TPi January 2019

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The trade magazine for tube and pipe products Your one-stop equipment supplier

January 2019

Your one-stop equipment supplier

Your one-stop equipment supplier

StaR Stahlrohrhandelsgesellschaft mbH

F a i r p r i c e s a n d p r o p e r p r o c e s s i n g • the top priorities for us!

The company

Our delivery program

Seamless steel tubes acc. to DIN, EN, ASTM and API standards from 10,2 to 660 mm • materials S355J2H, S235JRH, S235J2H → Inspection certificate EN 10204 / 3.1. b Welded steel tubes acc. to DIN, EN, ASTM and API standards from 17,2 to 1620 mm • Longitudinal seal-welded or spiral-welded, Material: S355J2H, S235JRH → Inspection certificate 10204 / 3.1. b Structural hollow sections Hot-produced acc. to EN 10210 and cold-produced acc. to EN 10219

- professional staff - 40 years market experience - 10.000 tons of steel tubes in stock Exploit our strengths to your advantage! Your StaRo -Team

40 x 40 - 400 x 400 mm 50 x 30 - 500 x 300 mm

• materials S355J2H, S235JRH, S235J2H → Inspection certificate EN 10204 / 3.1. b

Precision steel tubes acc. to DIN, EN, ASTM and API standards from 5,0 to 200 mm Processed tubes available on request • as customer – specific cuts • with PE coating • blasted and primed

A list of all deliverable dimensions/weights is available on request.

StaRo Stahlrohrhandelsgesellschaft mbH Merkurring 33-35 D-22143 Hamburg - Germany

Tel.: +49(0)40 30 20 206-0 Fax: +49(0)40 30 20 206-20 E-Mail: hamburg@staro-gmbh.de

www.staro-gmbh.de

WE BOOST YOUR BUSINESS Ased is an italian brand belonging to GIEI srl , mainly active in the design and realization of solutions for:

Packaging solutions Grooving solutions Handling solutions Blowing solutions Chamfering solutions TUBE HANDLING AND FINISHING SOLUTIONS

Tube handling Finishing Processing

We are present all over the world but always close to our clients. ASED means integrated and complete solutions for high level business.

TUBE PROCESSING SOLUTIONS AND TRANSFER LINES

Work benches Twin head tube benders

Hydraulic tube processing units Automatic punching machines Manual end forming rigs Transfer lines

A brand of INDUSTRIAL SOLUTIONS

GIEI srl - Via Sesto, 68 - 26100 Cremona - ITALY T +39 0372 803536 - www.giei.it sales@ased.it - www.asedtubes.com

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: Tube Products INTERNATIONAL (ISSN 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 UKP Worldwide, 3390 Rand Road, South Plainfield, NJ 07080. Periodicals postage paid at Rahway, NJ and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Tube Products INTERNATIONAL, Intras Ltd, C/O 3390 Rand Road, South Plainfield NJ 07080.

© 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 January 2019

6 Business & market news 20 Products & developments 40 Boru 2019 42 TOLexpo 2019 44 OCTG, gas & pipeline products 52 Applying trusted engineering theories and benchmarks: gain confidence in your pipe stress analysis By Phil Senior BEng, CEng, FIMechE, principal application engineer, Bentley Systems

28 February – 2 March 2019 International Istanbul Tube, Wire and Coil & Sheet Metal Fair

5-8 March 2019 The show for sheet metal, tube and section working

55 Editorial index 56 Advertisers index

The trade magazine for tube and pipe products

Events calendar

January 2019

www.read-tpi.com

The trademagazine for tube and pipe products Yourone-stopequipment supplier

The January issue

Yourone-stopequipment supplier

2019

Yourone-stopequipment supplier

14-17 January STEELFAB (Dubai, UAE)

Welcome to the latest Tube Products INTERNATIONAL magazine. This issue we have a feature on OCTG, gas & pipeline products and we take a look at BORU 2019 in Istanbul, Turkey, and TOLexpo 2019 in Lyon, France, where the January issue of the magazine will be distributed. The TPi team will of course be present at both events. Please do come and say hello if you are in Turkey or France for these fantastic trade shows. We also have a technical article from Bentley Systems, starting on page 52, taking a look at how engineers can learn to trust stress analysis results by utilising trusted engineering theories and benchmarks. In this first issue of 2019 it is clear that the general trend for the industry of 2018 will continue – investment in improving the efficiency of tube production, storage and delivery. A huge upsurge in investment in these areas was noticable last year and a story from SSAB Europe (page 7), which is investing SEK 300mn in tube production efficiency improvements, as well centralising its operations, underlines this will continue. Huge advances in technology, AI and Industry 4.0 have all helped this push and had additional benefits in terms of worker safety. One of the main problems many successful companies face is recruiting enough skilled workers to fill the roles at their production bases and factories, so it appears technology is now replacing the need for big teams of engineers. Many systems now need a single person rather than 20 to be operated, or are fully automated and can run through the night with a minimal need for human intervention. The advertising deadline for the March issue of Tube Products INTERNATIONAL is 23 January. The March issue will be distributed at Tube Russia in Moscow and will include features on tube welding technology and plastic & composite tubes & pipes.

