TPi March 2019

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The trade magazine for tube and pipe products

March 2019

Editorial Office: Editor

Mr Rory McBride Email: rory@intras.co.uk Mr Christian Bradley Email: christian@intras.co.uk

Editorial Assistant

Design & Production

Mrs Lisa Wright Email: lisa@intras.co.uk

Publisher Founder

Ms Caroline Sullens

Mr John C Hogg

Advertisement Material & Production: Ms Liz Hughes Email: liz@intras.co.uk Ms Andrea McIntosh Email: andrea@intras.co.uk

International Advertising Sales: Mr Steve Singh

Email: steve@intras.co.uk • Tel: +44 1926 834688 Verkauf & Marketing (Deutschland, Österreich, Schweiz) Email: germansales@intras.co.uk • Tel: +44 1926 834687 Ms Giuliana Benedetto – Vendite & Marketing (Italia) Email: giuliana@intras.co.uk • Tel: +44 1926 834686 Ms Linda Li – 中国大陆，台湾，香港以及远东地区销售代表 Email: linda@intras.co.uk • Tel: +44 1926 834685

Subscriptions: www.read-tpi.com Accounts Manager Mrs Julie Case and Subscriptions Tube Products INTERNATIONAL is published by Intras Ltd, UK Europe: 46 Holly Walk, Leamington Spa Warwickshire CV32 4HY, UK

Email: juliecase@intras.co.uk

Tel: +44 1926 334137 Fax: +44 1926 314755 Email: tpi@intras.co.uk Website: www.intras.co.uk Intras USA Danbury Corporate Center 107 Mill Plain Road Danbury, CT 06811, USA Tel: +1 203 794 0444 Email: doug@intras.co.uk

USA:

This publication and its full contents of layout, text, images, and graphics is copyright protected. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording or any other storage or retrieval system without the publisher’s written permission. The publisher, owners, agents, printers, editors and contributors cannot be held responsible for and hereby exclude all liability whatsoever for errors, omissions or the accuracy and claims printed or inferred in the editorial or advertisements published in this, previous or subsequent editions or for any damages, costs or losses caused thereby. Tube Products International reserves the right to edit, reword and subedit all editorial submissions in accordance with editorial policy. Tube Products International expressed graphically or by text is a registered name and style trademark of Intras Ltd, UK. All matters relating to this disclaimer are governed by the laws of England. US copies only: T ube Products INTERNATIONAL (ISSN No: 1755-7216, USPS No: 024-676) is published six times a year: January, March, May, July, September and November by Intras Ltd and distributed in the USA by Asendia USA, 701 Ashland Ave, Folcroft PA. Periodicals postage paid at Philadelphia, PA and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: send address changes to Tube Products INTERNATIONAL, 701 Ashland Ave, Folcroft PA 19032.

© 2019 Intras Ltd, UK ISSN 1755-7216

Tube Products INTERNATIONAL Magazine 46 Holly Walk, Leamington Spa, Warwickshire CV32 4HY, UK Tel: +44 1926 334137 • Fax: +44 1926 314755 • Email: tpi@intras.co.uk

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Contents March 2019

8 Business & market news

22 Products & developments

40 Tube Russia 2019

14-17 May 2019 International tube and pipe trade fair in Russia

42 Plastic & composite tubes

50 Tube welding technology

56 Pre-sales and after-sales service by TIG welding experts: unique, complete support for orbital welding By Orbitalservice GmbH, Germany, and Gesellschaft für Wolfram Industrie mbH, Germany

59 Editorial index

60 Advertisers index

The trade magazine for tube and pipe products

Events calendar

March 2019

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The trademagazine for tube and pipe products

The March issue

2019

28 Feb – 2 March Boru (Istanbul, Turkey) International exhibition www.boru-tel-rulo-fuari.com

Welcome to the latest Tube Products INTERNATIONAL magazine. This issue we have features on plastic & composite tubes & pipes and tube welding technology. We also have an article on orbital welding (see page 56), a process which is increasingly used for applications ranging from installing cooling and heating pipes in dairies to welding fuel lines in the aerospace sector. We also take a look at the Tube Russia trade show, being held in Moscow from 14 to 17 May and at which this magazine will be distributed. I recently attended Tube India, and SteelFab in Sharjah, UAE, which both proved to be excellent events with a lot of positive news for the industry. It is clear India and its government is continuing to invest in infrastructure improvements at a considerable pace. Since my first visit to the country in 2012 the contrast is quite staggering in terms of the standard of the roads and paths alone across Mumbai. The trade show itself was also particularly lively with many new small and medium-sized companies being established on the back of encouragement by the government. I certainly noticed a lot more interest in the products and machinery features in the magazine this time. It looks very much like India’s industrial revolution is taking place as we speak. News from SteelFab was also positive with encouraging news for the oil industry in the region on the back of some tough years, according to a number of people I spoke to. Similar to many regions, it is clear that a lot of investment is taking place in modern technology that helps to make tube production and other related areas much more efficient – from bundling to storage to the machines used in warehouses. The big news is in artificial intelligence, the Internet of things and innovation and safety improvements in general. Next issue we have features on steel & stainless steel tubes; fittings, valves, flanges & connectors; and the magazine will be distributed at three important shows: Made in Steel 2019 and Lamiera in Milan, Italy, and Guangzhou 2019 in China.

