TPI May 2024

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The trade magazine for tube and pipe products

May 2024

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Business & market news

Alleima advanced super duplex tube tailored for acidic and caustic environments

corrosion resistance. The groundbreaking SAF™ 2507 (UNS S32750), introduced by Alleima almost four decades ago in 1985, set the industry standard for combatting

SAF™ 3006 is a high-alloy duplex stainless steel tailored to enhance corrosion resistance in acidic and caustic environments. The new alloy, an upgrade to traditional super-duplex stainless steels, adds to the company’s growing duplex portfolio. The main application is heat exchangers in the chemical and petrochemicals industries. Alleima is a global manufacturer of high value-added products in advanced stainless steels and special alloys. Since the 1960s, the company has been at the forefront of developing modern duplex grades and now offers a broad portfolio. “We’re thrilled to welcome this new super duplex to our expanding duplex family. It provides that ‘missing duplex tool’ for customers battling acids in heat exchangers, giving them that extra edge. With the addition of SAF™ 3006 (UNS S83071), we strengthen our presence in duplex materials tailored for acidic corrosion, where we see strong growth potential. Applications may include caustic evaporators, acid coolers and evaporators,” said Eduardo Perea, market and product manager EMEA at Alleima Tube Division. ‘duplex revolution’ of the 1960s and 1970s, introducing a cost-efficient stainless steel alternative to more expensive nickel alloy grades. The company continues to innovate in this area. Duplex grades, with a 50-50 austenitic ferritic structure, offer twice the strength of standard stainless steels and superior Alleima pioneered the

SAF 3006 tubes for heat exchangers

“SAF™ 3006 is an upgrade over existing duplex grades facing higher than-desired corrosion rates and where extended equipment lifetime is wanted. You get all the benefits of traditional duplex steel in terms of strength, lighter weight and cost efficiency, but tailored to resist acids. It can be used in acid production plants with or without seawater cooling,” said Oscar Öhlin, R&D engineer at Alleima. SAF™ 3006 will be produced in Alleima’s fully integrated value chain, from R&D to end product, with tight quality control and a strong focus on sustainable production. The tube is based on more than 80 per cent recycled steel and melted and produced using a high degree of fossil free energy sources. Seamless tube and pipe in SAF™ 3006 will be supplied in standard heat exchanger dimensions. “The introduction of SAF™ 3006 marks the ongoing evolution of the duplex revolution Alleima started decades ago – now tailored for acidic conditions in heat exchangers. We look forward to collaborating with customers to advance their needs,” concludes Tom Eriksson, executive vice-president and head of R&D at Alleima. Alleima www.alleima.com Director Magazine, 2019 “Directors to Watch”. “We are pleased to welcome Dr Ganesh Iyer to Plymouth,” said Paul Lemke, chairman of the board. “We look forward to his skills and experiences complimenting and challenging our board and leadership team in securing Plymouth’s future prosperity.” Plymouth Tube Company www.plymouth.com

wet corrosion in a diverse range of industrial applications. Renowned for its exceptional performance in corrosive conditions, SAF™ 2507 offers excellent resistance to stress corrosion cracking (SCC) in chloride-bearing environments, as well as to pitting and crevice corrosion. complement SAF™ 2507 in dealing with corrosive conditions in heat exchanger tubing exposed to hydrochloric, sulphuric, formic or other acids. This is our super duplex tailored to resist acids,” added Mr Perea. “From an R&D perspective, this new super duplex reflects a sharper focus on optimising the material for acid corrosion resistance. Previously, most of our duplexes were developed with chloride resistance as the main focus, with high PRE levels to resist pitting and crevice corrosion. Resistance to acidic conditions was less prioritised. “Now, we have fine-tuned the chemical composition to resist acidic environments better. This involves a high chromium content of 30 per cent and a molybdenum level of 3.2 per cent to maintain good structural stability and balancing of the alloying elements,” said Daniel Gullberg, manager of product development CRA. “SAF™ 3006 will Plymouth has appointed Dr Ganesh Iyer to its board. Dr Iyer is currently president and CEO of Etnyre International, a 125-year old, family-owned manufacturer of equipment for the asphalt road building and transportation industry. Prior to Etnyre, Dr Iyer spent two decades at Caterpillar, beginning as an engineer and progressing to global senior leadership roles. Dr Iyer has been recognised in Family Business Magazine, 2021 “CEOs to Watch” and the Private Company Tube Company