International exhibition www.steelfabme.com

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

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

Please submit your editorial to rory@intras.co.uk by the deadline of 14 January if you would like to be included in the March issue.

I hope you enjoy the magazine.

18-20 September Tube Southeast Asia (Bangkok, Thailand) International exhibition www.tube-southeastasia.com

Rory McBride Editor

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14 15 16 MAY 20 19 MILAN ITALY THE MOST IMPORTANT TRADESHOW IN SOUTHERN EUROPE DEDICATED TO THE STEEL INDUSTRY

BECOME AN EXHIBITOR

w w w . m a d e i n s t e e l . i t

Business & market news

Celebrating nine decades as a family business

The family-owned enterprise, with headquarters and technology centre in Werther, Germany, recently celebrated the 90 th anniversary of its founding.

the company is active in more than 50 countries, in vehicle, ship and mechanical engineering, as well as many other industries. “Internet of Things and cyber-physical systems are important key factors to efficient customer-specific production,” said Dr Ing Bengt-Henning Maas, CEO of the tubing plant and head of the tubular components division. “We want to be a leader with regard to the digitalisation and networking of processes in the tubing industry and other business areas.” The company states that family management, diversification and internationalisation ensure stability and growth: as a partner to its customers, the company is increasing its share of the value chain by expanding vertical integration and services such as the development and validation of components for demanding applications. Poppe + Potthoff GmbH – Germany

Poppe + Potthoff develops and manufactures customer-specific steel tubes, common rail subsystems, high- pressure tubes, precision components, line shafts, couplings, and specialised test stands and other machines.

With 1,500 employees at 17 locations,

After 90 years, Poppe + Potthoff has remained a family business: (from left) Caroline Lagemann, Peter Potthoff-Sewing, Ursula Potthoff-Sewing, John Erik Lagemann, Dr Auliana Poon Potthoff-Sewing and Dr Christian Potthoff-Sewing

info@poppe-potthoff.com www.poppe-potthoff.com

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Business & market news

SSAB Europe investing in tube production and improving efficiency

investment will be used to modernise the production lines at the Hämeenlinna Tube Mill. A development programme will be drawn up for the other mills, and the investments regarding this will be dealt with separately at a later date. SSAB AB – Sweden

and the mill will be closed by the end of 2020. The company will offer all Lappohja employees jobs at other SSAB Europe locations in Finland. SSAB Europe aims to increase the sales volumes of premium products, which are more profitable than standard products. One part of this strategy is to increase tube sales volumes. The SEK 300mn

SSAB Europe is to invest SEK 300mn over a two-year period to improve the efficiency of its tube production. In the same context, the tube business will be centralised to secure long-term competitiveness. Worker consultations initiated at the Lappohja Tube Mill have been completed. The mill’s workforce will be gradually reduced in 2019-2020,

info@ssab.com www.ssab.com

TMK and Sinara hold international corporate forum

operating production sites in the USA, Russia, Canada, Romania, Oman and Kazakhstan, and with two R&D centres in Russia and the USA. Sinara Group is a diversified holding company with assets across a range of industries. Its primary businesses include transportation manufacturing, construction and real estate develop- ment, financial services and metallurgy. TMK – Russia

by TMK and Sinara Group for the companies’ young employees, who come from all of their subdivisions and key areas of business. The main event is the final stage of the Youth Scientific Practical Conference, which involves the winners of earlier professional competitions held at the division level. Participants present and defend their projects, which are aimed at improving the company’s work, and the winners are offered a chance to implement their ideas within the company. TMK manufactures and supplies steel pipes for the oil and gas industry,

TMK held the opening ceremony of the Horizons International Corporate Forum in Sochi, Russia, in October. More than 40 delegations and 770 participants from all of the company’s Russian and international divisions participated, as well as representatives of Sinara Group. The event included the Youth Scientific Practical Conference, which consisted of 27 sections focused on various aspects of the company’s work, as well as training courses, master classes, competitions and lectures. The lectures featured TMK and Sinara Group boards chairman Dmitry Pumpyanskiy, Higher School of Economics rector Yaroslav Kuzminov, Boeing chairman in Russia and the CIS Sergei Kravchenko, and Russia 2018 World Cup organising committee general director Alexei Sorokin. The main part of the scientific practical events was prepared by TMK’s corporate university, TMK2U. “The Horizons International Corporate Forum occupies a special place at TMK and Sinara Group. It showcases our talent pool of future company leaders,” said TMK deputy general director Andrey Kaplunov. “It’s also an opportunity to show one’s skills and take one more step up the career ladder towards future professional and personal development.” The Horizons forum is an annual international corporate event organised

tmk@tmk-group.com www.tmk-group.com Sinara Group – Russia office@sinara-group.com www.sinara-group.com

