TPi September 2013

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The trade magazine for tube and pipe products

September 2013

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VERTICAL AND HORIZONTAL TUBE CUT-OFF BLADES ROLL FORM BLADES PINKING WHEELS SLITTER WHEELS SHEAR BLADES SCALLOP CUTTERS HORIZONTAL TUBE SUPPLYING THE WORLD

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750 WALES DR. S.E. HARTVILLE, OH 44632 U.S.A. PH. (330) 877-4923 FX. (330) 877-4924

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Editorial Office: Editor

Mr Rory McBride Email: rory@intras.co.uk

Editorial Assistant

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Design & Production

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

Publisher

Ms Caroline Sullens

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Tube Products INTERNATIONAL is published by Intras Ltd, UK

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US copies only: Tube Products International (ISSN No: 1755-7216, USPS No: 024-676) is published bi-monthly by Intras Ltd and distributed in the USA by SPP, 17B S Middlesex Ave, Monroe NJ 08831. Periodicals postage paid at New Brunswick, NJ. POSTMASTER: send address changes to Tube Products INTERNATIONAL, 17B S Middlesex Ave, Monroe, NJ 08831 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.

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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 September 2013

8 Business & Market News 30 Products & Developments 50 Tube Southeast ASIA 2013 52 K Plastic 54 Plastic tubes and pipes 63 Matching valve type to function: a tutorial in valve selection by Michael D Adkins, field engineering manager, general industrial valves, Swagelok Company 67 A positive future for Radius Systems An interview with Andy Taylor, CEO of Radius Systems, following the sale of the business to the Polyplastic Group 69 Editorial Index 70 Catalogue 72 Advertisers Index

17-19 September 2013

16-23 October 2013

Whenyouhave finishedwith thismagazineplease recycle it

The trade magazine for tube and pipe products

events calendar

www.read-tpi.com

September 2013

The trademagazine for tube and pipe products

The September issue

2013

16-21 September EMO Hannover (Germany) International Exhibition www.emo-hannover.de 17-19 September Tube SE Asia (Thailand) International Exhibition www.tube-southeastasia.com 1-3 October TuboTech (Brazil) International Exhibition www.tubotech.online.com 16-23 October ‘K’ Plastic 2013 (Germany) International Exhibition www.k-online.de

A warm welcome to the September issue of Tube Products International. We have an interesting feature on the latest developments in plastic tubes and pipes and also take a look at the ‘K’ Plastic 2013 show in Germany and Tube South-East Asia in Thailand. The team will be at all the big shows coming up so if you are at Tube South-East Asia in sunny Bangkok please do come and say hello. I am particularly pleased this issue to able to feature an in-depth article on valve function from Swagelok and an interview with Andy Taylor, CEO of Radius Systems, as well as all the latest company and product news from around the international tube industry. There has certainly been plenty happening so it’s a bumper action packed issue. I will soon be heading to TuboTech in São Paulo, Brazil, for the second time and it will be very interesting to see how the country has evolved in the past two years as Brazil’s growth as a major international power continues. Some of the excitement surrounding next year’s FIFA World Cup and the Olympics in Rio in a couple of years has been dampened by the recent riots but this is still a very exciting time for the country and hopefully the people of the country will come to an amicable agreement with their leaders. I found it a charming country that I look forward to visiting once again.

12-14 November Stainless Steel World Expo (Netherlands) International Exhibition www.stainless-steel-world.net

18-21 November Fabtech (Chicago, USA) International Exhibition www.fabtechexpo.com 19-22 November TOLexpo (France) International Exhibition www.tolexpo.com

2014

Next issue we have features on stainless steel tubes, small diameter high precision tubes as

7-11 April Tube Düsseldorf (Germany) International Exhibition www.tube.de

well as stainless steel world Expo in Maastricht and FabTech 2013 so please send editorial to: rory@intras.co.uk

24-27 September Tube China 2014 (Shanghai, China) International Exhibition www.tubechina.net 28-30 October Tube India 2014 (Mumbai, India) International Exhibition www.tubeindia.com

Rory McBride Editor

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TUBE PRODUCTS INTERNATIONAL September 2013

news business & market

To minimise visual impact, the pipeline will be buried in the hillside

Piping power to Snowdonia GPS PE Pipe Systems is helping the National Trust conservation organisation to deliver its strategy for renewable energy with the supply of PE penstock pipe for the charity’s Hafod y Llan hydroelectric power scheme in Snowdonia, Wales. Designed by Hydropower Services, the Hafod y Llan scheme will use water from the Afon Cwm Llan at the head of the valley, which will be fed through a 1km PE penstock to arrive at the turbine at the foot of the valley before being returned to the river downstream.

minimal visual impact once the scheme is completed.

