TPi October 2012

The trade magazine for tube and pipe products

www.read-tpi.com

The trade magazine for tube and pipe products

October 2012

100 Years

Seamless welded flanges and rings

from steel, stainless steel and non-ferrous metals certified in accordance with DIN EN 9001.2008 and controlled manufacturing process from Flanschenfabrik Hüttental Germany www.ffh-flansche.com

We’ve been giving businesses like yours

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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e-mail: info@RandolphTool.com website: www.RandolphTool.com

Editorial Office: Editor

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

Editorial Assistant

Mr Christian Bradley Email: christian@intras.co.uk

Design & Production

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

Publisher

Ms Caroline Sullens

Founder

Mr John C Hogg

Advertisement Material & Production:

Ms Liz Hughes

Email: liz@intras.co.uk Email: andrea@intras.co.uk

Ms Andrea McIntosh

International Advertising Sales:

Ms Tracey Callaghan Email: tracey@intras.co.uk • Tel: +44 1926 834688 Ms Hendrike Morriss – Verkauf & Marketing (Deutschland, Osterreich, Schweiz) Email: hendrike@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 Ms Jeroo Norman – Indian Sales (English, Hindi & Gujarati speaking) Email: jeroo@intras.co.uk • Tel: 000 800 001 6652

Subscriptions: www.read-tpi-com Subscriptions Manager Ms Liz Hughes

Email: liz@intras.co.uk Tel: +44 1926 334137

Accounts Manager

Mr Richard Babbedge Email: richard.b@intras.co.uk

Tube Products INTERNATIONAL is published by Intras Ltd, UK

Europe: 46 Holly Walk, Leamington Spa Warwickshire CV32 4HY, 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:

Copies are also available to members of the International Tube Association

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

INTRAS INTRAS LIMITED

© 2012 Intras Ltd, UK ISSN 1755-7216

Postmaster: send address changes to Tube Products INTERNATIONAL, 17B S Middlesex Ave, Monroe, NJ 08831

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

www.tubeproductsinternational.com

Contents October 2012

8 Business & Market News 32 Products & Developments 52 Tube India 2012 54 Feature: Plastic pipes

30 October to 1 November 2012

62 Feature: Valves & fittings 70 Feature: Water, drainage & underground 77 The need for material upgrade in recuperators in steel mills by Johan Wallin and Tommy Sand, Sandvik Materials Technology, Sandviken, Sweden 79 Editorial Index 80 Advertisers Index

Whenyouhave finishedwith thismagazineplease recycle it

The trade magazine for tube and pipe products

The October issue

events calendar

Welcome to the latest issue of Tube Products International. This issue we have a number of features looking at areas of the industry that should be of a great deal of interest to readers – these focus on water and drainage pipes, valves and fittings and plastic pipes. We also have our usual extensive business and market news sections and a comprehensive round-up of all the latest products and development news. It is an exciting and busy time for the magazine as from the next issue (January) we will be producing six issues a year rather than the current four as we continue to expand the size and scope of the magazine. We are aiming to make Tube Products International THE essential publication for anyone interested in high quality tube and pipe products and by increasing the frequency of the magazine we can get the most relevant news and products to you sooner and publish even more up-to-date news and in-depth features each year as well as cover more shows. This will hopefully make it an even more essential read so please do get in touch if you have anything you would like shared with our large readership both in print and online or if you have any suggestions for future areas we can cover. This current issue will be distributed at even more shows than usual. The magazine and its team will be out in force at EuroBLECH, which is fast becoming one of the most essential shows in Europe. I will be travelling to Tube India for the first time and it will be great to see how this up-and- coming super power in the world of steel and all things tube and pipes is developing first hand. I expect we will receive a very warm welcome at what is another rapidly growing show in one of the world’s busiest and most vibrant business cities. In addition, the magazine will again be distributed at FABTECH in Las Vegas and at Valve World in Germany. That is pretty much every corner of the globe covered!

2012

23-27 October

EuroBLECH (Germany) International Exhibition www.euroblech.com

30 October – 1 November

Tube India International Exhibition www.mdna.com

12-14 November

Fabtech (Las Vegas, USA) International Exhibition www.fabtechexpo.com

27-29 November

Valve World Expo (Germany) International Exhibition www.valveworldexpo.com

2013

7-10 January

Tube Arabia International Exhibition www.mdna.com

20-23 February

Indometal (Indonesia) International Exhibition www.indometal.net

28-30 March

Boru 2013 (Turkey) International Exhibition www.borufuari.com

25-28 June

Tube Russia International Exhibition www.metallurgy-tube-russia.com

25-26 June

Valve World Expo Americas International Exhibition www.valveworldexpoamericas.com

Next issue we have features on the use of tubes in renewable energy, titanium tubes, copper tubes (HVAC) and a show feature on Indometal 2013. We are media partners at this event and I have been speaking to the organisers extensively over the past few months – it will be a really exciting event that is well worth a visit.

