19/02/2026
Vineyards on the slopes, granite and gravel in the ground, snow still visible on the hills. We travelled to Germany, into a rolling wine valley where -Leitungsbau-GmbH is working on a specialist section of the SuedLink project.
This 378-metre bore may be a small part of the roughly 700 km SuedLink route but technically it’s a demanding one. The bore runs through granite and coarse gravel and crosses a protected water extraction area, including an aquifer. In this ground, the reamer can start to hammer when it bites into the formation. If the drill string keeps rotating while the reamer momentarily stops, torque builds up fast.
That’s exactly why we were there: on-site Tonghand training. Together with Craig Larson from LaValley Industries, we worked with the Huber crew on precise and controlled make-up of the drill string. Proper, consistent torque makes the difference here.
💡 Supervisor Johan Smit explains:
“In this ground, you need to know your connections are right. If the reamer grabs and the string keeps turning, you build tension immediately. The Tonghand allows us to torque accurately and consistently. That gives us much more certainty in the bore and you can see it in the quality.”
One of the initial questions was whether it would be “just another tool” operators would need to learn. After the training, that doubt disappeared. The operator picked it up quickly and was working confidently in no time. They even made their own sunshade with the text: ‘Exit side solution for the horizontal drilling industry.’ That’s proper ambassador energy from the Huber team.
Under the supervision of Johan Smit, the site is set up for two months of focused drilling. From a proper site office with mud lab to a well-equipped workshop container, clean sanitary facilities with showers and even a canteen with a cook - everything arranged to keep the crew working professionally and efficiently.
A demanding section of a major infrastructure project, handled with the right preparation and the right tools.