Plymouth Tube appoints new director to the board

Dr Ganesh Iyer

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Business & market news

UK stainless steel supplier becomes N’Genius pipeline product distributor

N’Genius Series enables engineers to use the same type of material that meets the requirements of virtually every pipeline and piping package. It’s the total system material solution.

more expensive nickel alloys and high alloy stainless steels. With outstanding strength and corrosion resistance combined with excellent ductility and toughness at ambient, sub-zero and cryogenic temperatures, the N’Genius Series is a good choice for pipeline and piping systems in sectors including energy, chemical and petrochemical, hydrogen, LNG, defence and aerospace. European-based stainless steel producers are conducting Manufacturing Procedure Qualification Tests with a view to providing N’Genius grades in various product forms. Dr Ces Roscoe, CEO of N’Genius Materials Technology, said: “The limitations of many materials utilised on certain projects almost forces engineers to specify completely different alloys that aren’t always compatible with one another. “With such a vast range of grades – all of them high strength austenitic – the

A steel manufacturer and stockist has reached an agreement to sell and distribute pipeline and piping packages with products made from the N’Genius Series of high strength austenitic stainless steels. Headquartered in St Helens, UK, Project Pipeline Supply (PPS) provide pipes, fittings, flanges, components and specialist equipment to the offshore oil & gas, process, renewables and defence industries. This unique agreement will allow PPS to offer customers total packages of products made using the N’Genius Series, fulfilling an important step in the supply chain for major projects around the world. As a complete family of grades, N’Genius represents a wide selection of new high-performance materials which are far superior than conventional austenitic stainless steels – commonly known as the 300 Series – and a cost-effective alternative to UK-based stainless

N’Genius Materials Technology www.ngeniusmaterials.com

David Toone (left) and Dr Ces Roscoe (right)

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May 2024 TUBE PRODUCTS INTERNATIONAL

Business & market news

Wardtec acquisition sees sales boost for Lawton Tubes

from natural gas towards renewable gases such as hydrogen. To cater for this transition, 1,200km of new and existing pipelines are to be prepared for hydrogen in the Netherlands, with the capacity of 3.5GW over the next decade. Sweco will be supporting Gasunie with consultancy, engineering and environmental studies in this major infrastructure build-out. “The market demand for renewable gas is growing and Gasunie is making significant investments in the infrastructure needed to meet that demand. Gasunie is in the midst of the energy transition happening across Europe – and Sweco is proud to be their an additional £5mn of business, an impressive return in what has only been a short period of time.” He added: “We have added new jobs in Redditch and the combined engineering expertise is helping us deliver production efficiencies as we continue to work with strategic customers in both the UK and overseas.” Founded in 1982, Wardtec specialises in the design, manufacture and supply of fittings and assemblies for the water management industry. Most of its fittings are designed for seamless connections between pipework and stored water vessels for use by plumbing and heating professionals. Investment in the latest CNC machining capabilities and constant staff training has seen it develop a reputation for reverse engineering and high-end CAD/CAM solutions, delivering a range of global supply solutions for its customer base. Anthony Ward, who took over as MD of Wardtec from his father in 2005, added: “A lot has changed since we started the business in the family garage over 42 years ago and any deal we did had to build on our current position as the UK’s only copper cylinder fittings manufacturer.