Rory McBride Editor

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TUBE PRODUCTS INTERNATIONAL October 2012

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Seek the wise standing high

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news business & market

View of a spiral pipe plant

Schuler acquires large pipe expertise as market demand continues to grow

forming and welding stages can directly follow each other (online process). Longitudinal weld pipes with diameters of up to 1.625mm and wall thicknesses of up to 65mm are produced using either crimping presses, U-forming and O-forming presses, or equipment for the step forming process – such as Schuler’s Linear Feeding J-Press (LFJ press). Longitudinal weld pipes are usually produced in lengths of 12 or 18m. The new LFJ press can also produce lengths of up to 24m. A lower-priced alternative to stainless steel pipes, needed for the transport of aggressive or sensitive substances, are lined pipes – a combination of thin- walled stainless steel and conventional carrier pipes. They are produced using the hydroforming process during which the pipes are also sized. They can be produced in lengths of up to 12m and reach diameters of up to 530mm.

often exposed to extreme conditions. Temperatures well below freezing and enormous pressures, such as on the seabed, exert huge loads on the pipes. At the same time, the pressure inside the pipes is being constantly raised in order to extend the distances of the transported materials. “The stability and absolute quality of the manufactured pipes is therefore all the more important,” explained Dietmar Rieser, managing director of ATIS. During their manufacture, pipes are carefully scrutinised using ultrasonic devices, X-rays and water pressure (with a hydrotester). There are two basic methods for the production process itself: “Large pipes are either welded together as spirals from a long metal coil or bent to an ‘O-shape’ with a longitudinal weld,” explained Manfred Wischnewski, managing director of Schuler SMG GmbH & Co KG. be manufactured in lengths of up to 24m, with diameters of 450 to 3,500mm and wall thicknesses of 6 to 25mm. The Spiral-shaped pipes can

The demand for large pipes for the construction of pipelines is currently growing. Schuler AG, Germany, has reacted to this trend and expanded its product spectrum to include turnkey systems solutions for the economic production of large pipes. This was made possible by the company’s acquisition of ATIS GmbH, an engineering firm specialising in this field. The respective contracts were signed in April. Schuler has over 170 years of expertise in the field of metal forming, as well as extensive know-how in research and development, large equipment manufacturing, project processing, and global service network. ATIS will provide detailed knowledge of the planning, development, delivery and modernisation of complete pipe equipment and systems throughout the world. “This strong partnership offers numerous benefits for our customers,” said Jochen Früh, managing director of Schuler Pressen GmbH.

schuler aG – Germany www.schulergroup.com

aTIs GmbH – Germany info@atis-germany.de www.atis-germany.de

Pipelines have to span huge distances across inhospitable terrains and are

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Tube PrOducTs InTernaTIOnal October 2012

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business & market news

SmartFit wins Land-Based Pipeline Award Pipe measurement specialist Optical Metrology Services (OMS) Ltd has been recognised by the Pipeline Industries Guild for its innovativepipemeasurement and fit-up system, SmartFit TM . (from left) Les Dawson OBE, president of the Pipeline Industries Guild, Jim Buston of OMS, and Richard Price, national chairman of the Pipeline Industries Guild

At the Pipeline Industries Guild’s 55 th Annual Dinner, held in London in March, OMS received the Award for Significant Contribution to Land- Based Pipeline Technology 2012, for its SmartFit system. First introduced in 1996, the objective of the Land-Based Pipeline Award is to promote the development of new ideas in the general field of land-based pipeline technology. Its scope includes any aspect of pipeline engineering, including design, construction, operation and maintenance. The award is typically for an achievement developed in the last five years, which has been successfully implemented or completed within the last 12 months, resulting in a significant contribution to land-based pipeline projects. The Pipeline Industries Guild supports eight annual awards and competitions throughout the year. This includes three technology awards for ‘subsea’, ‘land- based’ and ‘utility’ pipelines. Entries are submitted annually and judged by an award panel. Jim Buston, client solutions executive at OMS, who received the award on behalf of the company, commented, “We are delighted that SmartFit has won the Land-Based Pipeline Award 2012, which further confirms OMS’s position as a leading provider of innovative

of a laptop computer system used prior to the pipe firing line, for example, in a ‘ready rack’ on a pipe-laying vessel or in an onshore pipe holding area. The Pipeline Industries Guild’s membership comprises those with interests in pipelines, transporting hydrocarbon products, chemicals, water, wastewater, and many other substances, both onshore and offshore. All are governed by the industry’s twin need to combine quality with safety, while at the same time meeting all the latest environmental and legislative requirements. Optical Metrology Services Ltd – UK info@omsmeasure.com www.omsmeasure.com

pipe measurement, inspection and fit- up solutions to the global oil and gas sector, both onshore and offshore.” SmartFit is a suite of hardware and software tools, which together provide a powerful system for pipeline contractors, ensuring that pipe fit-up, welding and pipe-laying processes run as smoothly as possible with minimal interruptions. Elements of SmartFit are deployed in different ways to suit the practicalities of different production processes, both onshore and offshore. After pipe end measurements are complete, SmartFit also provides software that uses this measurement data to optimise the sequencing and fit up of pipes. Typically, SmartFit consists

Stainless tube and bar depot built Marmon/Keystone LLC has announced the addition of a new stainless steel bar depot at the its Spring Valley, Illinois location. The 200,000ft 2 building houses state-of-the-art Amada automated CNC saws that can provide value-added services for all cut-to- length orders. location,” said product manager Patrick Gibbons. “This new depot enhances our inventory of stainless bar that is currently stocked at our 26warehouses. It offers greater accessibility for large- volume requirements, and will provide our customers with faster deliveries.”