5-8 March TOLexpo (Lyon, France) International exhibition www.tolexpo.com 14-16 May Made In Steel (Milan, Italy) International exhibition www.madeinsteel.it

14-17 May Tube Russia (Moscow, Russia)

International exhibition www.tube-russia.com

15-18 May Lamiera (Milan, Italy) International exhibition www.lamiera.net

13-15 June 2019 China (Guangzhou) Int’l Metal & Metallurgy Exhibition (Guangzhou, China) International exhibition www.julang.com.net

16-21 September EMO Hanover 2019 (Hanover, Germany) International exhibition www.emo-hannover.de

18-20 September Tube Southeast Asia (Bangkok, Thailand) International exhibition www.tube-southeastasia.com 1-3 October Tubotech (São Paulo, Brazil) International exhibition www.tubotech-online.com

The advertising deadline for the May issue is 25 March. If you would like to submit editorial for the issue please send it to rory@intras.co.uk by the deadline of 8 March.

I hope you enjoy the magazine.

Rory McBride Editor

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Business & market news

Polypipe donates bear necessities to wildlife park’s grizzly new arrivals

bears deserve to enjoy their time at Yorkshire Wildlife Park and we are sure the fantastic new toys and constructions will provide them with a lot fun and happiness. We are so thankful for the generosity and support of the local businesses and friends.” The Ussuri brown bear is on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species due to habitat loss and illegal hunting, with numbers dropping to around 10,000 in Japan. The bears, also known as the Black Grizzly, can weigh up to 550 kg and live up to 35 years. The Yorkshire Wildlife Park Foundation has been supporting animal welfare projects in Asia, including bear welfare workshops in Japan, and UK charity Wild Welfare, a global organisation committed to improving welfare standards in captive wild animal facilities, to transfer the trio to the UK. The park and the foundation support conservation and welfare projects around the world, from the critically endangered Amur leopard in Russia and the black rhino in East Africa to the lemurs of Madagascar. Polypipe – UK www.polypipe.com

Doncaster business, we’re delighted to be able to support the park, and look forward to donating more items in the future.” Other donors to the bears’ rehoming project included South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue, Stantec, Don Valley Brewery, South West Play, Danum Plants, GMS Fencing and Maintenance, and Create Building Contractors and Property Developers. The project used donated materials to replicate the bears’ natural habitat and encourage them to explore and forage as they might in the wild, within a four-acre reserve. Simon Marsh, animal collections manager at the wildlife park, said, “The

Polypipe, a UK plastic piping manu- facturer, has donated plastic toys and puzzle feeders to help three rare Ussuri bears to settle into their new home at Yorkshire Wildlife Park in the UK, after being relocated from their native Japan. The company worked with the wildlife park to design a variety of bespoke toys, which have become a hit with the bears – brothers Kai and Riku, and 27-year-old female Hanako – following their epic 5,400-mile journey. Cameron McLellan, managing director at Polypipe Building Products, said, “Yorkshire Wildlife Park is doing such wonderful things for both the animals in their care and the local economy. As a

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Business & market news

Celebrating 75 years of precision stainless steel tube manufacture in the UK

delivered the corrosion-resistant heat exchanger tubes for Spain’s ground- breaking Gemasolar power plant, which is capable of absorbing 95 per cent of radiation in the solar spectrum and transmitting this energy from the Sun for storage in a molten salt compound in the plant’s interior. It was also contracted to supply the specialist titanium tubing for the chemical propulsion system aboard the European Space Agency’s Solar Orbiter, which will fly to within 45 million kilometres of the Sun, enduring powerful bursts of atomic particles from explosions in the solar atmosphere, to capture images of the solar poles for the first time and help to explain how the Sun generates magnetic fields. “Fine Tubes can look back on a truly impressive history of technological achievement on an international stage,” commented Dave Cawse, operations director for Fine Tubes. “With so much of that achievement generated from our facility in Plymouth, Fine Tubes can claim to be a significant player in the story of UK manufacturing success. I look forward to the next 75 years!” Fine Tubes – UK sales.finetubes@ametek.com www.finetubes.com

Since 2016, Fine Tubes has been part of the Specialty Metal Products division of Ametek Inc, a global manu- facturer of electronic instruments and electromechanical devices. In medicine and health care, having already developed profiled implant tubing for medical applications 18 years ago, Fine Tubes began manufacturing advanced titanium tubing for femur and tibia bone nail implants in 2004. For the nuclear power industry, the company began developing specialised tubes for the UK’s first generation of gas-cooled reactors in the 1970s. As nuclear power evolved, so did the company’s expertise. Its products are now found in AGR, pressurised water, light water, heavy water and fast breeder reactor plants across Europe, the USA, Canada, India and China. From the technological advances that came with early subsea drilling in the North Sea in the 1970s, up to the present deep-water challenges, Fine Tubes helps the offshore oil and gas industry with the high-pressure tubing required to extract subsea oil and gas from some of the most hostile downhole conditions. Fine Tubes was chosen to supply 130 km of cooling tubes for CERN’s Large Hadron Collider; and in 2013, the company