Sweco will be supporting Dutch energy operator Gasunie in the development of a new energy infrastructure, enabling the operator’s transition from transportation of natural gas to hydrogen, CO 2 , renewable gas and heat. Gasunie has allocated €280mn for the framework contract for the next ten years, with Sweco’s share being approximately €100mn evenly distributed over a period of ten years. Gasunie, the energy network operator active in the Netherlands and the northern part of Germany, manages and maintains infrastructure for large scale transport and storage of natural gas. Gasunie is in the process of shifting Lawton Tubes, a UK-based manufacturer and supplier of copper tubes, has recorded a jump in sales following the acquisition of Redditch-based Wardtec. Lawton Tubes, which has been producing vital material for the healthcare, air conditioning, plumbing and general engineering sectors for more than 105 years, purchased the water management product specialist in May 2023 and the seamless integration of the business has already led to an £5mn increase in sales. The deal gives the Coventry, UK-based company the opportunity to diversify into a whole new product range, as well as establishing an important foothold in the rapidly emerging renewables and thermal energy storage markets. Wardtec customers have also benefited from being part of a larger group and the additional resources and security of supply that brings, especially with global disruption still threatening a lot of industrial growth. Giles Lawton, operations managing director at Lawton Tubes, said: “We already had a strong 40-year relationship with Wardtec, so the acquisition made perfect sense from an operational, product and shared values perspective. “Eight months on and I’m delighted to say the combined entity has secured

long-term partner in this,” said Eugene Grüter, business area president, Sweco in the Netherlands. Sweco will be providing services within consultancy and engineering and the contract also allows for innovative projects related to the energy transition, such as hydrogen transport, district heating and green gas. In this project, Sweco in the Netherlands will leverage expertise of colleagues from across the Sweco group, to draw from the extensive experience of similar projects. Sweco www.swecogroup.com “That is why the Lawton acquisition was so perfect for us. We share similar sectors, the same commitment to quality and the same values that only exist in a family-run company. “The synergy was perfect, and we knew having the additional backing and purchasing power could unlock new opportunities in both our established markets and in new ones that could be brought to the table.” He concluded: “That is exactly what has happened in the first eight months with the growth in joint sales across both sides of the business. This is just the start.” and company-wide training has seen Lawton Tubes achieve year-on-year growth for the last decade, with turnover touching £230mm and a workforce of just over 140 located across its headquarters in Coventry and a second site in Poole, UK. Lawton Tubes www.lawtontubes.co.uk Regular investment in new warehousing, equipment

Sweco and Gasunie enter agreement for new pipeline infrastructure in the Netherlands

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At the heArt of the wire And tube industries for 40 yeArs our history at a glance Intras Ltd – independent publishers of Tube & Pipe Technology, Wire & Cable ASIA, EuroWire and Tube Products INTERNATIONAL magazines and wiredInUSA website – has a proud tradition of supporting the wire, cable, tube and pipe industries since the 1980s. With an unrivalled global distribution in both print and digital formats, we have a firm belief in supporting businesses through combining editorial excellence and targeted advertising to reach the far corners of the globe.

John Hogg, founder of Intras Ltd, was also a co-founder of the International Wire & Machinery Association (IWMA) and the International Tube Association (ITA). 1970s

Intras Ltd is founded by John Hogg as a management company to administrate the activities of IWMA and ITA trade associations. Intras begins to create a worldwide database of companies and products involved in the wire, cable, tube and pipe industries. 1984

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Business & market news

Soleno expands into US with $22mn investment in water management pipe facility and infrastructure

pipes are meticulously crafted for water management infrastructures, heralding a new era of possibilities for Soleno. “It is with great pride that we announce the establishment of Soleno in the US. Through this new expansion, thanks to our unique technology and the expertise of our team, we will be able to pursue our mission by offering the most ecological and sustainable solutions for water management,” said Alain Poirier, president of Soleno. Soleno will now be able to extend its field of expertise to sanitary water, waterworks, hydroelectric and high pressure applications, sectors that are mainly served with traditional materials. The company believes that a high density polyethylene pipe has a lower ecological footprint, so now provides its customers and the local community with the a sustainable alternative for water management infrastructure projects. The Saratoga plant will be built on a 22-acre site and will cover an area of over

Soleno has begun construction of a new plant in Saratoga, New York, US, which is due to be completed this year. This expansion marks the establishment of Soleno’s emerging presence in the US. The plant will bring sustainable water management to residents in the Saratoga community, along with opportunities and infrastructure. Construction for the plant has already begun, with it expected to open later this year. The $22mn investment in this project will enable Soleno to introduce its latest product line, Kustomflo, leveraging the innovative German Krah Pipes technology acquired by the company in 2022. This initiative will enhance the ability to reach and serve customers across the east coast of the US and in Canada. Kustomflo represents a step forward for the company, facilitating the production of custom manufactured large diameter pipes in high density polyethylene. These

