Bothar Inc.

What Bothar Inc. does

Bothar Inc. is a Calgary, Alberta-based trenchless construction contractor and the North American operating entity of Bothar Group of Companies, an Australian-headquartered tunneling group with over 30 years of international experience and more than 900 employees across 28 nationalities. Established in the North American market through the October 2018 amalgamation of Innovative Pipeline Crossings (IPC) into Bothar Group, the company provides five core trenchless services: microtunneling (600mm-4,000mm diameter), Direct Pipe Installation (one-pass method for 900mm-1,500mm pipes combining microtunneling and HDD techniques), pipe jacking, auger boring (300-2,100mm), and shaft construction. Bothar differentiates through its in-house Bothar Built equipment division, which manufactures Fully Steerable Device (FSD) microtunnelling machines, Tunnel Boring Machines, and ancillary gear, while also operating Herrenknecht-manufactured AVN and Direct Pipe systems.

The company's commercial model is project-based B2B contracting, with all work secured through direct enterprise sales to oil & gas pipeline operators (TC Energy, CNOOC International, Enbridge, Coastal GasLink, Trans Mountain), utilities (ENMAX), and municipalities (City of Calgary). Contract values range from $500K to multi-million dollars per project. Bothar has delivered category-leading technical milestones, including the 2017 Direct Pipe performance world record of 218m drilled in 24 hours on the TransCanada Humber River project and the first NEB-approved Direct Pipe installation in Canada. Customer segments center on Oil & Gas (primary), with adjacent exposure to municipal water/wastewater and energy infrastructure.

Bothar pursues growth through geographic expansion (Houston, Texas office), strategic partnerships (Laney Group teaming agreement; Stk'emlupsemc te Secwepemc Nation Indigenous agreement for Trans Mountain Expansion Project), and technology partnerships (Herrenknecht). The firm is privately held with no public revenue disclosure, no app, no AI/ML capability disclosures, and no disclosed funding rounds; ownership resides within Bothar Group PTY LTD.

Name

Bothar Inc.

Legal name

Bothar Inc.

Website

https://bothargroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Bothar Inc. is a Calgary-based trenchless construction contractor serving North American oil & gas pipeline operators, utilities, and municipalities with microtunnelling, Direct Pipe Installation, pipe jacking, auger boring, and shaft construction services, using in-house and Herrenknecht equipment.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trenchless Construction Services

NAICS

Oil and Gas Pipeline and Related Structures Construction (237120)

SIC

Oil & Gas Field Services, Nec (1389)

akta.pro primary industry

Pipeline Construction & Right-of-Way Services (EUALADAL)

akta.pro secondary industry

Cable Installation & Construction Services (trenching, duct banks, HDD, pulling, cable laying) (EUADADAI)

Keywords

• Trenchless construction services
• Microtunneling services
• Direct pipe installation
• Pipeline crossing contractors
• Auger boring services

Headquarters

HQ city

Calgary

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Trenchless Construction Services: Bothar generates revenue through project-based construction contracts for trenchless pipeline installation. Services include microtunnelling, Direct Pipe installation, pipe jacking, auger boring, and shaft construction. Revenue is earned as a prime contractor or subcontractor on infrastructure projects for oil & gas, municipal, and utility clients. Projects range from $500K to multi-million dollar contracts.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Bothar Inc. is a North American trenchless construction contractor delivering specialised pipeline installation services including microtunnelling, Direct Pipe Installation (DPI), pipe jacking, auger boring, and shaft construction. The company serves oil & gas pipeline operators, municipalities, and utilities by installing pipelines beneath rivers, railways, highways, and environmentally sensitive areas without disruptive open-cut excavation, while also manufacturing its own Bothar Built specialised tunnelling equipment.