Fine Tubes, a UK-based manufacturer of high-precision, high-performance tubing products, recently celebrated its 75 th anniversary. The company supplies a wide range of advanced stainless steel, nickel alloy and titanium tubes for critical applications in the aerospace, medical, oil and gas, and energy industries. Founded in Surbiton in 1943, Fine Tubes began construction of a 51,000 ft 2 production facility in Plymouth in 1960, and moved into its new factory in 1962. The company has been a major local employer ever since and can look back on several key milestones. Its early success in the aerospace market began in 1957, when it started to supply tubing for the Vickers Viscount aircraft. Eight years later, the company was manufacturing advanced stainless steel alloy tubes for Concorde, the world’s first supersonic airliner. By 1999, the company was manu- facturing titanium tubing for the hydraulic systems aboard the Eurofighter. Today, Fine Tubes is one of the few suppliers qualified to produce the high-pressure titanium tubes used in the hydraulic systems of the Airbus A380 and A350, and recently won an extension of its contract to supply the full range of Airbus aircraft.

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Business & market news

High willingness to invest at Valve World Expo 2018 in Düsseldorf

Overall, 70 per cent of the attendees were executives and decision-makers. The visitors – mostly users, manufac- turers and distributors of valves and fittings – were primarily interested in valves and fittings, followed by actua- tors and positioners, parts and compo- nents of valves and fittings and com- pressors. Around 20 per cent of visitors were interested in pump manufactur- ers. The exhibits were complemented by the international Valve World Con- ference. Organised by KCI Publishing from the Netherlands, the conference offered an exchange of ideas between the 400 conference delegates and the exhibitors. Messe Düsseldorf North America – USA info@mdna.com www.valveworldexpo.com

Positive developments in the valves and fittings sector were reflected at the most recent staging of the Valve World Expo trade fair and conference, in Düsseldorf, Germany. 650 exhibitors from 40 countries showcased their latest technologies, components and systems for industrial valves, fittings and pumps, to 11,800 visitors from 86 nations. Around 75 per cent of all visitors came from outside Germany. The solutions presented at Valve World Expo 2018 were primarily aimed at specialists from industries including oil and gas, petrochemicals, chemicals, food, marine and offshore, water and waste management, automotive, mechanical engineering, pharmaceuticals, medical engineering and power plant engineering.

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Business & market news

Sandvik Welding Consumables renamed Exaton For more than 80 years, Sandvik Welding Consumables has been a developer and manufacturer of stainless steels and nickel filler metals for demanding environments. To broaden and enhance its portfolio of alloys, ESAB Welding & Cutting Products acquired the Sandvik welding consumables business. These products will now go to market under the name Exaton, an ESAB brand. Exaton wire grades use a proprietary surface lubricant that the company states delivers superior feeding proper- ties, while micro-alloy additions improve weldability factors such as reduced spat- ter for shorter clean-up time, improved flow control to eliminate welding defects, and faster deposition for increased productivity. Exaton’s chem- istry also delivers productivity improve- ments, such as obtaining permissible finished chemistry with a single layer weld overlay in applications that tradi- tionally require two or even three layers. Mr Calander said: “We can manufacture alloy batches as small as 1.5 tons and as large as 70 tons.” ESAB – USA www.esab.com

As part of the brand update, product packaging will be updated to reflect the new Exaton brand and logo. The product itself will retain current labelling. The contents of the Sandvik website, including specifications and Material Safety Data Sheets, will be transferred to the ESAB website, as will the Sandvik Welding Handbook mobile app, which features all of the information in the Welding Handbook PDF along with useful calculators. “While Sandvik will move forward as Exaton, customers can be assured that the most important factors will remain the same: the excellent performance, metallurgy and weldability of our consumables,” said ESAB president Shyam Kambeyanda. The Exaton portfolio includes solid welding wire and rods, flux-cored wire, MMA electrodes, strip electrodes, flux, thermal spray wire and weld finishing chemical products. The company works directly with fabricators and end users in segments such as oil and gas, chemical processing, power generation and cryogenic applications. “Our first-hand application knowledge enables us to continuously improve welding consumable performance,” said Henrik Calander, general manager speciality alloys at ESAB. “They offer higher strengths, corrosion resistance and service temperatures so that customers can explore deeper, use more corrosive media, extend service times and reduce part thickness.” Mr Calander noted that welding operators appreciate repeatable performance and that automatic and robotic applications demand it. To ensure consistency, Exaton carefully manages its raw material sources and controls chemical composition to tight tolerances.

