Tunnelling Accessories
Tunnelling Accessories is a UK-based, family-owned specialist supplier of ancillary materials, equipment, and fittings for the tunnelling industry, serving contractors worldwide through direct sales and a global agent network. Founded circa 1982, it distributes proprietary and third-party products for TBM, pipejacking, and shaft construction projects.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1982
- HeadquartersSaint Leonards, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Tunnelling Accessories does
Tunnelling Accessories (TA) is a UK-based, privately held specialist supplier of ancillary materials, equipment, and fittings for the tunnelling industry, founded circa 1982 and headquartered in St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex. The company operates as a one-stop-shop, aggregating proprietary products (TA200 Butyl Sealing Strip, BULLFLEX® geotextile hose, Tunpak® recycled polyethylene packings, TUN LUBE™) with third-party lines distributed through an established partner network that includes Minova, SPANTEC, Häny, Sealable, Mapei, MTS, and CEBO/BAROID. Its product portfolio spans grout guns, segmental seals, hydrophilic sealing strips, packers, bentonites, grouts, and TBM consumables, with products qualified for major infrastructure projects including Thames Water Ring Main and Thames Tideway. Sister company Technical Tunnelling Components (TTC) supplies patented plastic components (Dowelock) through the TA distribution channel.
Tunnelling Accessories serves B2B customers primarily in the tunnelling and underground construction vertical, including contractors engaged in TBM projects, pipejacking, shaft sinking, and segmental lining work. Revenue is generated through project-based one-time sales of materials and equipment, supplemented by plant hire of segment underpinning frames for shafts ranging from 5m to 27m. The company employs a sales-led go-to-market with direct phone-based sales (01424 854112), guaranteed 24-48 hour or same-day dispatch, and a network of dedicated agents servicing customers nationally and globally. Pricing is entirely quote-based with no public list. The business is family-owned (Benford family, with Philip Benford as Managing Director) and operates as part of the TA Group with no external institutional investment.
Tunnelling Accessories firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Tunnelling Accessories
- Legal name
- Tunnelling Accessories
- Website
- https://tunnellingaccessories.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1982
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Tunnelling Accessories is a UK-based, family-owned specialist supplier of ancillary materials, equipment, and fittings for the tunnelling industry, serving contractors worldwide through direct sales and a global agent network. Founded circa 1982, it distributes proprietary and third-party products for TBM, pipejacking, and shaft construction projects.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Tunnelling Accessories industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Tunnelling Equipment and Materials
- NAICS
- Construction and Mining (except Oil Well) Machinery and Equipment Merchant Wholesalers (423810), Industrial Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (42384), Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (4234)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Industrial Machinery & Equipment (5084), Construction, Mining & Materials Handling Machinery & Equip (3530), Wholesale-Professional & Commercial Equipment & Supplies (5040)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Pipe Fittings, Couplings & Connectors (IMADALAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Closure Components & Inserts (Orifices, Plugs, Gaskets, Balls) (IMALALAN)
Keywords
Where Tunnelling Accessories is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Saint Leonards
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Tunnelling Accessories business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Tunnelling Equipment and Materials Sales: Sale of ancillary materials, equipment, and fittings for tunnelling including grout guns, seals, packers, grouts, bentonites, and specialized tunnelling products. Products are supplied as one-time purchases with potential for repeat orders from project-based customers.
- Plant Hire Services: Rental of segment underpinning frames for shaft construction projects, ranging from 5m to 27m shafts. Provides equipment to contractors without requiring purchase.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Quote-based pricing for tunnelling equipment and materials |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
Tunnelling Accessories product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Specialist supplier of ancillary materials, equipment, and fittings for tunnelling projects, operating as a one-stop shop. Product portfolio includes grout guns, segmental seals and sealing strips, tunnel and pipe packers, grouts, greases, bentonites, and complementary tunnelling components. Supplies nationally in the UK and globally through dedicated agents, with most items delivered within 24 to 48 hours.
Product overview
Tunnelling Accessories is a specialist supplier of ancillary materials, equipment and fittings for all types of tunnelling, operating as a one-stop shop for the tunnelling industry. The product portfolio includes five main categories: Grout Guns (custom-made injection equipment); Segmental Seals and Sealing Strips (including TA200 Butyl Sealing Strip, BULLFLEX® geotextile hose, Secondary Seals, and Aquaquell Hydrophilic Sealing Strip); Tunnel and Pipe Packers (MDF, Plywood, Tunpak Recycled Polyethylene, and Bitumen felt packings); Grouts, Greases and Bentonites (Terracaulk 30 Caulking, Tunnel-Gel Plus, and TBM greases); and Tunnelling Extras (Gel and Oyster Grummets, Technical Tunnelling Components, TA26 Adhesive, Lead Products, and TUN LUBE). The company also offers Plant Hire services for Segment Underpinning Frames. With over 40 years of experience, the company supplies items typically within 24-48 hours and serves customers nationally and globally through dedicated agents.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- BULLFLEX®: An immensely strong woven geotextile hose that when filled with cementitious grout has many applications including TBM launch and reception seals, mine support columns, bridge supports, shaft underpinning systems, flood prevention systems, shaft lining supports, colliery arch support hoses, marine repairs, and underwater sealing and support solutions.
