United Drilling Incorporated

Hydraulic cylinder-based elevators have been widely used for many decades for their ability to handle heavy loads. That said, old hydraulic elevators are under the regulatory lens due to the environmental concern of an underground oil leak. Buried under the building and subject to corrosive conditions, old hydraulic cylinders used in elevators are susceptible to oil leaks and possible operational failure. Building owners need to ensure the hydraulic elevator installed in their premises meets the up-to-date safety, security, and energy conservation policies set by the regulatory authorities to avoid elevator license cancelation, a hefty fine, or additional expenses due to preventable equipment failure. But to achieve elevator modernization, they need a trusted partner who has the science and engineering expertise and real-world experience to overhaul the elevator without incurring unnecessary cost, time, and resources.

United Drilling Incorporated, a drilling expert and specialized elevator installation services provider, has emerged as the go-to partner for elevator modernization. Backed by a consultative business strategy, the company’s portfolio of services is tailored to meet the exact needs of its clients. The company brings to the table experienced crews to install or upgrade a building’s automated stairwell. With three decades of experience and a proven track record of client successes, United Drilling is renowned for its unmatched knowledge, special tooling, and skilled labor.

United Drilling offers a turnkey modernization service that aligns with the required regulatory standards. Well-equipped to handle even the toughest cylinder removal challenges, United Drilling has all machinery in-house, including equipment with a 200-ton jacking capacity. “We have a specialized tool, typically custom fabricated in our shop, for every possible problem onsite.

Since our in-house shop personnel have cutting-edge fabricating capabilities, we can eliminate onsite downtime, making the whole elevator modernization project seamless for our clients,” says Joy Graber, Vice President at United Drilling.

At the outset of client engagement, United Drilling creates a schedule, conducts site inspection, quotes a price based on the project sheet, and then coordinates directly with the client’s site manager to begin their work. United Drilling’s highly trained, certified welders and riggers pay attention to maintaining environmental decorum and ensure there are no mishaps. From a financial standpoint, United Drilling offers clients a contractual price agreement and does not alter billing unless additional tasks are to be performed outside of the quoted scope of work. While it is permissible to add clauses for drilling into areas that have granite, or other natural rock formations, United Drilling does not charge anything additional for drilling through any naturally occurring ground formation.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to loom large, companies across all industries have had to adapt to working under strict lockdown norms, and United Drilling is no different. The company ensures its crews are in accordance with lockdown rules while working on ongoing projects. Over the last year, United Drilling has been successful in working on hydraulic cylinder holes of larger diameter for new turnkey jack services and freight installations. “We have completed a 70-foot dual 15-inch piston freight car for jack replacement, which is most likely one of the largest in the US,” says Joy.

United Drilling has currently turned more of its attention to replacing elevator jacks to counter balance the decrease in new construction holed hydraulic elevators. With safety regulations coming into play, building owners are required to replace their single bottom cylinders with double bottom hydraulics and that the equipment and hole have PVC liner. United Drilling, in this aspect, finds itself in an advantageous position as it might have drilled the existing cylinder hole, and this helps faster project completion as the crew has pre-existing knowledge of the straightness of the space and the exact equipment that will fit. Any building with an elevator installed after 1987 may be able to benefit in the knowledge of the existing inground cylinder; this will save on change orders and downtime.

United Drilling is known for its specialized equipment however, “there is no tool more valuable than our employees. The skill, work ethic, and training our crews possess is simply irreplaceable” United Drilling prioritizes our crew’s onsite safety so we can be sure every employee comes home safely to their families,” concludes Joy.