The Test Of Time

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TPI Half Page Isl-MARCH 2019.indd 1

1/28/19 10:58 AM

Business & market news

Online PEX plumbing design course The Plastics Pipe Institute, Inc (PPI) has partnered with RedVector to provide the CEU-style education online course ‘Designing PEX Plumbing Systems to Optimize Performance and Efficiency’.

about plastic piping systems, such as PEX. This online course focuses on the 2 nd edition of the Design Guide for Residential PEX Water Supply Plumbing Systems. We teach students how to use the data in the guide to optimise design of plumbing systems for peak performance and efficiency. The course also provides detailed information about PEX plumbing products and explains proper installation techniques.” PPI is a trade association representing all segments of the plastic pipe industry. RedVector is a provider of online education content for a wide range of industries, including architecture, engineering, construction and mining. It offers more than one thousand courses for engineers, architects, contractors and other design professionals. Plastics Pipe Institute, Inc – USA www.plasticpipe.org fruitful relationship between Metalube and Bellini. Our two companies share very similar values and aspirations, with customer satisfaction through technological innovation, service and flexibility at the heart of everything we do.” Metalube exports 95 per cent of its production to more than 90 countries worldwide, andhas offices inManchester, UK; Dubai, UAE; Mumbai, India; São Paulo, Brazil; and Shanghai, China. At its headquarters in Manchester the company has a fully integrated lubricant manufacturing facility including new laboratories. Research and development are key to the business, and the company is constantly investing in the Metalube Technology Centre, ensuring technical excellence and innovation across its range of products and services.

The one-hour course, which is narrated by Lance MacNevin, P Eng, director of engineering for PPI’s Building & Construction Division, has five learning objectives and advances at the pace of each student. Topics include the properties of PEX tubing and fittings, types of plumbing layouts, designing for optimised performance, installation techniques and design resources. The course is approved by the Architectural Institute of America (AIA) for 1.0 Learning Unit HSW (Health, Safety and Welfare), a recognised accreditation. Students can receive an online certificate.

PEX plumbing systems can be installed as trunk and branch, home-run or zoned, using remote manifolds

According to Mr MacNevin, “Part of PPI’s mission is to educate target audiences such as design engineers, builders and plumbing contractors

Speciality lubricant partnership Lubricants specialist Metalube Ltd has been officially named the speciality lubrication partner of Bellini SpA. In addition to the partnership in Italy, Metalube India will distribute Bellini’s metal cutting lubricants throughout India. in Bergamo, Italy. It will now distribute across Italy the entire Metalube range of lubricants for drawing non-ferrous wire and tubes, protective greases for overhead line conductors, wire rope lubricants and chain oils.

Douglas Hunt, commercial director of Metalube, said, “We are looking forward to the start of a long and

Bellini SpA is a manufacturer of industrial fluid lubricants, and is based

Metalube Ltd – UK post@metalube.co.uk www.metalube.co.uk Bellini SpA – Italy info@bellini-lubrificanti.it www.bellini-lubrificanti.it

Bellini sales manager Valentino Foiadelli (left) and managing director Marco Bellini (right), with Metalube commercial director Douglas Hunt

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Business & market news

TMKopens external coating facility inKentucky TMK, a producer of tubular products for the oil and gas industry, has opened a new external coating facility at TMK IPSCO’s Wilder facility in North America. is strategically situated in Kentucky near the natural gas deposits of the Marcellus Shale formation. TMK – Russia TMK’s senior vice president, manufac- turing. “Its strategic location and pre- mium tubular products, now available with special coating, provide our Ameri- can division with a strong competitive edge which enables further growth.” The 360,000-tonne Wilder pipe facility tmk@tmk-group.com www.tmk-group.com

The 250,000 tonnes of annual coating capacity for pipes up to 609.6mm (24") in diameter is available in fusion bonded epoxy (FBE), abrasion-resistant overcoat (ARO) and speciality coating. Coating protects line pipe against corrosion, mechanical damage and weathering. The facility is certified to industry standards, including CSA Z245.20 (Canadian national standards – the most rigorous in North America), NACE SP0394 and AWWA C213, as well as end users’ specific standards. The launch will expand IPSCO’s line-up of high value-added products and boost line pipe sales in the North American market. “With the new facility, TMK IPSCO’s products will become more reli- able and more cost-efficient for consum- ers,” commented Vyacheslav Popkov,

Steel stockholding StaRo Stahlrohrhandelsgesellschaft mbH in Hamburg, Germany, is a family-operated steel stockholder, specialising in all kinds of pipes and tubes in prime and secondary qualities. The company is also a general trader of flat and long steel products in various qualities. In addition to offering the above products from its production line, the company is always interested in stock or inventory offers of prime and secondary quality. It also trades in stainless and aluminium products through its subsidiary company, Umland Stahlhandel GmbH. StaRo Stahlrohrhandelsgesellschaft mbH – Germany info@staro-gmbh.de www.staro-gmbh.de

