Customer Spotlight: Beinhower Bros Drilling
Brad Ulery and Nic Sprowls of Beinhower Bros Drilling with their new V-140X.
At VERSA-DRILL, we take immense pride in highlighting the incredible stories of our clients and the work they do in the drilling industry.
Recently, we had the pleasure of speaking with Nic Sprowls, a third-generation driller at Beinhower Bros. Drilling. This Ohio-based company has a rich history and a commitment to serving their community with reliable residential water services.
Here's what Nic had to share about his experiences, the company’s legacy, and the challenges of the industry.
VERSA-DRILL: Can you tell us a little about the history of Beinhower Bros Drilling?
Nic: Absolutely. The story of Beinhower Bros Drilling started in 1923 when Chuck Beinhower founded the company right after graduating high school. He later willed it to Bill Montgomery, and in 1987 Brad Ulery became the current owner. It’s amazing to think that in 103 years, we’ve had only three owners, with Brad leading the company for 38 years now.
Today, we specialize in residential water well drilling, including irrigation and service.
VERSA-DRILL: What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced in the water well drilling industry today?
Nic: Finding good people who want to carry on the tradition of well drilling is one of the biggest hurdles. I’m a third-generation driller, and Brad is second generation, but there’s a gap in younger people joining the industry. We do have one younger person on the team, but it’s tough finding employees who a passionate about the field. This is such a specialized industry, and it takes time to train someone to wear a the hats this job requires.
VERSA-DRILL: How did you decide to add a Versa-Drill rig to your fleet?
Nic: For Beinhower Bros, the VERSA-DRILL V-140X is our first rig from Versa-Drill. Personally, I’ve run a V-1000, a 1040, and several V-100s while working with other companies. I’ve known Marcus and his family for years—my dad even bought rigs from Marcus’s dad back in the day.
Before the V-140X, we primarily used Ingersoll Rand and GEFCO rigs. I pushed for the switch to Versa-Drill because we needed something lighter, easier to maneuver, and less likely to damage customers’ yards. The V-140X’s six-wheel drive and manageable size made it a perfect fit for our residential jobs.
VERSA-DRILL: What features of the V-140X stand out to you the most?
Nic: The carousel. Hands down my favorite feature. It can hold 300 feet of rods, and I don’t have to touch asingle one. It’s a huge safety improvement and makes training new employees much easier since they don’t have to handle the rods manually. In our geology, we often quote 250-foot jobs but end up drilling 300feet, so the carousel saves us a lot of time and effort.
Another standout is the 600 compressor. For our needs, it’s perfect. We didn’t want to run a rig with excessive horsepower for what we’re doing. The V-140X gives us exactly the power we need without unnecessary bulk or inefficiency.
VERSA-DRILL: How has your experience been working with the Versa-Drill team?
Nic: It’s been great. From ordering parts to support to pickup, the process has been seamless. Honestly, I’m really impressed with how easy it all was. In past experience with other companies’ rigs, there are bugs to work out at first. But with our V-140X, it was such a smooth transition. Marcus and his team are fantastic to work with, and having that kind of partnership makes a big difference in our day-to-day operations. They’ve got a good system going.
VERSA-DRILL: Thank you for sharing your insights and experiences, Nic. It was great hearing from you today!
Beinhower Bros. Drilling is a shining example of resilience, tradition, and innovation in the drilling industry. We’re proud to support Nic and his team with equipment that helps them continue their incredible legacy.
Check out our full line of water well drilling rigs to see which drill rig is right for you. Reach out to us today to learn more.