TPT September 2008

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September 2008 22
Industry News
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The steel pipe coating market achieved
double-digit annual growth rates between
2004 and 2007, according to the latest
research from AMI Consulting. The study
expects demand to reach 240 million square
metres by 2010, more than 50 million above
the 2007 volume. The strongest regional
growth will be felt in Asia, Russia and the
Middle East, but the more mature markets
of NAFTA and Europe will continue to grow
in absolute terms.
Deep changes in the global economy are
causing the energy supply and demand
maps to be redrawn. In conjunction with
high oil prices, this trend has generated a
remarkable rise in pipeline construction
activity. In turn, this is creating a multitude
of exciting opportunities for well-positioned
industry participants.
As a result, the industry’s competitive
landscape is changing, as historical market
leaders are facing strong, capable clusters
of regional players, many of them pipe mill-
integrated. In addition, several technical
solutions are competing for growth in this
profitable market. Besieged by safety and
environmental concerns, the traditional
asphalt and coal tar-based
coatings are losing ground
to solutions based on
polyethylene, polypropylene
and stand-alone epoxy.
In turn, these solutions
are vying for supremacy,
each backed by a number
of raw material suppliers,
coaters and technologists.
Solutions based on
polyethylene accounted for
two-thirds of the market in
2007. Most coaters prefer
MDPE/HDPE, which offers
technical advantages and
more suppliers, compared with LDPE.
Polypropylene replaces polyethylene where
temperatures are likely to exceed 70-80°C.
Polypropylene is also used for thermal
insulation, either as solid layer, foam, glass
syntactic foam, or a combination of these.
In this application, it competes mainly with
polyurethane and epoxy-based insulation
systems.
In most geographical areas, polyolefin-
based systems (especially 3-LPE and
3-LPP) are seen as more robust and
forgiving during pipe handling, transport
and installation and are therefore preferred.
However, epoxy formulators are fighting
back by offering stand-alone epoxy-based
dual and multi-layer systems. They also
point to potential risks associated with
improperly applied 3-layer polyolefin
systems, such as de-bonding.
In conjunction with this Global Pipe Coating
study, AMI will host a pipeline coating
conference from 26-28 January 2009 at the
Renaissance Hotel in Vienna, Austria.
Applied Market Information Ltd – UK
Fax: +44 117 311 1534
Email:
Website:
Swagelok completes acquisition of Coreflex
Swagelok Company, USA, has completed the acquisition of the assets of Coreflex
LLC, USA. Located in Bowie, Maryland, Coreflex is a manufacturer of high-quality
hose products used mostly in semiconductor, biopharmaceutical, and other demanding
applications.
The Coreflex product line broadens the Swagelok Company’s portfolio of high-quality
hose products. Mr Arthur F Anton, Swagelok president and chief executive officer,
says, “We are excited about this acquisition because these innovative hose products,
combined with our network of authorized Swagelok sales and service centres, will help
us provide better solutions to our customers worldwide.”
Headquartered in Solon, Ohio, Swagelok Company is a major developer and provider
of fluid system solutions, including products, assemblies, and services for the research,
instrumentation, pharmaceutical, oil and gas, power, petrochemical, alternative fuels,
and semiconductor industries.
The company has manufacturing, research, technical support, and distribution facilities
comprising a global network of over 200 authorized sales and service centres in 57
countries.
Swagelok Company – USA
Fax: +1 440 349 6678
Website:
Study and conference examines growth in
pipe coating market
 The dynamics of regional demand for steel pipe coating