than 15,000 sizes and grades of carbon, alloy, stainless and aluminium tubular and bar products. Service centres and sales offices are located throughout North America, with corporate headquarters in Butler, Pennsylvania. Marmon/Keystone LLC – USA sales@marmonkeystone.com www.marmonkeystone.com

A leading wholesale distributor of tubular products for over 100 years, Marmon/Keystone inventories more

“The stainless bar depot provides a wider range of sizes and grades in one

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October 2012 Tube Products International

business & market news

Ten-year titanium extrusions deal

manager of Plymouth Engineered Shapes. “We are proud to be a supplier on the A350 XWB programme.” Established in 1924, Plymouth Tube Co opened its Hopkinsville facility in 1981 as Plymouth Engineered Shapes. The company makes extruded stainless, titanium, nickel alloy, carbon and carbon alloy shapes – net, near-net, and semi- finished extrusions. Markets served include aerospace, defence, energy and various industrial applications.

its aerospace-focused titanium shapes operation at Hopkinsville, Kentucky. Plymouth’s president and CEO, Donald C Van Pelt Jr, stated that, “The Hopkinsville plant has been successful since its early days, due to the quality and drive of the people here and their ability to make challenging super critical components for aerospace and industrial customers.” “We have a long cooperation with Airbus and are excited to be awarded this contract as the aerospace market surges forward amidst this period of increasing worldwide air passenger traffic,” said Kevin Rahnert, general that sets it apart from the competition. “Our objective is to extend the life of our North Sea assets to maximise profitability without compromising safety,” Mr Reid explained. “Severn Unival’s philosophy is to consider each control valve individually as well as treating the population as a whole. This ultimately proves to be the most cost-effective approach. It underpins precise technical specifications that enable shrewd repair, retrofit and replacement activity.” Andy Woodward, sales manager for North Sea Services at Severn Unival, believes that ageing assets require carefully prioritised maintenance routines to ensure safety, integrity and reliability. The firm’s extensive repair intelligence data, coupled with the expertise of its engineers, mean management work-lists are well-

Semi-finished

titanium

airframe

extrusion Plymouth Engineered Shapes has been awarded a contract from Airbus. The scope of the ten-year agreement includes titanium extrusions that will be utilised throughout the programmes for the A350 XWB, including A350-800, A350- 900 and A350-1000. In support of the Airbus contract and to ensure its continued success as a semi- finished titanium airframe extrusion producer, in November 2011 Plymouth Engineered Shapes announced an expansion plan. A $12.1mn capability and capacity investment is planned for producer CNR International (UK) Ltd has awarded engineering specialist Severn Unival a three-year contract to manage control and choke valve populations across its five North Sea platforms. Severn Unival’s brief is to ensure that the control and choke valves on these mature assets operate effectively and efficiently to support productivity and satisfy KP4 Health & Safety objectives associated with ageing platforms. The contract, which was won following a competitive market tender, demonstrates CNR’s on-going confidence in the quality of Severn Unival’s technical support. It will run back-to-back with a previous three-year contract initially awarded in 2006, then lengthened with all available extension options. CNR’s instrument technical authority, Craig Reid, says it is Severn Unival’s intelligence-led engineering

Plymouth Tube Company – USA aero@plymouth.com www.plymouth.com North Sea valve management appointment

optimised to focus attention where it is most needed.

“All North Sea operators are faced with the challenge of ageing assets,” Mr Woodward explained. “CNR understands the importance of taking proactive measures to identify – and predict – potential ‘bad actors’ in order to optimise performance. Our considered approach to valve management means we offer tangible added value through exceptional technical support. I believe this is the secret to our enduring relationship with CNR, and it is a pleasure to work with such a like-minded organisation.”

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

CNR International (UK) Ltd – UK www.cnrl.com

Multi-million dollar contract for IPP IPP East Coast, a member of the IPP group of companies, has secured a multi-million dollar contract to supply low temperature carbon steel seamless pipe, fittings and flanges for a major oil and gas operator and EPC in Bass Strait, Victoria, Australia. Jason Berg, managing director of IPP East Coast, commented, “This is a major client and IPP East Coast is proud to secure this pivotal and prestigious contract. "We have been in discussions for this project since 2011 and to secure an

order of this nature is a very strong indicator to the market, that IPP East Coast is one of the world’s premier project supply companies,” he added. International Piping Products – UK sales@ippgrp.com www.ippgrp.com

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Tube Products International October 2012

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business & market news

Steel pipe supplier named as a fastest growing company

American Piping Products saw 138.10 per cent growth throughout the three- year period. In 2009 the company reported $63mn in revenue, followed by $103mn in 2010 and $150mn in 2011. american Piping Products, Inc – USA sales@amerpipe.com www.amerpipe.com

list,” commented Al Rheinnecker, CEO of APP. “Each of our 65 employees directly contributed to our outstanding performance. We are proud to be a leader in the St Louis business community and the steel pipe business at large.”