TMK deputy general director Andrey Kaplunov

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Business & market news

ESAB acquires GCE ESAB Welding & Cutting Products has acquired Gas Control Equipment (GCE). With headquarters in Malmö, Sweden, GCE offers full solutions for general industrial, healthcare, high-purity and science and research applications.

and automation, ESAB’s filler metals, equipment and accessories bring solutions to customers around the world. ESAB Welding & Cutting Products – USA www.esab.com Gas Control Equipment – Sweden www.gcegroup.com

pressure gases, as well as cutting and welding equipment,” said ESAB presi- dent Shyam Kambeyanda. “The oppor- tunities created by combining GCE with ESAB’s global presence and continuous improvement culture will drive both businesses to achieve new heights of success.” From processes in welding and cutting to technologies in mechanised cutting

“GCE businesses have more than 100 years of experience developing, manu- facturing and distributing equipment for pressure and flow control of high

Investment brings benefits to utilities and industry with dynamic water flow testing

within the tube. That means a greater range of measurements can be taken and averaged out for an accurate overall reading. Therefore, a key aspect of the test rig is to better understand the velocity profile of low flow. We’re looking at designing transducers so the beam covers a bigger area, without being affected by false data – for example, by reflections of the wall of the flow tube. “The investment gives us the ability to fine-tune transducers, so customers can achieve more and minimise errors in measurement. Dynamic flow measure- ment is a big step for the industry, and the investment puts Ceramtec in the best place to advise customers on their water flow measurement.” Ceramtec says that a range of companies will see real benefits, citing more accurate billing in utility meters, precise measurement in medical equipment and improved fuel flow monitoring in automotive, industrial or oil and gas applications. The findings from the dynamic flow test rig enable Ceramtec to manufacture more precise water-coupled ultrasonic sensors. By controlling all manufacturing aspects of the piezoceramic, Ceramtec tunes its transducers to exhibit superior temperature stability, customised beam profiles and increased coupling and sensitivity. CeramTec UK Ltd – UK electroceramics@ceramtec.co.uk www.ceramtec.co.uk

A particular benefit of the investment is the enhanced ability to examine the difference between laminar and turbulent flow – a significant factor in achieving accurate water flow readings, as Ceramtec’s business development manager, Charles Dowling, explained: “The design of flow tubes can actually affect the accuracy of flow measurement, as friction slows the velocity at the edges of the tube. In laminar flow – which is low flow and consistent – it is hard to measure the variations at the edges because the acoustic beam can’t reach them. “That isn’t a problem at higher flow, because turbulence is created and flow isn’t localised to any particular point

Investment in dynamic flow testing equipment by Ceramtec has delivered improved analysis of water flow measurements. This means that users of water coupled ultrasonic sensors – including utilities companies, industrial process controllers and manufacturers of medical devices – can realise significant commercial benefits. The new rig, installed at Ceramtec’s manufacturing facility in Southampton, UK, measures water flow from 0°C to 80°C in a number of environments. The result not only affects the in-house design of ultrasonic sensors, but also gives Ceramtec additional data to guide customers on the best combination of sensor and flow tube.

Dynamic flow testing equipment at CeramTec

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Business & market news

Made in Steel conference and exhibition In 2018, the steel industry gained the possibility to look at the future with moderate positivity. In this context, the Made in Steel trade show for the steel industry will return in 2019, from 14 to 16 May. For the first time in its more than decade-long history, Made in Steel will have a midweek schedule, opening on a Tuesday and closing on a Thursday. The location, however, will remain unchanged. In pavilions 22 and 24 of fieramilano Rho (Milan, Italy), the same as the last edition, the major players of the steel industry will gather to do business and discuss the main issues facing the sector.

tors and a 15 per cent growth in attendance – nearly 15,000 visi- tors – compared with the previous edition.

