TPi January 2015

Smal l diameter, high precision tubes

An interview with Charles Ferreira, Fine Tubes Nuclear Products Division Can you tell us about your role at Fine Tubes and Superior Tube? experience in supplying the nuclear industry worldwide.

High-precision tubes made by Fine Tubes

I am part of the nuclear products team and also the business development manager for Western Europe. I’m based in Orléans in France where I head up Fine Tubes sales office and manage the alliance with Superior Tube for Western Europe. In October, Fine Tubes exhibited at the World Nuclear Exhibition in Paris. Why did you choose to exhibit at this expo? This was the first edition and the first time that Fine Tubes had exhibited at the World Nuclear Exhibition (WNE) in Paris – Le Bourget. We decided to participate because we knew it would give us the opportunity to meet with existing and potential new nuclear clients as well as network with international nuclear EPC players, contractors and suppliers. WNE covers the entire supply chain, showcasing global nuclear projects and giving both exhibitors and visitors alike a chance to view what is currently happening around the world in this sector. So it was an ideal expo for us to promote Fine Tubes’ extensive

What were your reasons for exhibiting on the GIIN (Groupe Intersyndical de L’Industrie Nucleaire) stand? Fine Tubes is a member of the GIIN, and yes, we chose to exhibit on their stand at WNE. The GIIN works closely with operators in the nuclear sector as well as

Combined, Superior Tube and Fine Tubes have over 100 years of experience working with nuclear customers to solve tough challenges and achieve tight performance specifications. With our combined engineering expertise, we can control tube dimensions down to just a quarter the diameter of a human hair, and in the fuel cans of advanced gas-cooled reactors our tubes have to endure temperatures of 650°C, without fail, for five years non-stop. Customers choose Fine Tubes and Superior Tube because of our excellent record and pedigree in developing and supplying tubing to the very highest specifications for mission critical components in the nuclear island, such as reactor core fuel cans and elements, control rods, wear sleeves instrumentation, steam generators and heat exchanger, condenser, absorber and cooling applications. Nuclear is an industry in which strict specification compliance and integrity are absolutely critical, and we have a proven track record not only of meeting those criteria but also of developing new solutions to help the nuclear industry advance. Why do you think customers choose Fine Tubes and Superior Tube? How important is the nuclear sector to your global business? Today, approximately a quarter of Fine Tubes’ and Superior Tube’s global business is in the nuclear sector, providing tubes for both new nuclear power stations and also aging plants where we are involved in maintenance

government agencies, international bodies and organisations responsible for radiation protection, nuclear safety and standardisation, but also on the new build projects. As a member of the GIIN, Fine Tubes is bidding for a number of global projects. We have also contributed to Flamanville French EPR, through the supply of specific tubing according the French construction standard RCC-M. Tell us about Fine Tubes’ and Superior Tube’s nuclear expertise. Fine Tubes has been developing and manufacturing tubes for the nuclear industry since the 1970s. We started

supplying nuclear fuel cans for the UK’s first generation of gas cooled reactors, and as the industry evolved so too did our expertise. Over the years we have manufactured products for AGR, pressurised water, light water, heavy water and fast breeder reactor technologies, and we have the ability to manufacture high-precision seamless and welded tubes in stainless steel, nickel, titanium and zirconium alloys. Furthermore, our organi- sation has evolved with the global alliance of Fine Tubes UK and Superior Tube USA to offer much more extended expertise and service for the benefit of our worldwide customers and the success of their projects in the nuclear segment.

Nuclear fuel element with fuel cans

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Tube Products International January 2015

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