“The flexibility of PE will enable us to achieve that goal, and the fact that GPS has worked with us to value engineer the specification matching pipe pressure ratings to the head at every point along the route has also helped us minimise costs.” The penstock installation began at the end of April. The project team will build a weir among abandoned copper mines to divert a part of the mountain river overflow to the penstock, which will take it to the turbine on the Trust’s Hafod y Llan farm in the valley.

John Millen, senior project manager for the National Trust, explained, “Many of our properties are in remote locations and rely on oil power supplies, so this project will be a major step forward in our environmental performance and fuel self-sufficiency. “In delivering those environmental aims, however, it’s essential that we preserve the landscape and ecology here in Snowdonia, and the installation of the penstock will involve burying the pipeline in the hillside so that there is

The 640kW scheme on the slopes of Snowdon is part of the Trust’s ‘Fit for the Future’ initiative to further the organisation’s conservation remit by investing in renewables and moving towards energy self-sufficiency in Wales. Once the scheme goes live in November, it will generate sufficient electricity to power all National Trust major sites and properties in Wales, and the income generated by the energy it supplies to the grid will be used to enable conservation projects within Snowdonia.

GPS Pe Pipe Systems – UK www.gpsuk.com

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Tube ProducTS InTernaTIonal September 2013

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business & market news

Opening of advanced manufacturing area Pipex px held an opening event in May for the Advanced Manufacturing Area at its premises in Plymouth, UK. Professor Isobel Pollock, president of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, was the special guest for the event, joining a number of Pipex px valued customers and contacts by invitation only. The Advanced Manufacturing Area was designed to provide a dedicated facility for manufacturing with advanced composites, and includes machinery such as in-house compression moulding, precision tool making and the launch of a number of process improvements. Pipex px manufactures a range of patented and proprietary products including MARRS ® (Multi Angled Rapid Railing Systems), and on-site completion of these products will facilitate leaner and increasingly efficient manufacture. South West Competitiveness European Regional Development Fund Programme 2007-2013, and its launch marks another milestone in the continued growth and development of Pipex px. Pipex px supplies advanced bespoke manufacturing capabilities, materials know-how, bespoke fabrications, expert engineering services, design and build project competencies and modular construction products, all to suit customer-specific requirements.

The afternoon commenced with a facility tour given by the firm’s directors, followed by a formal opening with the cutting of the ribbon and plaque unveiling, and was rounded off with a buffet in the recently refurbished marketing/conference area.

Pipex px – UK sales@pipexpx.com www.pipexpx.com

This latest expansion was made possible with grant funding provided by the

New website and appointment at IPP IPP Group (International Piping Products), a supplier of pipes, tubes, fittings, flanges and specialist forgings for the gas, petrochemical, oil and nuclear industries, is supporting its new venture in South America with a website for Portuguese and Spanish speakers. The Rio de Janeiro office opened for business in April as part of IPP Group’s expansion plans to make it the market leader in South America. IPP has also announced the appointment of Jeronimo Moreno Villares as sales manager for Spain, Portugal and North Africa.

Commenting on his appointment, Mr Villares said, “I’m really happy to join the IPP Group because it is such a young, agile and enthusiastic company. I think we have a great future ahead.” Rob Leacy, IPP Group sales director, commented, “The appointment of Jeronimo reveals the IPP Group’s key objectives in new business relations. His experience in these markets is second to none and we wish him every success in his new role.”

Initially available in Brazilian/ Portuguese, the website will feature useful conversion tools for the piping industry and a local language 16-page IPP Group information leaflet, which customers can order online, download or browse in an online version.

Mr Villares has spent the last six years as a sales manager in Spain and Portugal working on top level accounts for European distributors and manufacturers selling pipes, fittings and flanges for the oil and gas, petrochemical and water industries.

IPP Group – UK sales@ippgrp.com www.ippgrp.com

Award for quality and reliability of supply Norma Group has received a prize for quality and reliability of supply in 2012 from Adolf Wuerth GmbH & Co KG and Wuerth Industrie Service GmbH & Co KG.

to the 1960s. Norma Group supplies the company with hose and retaining clamps, pipe and hose connectors and retaining elements used in workshops and industrial plants. In July 2012, Wuerth presented Norma Group with a supplier award in the ‘Stable Business Relationship’ category, recognising a successful long-term supplier relationship.

as an A-category supplier; it confirms our service orientation,” said Werner Deggim, CEO of Norma Group. “The award reflects the particularly great importance the client places not only on our high-quality product solutions but also on our reliable client service. We continually improve our product and service offering to always be a competent contact for our clients.”

With this award, the wholesaler of assembly and fastening material recognises Norma Group as an A-category supplier.

Norma Group AG – Germany www.normagroup.com

The supplier relationship between Wuerth and Norma Group dates back

“We are very pleased that we have been singled out by a world market leader

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September 2013 Tube Products International

business & market news

PPI industry recognition awards At its annual membership meeting, held in May in St Pete Beach, Florida, USA, the Plastics Pipe Institute (PPI) honoured four individual members and five member-company projects.