Alongside the presence of the largest international players in the steel industry, from manufacture to distribution and use, the event will represent an important opportunity to examine the key issues for the European steel market of today and tomorrow. As well as being a showcase, Made in Steel is a culture hub that hopes to further competitive collaboration and the exchange of information, through

conventions, forums and round tables. For these reasons, the three-day fair offers opportunities for business and ideas, relationships and knowledge. For the 2019 event, the focus will be on the topic of innovation, which is also having an impact on the steel industry. Made in Steel Srl – Italy

info@madeinsteel.it www.madeinsteel.it

The previous edition, held in 2017, saw an 18 per cent growth in foreign exhibi-

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January 2019 TUBE PRODUCTS INTERNATIONAL

Business & market news

Kasto builds distribution centre for steel stockholder

To streamline and speed deliveries of long stock to customers, a Unicompact high-performance storage and distri- bution system from Kasto has been installed in a new, purpose-built unit operated by Friedrich Kicherer GmbH, one of the largest steel stockholders in Germany. Three KASTOwin F bandsaws have been integrated into the system. Eberhard Frick, managing partner of Kicherer, commented, “We had a great range of materials but it was taking far too long to load the lorries. We needed something that was significantly faster than our existing stacking cradle system. To optimise material flow as well as increase storage capacity we decided to build a second steel centre, and approached two potential suppliers of bar storage warehouses, one being Kasto with which we have had a successful relationship for more than 20 years.” Kicherer ships 210,000 tonnes of steel per year. Six existing automatic storage systems from Kasto and 44 cranes in the original steel centre optimise the operation. The first Kasto store was installed in 1995, which over the years was supplemented by racking systems for tubes, stacking cradles for structural steel profiles, angles and boiler tubes, and a Uniline 3.0 sheet metal store with 610 cassettes. These investments

The Kasto Unicompact honeycomb storage system at Kicherer holds more than 10,000 cassettes

with central loading station linked to the stockholder’s IT system. The solution is based on a 115m-long, 15m-high automatic honeycomb storage system with space for more than 10,000 cassettes. Each can accommodate material up to 6m in length and can carry 3.4 tonnes. Fast storage and retrieval of stock is achieved with five cranes travelling at up to 180m/min along three aisles of racking. To automatically transport picked materials to the loading station, Kasto has installed two manipulators on separate rails. From these, the bar stock travels to one of 25 loading stations via a conveyor. A station with a packaging machine is provided for stretch film wrapping. The IT departments at Kicherer and Kasto have jointly modelled all components of the new logistics system in unified software within the KASTOlogic warehouse management system. Kicherer tracks its steel profiles through the store using QR codes. Every bundle that has been picked is scanned again on loading, and its status is automatically entered into the material requirements planning software for full traceability. Kasto Ltd – UK sales@uk.kasto.com www.kasto.com

were mostly driven by the objective of expanding the range and providing faster deliveries. Another board member, Eberhard Frick’s brother Hans-Jörg, explained, “At the moment, a lorry drives through seven areas for loading. If everything goes well, this takes 75 minutes. The objective was to reduce the time to less than an hour but in practice it has been shortened to just 15 minutes.” Kasto was selected for the latest project to supply the new bar storage system

Kicherer tracks steel profiles using QR codes

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Business & market news

Axxair celebrates 20-year anniversary in style Axxair was founded in 1997 and special- ises in orbital tube machines, cutting, squaring, bevelling and welding. From the very beginning the company operated at an international level and immediately made efforts to develop a

At the official celebration Axxair wel- comed more than 150 guests – custom- ers, suppliers, bankers, partners and friends. After a guided tour, the guests spent an evening under a 250m 2 tent installed for the event. Axxair also took the opportunity to officially inaugurate its new building and award trophies to partners and col- laborators present since it first began operating. The mayor of Etoile sur Rhône, Fran- çoise Chazal, said: “The city shines internationally thanks to Axxair. It has many values: values of sharing, compe- tence and autonomy. Thanks to these strong values, the company and its employees have established trusting relationships with many customers over the last 20 years.” Axxair – France commerce@axxair.com www.axxair.com

worldwide distribution network. Axxair now has subsidiaries in South Korea, Germany and the USA, a sub-subsidiary in China and a network of more than 40 distributors worldwide. The com- pany celebrated its 20 th anniver- sary at the Schweißen und Sch- neiden fair in Germany, sharing a private party with customers and staff at the event. The owners also took their 52 employees to the south of France to reward them for having contributed to the development of Axxair over the past 20 years. Owner Frédéric Legrand said: “You need skills in the business, but you need energy and hap- piness to make it work and hap- piness is something we try to create every day.”

French welding magazine welcomes new chief editor Soudage et Techniques Connexes (STC), a French magazine specialising in welding and related technologies, will have a new chief editor from the beginning of 2019. Andrea Husson’s long experience in global industries, and in particular in the worldwide welding industry, will facilitate her new task. Ms Husson, who is fluent in French, German and English, has been in contact with STC for 13 years, and her former experience as chief editor of the French stainless steel magazine Actualités Inox is an additional benefit. The French market is interesting, and in a permanent state of development. Various high-tech industries are well represented, including oil and gas, the nuclear and aerospace industry, composite materials, and additive manufacturing. The French welding institute – Institut de Soudure – gives direct input into STC magazine for technological and strategic advances, as well as having experienced engineers for the study and research columns. Space is given to companies’ news, with technical applications, case studies, new products and interviews. Institut de Soudure – France www.isgroupe.com

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Business & market news

Hannover Messe 2019 Hannover Messe is a trade show for industrial technology. It serves as a glob- al platform for the digital transformation of production and energy systems.

