontario. The Ontario, Canada, Power Authority (OPA) recently entered into an agreement for the construction of a new 1,005-megawatt natural gas-fired power plant. The plant, called the Greenfield Energy Centre, will be located in Courtright, St. Clair Township, near Sarnia, Ontario. The project will be owned by Greenfield Energy Centre, L.P., a partnership between Calpine Corp. and Mitsui & Co., Ltd. and will use modern, combined-cycle technology.  (Full Story)  Creative Ideas in Shoring & Shielding (pdf)

First time Slide Rail user makes the grade fast and easy with Efficiency Production System Chattanooga, Tennessee. East Tennessee Grading, Inc. (ETG) of Chattanooga, Tennessee, recently installed a new pre-cast lift station for the City of Chattanooga as part of an overall upgrade to the sewer system.  (Full Story)

Efficiency Slide Rail helps contractor keep Business Operating Howell, Michigan. Joe Raica Excavating of Fowlerville, Michigan, recently installed a new pre-cast lift station at a beverage manufacturer’s bottling facility in Howell, Michigan, in preparation of construction of a new wastewater treatment plant. In order to keep business undisturbed at the facility, Raica needed a non-traditional shoring system for the excavation.  (Full Story)  Creative Ideas in Shoring & Shielding (pdf)

Efficiency Production Shore-Trak™ from Stafford helps contractor meet strict DOT requirements Charlotte, North Carolina. The rules were clear: do not make the excavation any bigger than the shoring system, and never allow the excavation walls to be unsupported at any time. These were the tough requirements set down by the North Carolina Department of Transportation.  Only one contractor, B.R.S. Contracting, Inc., of Richfield, North Carolina, had a solution for the shoring conundrum. (Full Story)

EXTREME SHORING: Minn. contractor uses largest, longest trench box from Efficiency Production to lay big pipe in New Mexico  Albuquerque, New Mexico. There are only a few options available to a contractor when laying 72 in. pipe in 40 ft. lengths. If possible, open cut is the preferred method, but what does a contractor do when he wants to use a trench box? Forty-foot lengths of pipe do not easily fit into most trench shields; then don’t even fit easily into two trench shields end-to-end. Such an extreme challenge requires an extreme shoring solution.  (Full Story)  Creative Ideas in Shoring & Shielding (pdf)

Green Bay Contractor Installs Big Pipe, Big Distance with Help of Custom-Built Trench Box  Manitowac County, Wisconsin.  A consortium of six Green Bay, Wisconsin, suburban communities recently let bids to build a 65-mile long raw-water pipeline from Ledgeview, Wisconsin, to a treatment plant on Lake Michigan in Manitowoc, Wisconsin.  (Full Story)  Creative Ideas in Shoring & Shielding (pdf)

Contractor W.W. Clyde goes deep down the street with help from Efficiency Slide Rail from United Rentals  Salt Lake City, Utah.  A 60 in. diameter welded-steel pipe is not typically the type of utility buried as much as 19 ft. deep in the road at the end of your home’s driveway. This ain’t no hydrant tap. It’s the creation of the Point of the Mountain Aqueduct (POMA); the installation of 68,500 linear ft. of a new drinking water pipeline that will run approximately 12 miles through the heavily residential and suburban communities of Draper and Sandy, Utah, near Salt Lake City.  (Full Story)   Creative Ideas in Shoring & Shielding (pdf)

Efficiency Slide Rail helps Battle Creek, Jackson (Michigan) contactors out of tight spots  Battle Creek, Jackson, Michigan.  Every contractor prefers installing underground utilities in wide open spaces where they can open cut and slope to required specs. Rarely is this the case when repairing or upgrading in-town utilities.
When sloping is not feasible, contractors turn to the old standbys like trench boxes or steel sheeting. Sometimes, even these standard applications are not feasible. What then?  (Full Story)

Efficiency Production’s Slide Rail System from United Rentals shores deep trench along Des Moines I-235 reconstruction  Des Moines, Iowa.  The Iowa Department of Transportation is giving I-235 in Des Moines a complete $429 million multi-year makeover including: utility relocation, bridge replacement and rehabilitation, interchange reconstruction, and mainline paving.  The project began in 2002, and will not be completed until 2007.  (Full Story)  Creative Ideas in Shoring & Shielding (pdf)