Receiving the PPI Project of the Year award for his or her company are (left to right) Wes Long, Performance Pipe; Andrew Ethridge, FlexSteel; Steve Sandstrum, ISCO; Kate Olinger, Uponor; Jennifer Marin, Endot; and Jeremy Duininck, Prinsco. PPI executive director Tony Radoszewski is second from right

Winners were recognised for exceptional service and significant achievements involving the use of polyethylene pipe.

The award winners are detailed below.

Building and Construction division: Uponor, Inc, Apple Valley, Minnesota, USA Awarded project: Pier 15 Exploratorium San Francisco’s new Pier 15 Exploratorium will host more than one million visitors annually as a cultural and science learning centre. Formerly a vacant eyesore, the recent renovation included a PEX-based radiant heating and cooling system. It is now a net-zero energy and a net-zero carbon, 330,000ft 2 facility with LEED- Gold certification. Conduit division: Endot Industries, Inc, Rockaway, New Jersey, USA Awarded project: Beebe Wind Farm Project One of the newest wind power operations, the Beebe Wind Farm in Breckenridge, Michigan, USA, has 34 turbines operational with another 16 coming on-stream in 2013. Use of HDPE conduit pipe to house the power cables is speeding the installation process, and providing long life without the need for cathodic protection, which would have been required if metal pipe was used. Installation is being carried out by both cut-and-cover and horizontal directional drilling (HDD).

Corrugated Plastic Pipe division: Prinsco, Inc, Willmar, Minnesota, USA Awarded project: Hillcrest Knoll Park Project More than 2,500ft of 60" diameter corrugated HDPE pipe was used to construct a retention system capable of storing 85,000ft 3 of water in order to convert a swampy flooded area into a park and public green space. The Hillcrest Knoll Park in St Paul, Minnesota, is a now a benchmark for drainage retention best management practices. Energy Piping Systems division: FlexSteel Pipeline Technologies, Inc, Houston, Texas, USA Awarded project: High Pressure Water Transfer Line 8" diameter, flexible, steel-reinforced polyethylene pipe was used for a 17,000ft run to bring water to a drilling site in north central Pennsylvania, USA. Operating pressure was 1,500 psi. Typically, steel pipe would have been specified. The pipe – using PE 4710 for the internal liner and external sheath – was available in 600ft coils, which was not possible with steel pipe. This increased the integrity of the pipeline

and reduced installed cost, and the pipe was installed in minimally wide trenches at a rate of one-third the time of steel pipe. Municipal and Industrial division: Performance Pipe, a division of Chevron Phillips Chemical Company, Plano, Texas, USA; and ISCO Industries, Louisville, Kentucky, USA Awarded project: San Antonio Water System Originally designed to use steel and ductile iron pipe, this water pipeline extension for the San Antonio Water System (SAWS) used 328 truckloads of PE 4710 pipe that totalled around 11mn pounds. 122,000ft of pipe made it the largest HDPE water pipe project in North America. This new pipeline is bringing water from an aquifer to the SAWS potable water distribution system. The PPI Members of the Year are Brian Chestnut, Lane Enterprises, Inc; Dane Chang, Dow Chemical Company; Wes Long, Performance Pipe, Inc; and George Zagorski, Blue Diamond Industries. The Plastics Pipe Institute represents all segments of the plastic pipe industry and is dedicated to promoting plastics as the material of choice for pipe applications. The institute is a technical, engineering and industry knowledge resource, publishing data for use in development and design of plastic pipe systems. It also collaborates with industry organisations that set standards for manufacturing practices and installation methods.

PPI executive director Tony Radoszewski (second from left), with Members of the Year: Wes Long, George Zagorski, Brian Chestnut and Dane Chang

Plastics Pipe Institute Inc – USA www.plasticpipe.org

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business & market news

Emergency water removal project First Tech Piping, a division of the First Tech Group, successfully completed emergency piping work on De Beers’ Venetia Diamond Mine in the Limpopo province of South Africa, within the tight thirty-day timeline given for the project. of diamonds in South Africa, First Tech Piping immediately initiated the manufacture and installation of more piping to remove the water.

that all quality, health and safety regulations were strictly adhered to,” added Mr Ashley. “De Beers promotes a culture of zero harm to people, planet and profit and the First Tech team working on-site underwent strict safety inductions before access to the site was granted.” First Tech Group owns 19 production facilities, and its 18 divisions have branches and agencies situated throughout South Africa, with active national and international distribution channels. SABS certification, ISO 9001:2008 accreditation and Level 4 BBBEE certification underline the group’s commitment to providing service to clients in a range of industries.

