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Lovsuns to Deliver First Chinese-Built TBM to USA

Lovsuns is delivering its first China-Built TBM for the North American market. This 3.3-m double shield rock TBM was sold to Super Excavators Inc. for the $27 million Blacksnake Creek Stormwater Separation Improvement project in St. Joseph, Missouri. The machine will be designed and engineered by LOVSUNS’ Canadian team and built by its parent company Liaoning Censcience Industry Co. Ltd. (LNSS) at its Liaoyang facilities, China.

“This is a big step for LNSS and LOVSUNS in achieving our goal of delivering high-quality tunneling machines to the North American market,” said Hongyu Xue, general manager of Lovsuns.

Lovsuns, the successor company to Lovat Inc. and Caterpillar Tunneling Canada Corp., had built approximately 300 TBM at its Toronto facility since 1972 before making the announcement in January that all manufacturing would shift to the LNSS facility in China. LNSS, which began manufacturing TBMs in 2010, has grown to be a leading player in the burgeoning Chinese market, supplying TBMs to many of the ongoing metro projects throughout the country.

LNSS retains experienced personnel from Lovat/Caterpillar/Lovsuns for TBM designs and sources components from trusted international brands, according to customer preference.

The Blacksnake Creek project will intercept and convey flows from the creek away from the combined sewer systems via a new tunnel system. The project comprises approximately 6,650 ft of 7.5-ft ID tunnel lined with precast, gasketed concrete segmental lining, and one 125-ft, 7.5-ft ID crossing of the BNSF Railroad via auger boring. Five total shafts are included in the project.

The tunnel will transition from soft ground to hard rock along each end of the tunnel alignment along with some mixed face conditions.

Delivery of the TBM is expected by the end of 2017. The project is expected to last into the fall of 2019.