40 years of service to diamond drilling and sawing
D-Drill (Master Drillers) Ltd are celebrating 40 years of providing top quality diamond drilling to the construction industry. This crucial element in the construction process requires precision, attention to detail and rigorous health and safety measures – all areas of excellence for D-Drill.
Diamond drilling of concrete has become an essential part of the construction process. Though it usually goes relatively unnoticed by most trades, it must be done correctly and with perfect precision – and often at a moment’s notice and frequently in the middle of the night!
Yet 40 years ago, diamond drilling was almost unheard of in the UK. One of its early pioneers was Peter White, founder and CEO of D-Drill (Master Drillers) Ltd, a position he still holds today. The company he founded in 1967 with next to no capital, is now the UK’s leading diamond drilling provider, serving clients from small contractors to blue chips and contributing to many of the country’s high profile construction projects.
Today, Peter White is an industry legend. Over the years, as D-Drill grew and its reputation increased, Peter has put diamond drilling on the map – through his determination to promote best drilling practice in his business, and to drive up industry standards as president of the Drilling and Sawing Association in the UK and a prominent member of the Concrete Drilling and Sawing Association of America.
Small beginnings
The story begins in a house in Shilton, near Coventry. Peter, an electrician by training, started to hear talk about a new process from the States for the precision drilling of concrete in building fabrication. The technique involved the use of industrial diamonds to drill holes as fine as 6mm diameter directly through concrete of any thickness without compromising the integrity of the concrete.
It was a revolutionary time, when everything seemed possible. Peter decided to stake his future on diamond drilling and bought the best machine he could afford. Armed only with a telephone and the Yellow Pages, his business was born.
Within weeks Peter had signed up his first customer – (Sir Robert McAlpine). The job went smoothly, the service was excellent, D-Drill was up and running.
It didn’t take long for word to get around that there was a new and highly superior drilling service available. The construction industry was going through considerable change as pre-fabricated concrete became the material of choice for many new buildings. There was scope for drilling holes for doors, lift shafts, stair wells – and many other applications.
Work began to pour in. Peter’s wife Joyce attended the phones and handled administration while Peter went on site visits and very often carried out
the work himself. Their daughter Julie was born just as the business was really starting to expand – Joyce juggled dual roles as mother and business anchor without pausing to take maternity leave.
Nationwide coverage
By the early 1970s, D-Drill had established a very credible reputation across the industry. Still based near Coventry, Peter’s challenge now was to provide nationwide service in response to demand. The result was the setting up of a network of branches in strategic towns to cover all areas of England, Scotland and Wales. The depots are able to offer a responsive and efficient service. They are each equipped with a fleet of quick response vehicles and the best level of equipment available.
When a call is received from a contractor, any D-Drill depot can answer their requirement almost instantly. This may be (and often is) in the middle of the night, when other trades are off-site and the drilling can be carried out uninterrupted, debris removed and the whole left ready for when the trades return in the morning.
It is this ‘unseen’ part of D-Drill’s service that customers over the years have found so valuable. There is no fuss, the job is completed swiftly and accurately, and D-Drill are off-site quickly, allowing the construction process to continue unimpeded.
Rising standards
Industry standards have continually risen since the early ‘jack hammering’ days and the methods employed today are sophisticated and precise. At the same time, health and safety requirements have become paramount on all construction sites.
D-Drill takes health and safety very seriously and factors it in to all jobs, whether or not specific standards are required under the contract. The company runs a rigorous training programme for its operatives – all of whom must gain their CITB certification and carry a CSCS (Construction Services Certification Scheme) card.
A growing organisation
D-Drill has grown year-on-year since its inception. In addition to the regional offices, the company also has its own engineering department which manufactures drills, blades and equipment (under White Diamond Products Ltd, an operating division managed by Joyce White). This enables D-Drill to contain its costs, and therefore keep its charges competitive.
In 2000, D-Drill moved towards a ‘one stop shop’ specialist sub-contracting service by diversifing into demolition with the acquisition of MBC Specialist Services. MBC provides a complementary service to D-Drill’s core diamond drilling service. Through MBC, D-Drill introduced the use of Brokk remote drilling machinery, an important step-change in its already rigorous health and safety policies.
In 2001, Peter’s daughter Julie, having worked for the family firm since graduating from business school, assumed responsibility for introducing another service to the group’s portfolio. Superfloor UK provides concrete floor preparation in a huge variety of applications – from hospitals and public buildings, to warehouses, offices and factories.
Like her father, Julie was immediately ‘hands on’, carrying out her first contract herself. Her enthusiasm and drive have grown the company extensively – it is now a leader in concrete floor preparation.
Loyal management
A large proportion of D-Drill’s management team has been with the company since the very early days. Together, they provide a solid bank of experience on which employees can draw.
It is company policy to ensure that staff are properly trained and D-Drill remains firmly committed to the Investors In People scheme and CITB training standards. For the immediate future, the company is working towards ISO9001 recognition.
Longer term, D-Drill remains steadfast in its commitment to quality, safety and service. Whatever the work – from drilling fine bores to sawing along miles of motorway; from under-reaming for fixings to secure machinery, to controlled demolition - D-Drill (Master Drillers) Ltd has the knowledge and equipment to complete the job to the highest standards.