American Piping Products, Inc (APP), a US pipe supplier, has been named as the seventh fastest growing private company in the St Louis area by the St Louis Business Journal. APP was the only steel pipe supplier to make the list.

Companies were ranked by per cent revenue growth, 2009-2011, and

“Our entire organisation is thrilled to be ranked so high on this esteemed

Forgemasters expands as technology improves

Professor Talamantes-Silva and team

projects and the design of large-scale pressure vessels to the US. Professor Talamantes- Silva, managing director of RD26, said, “What we have created at

Sheffield Forgemasters has capitalised on its technological expertise and pioneering work into engineering research and development by launching a new company. The creation of Sheffield Forgemasters RD26 Ltd underpins landmark developments, which have enabled the 200-year-old company to become a leader in the manufacture of high-technology components for a diverse range of markets. RD26 Ltd is headed by Professor Jesus Talamantes-Silva, supported by a highly qualified team, and working with visiting PhD students and graduates from UK universities. The new company will service Forgemasters’ internal work and aims to take on an increasing volume of external contracts. chief executive of parent company Sheffield Forgemasters International Ltd (SFIL), said, “Research and development is the fastest growing area of this company and is fundamental to the strategy of the business. The launch of RD26 Ltd is the culmination of many years’ hard work by Professor Talamantes-Silva and his team to break new ground in engineering technologies and it marks the next stage in Forgemasters’ growth.” The new company, SFIL’s seventh subsidiary, frees up the research and development division to offer its services externally, a process which has already begun with enquiries and quoted work into new markets, including civil nuclear Dr Graham Honeyman,

over. The research and development facility enables us to be much more flexible in defining the characteristics of each component and tailoring the manufacture process to suit.” RD26 will also continue to provide research and development support for SFIL’s technology transfer agreements with emerging economies, such as those undertaken for India’s BHEL and TAYO power generation giants – contracts valued at more than £30mn. Professor Talamantes-Silva, who is a visiting professor at the University of Sheffield, also sits on the research board at Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research. Dr Honeyman was named winner of the 2012 Bessemer Gold Medal by The Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (IOM3) after judges decided his work has promoted the manufacture of engineering components of national and international importance. sheffield Forgemasters International ltd – UK sales@sfel.com www.sheffieldforgemasters.com

Sheffield Forgemasters since the management buyout in 2005 is a unique facility to conduct research and development work on live projects. There are few places in the world which can offer this kind of opportunity to refine systems away from the academic sphere and across such a broad series of manufacturing processes. The resources here are enabling us to take on increasingly technical challenges and to look at entirely new ways of creating components, which allows for greater manufacturing efficiency and stronger, lighter, more complicated end products. “Our markets are diversifying all of the time and we have created new processes for manufacture in civil nuclear, such as the integral forging of nozzles into ultra-large components, the delivery of highly complex castings for offshore oil and gas exploration and we are now working with some of the world’s most renowned engineering companies to deliver collaborative research and development work. We have found that clients are keen to work with us right from the design level and to engage with that part of the process rather than simply handing the project

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Tube PrOducTs InTernaTIOnal October 2012

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business & market news

MCA Hire and Thermofuse Pipelines in repair programme

treatment works in Oswestry to the Prescot Water treatment works near Liverpool. LTDM number 3 is bitumen- lined steel that will be pressure jetted. Lines 1 and 2 of the LTDM are unlined cast iron and will be refurbished with polyethylene (PE) using the specialist technique of swage lining, a process applied by Denholm Pipecare. The swage lining technique is where butt welded strings of a liner are drawn through a specialist reducing die to reduce the overall diameter of the PE lining and allow insertion into the host cast iron main. Over a period of time the PE’s elasticity will allow the PE lining to revert to its original diameter, creating a tight fit and maximising the bore of the newly lined cast iron main. The specialist operation of butt fusion welding of the large diameter liner is being carried out by Thermofuse Pipelines. MCA, part of Drain Center, was involved with the Vyrnwy project when trials first started four years ago. It provided a McElroy 1648 specialist large diameter butt fusion machine, and as the project developed, MCA imported an additional brand new McElroy 1648 welding

MCA Hire, Thermofuse Pipelines, Denholm Pipecare and Balfour Beatty Civil Engineering Ltd are helping to maintain an 80km stretch of the Vyrnwy Large Diameter Trunk Main (LDTM), UK, for United Utilities.

Ashley Bentley, MCA hire regional operations manager

The team will be working to repair three existing LTDM’s that run from the water

machine from America to enhance on-the-job performance, which is due to make its first UK site appearance next week. Efficiency on-site is already high. United Utilities set the team a target of eight welds per day, but the team from Thermofuse Pipelines sometimes find themselves completing ten or 11 welds in a day. The maintenance and repair work on the pipelines is part of United Utilities’ 14-year cleaning and maintenance programme to the Vyrnwy LDTM to improve water quality. The Vyrnwy LDTM consists of three parallel pipelines with a total length of around 240km.