Products and services
- Grout Guns Custom-made grout guns configured to suit plastic sockets or plain/drilled holes, with optional pressure gauges and two-part injection capability. Used by tunnelling contractors for grouting operations in tunnel and shaft construction.
- TA200 Butyl Sealing Strip Temperature-stable butyl sealing strip developed by Tunnelling Accessories for sealing between concrete elements such as box culverts, manhole rings and cover slabs. Supplied on reel with fewer joints and applied using TA26 adhesive without primers.
- BULLFLEX® Woven Geotextile Hose Strong woven geotextile hose that when filled with cementitious grout is used for TBM launch and reception seals, mine support columns, bridge supports, shaft underpinning systems, flood prevention systems, marine repairs, and underwater sealing.
- Secondary Seals Secondary seals for steel banded jacking pipes supplied in various materials and section sizes depending on the pipe manufacturer and specific sealing requirements of pipejacking operations.
- Aquaquell (Hydrophilic) Sealing Strip Expanding rubber sealing material for sealing joints in tunnels and shafts. Successfully used in tunnels with pressure conditions up to 10 bars, with sections available for 20 bars resistance. Applied at surface without underground work.
- MDF Packings MDF compression packers for the ends of jacking pipes, valued for resistance to compressive load and thickness recovery upon load removal.
- Plywood Packers Plywood packers used for alignment correction in Wedge Block Tunnelling, supplied in various thicknesses and grades depending on project requirements.
- Tunpak® Recycled Polyethylene Packings Recycled polyethylene sheet material suitable as a packer between tunnel segment rings. Non-toxic, chemically inert, acid and chemical resistant, with 100% thickness recovery. Approved for potable water environments including Thames Water Ring Main and Thames Tideway.
- Bitumen Felt Packings Standard packings for shaft rings used on tunnelling projects to prevent cracking and spalling during construction.
- Terracaulk 30 Caulking Portland cement powder mix designed for easy mixing and placing in shafts and tunnel areas, used for hand application into caulking grooves within segmental concrete linings. Supplied in 25kg bags.
- Tunnel-Gel Plus High-yield bentonite viscosifier designed for use in tunnelling and large diameter HDD operations, promoting rapid viscosity development while maintaining borehole stabilization.
- Gel and Oyster Grummets Grummets designed to seal between bolts and bolt holes in pre-cast concrete, steel and cast iron segments, resistant to acids and alkalis found in ground water.
- Technical Tunnelling Components (Dowlock Assemblies and Plastic Components) Plastic components including the patented Dowlock cast-in dowel, grout sockets, bolt sockets, non-return valves, guide rods, alignment dowels and bolts for tunnel and shaft segments, manufactured by sister company Technical Tunnelling Components.
- TA26 Adhesive Adhesive for application of packers and EPDM gaskets, and Hydrophilic Rubber Aquaquell sealing strips.
- Lead Products Lead strip in different section sizes for caulking cast iron segments, and lead wool for various applications including sealing between driven sheet piles.
- TUN LUBE™ Lubricant specifically formulated to lubricate EPDM Tunnel Segment Gaskets, allowing easier ring building during tunnel construction.
- Plant Hire (Segment Underpinning Frames) Rental of segment underpinning frames to suit shafts from 5m to 27m, providing equipment to contractors without requiring purchase.
Quantifiable outcome
- Delivery within 24-48 hours or same day
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Tunnelling Accessories
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Tunnelling Accessories technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
Tunnelling Accessories partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.
- Technical Tunnelling Components (TTC)coreSister company with long-standing reputation for quality products. TTC designs and manufactures in-house a wide range of plastic components for precast segment connection and grouting, including the award winning and patented Dowelock. Products are distributed through Tunnelling Accessories.
- MinovamajorMinova develops and delivers pioneering ground support systems for mining, construction and energy industries, including injection chemicals, bulk and capsulated grouts, cementitious powders and bolting systems. Partnership dates to 1882.
- SPANTECmajorSPANTEC specializes in post-tensioning and anchor technology, manufacturing different types of anchors at their state-of-the-art facility in Bavaria with more than 70 highly experienced staff.
- ProtanmajorLeading global supplier of innovative and effective ventilation systems and water protection systems for mines, tunnels and other underground constructions.
- SealablemajorSealable invented the 'Cast-In' EPDM gasket and has been at the forefront of development of Tunnel Segment Gaskets with innovative solutions.
- HänymajorHäny provides state-of-the-art mixing and injection technology and equipment for ground improvement, reinforcing, and sealing applications.
- ROXARDmajorROXARD manufactures a range of single, double, and twin disc cutters and roller cutters, as well as cutting knife, scraper, ripper, chisel and tools to support every brand of TBM.
