From farming and drainage tiling to horizontal directional drilling (HDD), B&T Drainage Inc. does it all. To top it off, the company was recently named the grand prize winner of the Vermeer Ultimate Crew competition.
B&T Drainage located in Marshall, Illinois, is a family business that was founded by Allen Boyer in 1981. Today, Allen’s sons, John, Scott and Steve, own and operate the business along with John’s sons, Chase and Colby. There are currently three generations and 10 family members involved. When asked about the “T” in the company’s name, the family says it stands for team. B&T Drainage relies heavily on teamwork from the entire crew to perform superior work safely and efficiently.
The crew credits their success in the HDD industry to their agricultural roots.
“B&T Drainage started out as a drainage contractor, primarily performing dirt work and laying tile for farmers,” said John Boyer, co-owner of B&T Drainage. “As the company evolved, we transitioned into commercial work. Our work ethic comes from long days working on the farm and we treat each job like it is in our own field. No matter how many hours we work, what the weather is like or what obstacles we face, each member of our team strives to do their best.”
Ultimate crew underground showdown
B&T Drainage was one of four horizontal drilling crews in the final round of the Vermeer Ultimate Crew Underground Showdown held at ICUEE in Louisville, Kentucky. Each team was challenged to complete an underground bore live at ICUEE. A panel of judges scored each team based on the time to complete the bore, accuracy to the target, safety procedures and teamwork.
The night before the Underground Showdown competition, each team was given the chance to survey the drilling site and plan their strategy.
“We calculated our rod depths and the pitch to get to the designated depths at each target,” said John. “We don’t normally exit out of the ground at the end of our bores, but the showdown was similar to what we do every day so we were anxious to get on the course.”
Shortly before the competition began on September 29, the skies opened up, bringing heavy rain to the Kentucky Exposition Center where ICUEE is held.
“It seems like it rains when we have a hard or long bore to do, so we all laughed at the situation and how it was so relatable to a typical day at work,” said John. “Everyone in this industry knows that weather is always a factor and can have a major impact on the bore. It’s the crew’s responsibility to make the best of it and get the job done. The heavy rain didn’t change our strategy; it was just another element we had to deal with.”
To help the crews approach the bore just like they would on a typical jobsite, each team was given an electronic locator and a radio communication system. Once the operator began drilling, the official timer began. The crews were required to maintain a minimum bore depth of 12 inches (30.5 cm), and were warned that if they bored too deeply, they may hit debris buried under the Kentucky Exposition Center grounds.
B&T Drainage was the third crew to take the course and compete in the Underground Showdown. The previous team, Tru-Tek Drilling, completed the bore in the adjusted bonus time of 05:37.
“We knew right away that this was going to be a tough time to beat,” said Boyer. “We knew we were going to have to hit targets and be fast on the drill. We’re all very competitive in nature so we were ready to get out there and do our best — win or lose.”
That competitive edge served B&T Drainage well. The family trio completed the bore with an adjusted bonus time of 04:47.8, which was enough to claim the Ultimate Crew title and grand prize package.
“It was a terrific feeling when it was announced that we had the winning time,” said John. “We had quite a few friends and family come to watch the Underground Showdown, so we were proud to perform well in front of them. But our favorite part of the competition was standing on stage together with Mary and Jason Andringa. Vermeer is a family-owned company, and it’s nice for us to see a large company doing great things, while still under the direction of the original family.”
Equipped with the use of a D24x40 S3 Navigator® horizontal directional drill for one year, a MX240 drilling fluid system, an F5 locator system and Vermeer tooling, B&T Drainage returned home victorious.
To better suit their business needs, B&T Drainage applied the value of the D24x40 S3 prize drill toward the purchase of a larger D40x55 S3 Navigator® horizontal directional drill. B&T Drainage will use the new drill to install 2,500 feet (762 m) of 10-inch (25.4 cm) Yelomine water main.
When asked if he had any advice for crews just starting out in the HDD industry, Boyer said. “Love to drill and don’t be afraid to get dirty. Drilling is a tough, around-the-clock job. We start before sunrise and work well after dark. It’s not a 9 to 5 job, and it’s not for the faint of heart. It’s hard to find a group of people that are willing to give their all for a job well done, but the reward is well worth the effort.”
Watch the Vermeer Underground Facebook page and Navigator Nation as we follow and profile B&T Drainage throughout 2016.