A River Runs Around It: Whitaker Construction Diverts River and Builds Cofferdam using Efficiency Production Trench Boxes  Salt Lake City, Utah.  The swift currents of the Weber River in Riverdale, Utah, are perfect for fishing.  Trout and Whitefish; both are active and plentiful in the quick currents.  The river is a sportsman’s paradise, but a real headache for the Central Weber (Utah) Sewer District. On three occasions, the district has needed to rehabilitate utility pipes that run underneath the river because the swift current keeps eroding the river bed and exposing the sewer lines, potentially causing leaks and cracks.  (Full Story)

Nickelodeon Hotel adds water park to courtyard; Build-A-Box Shoring System conquers access challenge Orlando, Florida.  He may live in a pineapple under the sea, but if SpongeBob SquarePants® were to visit Orlando, Florida, he would certainly stay at the Nickelodeon Family Suites by Holiday Inn.  And, thanks to Welbro Building Corporation of Maitland, Florida, SpongeBob or any family visitors to the Nick Hotel can enjoy “The Lagoon;” a state-of-the-art, interactive playground and water park built entirely within the east courtyard of the hotel. (Full Story)  Creative Ideas in Shoring & Shielding (pdf)

Zito Construction “Goes Deep” with Triple Slide Rail to Install New Grand Blanc Pump Station  Grand Blanc, Michigan.  In football, “going deep,” means attempting an all or nothing pass to the end-zone.  It is one of the most exciting plays in football, and it can leave fans both delighted and bedazzled.  “Going deep” in utility construction is also one of the most exciting and challenging executions a contractor can attempt.  Recently, Zito Construction of Grand Blanc, Michigan, dug over 42 ft. deep to install a 12 ft. diameter pre-cast concrete wet-well for Grand Blanc Township. (Full Story)  Creative Ideas in Shoring & Shielding (pdf)

Trench Box Saves Contractor Twice in One Week  Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  "Just take this trench box and try it…if you decide that you want it then pay for the rental or buy it later," said Tim Ellison of equipment dealer Knickerbocker-Russell in Pittsburgh. Craig Davey, a sewer contractor and owner of Davey Plumbing in Pittsburgh, agreed to try the trench box not foreseeing the importance of his choice.  (Full Story)

Jobsite Services Cleans Up Grand Rapids, Michigan.  Environmental contractor Jobsite Services, Inc. of Bay City, Michigan has completed a site remediation project across the state in Grand Rapids. The project called for removing and disposing impacted soil, installing a liner, and backfilling with offsite material on the property where a Shell Oil gas station stood. The remediation was necessary before a new 10,000 sq. ft. commercial building could be constructed on the site.  (Full Story)

Rebuilding the "EL"   Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  The Market Street Elevated Train System that has served the people of Philadelphia since 1912 is currently in the first phase of reconstruction. The "EL", as it is referred to by locals, is being refitted with new structure foundations, piers, duct banks, and other utilities that will support the newly designed guideway superstructure.  [ Full Story ]

Utility Contractor Dispels Slide Rail Myths    G.H. Ross Contractors, of Williamston, Michigan, has adopted the Slide Rail System as their usual means of shielding big excavations. Dispelling all of the myths generally associated with slide rail systems, Ross has used Efficiency Production’s Slide Rail effectively on many recent projects where it has proven to be extremely beneficial.  [ Full Story ]

68 Foot Trench Box Makes Way for 50 Foot Pipe Joints    Odessa, Florida. Tampa Bay Water (TBW) awarded a $13.7 million contract to Kenko Inc. of Tampa, Florida for the underground work at their Cosme Transmission Main project. This big job consists of installing 43,800 lft. of 64 inch (i.d.) steel pipe with cement mortar lining in 50 foot joints for the purpose of diverting flow from TBW’s water system to St. Petersburg’s water treatment plant and Hillsborough County's utility system.  [Full Story ]

Underground Contractor Makes River Crossings with Slide Rail System     Stayton, Oregon.  The James W. Fowler Company (JWF) of Dallas, Oregon has been working on an extremely challenging project that involves trenching across two sections of the North Santiam River. The project is part of the City of Salem’s $6 million 75 MGD Transmission Conduits Phase 1 Project on Geren Island. The purpose of the project is to increase the quantity of potable water that is sent to Salem’s water distribution system. JWF was awarded the job of installing 4,100 linear feet of parallel 69-inch welded steel pipe in 40-foot joints (approx. 8,200 feet total), concrete flowmeters, chemical feed vaults, pressure sensors, valves, and appurtenances.   [ Full Story ]