“The pit is approximately 300m deep with a surface area of 221 hectares and required two additional pipe line diameters, a 400mm and 450mm nominal diameter, with different pressure ratings up to 20,000 KPa, to dewater the mine in the scheduled time,” said Steve Ashley, technical executive at First Tech Piping. “The lengths of pipe, each 12m long, were welded together on site using six welding machines and a total of 8,300 bolts, which were also brought to site for assembly. In the end, 500 welds were completed.” First Tech Piping’s original estimate of the time frame for completion of the project was 55 days, said Mr de Frey. “Once we got to the site it seemed like an impossible task, but thanks to the strategic and creative manner in which our team worked we managed to meet the deadline.” This included keeping First Tech Pipe’s manufacturing facility open around the clock and remaining open for the Easter weekend in order to complete the project on time. “Despite the pressure brought about by this project’s urgent nature and time constraints, First Tech Piping ensured

First Tech Piping is a manufacturer, supplier and installer of HDPE thermoplastic piping. The company was requested in early February to assist with the removal of approximately one million cubic metres of water that had gathered in the lowest point of the opencast mining pit, following unprecedented flooding in the area in January. Due to the urgency of the situation from a timing point of view, the project was initially regarded as ‘mission impossible’, according to Pieter de Frey, CEO of First Tech Piping, who says he is exceptionally proud that his team was able to successfully conclude the project in record time. Mr de Frey explained, “Following the massive floods in Limpopo in January, masses of water flowed into the open pit. This was detrimental to the mine because the water, which amounted to around a million cubic metres, affected the most concentrated diamond deposit in the mine.”

First Tech Piping – South Africa www.firsttechgroup.co.za

PLASTIC MOULD FACTORY

Upon being approached by Venetia Mine, which is the largest producer

First Tech Piping assisted with the removal of water that had gathered in the lowest point of the opencast mining pit

PP COMPRESSION FITTINGS 20 BAR www.arangul. com E-mail: arangul@arangul.com Tel : +90(312) 394 40 95 Fax : +90(312) 394 40 99 100% ORIGINAL MADE IN TURKEY

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business & market news

Sandvik implements new pricing for piping products

“Implementation of this new pricing structure will enable us to provide consistency for our customers across the region and focus on the whole package of piping system products.” order acknowledgements provided before 5 June 2013 will remain valid. A complete stock range of tube and pipe, fittings and flanges along with the relevant standards can be found on the company’s website. In other Sandvik news, the company has appointed Michael Andersson as the new head of the tube product area. Mr Andersson joined Sandvik in 2002, when he started within the company’s manufacturing programme, initially as a change leader, and later becoming manager of the programme. In 2005 he moved to the strip product area, where he spent four years as production All quotations and Ronen Day, managing director at Fine Tubes, said, “We have come a long way since the business started back in 1943. At that time, the products we made were aimed at more commercial markets. However, due to the nature of the industries we work with, the technical demands on the products are very high. “They have to work in a variety of tough environments, from outer space to deep under the sea, and so need to be durable and light, able to perform at extremely hot or cold temperatures, and sometimes under high pressure. “We always aim to exceed what is required in the performance of our products and we very often work with our clients to create something totally unique for them, which will answer their technical challenges.”

Sandvik Materials Technology has introduced a structural price change for its piping system products, with effect from 5 June, throughout its European, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) area. The change is valid for the company’s complete range of stocked piping system products, including seamless and welded tube and pipe, fittings and flanges, for deliveries within EMEA. “Sandvik is the only manufacturer of seamless pipe in Europe that offers a comprehensive stock programme of piping system products available through its strategically located distribution centres,” explained Beat Wuersch, global sales manager within the tube product area. “These allow the company to reach any customer with stock product deliveries quickly and efficiently throughout the region.”

manager, before being appointed general manager for the strip operations in Sandviken, Sweden. He has also been production manager for tube production in Sandviken, prior to his appointment as business unit manager within tube. He takes over as head of the tube product area from Petra Einarsson, who was appointed president of Sandvik Materials Technology in February. Sandvik Materials Technology – Sweden www.smt.sandvik.com Michael Andersson, new head of Sandvik Materials Technology’s tube product area

Fine Tubes celebrates 70 th anniversary 2013 sees Plymouth, UK-based Fine Tubes celebrate 70 years in the metal tube fabrications industry. Fine Tubes worked on Concorde in the 1960s

As a key player in the aerospace, medical, chemical process, nuclear, power, and oil and gas sectors, the last 70 years have seen many innovations. The company’s projects include working on Concorde in the 1960s; creating thousands of kilometres of tubing for Skylon, the first reusable space plane; and being one of only a few tube mills worldwide qualified to produce the titanium tubing used for the high pressure hydraulic system of the Airbus A380. The company has also designed and manufactured tubing for Gemasolar, the first commercial solar power plant in Spain; and for CERN’s Large Hadron Collider.

