business & market news
10
Tube Products International October 2012
Ten-year titanium extrusions deal
Semi-finished
titanium
airframe
extrusion
producer
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
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
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.
Plymouth Tube Company
– USA
North Sea valve management appointment
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
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-
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
CNR International (UK) Ltd
– UK
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