The production of tomorrow is not possible without their process knowl- edge and their diverse qualifications. Industrial intelligence therefore stands for the expansion of knowledge man- agement and the training of knowledge carriers. The theme of Hannover Messe 2019 underlines the growing importance of artificial intelligence and machine learning in the production and energy industries, including such areas as energy efficiency, and use and autonomous production processes, as well as challenges in terms of interfaces, protocols and security. Deutsche Messe AG – Germany

“Artificial intelligence has the potential to revolutionise the production and energy industries,” said Dr Jochen Köckler, chairman of the board of show organiser Deutsche Messe. “People teach machines to act logically and purposefully to meet customer needs. AI systems generate knowledge and today, based on data and algorithms, can continuously optimise operating states or reliably predict faults and failures – in production processes, in the power grid or in logistics. That’s what Integrated Industry – Industrial Intelligence stands for.” The networking of people, machines and data is created through common platforms where they exchange and multiply their knowledge. The role of humans is that of an enabler.

In addition to six exhibition sectors – IAMD (integrated automation, motion and drives), digital factory, energy, industrial supply, ComVac, and research and technology – there are special areas for start-ups and career development. More than 90 conferences and forums round out the programme. The next edition runs from 1 to 5 April 2019 in Hanover, Germany. For 2019, the guiding theme is ‘Integrated Industry – Industrial Intelligence’, which spotlights digital networking between humans and machines in the age of artificial intelligence.

info@messe.de www.messe.de

LTI acquires TAC Technical Instrument Corp Laboratory Testing Inc (LTI) of Hat- field, Pennsylvania, USA, has pur- chased TAC Technical Instrument Corp (TACTIC) of Trenton, New Jersey, USA. TACTIC has been in the ultrasonic inspection busi- ness since 1962, developing and selling a product line of immer- sion ultrasonic inspection systems and accessories, providing parts, repairs and training, and perform- ing independent ultrasonic testing (UT) services. The combination of LTI’s long-term experience performing ultrasonic testing and working with the TACTIC equipment makes the companies an ideal match for this acquisition. McVaugh family members with Fred Beck and Howard Hunter of TACTIC services, which will be consolidat- ed into LTI’s NDT department.

The leadership team at LTI is antici- pating enhancements to equip- ment and services through a com- bined effort of the two companies, including new technology, more automation and advanced reporting. Laboratory Testing Inc is a full-service, accredited metals testing laboratory offering independent destructive and non-destructive testing services. The lab also has a metrology division that provides dimensional inspection and calibration services. LTI serves varied industries, including aerospace, defence, power generation, oil and gas, medical and automotive, and has Nadcap and A2LA (to ISO/IEC 17025) accreditations. Laboratory Testing Inc – USA

The majority of TACTIC’s standard products are designed to inspect cylindrical materials, such as tube, pipe, bar and billet. The company has also provided UT equipment to inspect hexagonal and square billet. LTI currently runs seven TACTIC immer- sion UT inspection systems under one roof on two work shifts, and is one of the company’s largest customers. The systems provide high-speed inspection of round materials to locate internal and external defects and inconsistencies in the wall thickness of tubular products. Ultrasonic testing is classified as a non-destructive test (NDT) method because it does not damage the tested materials.

“TACTIC is a perfect fit for our growing business and our companies have a long history together,” said Mike McVaugh, LTI president and CEO. “LTI was started as a non-destructive testing lab in 1984 and we have been using TACTIC equipment to perform ultrasonic testing since the beginning. They were the leader in the industry back then and still are.” TACTIC will stay at its current location and will operate as a subsidiary of LTI. The company’s president, Fred Beck, and the other employees will remain in their positions. Quoting and sales of all products and services will continue to be handled by the New Jersey facility, with the exception of ultrasonic testing

sales@labtesting.com www.labtesting.com

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Business & market news

TechnipFMC wins contract for Vietnam’s largest olefins plant

TechnipFMC has been awarded by Long Son Petrochemicals (LSP) a contract for the licensing, engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning and start- up of Vietnam’s first olefins plant on Long Son Island, Ba Ria-Vung Tau province. Designed as a flexible feed cracker, the olefins plant can utilise both naphtha and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) feeds to produce olefins of up to 1.6mn tons per year, depending on the feedstock mix. The olefins will help meet Vietnam’s rising demand for petrochemical products. The plant will also include proprietary licensed units and will be based on TechnipFMC’s proprietary ethylene technology. TechnipFMC will execute the project in a consortium with SK Engineering &

proprietary ethylene technology and proven engineering, procurement and construction capabilities were key factors in this important, highly competitive award, and confirms our leadership in this market. TechnipFMC will ensure, with SK Engineering & Construction, that this ambitious project is delivered on time and on budget.”