- MTS Microtunneling SystemsmajorMTS has a wide range of horizontal drilling technology including microtunnelling systems, tunnel boring machines, components and parts.
- BumhertenmajorBumherten is associated with BULLFLEX® product for various tunnelling applications including TBM launch and reception seals, mine support columns, and flood prevention systems.
- CEBO/BAROID Industrial Drilling ProductsmajorCEBO/BAROID supplies Bentonites, polymers and Thermal Grouts used in Tunnelling and underground Construction. Tunnelling Accessories distributes their products including Tunnel-Gel Plus, various Cebo Conduct-Gel variants, and drilling fluids.
- MapeimajorThrough association with Mapei, Tunnelling Accessories supplies their range of TBM greases including Tail Seal Grease, as well as their range of Polymers and grout conditioning additives.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Tunnelling Accessories competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Normet: Manufacturer of equipment, consumables, and chemicals for underground mining and tunnelling, including shotcrete, grouting, and concrete spraying solutions. Comparable in serving tunnelling contractors with both equipment (like grout guns) and consumables.
- Fosroc: Global construction chemicals and sealing solutions supplier with a dedicated tunnelling and underground construction product range (grouts, sealants, waterproofing). Comparable in product mix (joint sealants, adhesives, packer systems) and customer base (tunnelling contractors).
- Boart Longyear: Global provider of drilling services, equipment, and consumables for mining and tunnelling, including grouts, lubricants, and downhole tools. Comparable in serving underground construction customers with specialty consumables and equipment consumables.
- Mapei: Global construction chemicals leader with a dedicated Underground Technology Team supplying TBM greases, tail seal greases, polymers, and grout conditioning additives for tunnelling. Overlaps with Tunnelling Accessories in greases, sealants, and grout additives, but operates across the full construction chemicals spectrum.
- Master Builders Solutions (BASF): BASF's construction chemicals brand supplying grouts, sealants, shotcrete accelerators, and waterproofing systems for tunnelling and underground construction. Comparable in product mix (grouts, sealants, specialty chemicals) with much broader global scale.
Direct peers
- Sealable: Inventor of the 'Cast-In' EPDM gasket and developer of tunnel segment gasket solutions. Direct peer in tunnel segment sealing — the same product category as TA's Aquaquell and Secondary Seals — and an existing partner of the subject company.
- Minova: Global supplier of ground support systems, injection chemicals, grouts, and bolting systems for mining, construction, and tunnelling. Direct comparable as both a partner of and competitor to Tunnelling Accessories across the same product categories (grouts, bentonites, ground support).
- Häny: Swiss manufacturer of mixing and injection technology and equipment for ground improvement, reinforcement, and sealing — directly comparable to Tunnelling Accessories' custom-made grout guns and injection product portfolio. Existing partner relationship.
- SPANTEC: Bavarian manufacturer of post-tensioning and anchor technology for tunnelling and underground construction. Direct peer in tunnelling anchors and reinforcement — an existing partner and comparable niche supplier.
Emerging players
- MTS Microtunneling Systems: Provider of microtunnelling systems, TBM components, and parts. Comparable to Tunnelling Accessories in supplying tunnelling contractors with equipment and consumables, though focused more on microtunnelling hardware and TBMs.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Tunnelling Accessories social profiles
Digital presenceTunnelling Accessories financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Tunnelling Accessories leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Tunnelling Accessories funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Tunnelling Accessories 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 Tunnelling Accessories
What does Tunnelling Accessories do?
Specialist supplier of ancillary materials, equipment, and fittings for tunnelling projects, operating as a one-stop shop. Product portfolio includes grout guns, segmental seals and sealing strips, tunnel and pipe packers, grouts, greases, bentonites, and complementary tunnelling components. Supplies nationally in the UK and globally through dedicated agents, with most items delivered within 24 to 48 hours.
Is Tunnelling Accessories a public or private company?
Tunnelling Accessories is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Tunnelling Accessories founded?
Tunnelling Accessories was founded in 1982. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Tunnelling Accessories based?
Tunnelling Accessories is headquartered in Saint Leonards, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Tunnelling Accessories make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Tunnelling Equipment and Materials Sales are the primary driver. The others are plant Hire Services.
Who are Tunnelling Accessories's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Normet, Fosroc, Boart Longyear, Mapei and Master Builders Solutions (BASF). Direct peers are Sealable, Minova, Häny and SPANTEC. MTS Microtunneling Systems is listed as an emerging player.
Does Tunnelling Accessories have an API?
No public API is recorded for Tunnelling Accessories.
What industry is Tunnelling Accessories in?
Tunnelling Accessories's product category is Tunnelling Equipment and Materials. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMADALAD, Pipe Fittings, Couplings & Connectors, with a secondary code of IMALALAN, Closure Components & Inserts (Orifices, Plugs, Gaskets, Balls). Its NAICS code is 423810 and its SIC code is 5084.