The global pipeline

The world’s most demanding engineering challenges in the power generation market are realized through innovative pipe products and solutions that only an expert can deliver.

For more than 50 years, Victaulic has crossed continents bringing the world’s most advanced piping products to critical power projects, from coal-, gas-fired and hydroelectric power plants to renewable energy sources.

“At Victaulic, we’ve always looked at piping differently. What began as simply a faster, easier and more economical way of joining pipe has evolved into a whole new approach to solving piping problems,” says Alfred Chua, Victaulic’s Power Manager for Southeast Asia.

“Wherever piping solutions are needed, people turn to Victaulic. Why? Because Victaulic has set the global standard for piping efficiency, engineering expertise and performance reliability. And not only for routine projects, but also for the most demanding projects in the world,” he adds.

The Victaulic name evolved as a global industry leader because of a singular innovation: the grooved pipe joining system. Installed in hundreds of power generation facilities around the world, the method has emerged as a cost-efficient and time-saving pipe joining process for major infrastructure projects around the world.

The mechanical grooved joint is comprised of four elements: grooved pipe ends, an elastomer gasket, coupling housings and nuts and bolts. The pipe groove is made by cold forming or machining a groove into the end of a pipe. A gasket is then stretched over the two ends of the pipe creating an initial seal, and the key sections of the coupling housings engage the groove on the pipe ends. The bolts and nuts are tightened with a socket wrench or impact wrench, pulling the housings together, metal to metal, compressing the gasket a precisely controlled amount. In the installed state, the coupling housings encase the gasket and engage the groove around the circumference of the pipe to create a leaktight seal in a self-restrained pipe joint.

“By eliminating all of the hazards of onsite welding, grooved mechanical joining is inherently safer than welding, especially in areas such as trenches, crawl spaces and tunnels,” Chua says.

In addition to offering a safer pipe joining method, Victaulic has integrated an environmentally friendly installation procedure into the system amid a growing consciousness for green building.

“Grooved mechanical joining leads to better maintenance which ultimately leads to better plant efficiency. With a union at every joint, grooved products offer ease and speed of routine system maintenance. Grooved joining also eliminates the emission of hazardous weld pollutants because of the flameless installation requirements,” says Chua.

The Victaulic grooved piping method accommodates most piping materials, including standard wall and extra-heavy carbon steel, Sch. 10S and standard wall stainless steel and PVC, as well as GRP/FRP and HDPE.

Victaulic couplings and grooved end fittings, valves and accessories are available in sizes that comply with different international standards: British Standards (BS), Deutsches Institut Fur Normung e.V. (DIN), Japanese Industrial Standards (JIS), Australia Standards (AS), and China Standards (GB) specifications.

From its headquarters in Easton, Pennsylvania, United States, the company has expanded its reach around the world with some 3,000 employees in manufacturing and distribution facilities and sales engineers’ offices in key cities. In Asia Pacific, the company is headquartered in Shanghai, China and has regional presence through offices and distribution centers in Australia & New Zealand, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and India.

Amid its well-established global presence, Victaulic continues to extend its reach both in terms of distribution and manufacturing. The firm is building a new foundry in Chihuahua, Mexico and a new manufacturing facility in the northeastern Chinese city of Dalian.

Key to Victaulic’s global growth and client following is a collaborative relationship with clients, a partnership that results in tailormade, cost-efficient solutions.“Victaulic offers comprehensive project support services, custom tailored to the unique requirements of each individual project to our clients,” Chua says.

Victaulic offers regular product seminars and demonstrations, on-site installation training, technical support in product selection, software solutions and specification rewrites, as well as planning solutions that lower jobsite material handling and risk.

Victaulic also provides design advice that factor in seismic movement,thermal expansion or contraction, and piping system noise and vibration. “Victaulic is dedicated not only to providing best-in-class products and services, but also to bringing solutions to the customer—no matter where in the world the customer or project is located,” Chua says.