26-05-2025

Klever introduces the Tonghand on site – Smarter drilling in the Netherlands

Amsterdam. A busy residential neighbourhood. Narrow streets, residents overlooking the jobsite, and a tight schedule. This is where Klever Boor- en Perstechniek is carrying out an HDD project. Drilling supervisor Bart van der Perk knows: there’s no room for hassle. Everything needs to be safe, clean, and fast. That’s why he tries something new. As the first in the Netherlands, he hires the LaValley Tonghand and mounts it on his own excavator. “You have to see it in action to understand what this tool can do.”

Easy as pie: total control from the cab

You’re about to start a new HDD-project. Tight deadlines, limited space and strict safety regulations. Of course you want control, speed and a clean site. The LaValley Industries Tonghand delivers exactly that.

“I’ve never had this much control over the drill pipe. I can take rods in and out of the drill pipe basket without help.”

The Tonghand is a fully automated handler that grips, positions, and torques drill rods in and out. Everything is operated entirely from the cab – no chains, no messing around with slings, no people near the rotating pipe. Each connection is torqued according to the pipe manufacturer’s specifications – ensuring trusted max pull and torque if needed.

“I’ve never had this much control over the drill pipe. I can take rods in and out of the drill pipe basket without help, all from the safety of my seat. Total control. Easy as pie,” as Bart puts it. “I felt confident with it after 15 minutes of training. It’s easy to handle and quick to learn.”

Customised for small jobsites and Dutch crews

The Tonghand isn’t new. In the US it’s standard. In Belgium and Germany, it’s rapidly gaining ground, with Verbraeken leading the way. In the UK, it’s often mandatory. But the Netherlands? Limited space and widespread use of tiltrotators meant the system needed tweaking for the Dutch market.

Bart had previously worked with the LaValley Deckhand LT and explored, together with us, how it could be combined with a Rototilt using a custom adapter. The Deckhand is particularly well suited for the rig side of the bore, where it safely lifts and places rods from the rig. But on the Amsterdam site, Bart needed a solution for torquing and unthreading rods at the pipe side. That’s exactly where the Tonghand comes in.

Two days gained – no vac trucks needed

While the rest of the country turns orange for King’s Day, we load the Tonghand onto Klever’s truck at our jobsite in Wijk bij Duurstede. Our service technician is on site in Amsterdam within one hour. Mounting the system to the customers 30-ton Volvo excavator takes just half a day. He hooks it up and configures the torque precisely based on the rods Bart uses. By midday, the system is fully integrated into the drilling process.

“Thanks to the Tonghand, the team can perform forward reaming.”

And the best of it all? Thanks to the Tonghand, the team can perform forward reaming. That means most of the drilling fluid returns directly to the rig, right where the recycling system is. No vac trucks needed. “That saves us two full days of transport, emissions, and waiting,” says Bart. “Normally I’d need to arrange a trailer, schedule logistics, find space on site… Now? None of that.” The team keeps drilling without interruptions. Residents get their street back sooner. And Bart stays in full control of the process.

Ready for your next project? Try before you buy

“With the tight space we’ve got on Dutch jobsites, the Tonghand is a real asset. We all want to work safely, but what surprised me most was how much faster it made the job. And with skilled labour getting harder to find, being able to run this tool solo is a huge plus. You have to see it in action to understand what this tool can do,” Bart says. He’s not one to exaggerate. But the quiet satisfaction in his voice says enough.

The Tonghand is a serious investment. With our rental setup, teams can experience the benefits firsthand. Soon it will be available with a fully configured excavator, ready to plug in and start drilling. Once it’s on your jobsite, chances are… you won’t want to drill without it again.

• Saving costs on vac trucks or return lines.
• Cutting down on time.
• Keeping your crew safe.
• Using full pipe capacity.
• No risk of unscrewing.

So what’s your reason for using a Tonghand? Let’s find out together what it could mean for your next project. Get in touch for a demo or a tailored rental solution via info@sitetec.nl or give us a call: +31343595400.