Ecological and sustainable solutions for water management

45,000ft 2 (including office spaces). An extra 25,000ft 2 could be appended in a subsequent phase if deemed necessary. ‘’Our new plant in the US is a major project for Soleno and represents a turning point in our mission. We’re delighted to call the community home,” said Mathieu Cornellier, general manager for Soleno USA. Soleno www.soleno.com

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Cordless tube saw delivers precision cuts for high purity applications By Del Williams on behalf of Tri Tool Technologies

A reimagining of conventional tube saw design has led to an innovative, cordless model that cuts a wide range of piping and tubing sizes and materials with greater precision, efficiency and longevity.

The semiconductor, pharmaceutical and aerospace industries all require extensive piping and tubing systems to deliver essential liquids and gases under high pressure to critical equipment and systems within facilities, equipment and infrastructure. To install or replace this piping and tubing, the mechanical contractors that serve these industries often utilise tube saws to cut the materials to length prior to welding. However, ensuring the maintenance of liquids and gases at a high level of purity, or even achieving an ultra-high level of purity, presents a significant challenge for these sectors. This means any cuts in the piping or tubing need to be extremely precise, square, and free of contaminants such as tiny metal fragments. Unfortunately, typical tube saws often are not engineered to reliably make such precise cuts, “particularly given the variations in pipe and tube sizes, wall thicknesses and exotic material types from industry to industry,” said Chris Belle, CEO of Tri Tool Technologies. Founded in 1972, Tri Tool Technologies is a leading provider of machining tools, custom machining solutions, and on-site services for the aerospace, defence, power generation, oil & gas, life sciences and semiconductor industries.

Tube saws have been developed that ensure consistent, accurate and precise cutting of a wide range of piping and tubing for semiconductor manufacturing

Multiple tube saws increase costs To service more than one industry, mechanical contractors frequently must procure multiple tube saws to cut piping and tubing of different sizes and types, increasing installation costs and complexity. Moreover, this equipment traditionally requires replacement in less than a year with regular use, further contributing to expenses. Fortunately, recent advancements in the industry are addressing many of these challenges while meeting the requirements for high and ultra-purity applications. Through a meticulous engineering approach, tube saws have been developed that ensure consistent, accurate and precise cutting of a wide range of pipe and tubing sizes and materials. Additionally, the incorporation of a cordless design has enhanced versatility, enabling cutting in locations without access to a power source. Moreover, to minimise capital expenses, there is a new tube saw available in the market that is designed to withstand demanding environments, eliminating the need for premature replacement and ensuring long-lasting performance. Reengineering tube saw design With a view into the needs of sectors like semiconductor, pharmaceutical and aerospace, Mr Belle of Tri Tool considered what could be done to increase the precision, reliability and longevity of conventional tube saw design. Although the OEM has traditionally focused on higher end, custom machining tool applications, Mr Belle directed the company’s engineers to design a tube saw that could reliably make precision cuts for the widest range of markets.

A mountable OD clamping tube saw with a self-centring clamping system ensures precise, square cuts

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May 2024 TUBE PRODUCTS INTERNATIONAL

The Tube Saw was engineered with the aim of eliminating weak points in conventional designs and was based on feedback from customers and mechanical contractors. The result is a table- or pipe stand-mountable OD clamping tube saw with a self-centreing clamping system that ensures precise, square cuts. The jaws clamp securely to the material being cut and self-lock to prevent loosening. Jaw extensions snap into place to hold smaller materials. To promote accuracy, an integrated laser line indicates the centre of the cut on tube and thin wall pipe. To facilitate precision, the saw passes around the perimeter of the material to be cut after the plunge cut. A feed handle is geared to prevent the operator from overrunning the cut, yet provides smooth control. The design of the cutting head creates a square cut with high quality surface finish. In considering the market’s needs, Mr Belle also saw a demand for greater versatility. He added: “Most tube saw manufacturers focus on high purity and sanitary piping, which is primarily thin wall tubing. For applications that require cutting thicker wall tubing and piping or exotic materials like Inconel ® , which is common in aerospace, you generally need a second machine. So, there was a market need for a more versatile tube saw.” The newly designed tube saw can cut a wide range of tubes and pipes, ranging from 1 / 4 " to 6" OD and 1 / 8 " to 6" ID respectively. Its capabilities include precision cutting of thin wall stainless steel within the range of .035" to .150" (schedule 10 pipe) as well as the ability to handle challenging materials like titanium and Inconel ® . To enhance productivity when cutting various materials, the saw comes with different blade options. Assorted blade diameters and tooth counts are available for different wall thickness and materials. Quick diameter changes The machine increases productivity by enabling quick diameter changes without the need for tools, and it can make cuts in a single pass. The advanced tube saw demonstrates superior performance in cutting thin walls, including specialised

