History

Over the years the Kinnan’s have developed many tools for the Utilities Industry from cable plows & underground construction tooling to horizontal directional drills.

Kinnan held the original patent on the SRC Steering Heads and continues to build the only working versions on the market.

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Expertise and Know-How

Frank Kinnan was featured in the 1994 November issue of Trenchless Technology for HDD inovations.

Kinnan Engineering Company was a major utility contractor on the West Coast during the 1960s, known for manufacturing much of the specialized equipment used in its underground construction projects. Frank Kinnan played a pivotal role in developing the first vibratory cable plows, which were used to install thousands of miles of underground telephone cable for Bell Telephone and other providers throughout the Pacific Northwest.

In 1967, Frank sold Kinnan Engineering Company to Henkels & McCoy, Inc., and went on to establish Underground Research, Inc., a company focused on research and development within the utility industry.

In the mid-1970s, Frank’s son, Keith Kinnan, joined the business. Together, they completed numerous research and development projects funded by organizations such as the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and others. Over the years, the Kinnan family has developed a wide range of innovative tools for the utility industry, including cable plows, underground construction tooling, and horizontal directional drilling (HDD) equipment.

In 1988, Underground Technologies was founded to design and manufacture small directional drills for the utility industry. Several hundred of these drills were deployed across the United States and internationally, marking the Kinnan family’s early entry into the HDD industry.

Kinnan Engineering, Inc. was established in 1995 by Keith and Diana Kinnan to provide HDD and trenchless technology contracting services to utility companies.

In 2007, Israel Wafer earned his first paycheck with Kinnan Engineering. After gaining additional experience with other construction and HDD companies, he returned in 2011 to work full-time alongside Keith Kinnan. During slower periods, Israel continued to expand his expertise by working with other HDD contractors.

In 2018, Israel assumed day-to-day operational leadership of the company and began expanding its scope of services. In 2020, he was promoted to Vice President of Kinnan Engineering, Inc. (K.E.I. Directional Drilling). On May 1, 2024, Israel completed the buyout of the company and now serves as President of the corporation. Under his leadership, K.E.I. has continued to grow and thrive.

Over the years, K.E.I. Directional Drilling has successfully completed numerous HDD, jack and bore, PTMT, and other trenchless projects across multiple states, often in challenging soil conditions and under tight tolerances. The company brings the experience, equipment, and skilled personnel necessary to execute large and complex projects.

We take pride in completing what we start—safely and professionally.