Key services from Fine Tubes include the design, production and supply of seamless or welded and redrawn tubes in a variety of specialist materials such as stainless steel, nickel and titanium alloys. As a global distributor, the company exports its products to over 35 countries.

Fine Tubes ltd – UK www.finetubes.co.uk

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JIANGSU HUACHENG INDUSTRY GROUP

To us, “Working For You” is more than just an advertising slogan... It is a statement of our attitude towards you. Huacheng is specialized in manufacturing industrial cold, drawn & cold, rolled seamless and steel tubes. We are a source for a wide variety of tubular products which are used in many applications and serving: Hydraulic Cylinders, Agriculture, Heavy Trucking and Equipment, Automotive, Appliance, Recreational Vehicles, Mining, Nuclear, Marine, Petrochemical, Pumps/Valves, Sporting Goods and Aerospace.

We offer products from these applications: Tube — Seamless Cold Drawn (HONED TUBE AVAILABLE) • Specifications: ASTM A519, DIN 2391, EN 10305-1,3 • Grades: ST52, E355, SAE1020, 1026, 1035, 1040, 4130, 4140, 1541 • Size Range: 0.500"- 20"OD up to 2.00" wall • Main customer: Doosan, Hyundai, Sanyi, Carter, Komatsu

• Specifications: ASTM A179, A192, A210, A213, A334, BS3059, JIS G3454 • Grades:A1, Gr1, Gr3, T1, T2, T5, T9, T11, T22, T91 • Size Range:0.25" - 4.00" OD up to 0.60" wall Tube — Seamless Tube for Heat Exhanger and Boiler

Tube — Seamless Tube for Bearing Application (SAE52100, SUJ2, SKF, GCr15) Features: • High accuracy • Surface finish (non-oxygen annealing, bright annealing) • Optimum durability • Durable make • Rust proof • Low maintenance

• Corrosion resistance • Accurate dimensions

T E

F W

86-512-58439033 www.hc-pipe.com

86-512-56039772

kevinpeng@hc-pipe.com

business & market news

US plant dedicated to oil and gas market Tubular solutions company Vallourec has dedicated its new pipe mill to serve, in particular, the North American market for production of shale hydrocarbons. Located in Youngstown, Ohio, USA, within the existing Vallourec Star facility, the new unit expands the range of Vallourec products manufactured in North America. Speaking at the new facility’s dedication, Philippe Crouzet, chairman of Vallourec’s management board, said, “Implementation of this new state-of- the-art mill enables us to strengthen our premium products leadership in North America.

in North America, with an offer that responds to all of our customers’ needs.”

Exploration and production of unconventional hydrocarbons has revolutionised the North American market for oil and gas, leading to a significant increase in accessible reserves in the region. The large number of wells and the use of horizontal drilling techniques required in shale hydrocarbon production have increased demand for small diameter tubes and premium connections. With the new mill coming on stream, Vallourec’s Youngstown site now offers the full range of products and services necessary for all hydrocarbon production, and in particular the shale developments. The integrated site includes a steel mill, a mill specialising in medium diameter tubes (from 5" to 10 3 / 4 "), and the new mill, which specialises in the manufacture of small diameter tubes (2 3 / 8 " to 7"). With 22 manufacturing facilities and service operations in the USA, Canada and Mexico, Vallourec in North America primarily serves the local oil and gas market. Key products include oil country tubular goods, line pipe, drill pipe and premium threading services of VAM ® premium joints. Other market segments are served by Vallourec’s specialised entities in Europe and Brazil.

“I would like to recognise our local teams who have managed to complete a major project in an extremely short time frame. I also want to express our appreciation to the federal, state and municipal authorities for their unfailing support. With this new pipe mill, we are able to participate even more actively in the development of shale hydrocarbons

With an initial annual production capacity of 350,000 tons of small diameter seamless tubes, the new mill represents an investment of $1.05bn, and employs 350 people. The mill delivered its first pipe in December 2012 and will ramp- up production throughout 2013.

Vallourec Star facility in Youngstown, Ohio, USA

Vallourec – France contact@vallourec.fr www.vallourec.com

Middle East sales and warehouse for nickel alloys

vary from ½" to 8", with wall thickness sch.10s, up to and including XXS. Stocks of other nickel alloys will be added to the Middle East stocks as soon as need arises for short deliveries.

The company’s Dutch head office is the model for the Middle Eastern office. With many years of experience and a highly trained staff, support will be extensive, especially in terms of quality control and purchasing. Hart sales manager Martijn Verstappen is in charge of the Middle Eastern office and warehouse. The stock of the Middle Eastern warehouse includes pipe and fittings in Inconel 625 and Incoloy 825. Sizes

Hart bv has opened an office in the Middle East, due to the increase in demand for nickel alloys. The new sales office and warehouse is located near Dubai, at Sharjah International Airport Freezone, in the United Arab Emirates. From this Middle Eastern office, Hart intends to supply the whole Gulf region with a 24-hour delivery service, whether for repairs, shutdowns, small expansions or large projects.

