18-19 November 2011, Halic Congress Center, Istanbul – TURKEY

TSITT (Turkish Society for Infrastructure and Trenchless Technology) held the NO-DIG TURKEY SUMMIT in Istanbul on 18-19 November 2011with the valuable support of ISTT. Many local and international participants attended this unique trenchless event of Turkey.

NO-DIG TURKEY SUMMIT started with the welcoming speech of Mr. Yasin Torun – Chairman of TSITT. Afterwards, Mr. John Hemphill – Executive Director of ISTT and Prof. Dr. Samuel Ariaratnam – Chairman of ISTT gave their opening speeches. Then, Turkish Minister of Forestry and Water Works Prof. Dr. Veysel Eroglu gave his keynote speech. Prof. Dr. Eroglu mentioned that trenchless technology is a must for entire Turkey and he is very glad with the establishment and the activities of TSITT. Additionally, he mentioned that the Ministry will continuously support TSITT and the International No Dig 2015 Conference and Exhibition which will be held in Istanbul, Turkey.

Following the opening and keynote speeches, Minister Prof. Dr. Veysel Eroglu, Undersecretary Prof. Dr. Hasan Zuhuri Sarikaya, ISTT Chairman Prof. Dr. Ariaratnam, ISTT Vice Chairman Mr. Choi, ISTT Executive Director Mr. Hemphill and TSITT Chairman Mr. Torun attended a press meeting in order to answer the questions regarding the International NO-DIG 2015 Istanbul Conference and Exhibition.

In the afternoon session, a panel entitled “No Dig Technologies in the World and in Turkey” took place with the panel chair, Undersecretary Prof. Dr. Sarikaya and panel members TSITT Vice Chairman Mr. Ahmet Gulec, ISTT Chairman Prof. Dr. Ariaratnam, GSTT Executive Director Dr. Beyer, Prof. Dr. Fevzi Yilmaz of FSM Universityand Prof. Dr. Hanifi Copur of Istanbul Technical University.

A full-day training on “Horizontal Directional Drilling” took place in the second day of No Dig Turkey Summit. ISTT Chairman Prof. Dr. Ariaratnam gave an excellent training together with TSITT HDD Working Group Leader Mr. Onur Kaya and TSITT HDD Working Group Consultant Mr. Orkun Cevizci. A Turkish book published by TSITT entitled “Driller’s Handbook and Daily Log” was distributed to the all participants of the training.

TSITT is very thankful to Turkish Ministry of Forestry and Water Works, ISTT, Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, Istanbul Water and Sewerage Administration, Union of Municipalities of Marmara, General Directorate of State Hydraulic Works, Istanbul Natural Gas Distribution Company, FSM University, Istanbul Technical Universityand many other national/international institutions for their valuable support and participants from Turkey, Netherlands, France, Germany, Bulgaria, Greece, Romania for their large level of attendance.

TSITT proudly announces that No Dig Turkey events will take place each year in Istanbul, Turkey. After organizing 2012, 2013 and 2014 No Dig Turkey events, International No Dig 2015 Istanbul Conference and Exhibition will take place in Istanbul, Turkey. We kindly invite all individiuals, institutions and companies around the world to take place in No Dig events in Turkey in a unique country located in the intersection point of Europe, Asia and Middle East.