LAVAL UNDERGROUND INTERVIEW - Garrett Jones President of Laval Underground Surveys
“Geoquip is a valuable partner” says Laval President
Geoquip Water Solutions and Laval Underground Surveys have enjoyed a ‘special relationship’ for more than 10 years.
As sole European distributor for Laval’s industry-leading range of downhole cameras, Geoquip also provides a comprehensive technical advice service and a complete after sales care plan for Laval equipment.
It’s a partnership which is acknowledged at the highest levels and at last November’s Aquatech Amsterdam trade show, Geoquip’s Louis Higgins caught up with Garrett Jones, President of Laval Underground Surveys, to find out more.
“Geoquip Water Solutions is a valuable partner, without them we would be incapable of servicing people in international destinations,” said Garrett. “Our wonderful relationship has allowed us to expand extensively throughout the EU and other areas of the world, such as Africa, Kazakhstan, and other remote places that we otherwise would not reach.
“One of the things that sets Laval apart is our service centres around the globe that are able to not only stock parts and new systems, but service and support the warranties, so that our customers are not down for an extended period of time.
“Geoquip has done a wonderful job over the years, helping us to provide that rapid support to customers in many different time zones, allowing us to be able to sell cameras and give the customer after sales care they deserve.”
Another bonus, says Garrett, is the support Geoquip provides at events such as the Aquatech Amsterdam conference, where the two companies shared a stand.
Garrett added: “Geoquip are also instrumental in our marketing efforts collaboratively inside the EU, attending trade shows and being able to then show the products in areas where customers wouldn’t always be able to see it prior to buying it.
“We can demonstrate it for them, or we can also bring them to the factory, or bring them to Geoquip’s place, where they can show them the cameras systems that they support.”
Among the products on display last November were Laval’s range of SC downhole cameras designed for water wells, boreholes and vertical shafts; the DW – Deep Well Downhole Camera Winch – which is portable and can reach depths of up to 610 metres; and the R-CAM 1000 TLE Level Wind Downhole Camera System.
Also on show was the Laval R-Cam 1000 XLT downhole camera. Completely portable but robust and lightweight, it is ideal for use in the field and includes a state-of-the art solid state DVR to record survey footage, a playback feature, mini bluetooth keyboard and adjustable lighting.
It is the R-Cam range which Garrett says is “by far the most popular” system and he makes the point that in the 75 years since the company was founded by Claude Laval II, Laval has remained as the industry leader.
“What sets us apart from the competition is we are not a company that manufactures something else and then also does borehole cameras. We are a borehole camera company, we make them every single day and they come off the line many, many units at a time,” he continued.
“At Laval Underground Surveys, we are continually engineering and innovating to be at the forefront of the borehole camera industry.
“We know and we have learned from our engineering over the years, the simple things that allow it to be easier to use; also the little things that a well driller or pump installer may need in order to simplify the experience or enhance the experience when they are doing a water well survey.
“We also have service and repair on standby, that allows us to turn around your camera system if there’s ever a need or something gets damaged. We keep stock of parts on hand in our warehouse and that allows us to support our camera systems for many years to come.”
Looking to the future, Garrett says he believes both miniaturisation and achieving greater depths will be the way the industry goes and he is determined Laval Underground Surveys will be at the forefront.
He concluded: We see our range as one day being able to achieve great distances – 5,000-10,000 feet – we hope to miniaturise the systems that so they can be affordable to well drillers worldwide.
“We are also looking at other things, such as remote telemetry, being able to get diagnostics from the camera, water testing that it’ll be capable of, and various accessories that we can also connect to the end of our cable that we transmit back to the top and complement the water well videos.”
Click here to view the video on our youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avpvY8ZlO8k
