AMS Trenchless Specialists
AMS Trenchless Specialists is the largest privately owned UK contractor delivering trenchless pipe installation via Horizontal Directional Drilling, Guided Auger Boring, and Pipe Ramming for utility companies, infrastructure contractors, and offshore wind developers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1990
- HeadquartersScunthorpe, United Kingdom
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What AMS Trenchless Specialists does
AMS Trenchless Specialists (legally AMS No-Dig Ltd, registered in England and Wales) is the largest privately owned Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD), Guided Auger Boring, and Pipe Ramming contractor in the UK, in operation for over 30 years from its headquarters on Brigg Road, Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire. The company installs pipes, ducts, and cables underground without surface disruption for projects that require crossings beneath roads, railways, rivers, motorways, airport runways, sea defences, and environmentally sensitive sites, serving the water, gas, electricity, telecommunications, rail, nuclear, and offshore wind infrastructure markets. Its core service offering is delivered through three modalities — HDD using a fleet anchored by two Prime Drilling PD250/90 RP maxi rigs (250 tonnes thrust/pullback, the most powerful privately-owned HDD rigs in the UK), Bohrtec-guided auger boring for constrained set-ups, and Grundoram pneumatic pipe ramming — supported by in-house Derrick FLC-504 mud recycling systems processing up to 3,000 litres of drilling fluid per minute.
The business model is project-based professional services, with revenue earned through competitive tendering and direct engagement with utility companies, principal construction contractors, and infrastructure developers; named clients include Ørsted, BAM Civils, Murphy, Balfour Beatty Utility Solutions, Clancy Docwra, UKPN, and Magnox. Pricing is quote-based and varies with scope, ground conditions, and equipment requirements, and the work is delivered exclusively with AMS-owned equipment by a multi-skilled in-house workforce of 51–100 employees, providing tight quality control but exposing the business to project lumpiness. The company is supported by a stack of UK pre-qualifications — ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001:2018, Constructionline Gold, SSIP, and Link-Up — that are typically required to bid for regulated utility, rail (Network Rail), and public-sector infrastructure work, functioning as a barrier to entry for unaccredited competitors.
AMS Trenchless Specialists firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- AMS Trenchless Specialists
- Legal name
- AMS No-Dig Ltd
- Website
- https://amstrenchless.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1990
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- AMS Trenchless Specialists is the largest privately owned UK contractor delivering trenchless pipe installation via Horizontal Directional Drilling, Guided Auger Boring, and Pipe Ramming for utility companies, infrastructure contractors, and offshore wind developers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
AMS Trenchless Specialists industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Trenchless Underground Construction Services
- NAICS
- Oil and Gas Pipeline and Related Structures Construction (23712), Water and Sewer Line and Related Structures Construction (23711)
- SIC
- Water, Sewer, Pipeline, Comm & Power Line Construction (1623), Heavy Construction Other Than Bldg Const - Contractors (1600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cable Installation & Construction Services (trenching, duct banks, HDD, pulling, cable laying) (EUADADAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Underground Gas Line Trenching & Sleeving (HSAOAKAI), Rehabilitation, Lining & Renewal (Pipe Relining, Trenchless Rehab, Asset Renewal) (IMAFAGAL)
Keywords
Where AMS Trenchless Specialists is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Scunthorpe
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
AMS Trenchless Specialists business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Horizontal Directional Drilling Services: Project-based HDD services for installing pipe, duct and cable underground without surface disruption; serves water, gas, electrical and telecommunications infrastructure projects
- Guided Auger Boring Services: Trenchless installation service for gravity sewers and steel sleeves in situations with limited set-up room or critical level requirements; capacity up to 900mm diameter and 120m length
- Pipe Ramming Services: Pneumatic pipe ramming for horizontal, vertical and angled steel pipe and casing installation; used for HDD casing assistance and outfall installations
- Mud Pump and Equipment Hire: Specialist mud pump hire service with extensive range of pumps and recycling systems; tailored solutions for individual project needs
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Project-based professional services |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
AMS Trenchless Specialists product offering
Product offeringCore offering
AMS Trenchless Specialists delivers specialist trenchless pipe installation services, including Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD), Guided Auger Boring, and Pipe Ramming, to install underground pipes, ducts, and cables without disturbing surface structures. The company operates a fleet of Prime Drilling PD250/90 RP Maxi rigs (the most powerful HDD rigs in the UK), Vermeer midi and mini rigs, Derrick mud recycling systems, and Grundoram pneumatic pipe rammers, completing cross-country, river, rail, motorway, and offshore outfall installations for utilities and construction clients.