Thermofuse case study

MCA Hire Services – UK www.mcahire.co.uk

Contract for 750km Upper Zakum field awarded to Technip

Technip’s operating centre in Abu Dhabi will execute the overall engineering and participate in procurement, on-island works, cable installation and initial production. The project is scheduled to be completed in the third quarter of 2015. The award reinforces Technip’s involvement in major offshore projects and its association with NPCC.

processing facilities at the Central Complex. The scope of work covers 240kmof subsea pipelines ranging from 6" to 42"; 128km of subsea composite and fibre-optic cables; and almost 30,000 tons of offshore structures (jackets, riser platforms, flare towers and bridges), including approximately 3,000 tons of islands modules and bridges. The contract also includes the complete initial production facilities for temporary wells hook up to serve initial production distributed amongst the North, South and Central islands.

Technip, in a consortium with National Petroleum Construction Company (NPCC), has been awarded, by Zakum Development Company (ZADCO), a lump sum engineering, procurement, fabrication, installation, commissioning and start-up contract for the Upper Zakum 750K Project in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The field is located in the Gulf, 84km offshore Abu Dhabi. It is divided into four production artificial islands (Central, North, South and West), with

Technip – France www.technip.com

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business & market news

New European standard for steel hollow bar A new European standard for stainless steel hollow bar, with specified machinability properties, has now been approved and released. The standard, EN 10294-2: 2012 – Hollow bars for machining, sets out the technical delivery conditions of stainless steels and nickel alloys with specified machinability properties. detail of the standard and the minimum cutting speeds the material being supplied guarantees. The importance of the performance of our Sanmac products is something we have been discussing with our customers for a long time,” he added.

sandvik Materials Technology – Sweden www.smt.sandvik.com

“This long-awaited European standard really does support us as it clearly shows the advantage of using a truly machinability improved material over a basic standard alternative,” explained Christer Thorsson, global product manager for hollow bar at Sandvik. “Our Sanmac ® hollow bar range of stainless steel grades has been extensively developed and improved to provide increased machinability and fully meets the standard.” Sandvik states that productivity benefits such as reduced tool wear and increased cutting speeds are available when using Sanmac stainless steels, which can reduce the cost of components. These benefits are a direct result of research and development by Sandvik. “With the introduction of the new European standard there are a number of detailed requirements for the material supplier,” added Christer Thorsson. “One of these is to train existing as well as potential new customers in the MRC to acquire Chaparral MRC Global Inc has signed an agreement to acquire the majority of the operating assets of Cherokee, Oklahoma-based Chaparral Supply, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of SandRidge Energy, Inc. Chaparral Supply provides pipe, valve and fitting products and oilfield supplies to its parent organisation, SandRidge Energy.

Sandvik hollow bar

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Mrc Global, Inc – USA www.mrcpvf.com

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October 2012 Tube PrOducTs InTernaTIOnal

business & market news

Princess opens skills and innovation centre Earlier this year, Pipex px was honoured to host Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal at the company’s multi-award- wining facility in Plymouth, UK, to officially open the Pipex px Skills and Innovation Centre. Ellie and Isla Murphy present flowers to The Princess Royal

The Princess Royal was then escorted to the Skills and Innovation Centre. A briefing was given by Mr Smith and Mr Murphy regarding the work undertaken in the facility together with a number of current innovations. During this period a number of additional introductions were made to Pipex px directors, managers,

Following the presentation of Member of Parliament for Plymouth Moorview, Alison Seabeck, by Pipex px chairman and founder Alan Smith, Her Royal Highness enjoyed refreshments coupled with a company briefing by marketing director Sarah Raynor. A facility tour followed, hosted by Pipex px co-chief executives Tom Smith and WilliamMurphy, incorporating each of the manufacturing divisions, thermoplastic pipes and products and structural composites and composite pipes, during which Her Royal Highness was introduced to and spoke with a number of Pipex px employees, including technical director Matt Hewstone and senior project manager Brian Dunn, who gave a brief on Pipex px involvement with the Queen Elizabeth Aircraft Carrier project. Texas Gulf Energy, Inc is expanding its capacity to provide pipe and vessel fabrication services to its energy sector clients by forming Texas Gulf Fabricators, Inc. David Mathews, Texas Gulf Energy president and CEO, commented, “The Gulf Coast has seen numerous recent multi-billion dollar announcements of refinery, pipeline and plant expansions which will require substantial fabrication

plaque, officially marking the Pipex px Skills and Innovation Centre as open.

staff and customers, and to everyone’s delight Her Royal Highness kindly took time to engage each person in conversation. Alan Smith accompanied The Princess Royal to a staged area where he gave a short speech thanking Her Royal Highness for attending the prestigious occasion and also thanking Pipex px employees and customers. Her Royal Highness was then invited to unveil a expertise and services. We have received many current client enquiries requesting fabrication, and we believe it provides a substantial opportunity for expansion of our business. For example, in June, a current client and one of the largest mid-Western refiners awarded Texas Gulf Energy a fabrication contract based on the quality of our other services being provided to them. We are currently planning our facilities’ expansion, and

The afternoon was completed with a presentation of posies by CEO William Murphy’s two daughters, Ellie and Isla, and Her Royal Highness’s signing of the company visitor book.