Hart bv – Netherlands sales@hartbv.nl www.hartbv.nl

Middle East office: www.hartme.ae

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business & market news

Severn Glocon secures LNG contract

Engineering, and construction (EPC) activities for the project are being undertaken by the JKC Australia LNG Pty Ltd, a joint venture between JGC Corporation, KBR and Chiyoda Corporation. The project is now in the construction phase and the first valves are being shipped. Manufacture and supply of valves will continue into 2014. “The scope, scale and harsh demands of this project command highly engineered, technically advanced hardware,” said Roger Spiers, commercial manager at Severn Glocon. “Our brightest engineers have been focusing their efforts on developing breakthrough valve solutions. We have also invested in extended in-house cryogenic testing facilities to optimise delivery times.” The Ichthys LNG Project is a joint venture between INPEX group companies, major partner Total group companies, and the Australian subsidiaries of Tokyo Gas, Osaka Gas, Chubu Electric Power and Toho Gas. procurement

Control valve specialist Severn Glocon has been awarded a contract to supply 536 engineered control valves for the processing plant on the Ichthys Project onshore LNG facilities. Included in the contract are cryogenic valves of up to 42" bore, weighing around 20 tonnes, as well as valves with pressure ratings of up to 2,500 ANSI. This is the largest and one of the most technically challenging contracts in the firm’s 50-year history. The valves will deal with volatile fluids at temperatures as low as -160°C, and they need to handle extreme requirements surrounding cryo- genics, thermal dynamics and velocity control. Severn Glocon’s technical specialists have developed bespoke designs for the valves, and they are being manufactured across the group’s Gloucester and Chennai facilities. Valves for some of the most demanding applications, such as compressor anti-surge and gas-to-flare control, will benefit from Severn Glocon’s customised multi-labyrinth trim. This enables precise control of fluid velocity, minimising stress placed on components to enhance performance and reliability, as well as extending valve life and lowering noise levels.

Severn Glocon’s multi-labyrinth trim

Severn Glocon Group – UK sales@severnglocon.co.uk www.severnglocon.com

Dedicated supplier of seamless steel tube and pipe!

A valve undergoing cryogenic testing

• EN 10294 • EN 10305 • EN 10216 • EN 10297 • EN 10210 • API 5L • ASTM A106 • ASTM A179

Member of the ITA Contact: Tel: +44 (0) 2084 530046 Emails: info@qualitube.co.uk 0.8A Europa Studios Victoria Road London NW10 6ND

www.qualitube.co.uk

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business & market news

Green technology training Wolseley UK is rolling out a national training course on green technology for staff at Pipe Center and Climate Center. The scheme is designed to update branch staff on cutting edge low carbon and sustainable technology, to enable them to support customers in harnessing the latest appropriate systems.

technology and building standards, and the penalties for non-compliance.

will use. Technologies include ground- source, air-source and water-source heat pumps, combined heat and power (CHP), solar thermal systems for hot water generation, solar photovoltaics for producing electricity, biomass boilers, and water harvesting systems. The course also covers the legislative framework for heating, cooling and ventilating buildings, including government grants and incentives available for adopting green solutions.

Wayne Calland-Hewitt, who designed the course, said, “The response of staff who have attended the course so far has been extremely enthusiastic. So much is happening at the moment in terms of new technology and changes in the framework of incentives and grants. We believe it is vital to ensure staff are kept fully up-to-date, so they can help customers make the most of opportunities to harness new technology.” The national roll-out is already under way and will run until the end of the year. The company is planning a follow- up course highlighting developments in heat recovery systems, under-floor heating and district heating systems. Wolseley – UK customerservices@wolseley.co.uk www.wolseley.co.uk

It focuses on ‘buildings of the future’ and the kinds of low carbon technology they

This includes updates on the Feed-in Tariff, the Green Deal and the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI). The course, devised by Wolseley UK’s technical support team, will also address the legal requirements relating to

Green training: inspecting headers at Castle Howard

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business & market news

BSS names Grundfos supplier of the year BSS Industrial, a distributor of heating and pipeline solutions, has selected Grundfos as ‘Supplier of the Year 2013’ at its annual Supplier Day, with Ideal Commercial Boilers taking the award for ‘Most Improved Supplier 2013’. and support, from head office through to branch level. The award win follows Grundfos picking up the Most Improved Supplier award in 2011. BSS Industrial’s Tier 1 Suppliers from all over the UK are entered into the annual competition. They are judged on strict criteria consisting of eight categories, including delivery performance, branch-based plans, packaging and crisis support.

Ideal Commercial Boilers also impressed the judges, having progressed existing relationships and improved its levels of service and support over the last 12 months.