Product overview
AMS Trenchless Specialists is the largest privately owned trenchless pipe installation contractor in the UK, operating as a unified service company offering Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD), Guided Auger Boring, and Pipe Ramming as its three core services. The company operates its own fleet of specialized drilling equipment including Prime Drilling PD250/90 RP Maxi Rigs (250-ton capacity), Midi Rigs (Vermeer D60/90, D100x140, Prime Drilling PD60), and Mini Rigs (Vermeer D36/50, Ditch Witch JT30), plus a Pit Launch rig for confined spaces. Supporting operations are mud recycling and processing systems using Derrick Equipment technology, and a mud pump hire service. All services are delivered using AMS-owned equipment to ensure quality control.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) Trenchless installation of pipe, duct, or cable underground without disturbing surface structures, avoiding disruption from open trenching. Used for water, gas, electricity, and telecommunications infrastructure crossings under roads, railways, rivers, and motorways.
- Guided Auger Boring Trenchless installation for gravity sewers and steel sleeves in sites with limited set-up room or critical level requirements; capacity up to 900mm diameter and 120m length.
- Pipe Ramming Pneumatic, self-contained percussive installation of steel pipes and casings horizontally, vertically, or at angles; used for HDD casing assistance, outfalls, and under-track crossings.
- Mud Recycling and Processing Drilling fluid recycling using Derrick FLC-504 shale shakers, de-sander and de-silter cones processing up to 3000 litres per minute with pyramid screening down to 20 microns.
- Mud Pump Hire Specialist mud pump and recycling system rental service providing tailored solutions for individual project needs.
- HDD Equipment Hire and Sales Rental of HDD equipment to other contractors; sales offering currently inactive.
Quantifiable outcome
- Pipe installation up to 1500mm diameter and 2000m length
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use AMS Trenchless Specialists
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
AMS Trenchless Specialists technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
AMS Trenchless Specialists partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.
- MurphycoreAMS Trenchless won Murphy's Energy Supply Chain Partner of the Year award at Murphy's Annual Supplier awards. Murphy is a major infrastructure construction company and AMS provides HDD services as part of Murphy's project delivery. Over 300 supply chain members attended the awards event.
- ØrstedcoreAMS Trenchless signed contracts with Ørsted to carry out Horizontal Directional Drilling for landfall cables for Hornsea One and Hornsea Two offshore wind farms. Hornsea 2 will power over 1.3 million homes when complete. HDD methodology allows cable burial without disrupting sea defences in the intertidal area.
- BAM CivilsmajorBAM Civils appointed AMS No-Dig as HDD and Outfall Contractor for Bundoran Waste water Treatment Works project, constructing the outfall section of 560mm pipeline.
- Prime DrillingcorePrime Drilling GmbH is the supplier of AMS Trenchless' two PD250/90 RP maxi drilling rigs - the most powerful HDD rigs in the UK. AMS has purchased multiple Prime Drilling rigs including PD250/90 RP-T and PD250/90 RP-C models mounted on crawler tracks.
- Derrick EquipmentsupportingDerrick Equipment (based in Buffalo, New York, USA) manufactures the FLC-504 shale shakers and mud cleaners used in AMS' mud recycling systems. Clear Solutions International Ltd manufactures the equipment under license to Derrick Equipment.
- VermeercoreVermeer is the manufacturer of AMS Trenchless' midi and mini HDD rigs including D100x140 S3, D60x90 S3, D36x50 Series II, and D40x55. AMS has invested in expanding fleet with multiple new Vermeer rigs in 2019 and 2024.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
AMS Trenchless Specialists competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- A.Hak: Dutch pipeline and cable infrastructure contractor with deep trenchless capability and a pan-European footprint. Comparable in trenchless installation services, but operates at significantly larger scale and broader geographic reach than AMS.
- Barhale: UK civil engineering and infrastructure specialist with significant trenchless and tunnelling capability serving water, rail, and highways clients. Comparable in utility and regulated infrastructure delivery, though trenchless work is a smaller share of a much larger business.