The new tube saw design incorporates sealed precision bearings to ensure smooth, accurate cuts over years of use

To give mechanical contractors the freedom to use The Tube Saw anywhere, the machine is designed for use with a cordless motor, but can be used with a corded motor as well. Ambidextrous interfaces provide the capability to reconfigure the tool for use on either side of the machine, accommodating both left-handed and right-handed users. This can also facilitate placement of The Tube Saw in tight spaces or against a wall. A prevalent issue encountered with conventional tube saws is that their design leaves crucial components, such as bearings, susceptible to the fine metal particles that detach from pipes and tubes during the cutting process. The presence of even the tiniest metal fragments in the bearings not only reduces accuracy and performance, but also results in abrasive wear and damage. In numerous aerospace environments, traditional tube saws are essentially deemed disposable in a span of six to nine months due to the ingress of metal particles into the bearings during cutting operations. Sealed precision bearings As a preventive measure, the new tube saw design incorporates sealed precision bearings to ensure smooth, accurate cuts over years of use. To increase longevity, a variable speed motor provides cutting speed control for long blade life and material finish. Hard anodised coatings throughout the machine components provide corrosion protection and robustness for harsh environments. In today’s high-pressure industrial landscape, precision tube and thin wall pipe cutting plays a crucial role in various sectors such as aerospace, mechanical contracting and pharmaceutical and semiconductor manufacturing. For these industries, as well as the mechanical contractors that install high purity pipe and tube, the use of a meticulously engineered tube saw that offers enhanced precision, reliability, flexibility and longevity can significantly enhance both quality and productivity.

metals such as titanium tubing, which is often brittle. “The clamping force, plunge cut and radial cut are very important when it comes to cutting titanium to length,” said Mr Belle. “You don’t want it to tear as you are cutting.” He adds that for one aerospace company, The Tube Saw was recently tasked with cutting tubing with an approximately 28-thousandths of an inch wall thickness.

Designed to withstand demanding environments, a tube saw like that from Tri Tool eliminates the need for premature replacement and ensures long-lasting performance

Tri Tool Technologies www.tritool.com

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“We’ve advertised in Tube & Pipe Technology and its sister publications for many years. Their publications provide an excellent environment for creating positive recognition, impressions, and awareness of our NDT systems for tube, bar and wire readers. Editor Rory McBride is a pleasure to work with, always responsive and helpful, and our ad agency finds Jason Smith, sales director at Intras, outstanding.” At the heart of the tube industry for 40 years

“We highly appreciate the ongoing collaboration with Intras Ltd, which supports us regularly with advertising and articles in Tube & Pipe Technology magazine, which is the leading magazine in the tube industry.”

“Our partnership with Tube & Pipe Technology over the years has enabled us to grow our profile and, therefore, our business. Thanks to the publication’s international readership it also enables our company news and marketing activities to reach our global customer base.”

“ Tube & Pipe Technology has provided us a really professional and well-known communication platform for our welded pipe mill over more than 30 years. TPT creates an opportunity for Chinese enterprises like us to know the international trends in the industry, which has been particularly useful when travel to trade events has been difficult in recent times.”

“We appreciate the long-standing relationship and the good cooperation we have with Tube & Pipe Technology and the opportunity that they provide for us to communicate with the global industry.”

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Linda Li China, Taiwan & Hong Kong

Jason Smith Rest of World

Email: linda@intras.co.uk Tel: +44 1926 834685

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