Construction Co, Ltd of South Korea. TechnipFMC is the leader of the consortium and, as a global company, will execute all engineering, as well as the procurement of critical equipment from its operating centres located in Houston, USA; Rome, Italy; and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Nello Uccelletti, president of TechnipFMC’s onshore/offshore business, commented, “Our reliable

TechnipFMC plc – UK www.technipfmc.com

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Business & market news

Polypipe opens underfloor heating training centre

with schools and colleges to help train the plumbers of the future. It will also ensure that Polypipe continues to serve the local and national workforce by developing new talent. We hope that the centre will demonstrate just how much training plays a fundamental role in our business model for many years to come.” Dignitaries who attended the opening ceremony included Doncaster Mayor Ros Jones, Doncaster Chamber of Commerce chief executive Dan Fell and Cllr Bill Mordue, Doncaster Council cabinet member for business, skills and economic development. Tracy Richardson, president of the Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering (CIPHE), presented a plaque to commemorate the centre being granted CIPHE-accredited status. Polypipe has a strong focus on investment in professional training and development, having relaunched its Registered Heating Engineer Network (RHEN) earlier in 2018, which provides heating engineers and plumbers with free access to training courses and events, and helps small firms generate

Polypipe’s Professional Development Centre

strengthen our position as the market leader for underfloor heating solutions and a key part of that is the level of service and support we offer to our trade customers. Offering accredited training and development for heating professionals is a key part of that support. “The new PDC will also help us tackle the skills gap head-on by working

Polypipe, a UK manufacturer of underfloor heating systems, has launched a £250,000 training facility to inspire the next generation of heating professionals. The firm held the official opening of the Polypipe Professional Development Centre (PDC) at Kirk Sandall, Doncaster, in September. The facility features specially designed training spaces to give trainee and experienced plumbing professionals the opportunity to improve their practical skills, and the company expects it to become one of the UK’s leading training centres for professional heating engineers, installers, plumbers and merchants. Training on offer at the PDC includes BPEC-accredited courses on installing warm water underfloor heating, apprenticeship training and guides to domestic ventilation product installation. The PDC will also be home to the technical design team and the new underfloor heating senior management team. Rachel Smith, Polypipe’s underfloor heating general manager, said, “We are naturally delighted to fully open this wonderful facility. We want to further

new business. Polypipe – UK www.polypipe.com

CIPHE president Tracy Richardson (left) presented a plaque to Polypipe’s Rachel Smith

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Business & market news

Funding secured to qualify insulated all-carbon-fibre subsea pipe

a fully automated robotic 3D laser print process, and the Magma In Country Manufacturing Module (ICMM) can meet local content requirements. Magma m-pipe subsea applications include risers, jumpers, infield flowlines and intervention lines, and it is suited to sour service and deep-water environments. Magma Global – UK

will fast forward the delivery of an all- Magma solution, thanks to funding support from Innovate UK and Equinor’s vision and understanding of how they can best use available technologies.” Derek Allen, innovation lead at Innovate UK, commented, “We are delighted to have supported this innovative project that will ultimately lead to improved efficiency and cost reduction in the UK energy sector.” Magma Global manufactures m-pipe, a high-strength carbon fibre and Victrex PEEK thermoplastic composite pipe that is one tenth the weight in water of equivalent steel or non-bonded flexible pipe and is highly resistant to degradation. m-pipe is manufactured in

Magma Global, a manufacturer of carbon-fibre composite pipe, has announced a joint initiative with Equinor (previously Statoil) to qualify an all- Magma solution for jumpers, initially envisaged for use in Norway. This secures the £10.5mn project being supported by Innovate UK and will be a step towards fulfilling Magma’s vision of owning the fluid transfer infrastructure from seabed to surface. Magma Global’s COO, Charles Tavner, said, “There is no doubt in our minds that the future subsea infrastructure will be dominated by carbon-fibre composites. We have seen acceptance of this from large contractors, each developing their own solution using m-pipe, which is a natural adoption path. This initiative

sales@magmaglobal.com www.magmaglobal.com Equinor – Norway www.equinor.com Innovate UK www.innovateuk.gov.uk

Three new contracts to supply projects across Europe and South America

DBSCs. The patented automatic end fitting release system allows for the connection of the bend stiffener and release of the riser/umbilical and end fitting without subsea intervention. FES DBSCs have been certified by API as Load Transfer Devices in accordance with API 17L1 – the specification for flexible pipe ancillary equipment. FES International – UK fes@fesltd.co.uk www.fesinternational.com