Product overview

Bothar Inc. is a North American industry leader in trenchless construction offering a comprehensive suite of solutions. The company's core service portfolio includes Microtunneling (using Bothar Built and Herrenknecht equipment for pipelines 600mm-4,000mm), Direct Pipe Installation (one-pass method for 900mm-1,500mm pipes combining microtunneling and HDD techniques), Pipe Jacking (for steel pipes and concrete casings up to 3,500mm internal diameter), Auger Boring (300-2100mm diameter), and Shaft Construction (using jacked caisson, underpinning, soldier piles, secant piles and sheet piles). Bothar also manufactures its own specialized equipment including Tunnel Boring Machines, auger boring machines, and ancillary equipment through Bothar Built. These solutions serve the Oil & Gas, Water & Wastewater, Electrical/Power, and Municipal sectors across North America.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Microtunneling Trenchless pipeline installation using remotely-controlled, guided microtunnelling machines that provide continuous excavation face support. Suitable for various ground conditions from silt to hard rock; capable of handling projects from 600mm to 4,000mm diameter. Designed for pipeline installation beneath complex and environmentally sensitive areas.
• Direct Pipe Installation (DPI) One-pass trenchless tunnelling method combining microtunnelling and HDD techniques to simultaneously excavate and install prefabricated pipes. Suitable for pipe diameters from 900mm to 1,500mm. Launches from surface along a curved profile, enabling installation under rivers, railways, highways, and environmentally sensitive areas with permanent borehole support throughout installation.
• Pipe Jacking Trenchless method for installation of steel pipes and concrete casings using hydraulic force to push tunnel boring machines through the ground. Primarily used for short and shallow installations and well-suited to urban and shallow underground utility work.
• Auger Boring Horizontal boring through soil or rock using a cutting head and auger, providing capability ranging from 300mm to 2,100mm in diameter. Used in any area where the ground cannot be open-cut or disturbed.
• Shaft Construction Vertical shaft construction using jacked caisson, underpinning, soldier piles, secant piles, and sheet pile techniques. Delivered at various diameters and depths to support trenchless pipeline installation entry and exit points.
• Bothar Built Specialised Equipment In-house manufactured tunnelling equipment line including Tunnel Boring Machines (TBM), auger boring machines, Fully Steerable Devices (FSD), and ancillary equipment. Bothar Built machines are remote-operated and engineered for precision trenchless installation in complex ground conditions.
• Pipeline Crossings End-to-end trenchless pipeline crossing services for oil & gas, water/wastewater, municipal, and electrical utility clients, including installation beneath rivers, railways, highways, and environmentally sensitive areas. Combines Bothar's trenchless construction methods with custom engineering and project execution.

Quantifiable outcome

• Reduced pipe crossing length from 450m (HDD) to 155m (Direct Pipe)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Stk'emlupsemc te Secwepemc NationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2022Agreement signed July 2022 with Stk'emlupsemc te Secwepemc Nation to complete work on the Trans Mountain Expansion Project (TMEP). The agreement recognizes the community's traditional and cultural rights, provides employment and training opportunities, and supports economic stability of the community. Bothar collaborated with TMEP and SSN representatives to develop the agreement.
• Laney Group, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 March 2019Laney Group, Inc. and Bothar Inc. signed a teaming agreement to cooperatively pursue projects requiring combined services. Laney provides integrated engineering, HDD, direct pipe and project management solutions internationally, while Bothar provides direct pipe, auger boring, pipe jacking and microtunnelling solutions throughout Canada. Both companies can collaborate on full range of trenchless installation technologies in North America and internationally.
• Innovative Pipeline Crossings (IPC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 October 2018IPC joined Bothar Group of Companies following shareholder approval on October 29, 2018. This amalgamation allows IPC to provide Tunneling, Microtunneling and Auger Boring services ranging from 300mm up to 4,000mm. Peter Hennig became CEO of IPC. Bothar retained existing IPC staff and management who add specific know-how and continuity. IPC gained access to Bothar's global network, equipment, and resources.
• Steel River GroupminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSteel River Group partnered with Bothar as key partner on CNOOC International project, working alongside Adit Engineering and Herrenknecht. Bothar served as Prime Contractor with key partners contributing to execution.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Bothar Inc.