Umland Stahlhandel GmbH – Germany sales@umland.com www.umland.com

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Business & market news

Penspen selected for Nigeria-Morocco pipeline Penspen, a provider of engineering and project management services to the energy industry, has been awarded a contract by the Office National des Hydrocarbures et des Mines (ONHYM) and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to execute the first phase of the FEED (FEED Phase I) of an approximately 5,700 km gas pipeline proposed to run from Nigeria to Morocco. The award follows a feasibility study completed in July 2018. in-depth evaluation of the gas demand and supply study. Further design of the pipeline system, in addition to the execution of an environmental and social impact assessment (ESIA), will then be carried out with the aim of optimising the proposed pipeline route and project economics. Penspen will also support the client in marketing and promoting the pipeline project to potential stakeholders, showcasing the wider benefits of its development. At the end of the study, key detailed outcomes will help the client prepare for the second phase of the FEED, which is expected to lead to a final investment decision. Penspen will be utilising the skills and capabilities of Dar Al-Handasah, Crestech and Control Risk to conduct a number of special studies required for the FEED services, environmental impact assessment, Nigeria gas supply study and risk study. The work has already started and is being executed from Penspen’s office in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Penspen – UK info@penspen.com www.penspen.com The FEED Phase I consists of a detailed review of the feasibility study results and

Major contract extension strengthens position in Azerbaijan

for challenging deep-water market conditions. To support this major contract and expand its portfolio in the region, Expro invested in a purpose-built facility, which opened in November. The $5mn facility will house 30 employees, encompassing both office and workshop space over 8,500m 2 . It will allow Expro to provide integrated subsea services to clients in the region, with the capacity to expand further core areas of the business. Neil Sims, Expro’s vice president for the Europe CIS region, said, “The investment in our new facilities allows us to grow our presence and deliver

the highest quality of subsea services to major clients, including BP. It also allows us to broaden our portfolio offering, leveraging our leading global expertise in well testing and intervention services. “Our key stakeholders are critical to our success and I would like to thank our employees for their significant contribution to date, alongside our customers, suppliers and broader partners in Azerbaijan. We look forward to continuing our success and delivering an even stronger business for the future.” Expro – UK www.exprogroup.com

International oilfield services company Expro has strengthened the opening of its new purpose-built facilities in Baku, Azerbaijan, winning a four-year contract extension for BP’s Shah Deniz Stage 2 project. The contract extension will see Expro continue its provision of subsea landing string equipment and services to the project in the South Caspian Sea. In 2014, Expro secured a five-year contract for the project, providing its landing string assembly – high pressure (ELSA- HP) 15k valves in conjunction with its Express electro hydraulic control systems. These are designed to ensure high standards of safety and reliability

Expro’s surface flow tree assembly

Subsea landing string equipment

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Business & market news

Appointment underlines commitment to Australia and South Pacific

commercial and domestic installations. Offering flame-free installation, there is no requirement for installers to secure a hot works permit.

existing, relationships with contractors and specifiers to grow our market share even further. Another will be promoting the advantages of our innovative >B< MaxiPro press-fit fitting for ACR applications, supporting customers during the installation process and working with my team on industry roadshows.” Pietro Cardente, international sales director for Conex Bänninger, said, “Our aim is for Conex Bänninger products to become the number one choice for all the markets we operate in. The depth of experience that Nick brings to the table will be invaluable as we look for further growth in Australia and the South Pacific, where we are already well established.” Conex Bänninger >B< Press copper press-fit fittings are suitable for both

Conex Bänninger has appointed Nick Ryan as specification manager for Australia and the South Pacific, underlining its commitment to this market. Mr Ryan has experience within the ACR sector, having worked for Conex Bänninger’s partner, the Australian plumbing and bathroom supplier Reece Group, where he held positions in HVAC-R field marketing supporting key brands, business development and branch management. Commenting on his appointment, Mr Ryan said, “I’m delighted to be joining the Australia and South Pacific team and look forward to building on the fantastic work already done to make Conex Bänninger the ‘go-to’ press fittings brand. One major objective for me will be to develop new, as well as

Conex Bänninger – Australia www.conexbanninger.com.au

Nick Ryan

Neftegaz 2019 From 15 to 18 April, Neftegaz 2019, the International Exhibition for Equipment and Technologies for the Oil and Gas Industry, will take place at Expocentre Fairgrounds, Moscow, Russia. Neftegaz 2019 is officially supported by the Russian Ministry of Energy as well as the Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade, and runs parallel to the National Oil & Gas Forum. Around 600 international exhibitors will showcase their technological innovations in the areas of oil and gas extraction and processing, LNG processing, oil and gas transport and storage, machinery and plants for the petrochemical industry, measuring technology, control systems, safety systems, environmental control and HSE. Neftegaz provides a programme of side events comprising conferences, technology seminars and workshops. The trade fair gives international enterprises access to markets and a business platform for networking, exchange of experiences with sector experts and gathering information on new technologies and equipment for the oil and gas industry. 2019 will again see Messe Düsseldorf organise a German Pavilion. The corporate joint pavilion will be supported by the German Engineering Federation (Verband Deutscher Maschinen und Anlagen – VDMA). Messe Düsseldorf GmbH – Germany

info@messe-duesseldorf.de www.neftegaz-online.com

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Business & market news

Amiblu Poland opens new production hall for GRP fittings

process and make the working conditions more modern and comfortable. Of course, we also equipped the hall with other necessary and convenient production facilities: a central dust-

