TPi January 2015

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52 Tube Products International January 2015
Smal l diameter, high precision tubes
An interview with Charles Ferreira,
Fine Tubes Nuclear Products Division
Can you tell us about your role at Fine
Tubes and Superior Tube?
I am part of the nuclear products team
and also the business development
manager for Western Europe. I’m based
in Orléans in France where I head up
Fine Tubes sales office and manage the
alliance with Superior Tube for Western
Europe.
In October, Fine Tubes exhibited at the
World Nuclear Exhibition in Paris. Why
did you choose to exhibit at this expo?
This was the first edition and the first
time that Fine Tubes had exhibited at the
World Nuclear Exhibition (WNE) in Paris
– Le Bourget. We decided to participate
because we knew it would give us the
opportunity to meet with existing and
potential new nuclear clients as well as
network with international nuclear EPC
players, contractors and suppliers.
WNE covers the entire supply chain,
showcasing global nuclear projects and
giving both exhibitors and visitors alike
a chance to view what is currently
happening around the world in this
sector. So it was an ideal expo for
us to promote Fine Tubes’ extensive
experience in supplying the
nuclear industry worldwide.
What were your reasons for
exhibiting on the GIIN (Groupe
Intersyndical de L’Industrie
Nucleaire) stand?
Fine Tubes is a member of
the GIIN, and yes, we chose
to exhibit on their stand
at WNE. The GIIN works
closely with operators in the
nuclear sector as well as
government agencies, international
bodies and organisations responsible
for radiation protection, nuclear safety
and standardisation, but also on the
new build projects. As a member of
the GIIN, Fine Tubes is bidding for a
number of global projects. We have also
contributed to Flamanville French EPR,
through the supply of specific tubing
according the French construction
standard RCC-M.
Tell us about Fine Tubes’ and Superior
Tube’s nuclear expertise.
Fine Tubes has been developing and
manufacturing tubes for the nuclear
industry since the 1970s. We started
supplying nuclear fuel cans
for the UK’s first generation
of gas cooled reactors, and
as the industry evolved
so too did our expertise.
Over the years we have
manufactured products for
AGR, pressurised water,
light water, heavy water
and fast breeder reactor
technologies, and we have
the ability to manufacture
high-precision seamless
and welded tubes in
stainless steel, nickel,
titanium and zirconium
alloys.
Furthermore, our organi-
sation has evolved with the
global alliance of Fine Tubes
UK and Superior Tube
USA to offer much more
extended expertise and
service for the benefit of our
worldwide customers and
the success of their projects
in the nuclear segment.
Combined, Superior Tube and Fine
Tubes have over 100 years of experience
working with nuclear customers to solve
tough challenges and achieve tight
performance specifications.
With our combined engineering
expertise, we can control tube
dimensions down to just a quarter the
diameter of a human hair, and in the fuel
cans of advanced gas-cooled reactors
our tubes have to endure temperatures
of 650°C, without fail, for five years
non-stop.
Why do you think customers choose
Fine Tubes and Superior Tube?
Customers choose Fine Tubes and
Superior Tube because of our excellent
record and pedigree in developing and
supplying tubing to the very highest
specifications for mission critical
components in the nuclear island,
such as reactor core fuel cans and
elements, control rods, wear sleeves
instrumentation, steam generators and
heat exchanger, condenser, absorber
and cooling applications.
Nuclear is an industry in which strict
specification compliance and integrity
are absolutely critical, and we have a
proven track record not only of meeting
those criteria but also of developing new
solutions to help the nuclear industry
advance.
How important is the nuclear sector to
your global business?
Today, approximately a quarter of Fine
Tubes’ and Superior Tube’s global
business is in the nuclear sector,
providing tubes for both new nuclear
power stations and also aging plants
where we are involved in maintenance
Nuclear fuel element with fuel cans
High-precision tubes made by Fine Tubes