Pipex px – UK sales@pipexpx.com www.pipexpx.com Texas Gulf Energy to expand pipeline

further information will be provided as soon as possible. We intend that Texas Gulf Fabricators will become a major resource for dependable, on-time delivery of vessel and piping fabrication services as well as modular construction of skid mounted facilities to our Fortune 500 customer base.” Since its founding in 2003, Texas Gulf Energy, Inc’s companies have deployed thousands of engineering, construction, technical, skilled crafts and project management personnel to major international energy companies. Now entering its tenth year in business, the company has vertically integrated its service offering into other energy market segments, including pipeline and vessel fabrication, wellhead services, oil and gas production, and professional consulting services both domestically and internationally.

Irestal renews its website Irestal Group, one of the leading independent stainless steel service centres, has completely renewed its website. The Catalan group, based in Barcelona, which claims to have been the first company to introduce stainless steel in Spain, has decided to change its website with the latest search engine optimisation solutions, in order to improve customer service, offering in a flexible and complete way information about its extensive product range.

Irestal Group – Spain www.irestal.com

Texas Gulf Energy, Inc – USA www.tgnrg.com

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Supporting push for green technology Pipe Center and Climate Center, both part of Wolseley UK, are expanding their central technical team to support expansion into new market sectors and the introduction of renewable technologies. The enlarged technical team will provide a single point of contact for customers on major projects and tap the in-depth product experience available across Pipe Center and Climate Center and – where relevant – the wider Wolseley UK. can benefit. While new products may promise a lot, there are often pros and cons to be aware of. We will be doing our own evaluations and training branch staff on the issues and how best to help customers.” Wolseley uK customerservices@wolseley.co.uk www.wolseley.co.uk

Pipe Center and Climate Center’s technical team expands

The technical team will support the accelerating roll-out of renewable products by Pipe Center and Climate Center, providing information on product specification and performance. It will also provide specialist technical support for the growing FM market, to enable those responsible for the maintenance of buildings quickly to source replacement products, or suitable alternatives, to ensure facilities continue to operate efficiently. “One of most important differentiators in the market – and highly valued by customers – is the quality of technical information and support,” said Scott Craig, sales and marketing director. “I am proud that the experience and knowledge we have at Pipe Center and Climate Center is second to none. This latest expansion involves significant investment in people, resources and training to ensure that we are not only up with the curve, but ahead of it. We believe it is vital that customers have the knowledgeable support they need to win business and help their clients reduce energy and carbon, and adopt sustainable solutions.” An important aspect will be to gather, distil and distribute throughout the business updates on new products and technology as soon as they become available, ensuring everyone is up to speed and able to keep customers informed. Martyn Simpson, who heads the technical team, commented, “It is an exciting time to be in the industry. There are constant advances in technology and new approaches emerging. We will act as a central clearing house, to bring order and clarity to ensure customers and our own teams are aware of developments, and how they

For perfect finished tubes, start with the world leader in seamless precision:

Tube Hollows InTernaTIonal

To achieve perfection in your finished drawn tubes, you need to start with precision tube hollows. And that means starting and ending at Tube Hollows International (the former tubing division of Dearborn Precision). No one else matches our ability to provide high quality, uniform wall thickness hollows…to meet your specs exactly. • Wall thickness tolerances to ±1% • All commercial and medical alloys • Tube conditioning — improves surface finishes and wall thickness variation • Deep hole drilling, trepanning, honing, grinding and turning • We serve a range of industries: medical, aerospace, oil & gas, nuclear and automotive

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395 Portland Street, PO Box 160, Fryeburg, ME 04037 USA T 1.207.935.8823 • F 1.207.935.8824 • TubeHollows.com

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business & market news

Commercial success of VAM 21 connection Vallourechasreceivedaseriesofordersfor VAM ® 21 premium threaded connections in the Middle East since the beginning of the year, representing a total of almost 15,000 tons. The new generation VAM 21 connection developed by Vallourec has met with commercial success in the most challenging environments, in the North Sea, Brazil, South-East Asia and, most recently, the Middle East. The company claims that VAM 21 is currently the only connection complying with the latest specification demanded by oil companies for the most demanding applications, especially offshore. the Gulf of Suez. And in July 2012 the group received an order in Kuwait, to supply a customised version of the VAM 21 connection for gas drilling operations. latest technical specification demanded by oil companies for the most demanding applications, especially offshore. It stands up to extremely high temperatures and pressures, and resists the strongest axial loads. Vallourec states that it is currently the only connection in the world that is qualified according to the new 2011 standards and is capable of offering sealing and mechanical resistance qualities equivalent to that of the tube over a wide range of sizes.

“The Middle East region is well known for its production of onshore oil and gas, but it is also very active in the offshore segment, from shallow to very deep operations,” commented Didier Hornet, managing director of Vallourec oil and gas activities. “In view of its recognised expertise in this field, Vallourec is particularly well placed to participate in the exploration and development of the many fields in the Red Sea and the Arabian Gulf which have huge potential. Thanks to its unique sealing and mechanical resistance properties, the VAM 21 connection is clearly the best-adapted solution for the extreme conditions encountered for both onshore and offshore severe drilling operations.”

The threaded and coupled solution is adapted to the most difficult environments, such as high pressure/ high temperature fields, in drilling with casing conditions, or in extended reach wells. VAM 21 also facilitates the self- alignment of the tubes, which ensures secure and rapid make-up during on-site assembly.