The pump manufacturer received the award following a year of strong sales

Andy Raine, commercial director of BSS Industrial, congratulated the winners: “Both Grundfos and Ideal Commercial Boilers have been truly valuable suppliers over the last year, providing BSS Industrial with excellent relationships which have enabled us to distribute high-quality and reliable products to our customers. On behalf of the company I would like to thank them for their high standard of continued service and support.” Glynn Williams, sales director for Grundfos, commented, “We’ve worked really hard to ensure we improved our service levels in all areas during the past year and we are very proud to have been recognised by BSS Industrial with this award.”

BSS Industrial awards Grundfos as ‘Supplier of the Year 2013’

BSS Industrial – UK enquiries@bssgroup.com www.bssindustrial.co.uk

Barrett Steel announces further acquisition

this year. The purchase demonstrates our commitment to investing in Ireland, providing customers in both the North and South with an extensive range of products and processing facilities.” Barrett Steel made its first acquisition in Northern Ireland in May 2012, when it purchased the business of Austin Trumanns Ireland, securing 18 jobs in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Investment in the Newry facility has already brought the site back into profit with a projected turnover this year of £14mn.

Michael Currie, managing director of Barrett Steel Ireland, commented, “We are delighted to announce the opening of our latest facility in Ireland. The company has a long, successful history with a strong presence in the community and Barrett Steel is committed to maintaining local ties, supporting employees, customers and the general public. “At a time when many similar companies in the sector are contracting, Barrett Steel Ltd, with its 42 companies working out of 28 sites across the UK and Ireland, is continuing to invest and is confident of future growth. We have secured five jobs at the site and expect to start recruiting again later

Barrett Steel has announced another acquisition, with the purchase of the steel stockholding business at Maghaberry, near Lisburn, Northern Ireland, from the Sherling Group. The company, which will trade as Barrett Steel Ireland Ltd, will join the growing portfolio of businesses in the general steel division of Barrett Steel. The investment in a five-acre site, with its 30,000ft 2 steel processing facility, enables Barrett Steel Ireland Ltd to offer a wide range of processed options, including shotblasting and priming, and automatic cutting and drilling to customers’ specifications. It will also house the Irish office of Barrett Steel’s tubes division.

Barrett Steel – UK sales@barrettsteel.com www.barrettsteel.com

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business & market news

Change at the top for TEPPFA The European Plastic Pipes and Fittings Association (TEPPFA) has a newly elected president and a new general manager. Niels Rune Solgaard- Nielsen has succeeded Hans Telgen as president, and Tony Calton takes over as general manager from Pierre Favrot of the Brussels-based organisation. Before joining Pipelife as COO Region Europe North in 2003 he worked for ABB for nearly 20 years, holding various management positions in Denmark and internationally. Tony Calton has many years of manufacturing and marketing experience with the UK activities of the Aliaxis Group of companies.

He has served on various TEPPFA committees, having more recently promoted the technical investigation into the association’s Sustainable Municipal Pipes project. TEPPFA was founded in 1992 and represents manufacturers and national associations of plastic pipe systems across Europe. “We are actively involved in promoting the value and acceptance of plastic pipe activities for a sustainable future,” explained Mr Calton. “Our work in the field of EU representation, standards, recycling and environmental assessments of plastic pipe systems has accelerated the awareness of their benefits. I am delighted to accept this new role and thus continue to communicate effectively with all our members and valued stakeholders.”

Niels Rune Solgaard-Nielsen is CEO for the Pipelife Group, headquartered in Austria. A Danish citizen, Mr Solgaard- Nielsen holds a Master in Economics

His particular field of expertise covers the development of plastic pipe sys- tems for sewer, gas and water

and Business Management from University of Aarhus.

transportation in the utilities, offshore and i n d u s t r i a l markets.

Niels Rune Solgaard-Nielsen is the new president of TEPPFA

TePPFa aisbl – Belgium info@teppfa.org www.teppfa.eu

General manager Tony Calton

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September 2013 Tube ProducTS InTernaTIonal

business & market news

TubItaly exhibition TubItaly will take place from 14 to 16 November 2013, simultaneously with Expolaser. The new exhibition will showcase and highlight the best of the product spectrum in terms of tubes, rods, pipes, profiles and production and transformation technologies.

Sectors of interest will include tubes and accessories, compressors, tube manufacturing machines, tube processing equipment, tools, measuring, control and safety technologies, software, profiles, plant engineering and construction, packaging and conveying systems, logistics, maintenance, and associations and publishing houses. Piacenza Expo Exhibition Centre – Italy commerciale@piacenzaexpo.it www.tubitaly.it

It is supported by the existing long- term collaboration between Expolaser and ICE, the Italian Institute for Foreign Trade. Manufacturers, distributors and processors of tubes, rods, pipes and profiles, as well as manufacturers of machines, systems and technologies for their processing, will be exhibiting at TubItaly.

