S.W.Directional Drilling Ltd · Company 05467239 · Trading heritage since 2005
Active, accounts up to date·subcontractor & consultant·Head office Stockton-On-Tees
Directional Drilling Ltd (SWDD) is a UK trenchless specialist established in 2005, focusing on horizontal directional drilling (HDD), pipe ramming, and moling. They install pipes, ducts, and drainage beneath roads, rivers, and railways without open-cut excavation, positioning themselves as a technically capable yet agile and competitively priced alternative to larger national firms. The company prides itself on its problem-solving approach, often advising on more cost-effective methods like directional drilling over tunnelling, as demonstrated in a 900mm drainage scheme where they saved a client approximately £1 million.
Founded by Steve Wilson and later joined by Chris Weatherall, SWDD brings extensive experience in specialist plant, engineering, and precision manufacturing. They have completed over 5,000 installations with a success rate exceeding 99%, tackling complex crossings such as deep gravity drainage, large-diameter pipes through rock, and installations under live infrastructure. Trenchless drainage is a significant part of their work, making up a third to half of their projects.
A key differentiator for SWDD is their in-house machine shop, where experienced engineers design and manufacture custom tooling like reamers and hole openers. This capability allows them to adapt quickly to unexpected ground conditions or challenges encountered during a bore, enabling them to undertake bespoke crossings that other contractors might refuse or fail to complete. This adaptability was crucial in a 900mm drainage outfall project where they successfully adapted tooling on-site after encountering buried ironworks steel.
Operating from Thorpe Thewles, near Stockton-on-Tees, SWDD serves clients nationwide across the United Kingdom, including Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, and has even completed projects overseas in Malta. They handle a wide range of job sizes, from small service ducts to large pipeline and drainage crossings, and are known for their owner-led approach, in-house design capabilities, and strong safety record on challenging sites.
Advised directional drilling instead of tunnelling for a 900mm drainage scheme, saving the client around £1 million and finishing in three weeks. The bore struck buried ironworks steel partway through, but tooling was adapted on site to deliver within 10% of the quote.
Installed high-voltage cable ducts for a battery-storage grid connection on a live National Grid site, drilled under the access road and a protected hedge and into the substation.
Client · National Grid
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UK trenchless specialists in HDD, pipe ramming, moling and rock drilling beneath roads, rivers and railways. Est. 2005. Their listed services include Civil engineering, Drainage, Utilities and Groundworks.
S.W.DIRECTIONAL DRILLING LTD is registered at 26 Henley Drive Thorpe Thewles, Stockton-On-Tees, TS21 3FQ, in North East.
S.W.DIRECTIONAL DRILLING LTD states that it works across Nationwide.
Accounts filed for the year to 2025 report 4 employees, which places the company in the 1-9 employees band.
S.W.DIRECTIONAL DRILLING LTD does not disclose turnover: UK small-company accounts are not required to. Based on headcount and trade debtors in its filed accounts, turnover is likely to fall between £340k and £910k. This is an estimate, not a filed figure.
Companies House lists S.W.DIRECTIONAL DRILLING LTD as active, with accounts most recently made up to 2025-05-31.
S.W.DIRECTIONAL DRILLING LTD works in Infrastructure, Energy, Industrial, Commercial and Public.
S.W.DIRECTIONAL DRILLING LTD was incorporated on 2005-05-31.
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