TPT May 2011

I ndustry N ews

Breakthrough for energy efficiency pipe technologies in China

THE Logstor Group has signed a five-year agreement valued at more than 3bn Danish krone with the city of Harbin in the north- eastern part of China. Logstor is to increase energy efficiency in Harbin by replacing and expanding its existing district heating networks. More than 2,000km of pre-insulated pipes are expected to be installed over a five-year period, and Logstor will build a new state- of-the-art manufacturing facility in Harbin employing more than 200 people. The first installations are expected to be carried out during 2011. To meet this requirement, Logstor’s facilities in Harbin are scheduled to become operational in the first half of 2011. Logstor’s new mobile spray technology will enable quick production set-up. With 10 million inhabitants, Harbin is the tenth largest city in China and the capital of the Heilongjiang Province in the north-east.

Located in one of the fastest growing regions in the world, Harbin serves as a key political, economic and scientific hub in the region. The city works actively to position itself as a leader within environmentally friendly heating and to improve its energy efficiency, where heating and cooling of residential and commercial buildings constitute a large share of its energy consumption. Therefore, the city’s government has decided to replace as well as extend large parts of the district heating distribution network and bring it to the highest possible standard. The scheme is a result of China’s recent five-year plan, under which overall energy efficiency is to be significantly improved. By using Logstor’s technologies, energy efficiency in existing transmission systems is expected to increase by at least 30 per cent, while at the same time reducing CO 2 emissions by the same amount. As evident in

planning and long-term investments, Chinese authorities at all levels dedicate strong focus and political resolve to counter environmental and energy efficiency issues. “This opportunity is very exciting for Logstor as we are expanding our market scope significantly by entering the Chinese district heating and cooling market,” commented Logstor CEO Preben Tolstrup. “The potential for Logstor’s products and technologies in China is huge. We are capable of delivering technologies that can significantly assist China in reaching its ambitious energy saving targets. The Harbin contract will serve as our district energy starting point in China.” The properties of Logstor’s pre-insulated pipe systems provide efficiency gains by minimising the heat loss during distribution through the district heating networks. The company has been present in the Asian region since 2003 with its subsidiary company Logstor Insulation Co (Wuxi) Ltd, located in Wuxi, west of Shanghai, manufacturing pre-insulated pipe systems for marine applications. During 2009 and 2010 Logstor intensified its efforts to expand and strengthen its foothold in this fast-growing region, including the newly established subsidiary Logstor Green Technology Co Ltd, in the city of Lang Fang, located just east of Beijing. Logstor – Denmark “The overall economic recovery has helped fuel MST’s increased business levels, but I believe a lot of the credit is owed to our dedicated and determined sales group,” said Ted Fairley, vice president of sales and marketing. “They stay on top of every opportunity and provide stellar service. Their efforts are backed by the best operational group in the industry, and together they ensure our quality products are delivered on time and every customer is completely satisfied.” MST – USA Fax: +1 248 437 2779 Email: logstor@logstor.com Website: www.logstor.com

Logstor will help to improve energy efficiency

Steady sales boost tube and pipe manufacturers

MST Seamless Tube & Pipe, based in South Lyon, Michigan, has increased its workforce to near-record levels after a three-month period of strong sales. The manufacturer of seamless cold-drawn pipe and tube has had a recent hiring surge that brings its total number of hourly and salaried employees up to 250, near where it was before the state’s economic downturn. A decrease in sales volume nearly two years ago necessitated a slight downsizing. As South Lyon’s largest non-governmental employer, the downsizing weighed heavily on MST’s executive management, who immediately went to work to minimise the impact. “Because of the decreased sales, we have worked diligently over the past year

to manage costs, and we’ve been successful keeping profits in check,” said Les Whitver, vice president of operations. In 2010, MST experienced a 36% increase in tonnage booked and has seen a marked increase in distributor and OEM sales of mechanical tubing. Boiler and pressure tube sales have been steady, with notable increases in pipe sales. MST’s recent addition of a UV coating line has positioned the manufacturer to sell pipe into the distribution market. Current demand for pipe and tube from MST is so strong, lead times for products have been moved from four weeks to seven or longer. The company is still able to maintain a steady 98%+ on-time shipping performance each month.

Email: info@mstube.com Website: www.mstube.com

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