- Morrison Utility Services: UK-based utility infrastructure contractor delivering water, gas, and electricity network services. Overlaps with AMS as a tier-1 contractor to UK utilities (which are AMS' end customers) and as an indirect competitor for trenchless works on multi-year framework contracts.
- Laing O'Rourke: Major UK and international infrastructure group with utility, rail, and energy project delivery. Comparable as a Tier 1 contractor to AMS' end customers, and an indirect competitor where in-house trenchless capability competes with specialist HDD subcontractors.
- Visser & Smit Hanab: Netherlands-headquartered utility and pipeline construction firm with established HDD, auger boring, and cable installation divisions. Comparable in trenchless service delivery and energy/water utility customer base, but materially larger and more diversified.
Direct peers
- Per Aarsleff: Danish-headquartered trenchless pipe installation and foundation specialist operating a large HDD rig fleet across Europe. Directly comparable to AMS in trenchless methodology, utility infrastructure customer base, and offshore wind landfall work in Northern Europe.
- Horizontal Drilling International (HDI): France-based HDD specialist with maxi-rig capacity comparable to AMS' PD250 fleet. Operates across European utility, pipeline, and offshore wind cable landfall projects, making it a direct competitor on the most demanding cross-border tenders.
- M.J. Rooney Construction: UK specialist civil engineering and HDD contractor serving the same utility, rail, and energy infrastructure customer set as AMS. Direct competitor on UK tendered trenchless work, with comparable rig fleet scale and project portfolio.
- TRACTO-TECHNIK: German manufacturer and contractor of trenchless technology including HDD, auger boring, and pipe ramming. Overlaps with AMS on both equipment supply (competitor to Prime Drilling/Vermeer) and direct HDD project delivery, with comparable rig classes.
Emerging players
- Celtic Drilling & Trenchless: Ireland and UK-based trenchless drilling specialist active on utility and energy projects. Comparable in service offering and methodology, though smaller in fleet capacity and limited to the Irish Sea and UK regional projects.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
AMS Trenchless Specialists social profiles
Digital presenceAMS Trenchless Specialists compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance5 records
AMS Trenchless Specialists financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
AMS Trenchless Specialists leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
AMS Trenchless Specialists funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
AMS Trenchless Specialists M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about AMS Trenchless Specialists
What does AMS Trenchless Specialists do?
AMS Trenchless Specialists delivers specialist trenchless pipe installation services, including Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD), Guided Auger Boring, and Pipe Ramming, to install underground pipes, ducts, and cables without disturbing surface structures. The company operates a fleet of Prime Drilling PD250/90 RP Maxi rigs (the most powerful HDD rigs in the UK), Vermeer midi and mini rigs, Derrick mud recycling systems, and Grundoram pneumatic pipe rammers, completing cross-country, river, rail, motorway, and offshore outfall installations for utilities and construction clients.
Is AMS Trenchless Specialists a public or private company?
AMS Trenchless Specialists is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was AMS Trenchless Specialists founded?
AMS Trenchless Specialists was founded in 1990. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is AMS Trenchless Specialists based?
AMS Trenchless Specialists is headquartered in Scunthorpe, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does AMS Trenchless Specialists make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Horizontal Directional Drilling Services are the primary driver. The others are guided Auger Boring Services, pipe Ramming Services and mud Pump and Equipment Hire.
Who are AMS Trenchless Specialists's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are A.Hak, Barhale, Morrison Utility Services, Laing O'Rourke and Visser & Smit Hanab. Direct peers are Per Aarsleff, Horizontal Drilling International (HDI), M.J. Rooney Construction and TRACTO-TECHNIK. Celtic Drilling & Trenchless is listed as an emerging player.
Does AMS Trenchless Specialists have an API?
No public API is recorded for AMS Trenchless Specialists.
What industry is AMS Trenchless Specialists in?
AMS Trenchless Specialists's product category is Trenchless Underground Construction Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EUADADAI, Cable Installation & Construction Services (trenching, duct banks, HDD, pulling, cable laying), with a secondary code of HSAOAKAI, Underground Gas Line Trenching & Sleeving. Its NAICS code is 23712 and its SIC code is 1623.