With the inauguration of a new hall for fittings production, the Amiblu factory in Dąbrowa Górnicza, Poland, is to become a major European production centre for GRP elements. The new hall will provide 1,500m² of additional space for increased production capacity, higher flexibility and improved working conditions. Plant manager Piotr Strzelczyk answered some questions about the future- orientated investment. Amiantit Europe and Hobas merged to become Amiblu. With two factories in Poland – one former Hobas, one former Amiantit – why was it necessary to build an additional production hall? According to the business concept of the Amiblu Group, each factory is or will be specialised and equipped to cover certain production ranges. For example, the factory in Gdańsk will increase its production capacity of non-circular profiles, and the factory in Dąbrowa Górnicza is to become the main production centre for fittings in Europe. This expansion and reorganisation of our work will enable us to cope with the increased number of orders for time-consuming and labour-intensive elements such as wells, reservoirs, arches, etc. Tell us a little more about the scope of the investment. The ‘new fittings production hall’ project started in 2016 and involved a broad range of long-term activities: planning additional storage for products and materials, realising additional parking spaces for a larger number of employees, expanding the office work space, creating social facilities next to the production hall and, of course, building and equipping the hall itself. Which equipment and special features can be found in the new hall? We bought a water-jet cutting machine to create precisely cut elements for further processing in little time. This way we can reduce the number of employees needed for the cutting

Maik Altendorf (Amiblu Group COO), Natalia Wilczek (Amiblu Poland financial manager) and Piotr Strzelczyk (Amiblu Poland South plant manager) cut the ribbon at the new fittings production hall

The new hall also allows us to employ women in production. In Europe, it is well known that the market in Poland offers well-educated employees, and the location of the plant in the Silesian agglomeration provides Amiblu with access to specialists in almost every field. In general, Poland is a dynamically developing country with a convenient geographical location in the centre of Europe, which makes us very confident about our future. Will investment also be made at the factory in Gdańsk? Of course, Amiblu plans also include the further development of the factory in Gdańsk. We are currently working on constructing offices and social spaces, expanding the laboratory, and implementing the new, improved production line for non-circular pipes. Amiblu Holding GmbH – Austria

extraction system, production boxes equipped with all necessary utilities (like local sources of compressed air and electricity), a mechanical saw, new hand tools and a roller system. Particular emphasis was placed on optimising all workflows and improving work safety. Does the new hall create new jobs at Amiblu Poland? We currently employ 380 people in both Amiblu factories in Poland, 195 of them in Dąbrowa Górnicza. With the new fittings hall, we now have vacancies for another 30 employees. What will the new fittings hall mean for Amiblu and the market? Increasing our production and processing capacity will result in shorter waiting times for our fittings. We will be more flexible with regard to our clients and the highly seasonal construction industry. For me, this investment means above all an improvement of working conditions for my employees.

info@amiblu.com www.amiblu.com

GRP fittings in all varieties will be produced in the new production hall

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Business & market news

Check valves white paper updated Val-Matic has rebranded and updated its Dynamic Characteristics of Check Valves white paper. Other design issues such as head loss and cost are equally important factors and should be considered in making the final valve selection. Val-Matic Valve & Manufacturing Corp – USA valves@valmatic.com www.valmatic.com US power plant water treatment conference The paper was written to assist design professionals in predicting slam in basic check valves without dashpots and other specialised hydraulic controls. It is not intended to provide all the information necessary for selecting a check valve, but rather to explain in engineering terms the cause of check valve slam and the inherent closing characteristics of various check valves that contribute to the phenomenon. With this knowledge, the design professional can predict before pump station start-up whether serious check valve problems will occur.

management in coal power generation • Reducing boiler energy consumption • Chemical water treatment for cooling towers • Corrosion inhibitors • The latest in available filtration technologies

Featured topics will include: • Protecting water equipment during idle times • Effluent water management at coal- fired energy plants • The latest development to reduce the build-up of scale in boilers • Corrosion measures to protect plant water treatment equipment • Water softener system maintenance and troubleshooting • Innovative concepts for water

LMN Power is hosting the upcoming Power Plant Water Treatment Confer- ence in Charlotte, North Carolina, USA. The event, which takes place on 14 and 15 May, covers every aspect of water treatment and maintenance, and will bring waste water professionals together to hear the latest techniques, research, processes, approaches, case studies and practices in power plant waste water management.

