TPT March 2008

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March 2008
Industry News
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For the first time in its history, the
International Tube Association has
celebrated a successful collaboration in
co-organising a conference with the Tube &
Pipe Association International (TPA), USA.
The world-class Pipe & Tube Houston 07
conference – devoted to seamless and
welded tubular product technology and
processes – took place last September
with heavy attendance from the ITA’s North
American membership base.
Located at the Woodlands Resort in
Woodlands (near Houston), Texas, the
three-day event consisted of nearly
forty technical paper presentations, four
roundtable discussions, a plant tour at
Tex-Tube Company and RTI
Fabrications, and two prime
networking receptions. Fields
of interest included welded-
seam tubes, seamless tubes,
cold drawing and reducing
tubes, extrusion, inspection,
finishing, and oil country
tubular goods and fittings.
A major highlight of the
conference was the tabletop
exhibitions – with over 40
companies participating.
Representatives from the ITA
noted that this event featured
the largest exhibit area they
have hosted in North America.
Exhibitors were reported to be pleased with
the number of contacts they received during
the conference – over 150 attendees visited
the tabletops.
The success of this event shows the
strength of teaming up the North American
management board of the ITA with the TPA’s
councils of ‘Tube and Pipe Producers’,
‘Tube and Pipe Fabricators’, and ‘Extrusion,
Drawing and Tube Reducing Technology’.
President and CEO of TPA, Mr Gerald
Shankel, commented “I was pleased at how
our two organisations came together for
such a successful event – for the first time
in history!”
Mr Paul Russo, 2007 TPA advisory board
chairman, states, “This is the first technical
conference jointly presented by the TPA
and the ITA. It was very well received
by the tubing industry. Houston proved
to be an excellent venue and I hope both
organisations plan to conduct more joint
conferences like this in the future.”
There are currently preliminary discussions
between the two organisations regarding an
event in 2009, possibly in Mexico.
International Tube Association – UK
Fax: +44 1926 314755
Email:
Website:
Tube & Pipe Association, International
– USA
Fax: +1 815 484 7701
Website:
Name change for Czech seamless tube producer
VVT-Vitkovice Valcovna Trub, a Czech producer of thick-wall seamless steel tubes, has
changed its company name and logo. The new name – Valcovna Trub Tz as – was
chosen as an integral part of creating a corporate group identity. It is the final step of
integration into the structure of the group of companies, Trinecke Zelezarny – Moravia
Steel.
The company’s current annual tube production capacity is 105kt, of which almost 60 per
cent is manufactured on the ‘big Mannesmann’ line, producing tubes of outer diameter
168-406mm. The investment project for revamping and refurbishment of the line will
finish in the third quarter of 2008. The second production line – the small Mannesmann
– rolls out the tubes with an OD of 60-168mm.
The seamless steel tubes are used in the machinery and automobile industry, building
and construction, power engineering and chemical industry as well as in crude oil and
gas exploitation. The company’s products have been involved in construction of a trade
and financial centre in Linz, cavern wells in Germany, sugar mill repairs in Egypt, a
government project in Libya, an offshore wind mill in Denmark, and a new power plant
project in Chile.
In total, Valcovna Trub achieves 70 per cent of its sales on the international market.
Valcovna Trub Tz as – Czech Republic
Fax: +420 595 956 140
Email: • Website:
ITA and TPA celebrate successful
joint conference in Houston
fi Mr Ron Czerski, vice chairman of ITA’s North American Board (left)
with Mr Gerald Shankel, CEO of the TPA