Mediterranean Sea. This project saw FES install a winch wire centraliser to successfully engineer an offshore pull-in through a J-tube spool that was 20° – usually 7°. Specific testing and qualification were performed to ensure the higher degree angle was successful. With over 400 connectors supplied, the FES DBSC provides an efficient and safe method of subsea installation of

Oil and gas engineering firm FES International has secured three new contracts to supply equipment for projects across Europe and South America. Over the next three years, the company will deploy its diverless bend stiffener connectors (DBSCs) to projects in Balder, located in the North Sea; Constellations, located in the Gulf of Mexico; and Liza, located in Guyana. The news follows the order and delivery of another DBSC to Mabruk in the

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Business & market news

Interventek secures £1mn order for in-riser subsea safety valve

them to help deliver enhanced services to their customers.” PRT Offshore’s president, Patrick Placer, agreed, “We have serious ambitions to develop our capability in the subsea landing string market in the Gulf of Mexico and internationally. The unique features and benefits of the Revolution valve allow us to differentiate and enhance our offering and we believe this is part of the reason for the increased demand we are now experiencing. “The design advantage of the Revolution valve has allowed it to be easily integrated into our Subsea Safety System and offers our customers additional benefits of being able to cut wireline or coiled tubing and then seal. We have used the valves on several projects so far with excellent results and now wish to expand our capability.” The PRT Offshore Subsea Safety System interfaces with the rig BOPs, subsea tree vendor tubing hanger running

Interventek Subsea Engineering has secured recent orders in excess of £1mn for its Revolution in-riser shear and seal safety valve. The orders represent repeat business from Professional Rental Tools LLC (PRT Offshore) to support well completion and intervention operations in the Gulf of Mexico. Interventek will supply its 6.375", 15,000 psi working pressure valves to be included in PRT Offshore’s Subsea Safety System. Interventek managing director Gavin Cowie commented on the growing relationship with PRT Offshore: “Over the last twelve months the Revolution valve has gained a successful operational track record with PRT Offshore in the Gulf of Mexico. Increasing the number of valves deployed will add to this experience and assist in the process of broader subsea market adoption. We are delighted to be continuing our relationship with PRT Offshore, are very grateful for their support and look forward to working with

Interventek’s 6.375", 15,000 psi in-riser shear-and-seal Revolution valve

tool (THRT) and downhole functions during installation, workover or removal of subsea completions. The system is designed for deep water and high working pressure applications. The addition of the Revolution valve enables the operator to cut wire or coiled tubing introduced into the well and provides a seal from below after the cut. The valve also offers pump-through capability to facilitate well kill operations. The Revolution valve can quickly and reliably cut all types of interventionmedia whilst protecting the integrity of its seal. Unlike other shear-and-seal devices, the technology uses separate cutting and sealing components so that the seal is not compromised. Resilient seals avoid the use of elastomer components for fluid containment, enabling use in HPHT and large-bore applications. The design can be scaled to meet all well bore sizes and operating pressures including 20,000 psi, and is designed to meet API 17G requirements. Interventek Subsea Engineering Ltd – UK enquiries@interventek.com

www.interventek.com PRT Offshore – USA info@prtoffshore.com www.prtoffshore.com

Offshore deployment of PRT Offshore’s Subsea Safety System incorporating Revolution valves

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Business & market news

EWM opens new welding tech site in Saxony EWM AG is further expanding its network of service and sales sites, with the welding technology manufacturer opening a new site in Nossen, Saxony, its ninth site in Germany. The new 1,200m² site will house EWM’s entire range of welding technology and will also feature all-round support for customers, especially in terms of comprehensive service and consulting. welding, the manufacturer’s Nossen site will also offer its entire range of products and services. This includes everything from welding machines with all required components – such as welding torches and welding consumables – to welding accessories for manual and automated applications.

Clients will benefit froma comprehensive range of services with state-of-the-art technology for periodic maintenance and repairs. The priority of all activities of the EWM team in Nossen is complete customer care, focused on application technology and service. Mr Rauh added, “We want to be a reliable point of contact for our clients to make sure that their welding processes are as optimised as they can be. Even before the official opening, many of our users have backed us in this approach.”