LMN Power – USA info@lmnassets.com www.lmnpower.com

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HydraForce celebrates 30 years of manufacturing in Birmingham

around the world, including the UK, North America, Brazil and Asia. The company designs and manufactures hydraulic fluid power cartridge valves, custom manifolds and electro-hydraulic controls. With plans to increase its sales to around £130mn in 2019, and to further add to its current employee numbers of 730, the company has expanded its market beyond Europe and has started to export to Asia over the last year. The HydraForce range of hydraulic car- tridge valves and manifolds is designed to be compact and robust. Valves per- forming different functions often use the same cavity bore, dependent only on capacity and number of ports. This mini- mises the cost of manufacturing mani- folds by reducing the tools required. HydraForce Hydraulics Ltd – UK sales-intl@hydraforce.com www.hydraforce.com

group and I want to say a personal thank you to the UK leadership team and the employees here in England for their continued support, and congratulate them on their success.” Tony Brown, managing director of HydraForce Ltd in Birmingham, echoed Mr Casale’s sentiments when he told the audience, “We are proud to be an employer here in Birmingham and are pleased to say that we are one of the biggest in the Aston area. This year alone we have created more than 100 jobs and we are looking forward to our continued success as we approach the end of this incredible year, where we anticipate sales exceeding £110mn.” HydraForce was first established in Chicago, USA, in 1985. The Birmingham site is the European headquarters of the business. It remains a privately owned company, with manufacturing facilities

HydraForce Hydraulics Ltd celebrated its 30 th anniversary of trading in the UK late last year, with an event at Birmingham’s Millennium Point. The manufacturer of hydraulic valves and manifold systems brought its employees together with families and friends for the celebration. More than 800 people attended the event, which included family activities ranging from face painting and fairground fun to Segways and street food vendors. Tony Casale, vice president of the USA- based parent company HydraForce Inc, flew in to attend the party, and was one of the key speakers at the event. Mr Casale said, “Here at HydraForce we see our employees as part of our family and the success of the business is due to the efforts and commitment of our staff. The facility in Birmingham is the second largest company in the HydraForce

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Kemppi and SSAB join forces in digitalising welding production information

improves welding quality, saves time and reduces the repair rate. The WeldEye/SmartSteel integration streamlines the welding process, as the necessary base material information is quickly and easily available to the welders. Following the successful pilot, SSAB customers who are already using Kemppi’s WeldEye software can get automatic material information from the SmartSteel cloud. New partners are also able to contact SSAB in order to start developing new services around SmartSteel. Kemppi Oy – Finland www.kemppi.com SSAB AB – Sweden

directly to welding equipment through its own cloud-based software solution for welding management, WeldEye. Collecting welding documentation is time-consuming. Documents have to be collected from different source systems, and documenting the welding process is performed manually. WeldEye strives to make the process smoother by collecting welding parameters digitally from workstations, and by adjusting the welding equipment according to digital welding procedure specifications (dWPS). To automate the process one step further, SSAB now offers its SmartSteel data through an interface to be used in the process. Experience has shown that the digitalisation of welding-related operative and administrative tasks

Welding digitalisation pioneer Kemppi and global steel company SSAB have integrated their cloud-based WeldEye and SmartSteel platforms to streamline base material information handling in welding production. The results of the successful pilot are now available for all companies that are currently using both digital platforms. SSAB SmartSteel is a cloud-based platform that stores all the data related to steel, from its manufacturing to delivery, processing, use and recycling. By scanning a unique identity code on the steel plate, base material information and material certificates are easily available in digital format. Kemppi has been working with SSAB’s API (application programming interface) in automating SmartSteel data transfer

info@ssab.com www.ssab.com

combili t.com

+353 47 80500

Business & market news

The importance of BS EN 13476 update for water industry specifiers

set of products. It means that those specifying plastic pipe products in the water industry can be reassured that only products carrying a Kitemark (or equivalent third-party certification mark) to the BS EN 13476 standard are in compliance. The BPF Pipes Group, part of the British Plastics Federation, is a trade association representing manufacturers and material suppliers of plastic piping systems across the UK. Committed to sustainable construction, its aims are to provide a forum for the exchange of technical expertise between member companies and to promote the importance of plastic as a pipework material, for the full spectrum of above- and below-ground, pressure and non- pressure applications. It also plays a key role in initiating and disseminating research and informing and influencing the standards bodies pertaining to plastic pipe systems. It works closely with the BPF and TEPPFA, the European Plastic Pipes and Fittings Association.

Conformity with the correct standard brings clarity for those specifying plastic pipes

to ensure long-term performance of pipes made from each of the three covered materials. For this reason, the standard is not suitable for pipes made from other materials (plastic or other), combinations of materials (composites) or pipe systems outside the definition in the standard. The BPF Pipes Group and its members strongly advise that compliance with BS EN 13476 is verified by a third- party certification scheme (eg the BSI Kitemark). The group is working with the European Standards Committee responsible for BS EN 13476 to further encourage the use of recycled materials. Test methods and factory quality control need to be robust and agreed across the industry to safeguard performance. The water industry is essential to managing our water supply and waste water. Compliance with applicable standards ensures that customers can be safe in the knowledge that the products will be fit for purpose. As the original BS EN 13476 standard was specifically written for structured- wall pipe systems, it is appropriate that the new update emphasises that it only applies to a clearly defined

