July 2014 Tube Products International
21
business & market news
Certification for lightweight
aerospace tubing solutions
Victrex has successfully obtained the
rigorous AS9100C/ISO9001:2008 aero-
space certification for its Victrex Pipes
production lines. This certification gives
the aerospace industry the confidence
to specify the robust, lightweight tubing
made from Victrex PEEK polymer.
More than 15,000 aircraft rely on the
high performance thermoplastic in
demanding applications. By achieving
this milestone, Victrex continues to
take a proactive approach in providing
innovative metal replacement products
to help boost the efficiency of current
and future aircraft.
With aerospace engineers demanding
lighter weight solutions, Victrex Pipes
are a durable alternative to metal, given
their ability to provide weight reductions
of up to 70 per cent. Victrex states
that, based on averages from recent
fuel economy studies, replacing 100m
of metal tubing with a thermoplastic
system made from Victrex PEEK can
deliver up to $3,300 in annual fuel
cost savings, as well as reducing CO
2
emissions by 11 tons per plane.
In addition to being lightweight, Victrex
Pipes inherit the benefit of the base
polymer of being non-corrosive,
which helps the aerospace industry
to reduce maintenance costs. High
performance over a broad temperature
range and excellent fire/smoke/toxicity
performance are additional properties
that qualify Victrex PEEK for the
aerospace industry.
The international AS9100 standard
Victrex obtained was especially
designed for the aerospace industry.
It requires Victrex to have a quality
management system in place to
consistently provide products that meet
customer and applicable legal and
regulatory requirements.
The standard also specifies that the
quality management system must
establish processes for continuous
improvements and ongoing conformity
to regulatory requirements in order to
provide products that satisfy the needs
of aerospace customers.
Frank Schemm, Victrex Pipes aerospace
market manager, stated, “All industries
we serve benefit from our quality
management system and established
processes that focus on continuously
improving
our
manufacturing
capabilities and products. Being able to
provide the highest quality, lightweight
products helps manufacturers develop
confidence in sustainable solutions
enabled by Victrex and its products.
“While Victrex offers straight tubing
solutions for demanding aerospace
applications, we continue to collaborate
with industry-leading companies
to develop bent, flared and jointed
systems to fit the spacing requirements
of various aircraft platforms.”
Victrex Pipes give engineers the
opportunity to create smarter designs to
help make the installation process easier
for assembly teams. This has become
important, particularly with the large
backlog of orders that manufacturers
have and their need to get aircraft off
the assembly line faster. To handle rising
demands for new aircraft, it is equally
important that Victrex is able to offer
stability and security along the entire
supply chain.
Victrex plc
– UK
Technip a top employer in 19 countries
Technip has been certified as a Top
Employer 2014 in 19 countries. This
independent certification, delivered by
the Top Employers Institute, underlines
the quality of Technip’s human resourc-
es (HR) policies and showcases its dedi-
cation to the development of its people.
The Top Employers Institute, a specialist
in the field of international research into
HRmanagementandworkingconditions,
has completed this year’s research into
the HR policies and practices of a large
number of employers across various
countries. The organisations examined
were assessed based on criteria such
as primary benefits, secondary benefits
and working conditions, training and
development, career development and
culture management.
Technip is certified as a Top Employer
in Australia, Belgium, Brazil, China,
Colombia, France, Germany, Indonesia,
Italy, Malaysia, Norway, Singapore,
Spain, Thailand, The Netherlands, the
UK, USA, Venezuela and Vietnam, as well
as in Europe and Asia-Pacific regions.
Johann Labuschagne, global accounts
director for the Top Employers Institute,
stated, “Our extensive research
concluded that Technip forms part of a
select group of employers that advance
employee conditions worldwide. Their
people are well taken care of. Now that
they have received the Top Employers
2014 certification in 19 countries and
two regions, they can truly consider
themselves at the top of an exclusive
group of the world’s best employers.”
Thierry Parmentier, Technip’s group
human resources director, commented,
“The Top Employers 2014 certification
sends an important signal to the
local employment markets: Technip’s
ambitious global HR policy is rolled out
everywhere we operate.
“Our 40,000 people are the cornerstone
of each of our successes and we help
them to develop to their maximum
potential, regardless of their gender,
geographical origin or background.”
Technip
– France
Top Employers Institute
–
The Netherlands
Victrex has received
AS9100 certification for
the production lines of
its lightweight aerospace
tubing solutions