Dragstrip’s Accelerated Schedule puts Underground Contractor on Fast Track     Kalamazoo, Michigan.  The U.S. 131 Motorsports Park in West Michigan began its 2002 Drag Racing season after 2 years of renovation work with a grand re-opening on June 15. The 189-acre facility’s $14 million project included new grandstands, a new racing surface, retaining walls, pit areas, state-of-the-art lighting, a new timing system, a control tower with suites, restrooms, and concession buildings. Among a full schedule of this season’s events the dragway will host the UDRA Thunder Nationals, and the IHRA Northern Nationals.   [Full Story ]

First Time Slide Rail User Finds New System Fast and Friendly    Maryland. Experienced utility contractor, Lee Foundation Co., Inc., of White Marsh, Maryland has ventured into a technologically advanced method for shielding their excavations that saved four weeks of production time on their Columbia Town Center project! After 48 years of installing utilities using sheet piling and wood lagging, Bill Lipinski, CEO of Lee Foundation Co., saw an opportunity to significantly increase pipe production, reduce excavation costs, and provide superior trench safety with a new Slide Rail System.  [ Full Story ]

Trench Shield Manufacturer Featured in PBS Television Documentary     6/2002 - Efficiency Production was recently contacted by the Public Broadcasting System to help in the production of a film on Trench Safety Practices. With trench accidents getting more coverage on national news networks the PBS-TV group sought to raise awareness of the issue and present solutions that are available from the trench shielding industry.  [ Full Story ]

Positive Construction Market, Federal Legislation, and Infrastructure Expansion Create Need for Versatile Trench Shielding Systems     Washington, D.C. - 2001 - State and Federal legislation such as the TEA-21 (Transportation Equity Act for the 21^st Century), the Safe Drinking Water Act, and Clean Water initiatives provide funding for revitalizing the aging metropolitan infrastructure and expanding it to meet the demands of the growing population and emerging business communities.  [ Full Story ]

Contractor Organizes Large Team Effort for Underground Infrastructure Project     Denver, CO - 3/2000 - A true team effort has taken place to transform the underground infrastructure that once supported the Fitzsimons Army Hospital in Aurora, Colorado into one that will support the University of Colorado’s state-of-the-art Health Science Center. The U.S. Army recently turned over ownership of the site to the City of Aurora which promptly initiated the $15 million project that was awarded to Colorado Jaynes Natkin Co. of Thornton, Colorado.   [ Full Story ]

Unique Trench Shielding Combination for Baffle Box Installation     Altamonte Springs, FL - Central Florida Underground, Inc. of Altamonte Springs, Florida has completed the installation of a storm drain sedimentation baffle box at the City’s Little Wekiva River location. The box will serve as a filter for collecting sediments and floating debris from stormwater before draining into the river.   [ Full Story ]

DeAngelis Provides Infrastructure for Expansion in Flat Rock     Flat Rock, MI., Summer 1998 - The City of Flat Rock in Southeastern Michigan awarded a contract to DeAngelis Contractors Inc. of Woodhaven, Michigan to provide the diverse work needed at their $2 million Aspen St. extension project. The challenging job consisted of installing 2200 lft. of 12 inch diameter watermain pipe which required two river crossings, 1000 lft. of 12 inch diameter sanitary pipe to depths of 25 ft., and 2000 lft. of 24 inch diameter storm pipe. The job also required the construction of two bridges with 1500 sq. yds. of poured-in-place concrete, and 11,000 sq. yds. of 8 inch thick concrete pavement.   [ Full Story ]

Equipment World Interview     6/2001 - One major topic of discussion would be the "misconception" by many end users that using trench shielding and shoring equipment "increases" their installation costs. The fact of the matter is that this "mind set" is the farthest thing from the truth, the proper use of Trench Shielding and shoring equipment has reduced the high cost of conventional steel sheeting and/or wood lagging by literally millions of dollars in trench shoring costs a year.  [ Full Story ]

Efficiency Production Company Profile     Having been conceived within the construction industry, Efficiency’s growth has been built on it’s ability to listen and understand the problems underground utility and highway contractors face each day. Ken Forsberg, President of Efficiency Production, stated, "Working together with our customers at the beginning of a project to determine the best selection of equipment has many times made a major contribution to job productivity and our customers bottom line. Efficiency’s success has directly resulted from our desire and ability to help our customers be successful."  [Full Story ]