The revision to BS EN 13476 published last year was welcomed by the BPF Pipes Group. BS EN 13476-1:2018 covers ‘Plastics piping systems for non- pressure underground drainage and sewerage – Structured-wall piping systems of unplasticised poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC-U), polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE)’, and supersedes BS EN 13476-1:2007, which is withdrawn. The range of pipe sizes covered has been increased from 1,200mm to 3,000mm – a welcome expansion in the use of structured-wall plastic pipes. The national foreword to the new standard has also been strengthened to clarify its scope, making it clear that it is applicable only to structured-wall plastic piping systems made solely of PVC-U, PP and PE. The original standard BS EN 13476 took many years to develop and involved most of Europe’s plastic pipe manufacturers to ensure commonality across the whole industry when it came to ensuring the quality, reliability and longevity of the product. The test methods and pass/fail criteria detailed under BS EN 13476 have been carefully chosen, evaluated and agreed

BPF Pipes Group – UK www.bpfpipesgroup.com Indowater 2019

Indowater 2019, the 15 th International Water, Wastewater & Recycling Technology Expo & Forum, will be held from 17 to 19 July in Jakarta, Indonesia. The event, which takes place every year alternately in Jakarta and Surabaya, will be held at Jakarta Convention Center in conjunction with Indorenergy and Indowaste. The trade show is organised by PT Napindo Media Ashatama in association with Merebo Messe International in charge of the Europe, American & Australia Pavilion. Merebo GmbH Messe International – Germany contact@merebo.com www.indowater.merebo.com

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Improved results for laser cutting and welding Coherent/Rofin has introduced new products to enhance fibre laser welding and enable superior process control in both cutting and welding. heads, extensive welding knowledge and in-house applications development capabilities, to provide customers with a laser welding package that is well- matched to their process.

loss of cut and plasma formation. Welding processes can be monitored to detect defects like blow holes, missing connections and insufficient penetration. This data can then be utilised by quality management systems to increase yields, and reduce scrap and rework. Coherent Inc – USA tech.sales@coherent.com www.coherent.com Rofin-Sinar Laser GmbH – Germany

The new CleanWeld technology, which was premiered at EuroBLECH, is an integrated approach to fibre laser welding that is claimed to deliver up to 80 per cent spatter reduction, as well as minimal cracking and porosity. In addition to improved process consistency, it allows some welding processes to be performed with 40 per cent less laser power, leading to cost savings. CleanWeld integrates the company’s expertise in several areas of fibre laser welding to deliver improved results and increased yield. These include the ability to produce unique beam intensity profiles, including the new ARM (adjustable ring mode) fibre laser. This is combined with the company’s process- optimised delivery optics and focusing

Another product debut at EuroBLECH was the new HighLight SQD high-power fibre lasers, which incorporate “smart” QD fibre connectors. These lasers include lightweight, compact process sensors that are integrated directly in the SQD fibre connector. The sensors deliver information to signal important process events such as piercing end,

info@rofin.de www.rofin.de

Jingning Junwen Steel Co., Ltd

Stainless Steel Seamless Pipe / Tube Type:

Stainless Steel Cold Drawn Seamless Tubing in Coils & Pipe Coils (Made of Cold-Drawn Pipe Billet Instead of Plank-Welding) Type: Austenitic stainless steel seamless pipe Process Method: Cold Drawn / Cold Rolled Surface Finish: Bright Annealed Grade: TP304, TP304L, TP316 / 316L Dual Grade Standard: ASTM (ASME) SA / A312 / A213 / A269 and DIN, GB, JIS Size: OD 3 / 16 "-1" (4.76mm-25.4mm), WT 0.028"-0.083" (0.7mm-2.11mm) Tolerance: Outer Diameter: ±0.08mm (0.00315"), Wall Thickness: ±10% Length: 100ft-2,000ft, or according to customers’requests Certification: ISO9001:2000,GB/T19001-2000

Austenitic stainless steel seamless pipe

Process Method: Surface Finish:

Cold Drawn / Cold Rolled

Bright Annealed / Pickling / 180# 240# 320# 400# 600# Manual Polished / Mechanical Polished

Grade:

TP304, TP304L, TP316 / 316L Dual Grade.

Standard:

ASTM (ASME) SA / A312 / A213 / A269 and DIN, GB, JIS " (6mm-38mm), WT 0.028"-0.118" (0.7mm-3mm) Outer Diameter: ±0.08mm (0.00315"), Wall Thickness: ±10% OD 3 / 16 "-1 1 / 2

Size:

Tolerance: Certification:

ISO9001:2000, GB/T19001-2000

Our products are widely used in petrol, chemical, pharmacy, foodstuff, machinery, aerospace, military, hardware, boiler gas, hot-water heating parts, shipping, power and other industries, heat-exchangers and cold treatments for chemical industry, and gas transmission pipelines. We can offer stainless steel pipes according to our customers’ requirements.

No. 88 Shiniu Mountain, Jingning, She Autonomous County, Zhejiang, China Salesman: Sam | Mobile: +86 13305889498 | Tel: +86 578 5973358 | Email: jw@jw-steel.com

www.jw-steel.com

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