TPT July 2009

6 / 112

Features editor (USA) • Dorothy Fabian
Editorial • Gill Watson
Editorial assistant • Christian Bradley
Production • Lisa Benjamin
Sales & marketing • Catherine Sayers
English speaking sales
• Giuliana Benedetto
Italian sales
• Hendrike Morriss
German speaking sales
• Linda Li
Chinese sales
• Jeroo Vandrevala
Indian sales
Advertising • Liz Hughes
co-ordinators • Andrea McIntosh
Subscriptions • Liz Hughes
Accounts manager • Richard Babbedge
Publisher • Caroline Sullens
Founder • John C Hogg
Published by: Intras Publications ,
46 Holly Walk, Leamington Spa, CV32 4HY, UK
Tel : +44 1926 334137 • Fax : +44 1926 314755
Email:
Website:
USA Office (Editorial only) : Intras Limited,
272 First Ave, Apt 12G, New York, NY 10009, USA
Tel/Fax: +1 212 614 9266
Email:
Indian Office: Jintras Ltd,
Subarna (Ground Floor) P21/N, Block A
New Alipore, Kolkata 700 053, India
Tel: +91 33 2407 0701 • Fax: +91 33 2407 0700
Email:
All rights reserved – ©Intras Ltd ISSN 0953-2366
This publication and its full contents of layout, text, images,
and graphics is copyright protected. No part of this publication
may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic
or mechanical including photocopying, recording or any other
storage or retrieval system without the publisher’s written
permission. The publisher, owners, agents, printers, editors and
contributors cannot be held responsible for and hereby exclude
all liability whatsoever for errors, omissions or the accuracy
and claims printed or inferred in the editorial or advertisements
published in this, previous or subsequent editions or for any
damages, costs or losses caused thereby. Tube & Pipe
Technology reserves the right to edit, reword and subedit all
editorial submissions in accordance with editorial policy. Tube &
Pipe Technology expressed graphically or by text is a registered
name and style trademark of Intras Ltd, UK. All matters relating
to this disclaimer are governed by the laws of England.
US Copies only: Tube & Pipe Technology (ISSN No: 0953-2366) is published bi-monthly by
INTRAS Ltd and distributed in the US by DSW, 75 Aberdeen Road, Emigsville, PA 17318-0437.
Periodicals postage paid at Emigsville, PA. POSTMASTER: send address changes to Tube &
Pipe Technology, PO Box 437, Emigsville PA 17318-0437.
Editorial I ndex............. 0 2
Industry N ews............. 0 6
Technology Update. .... 0 36
Global Marketplace.... 0 72
Advertisers Index........ 0 108
Tube & Pipe Technology magazine is available on subscription, or via membership of the
International Tube Association – See for more membership benefits
Union gives strength
While preparing this issue of Tube & Pipe Technology, I read a news story about a trio of architects
who have put forward an ambitious proposal to construct a tunnel connecting Bolivia to the Pacific
Ocean. The plan would provide the landlocked country with access to the sea for the first time
since the 19 th century War of the Pacific, after which it ceded its entire coastline to Chile. The 93-
mile tunnel would link Bolivia to an artificial island in the Pacific, built from earth excavated during
the construction of the tunnel.
One of the architects, Humberto Eliash, commented, “ Poets say that we must build a bridge
between Bolivia and the Pacific that jumps over Chile. We wanted to see if it could work in reality.”
While the considerable technical and economic problems presented by such a project could be
overcome, the political hurdles would be harder to clear. The proposed tunnel would have to cross
borderlines disputed by both Peru and Chile, and the artificial island would be located in waters
claimed by the same two countries.
However, the Chilean foreign minister has said that Chile “ is open to all suggestions that foster
Latin American integration.” This kind of international cooperation can provide mutually beneficial
results. This maxim also applies to our industry, where cooperation between companies can help
them survive in these challenging economic times. Another of Bolivia’s South American neighbours,
Brazil, will soon host a trade event that will provide opportunities for such cooperation.
Tubotech 2009, featured in this issue of Tube & Pipe Technology, will take place in São Paulo,
6-8 October. The fifth staging of the tube and pipe industry event will focus on raw materials, tube
manufacturing and processing, tubes and connecting pieces, machinery for tube production and
measuring and monitoring equipment.
I hope that attendees to the event will make the contacts they need to make the most of Brazil’s
relatively strong and stable economy. As architect of the Bolivian tunnel, Mr Eliash, said, with
refreshing optimism, “ …I believe that most fascinating of all is that if we can imagine it, we can
do it.”
Christian Bradley, Tube & Pipe Technology
When you have finished with this
magazine please recycle it
F ront Cover
S tory
On the front cover you
see static testing of the
Pipe Raiser, developed
and manufactured
by Dhatec in the
Netherlands. Engineers
measure and monitor
the behaviour of the Pipe Raiser as it is
subjected to various loads and movements.
The Pipe Raiser is an adjustable support
system for transporting large diameter pipes
by truck. To keep the dimensions of the load
within the allowed proportions, one pipe is lifted
above the other. By transporting two pipes per
truck instead of one, a lot of transport costs can
be saved on a pipeline project.
The Pipe Raiser is designed and calculated
to provide a safe static and dynamic situation.
Applied forces are prescribed by European
regulations and approved by the TüV in
Germany. Dhatec continuously develops new
solutions to protect the quality of the line pipe
during its entire logistic process.
Contents