Several orders for VAM 21 connections were received from Qatar in February 2012. These orders concerned offshore applications covering all sizes offered by the range of product (from 5" to 14" in diameter). In May 2012 Vallourec signed two orders for VAM 21 connections in Saudi Arabia to equip exploration wells in offshore and deep offshore situated in the northern end of the Red Sea, near

Vallourec – France www.vallourec.com

This connection has been validated using ISO13679 FDIS-2011 CAL-IV, the

e2v, alongside our partners Aimil, will be at Tube India on booth 1J08

60 years of engineering excellence e2v power tubes deliver outstanding performance and a long service life. We supply an exceptional level of customer service and support, andmany of the gridded tubes that we manufacture Contact us for a quote today e2v.com/tubes are also direct equivalents for other manufacturers’ tubes, or can be used to replace themwith our guidance. For over 40 years Aimil Ltd has partnered with e2v and provided India with the world’s best power tubes and aftercare service for pipe welding.

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Butting signs its largest order The Ichthys gas-condensate field, where pipe-laying operations are due to begin in 2013, lies off the Kimberley Coast of Western Australia. Butting is playing a significant role in constructing the 889km long pipeline that will run from the offshore production platform to Darwin, where the gas is to be processed. The company is supplying about 75km of Butting bimetal (BuBi ® ) pipes. The contract for the Ichthys LNG project was signed with INPEX at the beginning of this year. The pipes ordered for the Ichthys LNG project are made frommaterial grades TP 317L/UNS S31703 for the inner pipe, and SAWL 450 FD for the carbon steel outer pipe. Construction is being performed according to the DNV-OS-F101 standard and to other requirements of the customer specifications. The size for this order is 457 x (21.9+3) mm. The BuBi pipes consist of an inner pipe and an outer carbon steel pipe. The two pipes are connected to each other with

hydraulic expansion to a mechanical tight fit. The process developed by Butting for mechanically connecting two pipes is cheaper than a solid-wall version. The company states that the BuBi pipe ensures all of the properties of metallurgically clad pipes. The process also permits a wide selection of material combinations. H Butting GmbH & Co KG – Germany info@butting.de www.butting.com

Centravis products win Wacker’s approval Wacker Chemie AG, a leading global chemical producer, has approved Centravis as a reliable supplier of stainless seamless tubes and pipes, and has added the company to its approved manufacturers list (AML). In 2011 Centravis performed a trial supply of stainless seamless tubes to Wacker through F Linster & Co GmbH. As a result, Centravis products have been approved for purchase to Wacker’s facilities. Centravis looks to develop a partnership with Wacker in terms of general and heat exchanger tubes supply, which is in line with the company’s strategic plans to increase supplies in these segments to European markets. Centravis Production Ukraine www.centravis.com Wacker Chemie AG – Germany www.wacker.com

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BSS and Balfour Beatty beat biking challenge A team of nine cycling enthusiasts from BSS Industrial and Balfour Beatty Engineering Services (BBES) have completed a gruelling 320-mile challenge to raise over £6,585 for ‘Help the Hospices’ and ‘Building Better Futures’.

Setting off from the BBES head office in Glasgow, Scotland, and finishing at the BSS Industrial HQ in Leicester, England, the challenge was to complete the journey in just three days. Travelling over tough terrain including the Southern Uplands at Beattock Summit in South West Scotland and the Lake District at Shap, which sits 1,398ft above sea level, the team ignored injuries and tired legs to raise the impressive amount for its two partner charities. Tom Wilson, business development director at BSS Industrial, commented, “Reaching the finishing line at our head office in Leicester was a real high – I have definitely never been happier to see the office! We hope this will be just the start of our joint fundraising with customers such as BBES. This joint cycling challenge is a demonstration of how strong the working relationship is between BSS Industrial and BBES. The funds raised by both teams will go towards making a real difference to people living in the communities where our head offices are based.” Nigel Hempsall, Steve Knight, David Percival and Peter Weatherall from the BBES team and James Gaby, Steve Harris, Andy Raine, Tom Wilson and Andrew Wood from BSS Industrial covered a staggering 100 miles each day in order to meet the challenge.

BSS and BBES reach the finish line

Established over 110 years ago, BSS has over 60 national branches, a national distribution centre based at Lutterworth in the East Midlands, and a national tube distribution centre in Coventry. The company has a number of specialist brands that provide customers with a single source solution. Balfour Beatty Engineering Services delivers solutions with a focus on meeting the needs of customers. The company offers comprehensive experience, expertise and technical competencies across a broad range of market sectors.

Echoing Mr Wilson’s sentiment, Nigel Hempsall, head of procurement at BBES, said, “Tom has summed it up. It was a tough challenge but the team worked fantastically well together to cover the miles… all 335 of them! It really is testament to the strength of teamwork and the shared desire to raise funds for our charities. A huge thank you to everyone involved and I look forward to our next fundraising adventure!” Help the Hospices is BSS Industrial’s charity partner, and champions and supports hospice care, representing more than 200 hospices across the UK. Building Better Futures is a charitable programme set up by Balfour Beatty to help fund opportunities for young people, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds. BSS Industrial, part of the plumbing and heating division of Travis Perkins plc, is a pipeline and heating distributor.

