TPI May 2013

What is more, the British standards, whilst reducing the risk of non-conformity, offer only limited security for tube users. The variation in product quality from one end of EN 10253 and EN 10217 to the other is vast. My advice to tube users is therefore twofold. Firstly, in safety critical applications where the risk of failure is a significant refurbishment cost, hot formed tube sourced from market leading manufacturers, such Tata Steel, who manufacture the Install+ range of hot formed products, can mitigate the risk of failure. Secondly, it is important to only use tube that can be fully traced throughout the supply chain. Cheap imported steel tube may appear to offer a cost-effective alternative but its lack of traceability could leave contractors at the mercy of costly legal proceedings if the tube fails. In the current economic environment, the temptation for contractors is to try and buy more cost effectively in order to try and maintain a margin, and steel tubing would appear to offer just such an opportunity. However, this policy is not without serious implications if the wrong tube is used in an application or, worse, low grade imported tube is used. Cold formed tube, manufactured by a reputable company, bought through a reputable distributor and used in a suitable application is perfectly acceptable, but its use must be application-specific. I would urge all steel tube users to take the advice of a good distributor before specifying steel tube, as not all tube is the same.

BSS Industrial, part of the plumbing and heating division of Travis Perkins plc, is a pipeline and heating distributor.

Established over 110 years ago, BSS has more than 60 national branches, a national distribution centre based at Lutterworth in the East Midlands and a national tube distribution centre in Coventry.

BSS Industrial – UK enquiries@bssgroup.com www.bssindustrial.co.uk

BSS Industrial is a pipeline and heating distributor

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Tube Products International May 2013

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