At its recent AGM held on the 17th October 2018, Jim Kirby, a Technical Director at consulting engineer COWI, was appointed as the new chairman of the Pipe Jacking Association. Jim Kirby has 25 years contracting and consultancy experience, specialising in tunnelling, pipe jacking, shafts and pipelines.
David Atkinson, Contracts Director for the Trenchless business at contractor, AE Yates, is elected as vice-chairman and the outgoing chair Graeme Monteith takes over the role of Secretary from Andrew Marshall.
The Association is pleased to announce that this is the first time in the PJA’s 45yr history that a Consulting Engineer has held the Chairmanship underlining a new and progressive era for the Association.
The PJA welcomes major infrastructure operators, Network Rail and United Utilities as new Associate members. The membership category of Associate was created recently in order that major client organisations could easily engage with industry to the benefit of all.
Commenting on his appointment Jim Kirby said: “The PJA has been active in a number of key areas to include education and research, technical innovation, industry standards. Recently we have lobbied the ICE and NIC around the issue of urban road congestion and assisted Network Rail with the compilation of a new UTX Standard. We plan to continue and grow these activities and to raise the awareness of pipe jacking as one of the primary methods for installing drainage and other utilities in urban areas with the minimum of disruption significantly reducing carbon outputs”.
Further Information:
Graeme Monteith
Director and Company Secretary
Pipe Jacking Association
Mobile: 07825 528896
Email: graeme.monteith@pipejacking.org