Opening of the new EWM Nossen site

The family-run company, with its network of sales and service locations, is aiming to increase its proximity to its customers. With the opening of the premises in Saxony EWM now offers welders in in the region one more local support centre that offers an application-focused all-round service package. “In particular clients in the neighbouring metropolises of Dresden, Chemnitz and Leipzig will profit from the proximity to our new site that is conveniently located next to the A4,” explained

Ralf Rauh, manager of the sales and technology centre in Nossen. The experienced applications engineer is launching the new site with a total of seven employees. EWM is planning to strategically develop its team in Nossen, in order to take advantage of the potential in the region and to support customers on a long-term and individual basis by trying to provide the highest levels of support. In addition to comprehensive technical consultation regarding all aspects of

EWM AG – Germany info@ewm-group.com www.ewm-group.com

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Advisory issued for substandard plastic pipe The Plastics Pipe Institute, Inc (PPI) has issued a warning about substandard plastic pipe.

PPI is a major North American plastic pipe trade association, with many of its member companies producing resins, pipe, fittings and components. PPI and its member companies have participated in the ANSI consensus processes that led to the development of several national standards, including ASTM D2513, ASTM F2619 and API 15LE. These standards prescribe rigorous materials qualification and testing requirements for HDPE pipe to ensure that plastic piping materials meet the performance requirements of demanding applications in oil and gas field operations. “Unfortunately, due to the quickly rising demand for HDPE pipe, we’re seeing an influx of imported and even some domestic products that do not abide by our industry standards,” added Mr Radoszewski. “There is a cost for quality because of the steps required from the manufacturing of the plastic resin to the extrusion of the pipe in order to produce a product that meets industry standards and regulations. But the benefits definitely outweigh the extra cost. No one wants a catastrophic pipeline failure caused by substandard pipe.” Plastics Pipe Institute – USA https://plasticpipe.org provide us with fresh opportunities to engage with new customers on a global scale.” Based in Houston, Texas, USA, Henderson supplies new and re- manufactured drilling rigs and equip- ment to domestic and international drilling contractors. It has the capability to buy, sell, trade and repair drilling rig equipment, and can locate any piece of equipment used on oil rigs from a worldwide network of vendors. Henderson Rigs & Equipment, LLC – USA

this cannot be relied upon by itself, as a printline is no guarantee of the quality of the pipe. There are other end-user validation points such as certificates of quality from the manufacturer, on-site inspections of the plant, and an array of short-term physical property and mechanical tests and measurements on produced pipe to verify pipe quality. “Pipe manufacturers can participate in the quality systems established in the industry to ensure pipe performs as expected. This starts with a TR-4 listing in the Plastics Pipe Institute Hydrostatic Stress Board Program plus unannounced random audits conducted by an applicable certifying body.” Mr Radoszewski continued, “Accept- ance of any pipe that does not comply with these standards could cause unin- tended consequences that jeopardise the safety of employees, the affected public and the environment. We encour- age operators to inspect the piping products upon delivery to ensure it meets not only the appropriate prod- uct standards but also those within the operator’s specifications. “This is especially critical for projects in demanding oil and gas field operations, and is also important for pipe used in other pressure applications such as water, sewer, industrial and mining applications.”

High-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipe that does not comply with the relevant product industry standards has been found in the oil and gas gathering operations of the Permian and Delaware basins in Texas and New Mexico, according to the association. These pipelines are not marked in accordance with the relevant product standard requirements, and therefore may not comply with those product standards. Pipe that is not properly marked or certified provides no assurance of product quality and may not perform as intended for the application. The notice extends to other areas where HDPE pipe is widely used, such as potable water, forced main sewers, and industrial and mining applications. “We’re issuing this advisory because we are seeing HDPE pipes that have significant quality issues,” stated Tony Radoszewski, CAE, president of PPI. “In some cases neither the manufacturer nor the origin of the pipe could be identified. A properly marked HDPE pipe includes relevant standards on the pipe’s printline to identify piping materials that meet specific standards, and to help confirm that the pipe is suitable for its intended purpose. But

Henderson acquires HP Piping Solutions Henderson, a specialist in the sales and service of drilling rigs and capital drilling equipment, has acquired HP Piping Solutions, an expert in high- specification/high-pressure fabrication, to improve its service capabilities within the growing North American oil and gas market. control units, nitrogen backup systems and reservoir filtration units.

Dan Henderson, CEO at Henderson, commented, “This acquisition serves to fulfil an urgent requirement for more rig service capacity in the growing North American oil and gas market. HP Piping Solutions enhances the services in Henderson’s already strong portfolio of customer offerings, which includes rig and equipment refurbishment, repair and upgrade services. The addition of HP Piping Solutions’ high- quality services will enable us to better meet the needs of our well- established customer base in Houston and the Permian Basin, but will also

HP Piping Solutions offers high-pressure mud piping, mud gas separators, relief loops, well control manifolds and other drilling-related products. The company also supplies spool pipe and pressure vessel fabrication for the refining and petrochemical industries. HP Piping Solutions’ Genesis Pressure Control Group manufactures blowout preventer

info@hendersonrigs.com www.hendersonrigs.com

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