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

Balfour Beatty Engineering Services – UK enquiry@bbesl.com www.bbesl.com

PCT moves premises due to expansion PCT is moving its headquarters to new premises located on the north bank of the river Tyne in Wallsend, in the northeast of England. The expansion has been driven by an upturn in demand over the past year for plastic pipe coiling and packaging equipment from established quayside mobilisation and vessel load out for larger equipment.

Complementing the design, project management and customer support services offered by PCT are manufacturing facilities, including fabrication, shot-blast and painting.

markets, and by the expansion of equipment sales into other sectors such as wire rope, sub-sea umbilical and power cable manufacture, and well intervention. The new riverside location has direct access to deep water quay facilities, enabling

The new site, which provides more than double the floor space currently occupied, will accommodate the continued expansion of staff numbers and will vastly increase the supply capability of the business.

PCT Ltd – UK www.pipecoil.co.uk

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TMK announces new appointments TMK, a producer of tubular products for the oil and gas industry, has appointed Vladimir Oborsky as CEO of Trade House TMK. He previously held the position of senior vice president. Mr Oborsky replaces Konstantin Semerikov, who has taken up the position of TMK vice president for project development.

implementation of which is aimed at strengthening the company’s position as a global supplier of tubular products for the oil and gas industry.” TMK operates 24 production sites in the USA, Russia, Romania and Kazakhstan, and two R&D centres in Russia and the USA. In 2011 TMK’s pipe shipments totalled 4.23mn tonnes. The largest share of TMK’s sales belongs to high margin oil country tubular goods, shipped to customers in 85 countries.

sales at Metinvest Holding and Mechel. “The management changes at Trade House TMK have been carried out as part of the company’s rotation plan for executive personnel,” said Alexander Shiryaev, TMK CEO. “The appointment of Vladimir Oborsky to the position of CEO of Trade House TMK is a natural step. Mr Oborsky has had a long and successful career in top positions at TMK and Trade House. He is well- versed in operational matters and in working with the customers of our products. Konstantin Semerikov in his new position remains a member of the company’s management board. He has been entrusted with a new large project,

Andrei Parkhomchuk has been appointed senior vice president of Trade House TMK. Mr Parkhomchuk joined the company after working for MMK Group, where he was responsible for selling metal products of the Turkish plant MMK Metalurji. Mr Parkhomchuk previously headed metal products

TMK – Russia tmk@tmk-group.com www.tmk-group.com

Solvay completes sale of stake in Pipelife Solvay has completed the sale of its 50 per cent stake in Pipelife, one of the world’s leading suppliers of plastic pipe systems, to Wienerberger. headquartered in Vienna, Austria. The company employs approximately 2,600 employees in 27 countries, and realised around €800mn in sales in 2011. Solvay is an international chemical Group committed to sustainable development with a focus on innovation and operational excellence. It generates over 90 per cent of its sales in markets where it is among the top three leaders.

For Solvay the deal represents an enterprise value of around €257mn for its 50 per cent stake, when taking into account assumption of liabilities, including pensions and other debt- like items, for about €85mn. Solvay received in total €172mn in cash for the shares, including a special dividend of €10mn. Pipelife has 29 production plants, and is

Wienerberger is the world’s largest brick producer (Porotherm, Poroton, Terca) as well as the market leader for clay roof tiles (Koramic, Tondach) in Europe and for concrete pavers (Semmelrock) in Central-East Europe. In pipe systems (Steinzeug-Keramo ceramic pipes and Pipelife plastic pipes), the company is one of the leading suppliers in Europe.

Solvay offers a broad range of products for customers in markets such as consumer goods, construction, automotive, energy, water and environment, and electronics.

Solvay – Belgium www.solvay.com

Leavitt tube renamed Leavitt Tube Company has been renamed Maruichi Leavitt Pipe & Tube, LLC. The change reflects the ownership position of the company, which is 60 per cent owned by Maruichi Steel Tube Ltd (MKK). The remaining 40 per cent of the company is owned by Sumitomo Corporation of America (SOCA).

Maruichi Steel Tube, Ltd (MKK), founded in 1947, has developed a global business model by establishing manufacturing companies in Japan, USA, Indonesia, China, Vietnam and India. With over $1.5bn in sales and total production of more than 1.5mn tons of steel tubing, Maruichi Steel Tube is one of the largest manufacturers of welded steel tube. Maruichi Leavitt Pipe & Tube, LLC – USA www.leavitt-tube.com

Pipe and API 5L Specification Pipe after upgrades to its largest structural tube mill, the W80, are complete in the first quarter of 2013. Leavitt Tube began producing mechanical steel tubing in 1956. The company evolved into an industry leader with one of the broadest size ranges of structural, mechanical and Hi-Y50 pipe-size tubing. Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, it operated several tubing mills with facilities in Chicago and Jackson, Mississippi. In 2008, Maruichi Steel Tube Ltd of Japan acquired a majority interest in Leavitt Tube.

Maruichi Leavitt Pipe & Tubewill continue to be headquartered in Chicago. It will have its own distinct logo and identity, and will continue to produce mechanical tubing and steel hollow structural sections. The company also plans on producing A53 Grade B Tested

Maruichi Steel Tube, Ltd – Japan www.maruichikokan.co.jp/english

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