The event is organised by Piacenza Expo in partnership with PubliTec, publishing house of the magazine Elemento Tubo.

Additional approval for corrugated HDPE pipe

installation. Due to easy access and the large diameter pipe sizes, direct physical measurements and observations were taken from inside the pipe, and at regular intervals across the entire span of each pipe run. Vertical measurements for deflection of the pipe were taken at the beginning and terminus of each pipe run, at each joint, and generally at 10ft intervals. Additional inspections were geared to observe the condition of the pipe, looking for material distress such as cracks, tears or punctures. The standard length of an installed HDPE pipe section from Timewell is 20ft, and all joints were examined for integrity. “According to the inspection report, the pipe retained its shape, was on line and grade, without any imperfections, and showed no signs of distress,” stated Mr Radoszewski. “Any deflections were symmetrical about their corresponding horizontal and vertical axis and well within the allowable five per cent maximum – no racking was observed. Each and every joint appeared well- seated.” The inspection concluded that the pipe was favourably installed, and the bed and backfill were properly compacted and followed standard industry practices. Because there were no notable defects or stresses, it is expected that future pipe installations using similar TDOT- or industry-approved methods will result in similarly positive results.

“TheTennesseestudyand itssubsequent additional approval of corrugated HDPE pipe is another confirmation of confidence for this durable product,” stated Tony Radoszewski, executive director of the Plastics Pipe Institute (PPI). “We estimate that longitudinal installation accounts for more than 80 per cent HDPE pipe use in storm sewer drainage. This amendment to the TDOT design manual that expands the use of HDPE pipe will greatly benefit everyone in Tennessee. This is because HDPE pipe has a very long use life and is highly cost effective to purchase and install, which adds up to taxpayer savings.”

The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) has approved the longitudinal installation of large diameter, corrugated high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipe for storm water drainage systems. Approval came after a year-long field test, completed in June 2012, that showed no notable defects, deflection or stress on the pipe buried with shallow cover and fill height depth of three to four feet. Since 2007 the TDOT has allowed the pipe to be used for cross drains, transverse median drains and storm drain systems with up to 18ft of fill height. Previously, longitudinal use was limited, for example, to side drains under driveways.

Under the direction of TDOT and installed by an independent contractor, the on-site

test project used two runs of dual-wall corrugated HDPE pipe that was manufactured to the AASHTO M294 standard. The test site used 84 linear feet of 600mm (24") and 90 linear feet of 900mm (36") diameter pipe manufactured by Timewell, Illinois, a member company of PPI. Installation conformed to TDOT Standards 204.10(b) and 204.11(b), TDOT Standard Drawing D-PB-1, and appropriate notes in the construction documents. The final inspection conducted by TDOT and Timewell engineers followed TDOT and AASHTO criteria, noting that deflection testing was to occur no sooner than 30 days after

Longitudinal installation of large diameter, corrugated HDPE pipe for storm water drainage systems

Plastics Pipe Institute Inc – USA www.plasticpipe.org

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BUTT WELDING FITTINGS SINCE 1971

business & market news

Boosting the South African valve industry The Valve and Actuator Manufacturers’ Cluster of South Africa (VAMCOSA) was formed to provide significant demand prospects for local manufacturers. However, local manufacturers need to ‘step up to the plate’ to produce world-class valves that are able to compete with imported products. The South African valve manufacturing industry has been in a steady decline since 1994 as a result of the higher quality and affordability that imported products provide. In an attempt to turn the industry around and promote the growth of locally sourced valves, VAMCOSA was formed in 2011. While this may mean that industry giants such as Eskom will now have to look closer to home for a supply of valves, the pressure is on to meet demanding requirements for the same level of quality as internationally produced products. In the next five yearsEskom is expected to replace an estimated 5,500 valves in on-going operations and maintenance projects at existing power plants, significantly increasing demand for control valves, multi-turn valves, quarter turn valves, and electric and pneumatic actuators. Local manufacturers will benefit from this massive replacement programme. Now more than ever, local valve manufacturers need to seek out the support of a well-established foundry for the supply of raw castings. As the first South African PED-certified foundry and material supplier, Steloy Castings is able to produce as-cast and machined components that conform to stringent quality assurance requirements necessitated by the pump and valve industry. Being qualified to produce PED-class castings allows valve manufacturers to attach the CE mark to each item of pressure equipment, and ISO 9001 accredited facilities provide the added assurance of quality and product integrity. Over 25 years of experience in the valve industry has put Steloy in a good position to provide support and an understanding of the product requirements and specifications expected from globally competitive companies.

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Steloy Castings – South Africa info@steloy.com www.steloy.com Johannesburg, South Africa

Messe Düsseldorf GmbH Postfach 101006 _ 40001 Düsseldorf _ Germany Tel. +49(0)211/4560-01_Fax +49(0)211/4560-668 www.messe-duesseldorf.de

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