To meet a global need for trenchless construction techniques that push the boundaries, Michels has taken its expertise worldwide.
Michels entered the horizontal directional drilling (HDD) market 26 years ago, offering a safe, environmentally sound way to install utility lines in areas where traditional open-trench construction would not be practical or feasible.
Our trenchless team has grown and advanced with the industry, building a reputation for innovation and gaining renown for completing the world’s most challenging installations. We have completed more than 225 pilot-hole intersect HDD projects and drilled single crossings for distances greater than 4,700 meters.
While continuing to expand the capabilities of our team and fleet of custom-designed and fabricated equipment, we have established a series of international companies to bring our world-class solutions beyond U.S. borders, starting with Michels Canada in 1997.
Over the past 25-plus years, Michels Canada has won awards for safely delivering complex trenchless projects. In 2020, we completed a 1,041-meter installation of NPS-42 steel pipe under the Bow River in Cochrane, Alberta. A 64.4-meter height difference between entry and exit side added to the project’s challenges. We achieved Canada’s longest HDD to date in 2021: a length of 3,527 meters under Hidden Lake Golf Club in Burlington, Ontario.
In 2022, Michels Trenchless GmbH and Michels Trenchless Pty. Ltd. were established as permanent trenchless operations in Nurnberg, Bavaria, Germany and Wangaratta, Victoria, Australia, respectively, further bolstering the Michels Family of Companies abroad.
During their foundational years, these international companies established the leadership, safety and field operation teams needed to deliver trenchless construction throughout Europe, Australia and the Asia Pacific region. In-country teams have direct access to a large, local fleet of specialized equipment integrated with Michels’ internationally experienced technical experts.
Over the past few years, our team in Europe has delivered critical infrastructure projects that include an offshore wind initiative involving 40 HDDs in support of Germany’s goal to supply 80 percent of the country’s electric needs from renewable resources by 2050. Last year, a 300-meter-long HDD was completed in the inner city of Offenbach, Germany.
Meanwhile, our team in Australasia has used its skills to maintain directional control and avoid negative environmental impact while completing a 2,243-meter-long borehole with an elevation change of a staggering 650 meters, demonstrating our ability to plan, review and safely construct technically challenging crossings beyond what has been previously achievable by existing domestic capabilities.
This is far from the first time Michels has completed HDD projects requiring immense levels of skill and power. In 2021, Michels completed a 4,702-meter installation of an NPS-24 steel utility line, the likes of which had not previously been attempted at the 24-inch diameter anywhere in the world. Results such as these bolster our ability to inspire confidence and tackle similar projects in new markets, regardless of geography.
Our success in taking our HDD expertise and other trenchless solutions worldwide was recently recognized by Engineering News-Record, which ranked Michels as 8th among Contractors Working Abroad.
While much has changed at Michels over the past 65 years, our willingness to seek out new opportunities and take on challenging jobs has not—regardless of where in the world we go.
Learn more about our global trenchless capabilities:
