- Email: [email protected]
Joest replaces Maschke at FST
NEWS NEWS/IN BRIEF service centre to provide mechanical seals, pump and cylinders repairs as well as a wide variety of other capabilities focused on industrial equipment repair, upgrade and installation. The opening of this centre is part of the company’s overall plan to provide regional servicing. The company already operates centres in Louisiana and Houston. Contact: A.W. Chesterton Co, 860 Salem Street, Groveland, MA 01834, USA. Tel: +1 978 469 6446, Web: www. chesterton.com
Lanxess, Saudi Aramco joint-venture launched under Arlanxeo name
G
erman Speciality chemicals company Lanxess Deutschland GmbH and Saudi Arabian national petroleum and natural gas firm Saudi Aramco have finalised their joint-venture for synthetic rubber and announced its name, Arlanxeo. As reported in Sealing Technology February 2016 (page 7), Lanxess and Saudi Aramco subsidiary Aramco Overseas Co each hold a 50% interest in the concern. The total joint-venture is valued at €2.75 billion. The companies say that new name and logo, which combines elements from the names and logos of both partners, is complemented by the descriptor “Performance Elastomers” to highlight the new company’s product range. Both companies have equal representation on the board, which now consists of four members. Lanxess is represented by Jan Paul de Vries, Chief Executive Officer and Jorge Nogueira, a member of the executive board. Saudi Aramco is represented by Ali Ba-Baidhan and Fayez Alsharef, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Procurement Officer, respectively. Arlanxeo’s headquarters is based in Maastricht, Netherlands. Contacts: Arlanxeo Deutschland GmbH, Alte Heerstrasse 2, 41540 Dormagen, Germany. Tel: +49 214 30 43506, Web: http://arlanxeo.com Saudi Aramco, PO Box 5000, Dhahran 31311, Saudi Arabia. Tel: +966 13 872 0115, Fax: +966 13 873 8190, Web: www.saudiaramco.com Lanxess Deutschland GmbH, Kennedyplatz 1, 50569 Köln, Germany. Tel: +49 221 88850, Web: http://lanxess.com
June 2016
Aesseal receives Queen's Award
A
esseal Plc, a UK-based specialist in the design and manufacture of mechanical seals and support systems, has received the Queen's Award for Enterprise: Innovation 2016. Chris Rea, Group Managing Director, Aesseal, and founder, said: ‘AES Engineering and its subsidiary Aesseal have previously won 12 Queen's Awards since 1988, which means we have had the honour and privilege of being able to fly the flag and use the Queen’s Award emblem in our marketing.’ The firm says that this latest award is timely because it gives it another five years to be associated with the most prestigious establishment to business award that is available in the UK. The award recognises the development of a novel modular approach to standardised components which, claims Aesseal, delivers a step-change in the supply chain for seal support systems. Mechanical seal support systems traditionally have been individually designed to meet the required specification, resulting in long delivery times, inconsistent with the delivery times for the seals themselves. Aesseal’s modular approach enables complex systems to be quickly and easily assembled, ensuring that delivery times are more in line with those of mechanical seals. Contacts: Aesseal Plc, Mill Close, Rotherham S60 1BZ, UK. Tel: +44 1709 369966, Fax: +44 1709 720788, Web: www. aesseal.com
Joest replaces Maschke at FST
F
reudenberg Sealing Technologies (FST), based in Weinheim, Germany, has appointed Rainer Joest has the president of its global automotive sales and marketing organisation. The company, which is part of the Freudenberg Group, says Joest succeeds Torsten Maschke, who has left the company to pursue new opportunities outside of the group. According to FST, Joest brings extensive experience in research and development, sales and manufacturing to his position. He joined the company’s research and development organisation in 1978 and later held positions as a development engineer and sales consultant before taking over the management of automo-
IN BRIEF EDCO signs distribution agreement with Phoenix Sealing for MRO sector EDCO Seal and Supply Ltd, one of Europe’s leading suppliers of sealing products, has signed a major distribution agreement with Phoenix Sealing. It will enable the two companies to extend their reach into the UK and European maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) sector with a combined range of industrial sealing products. Simon Winfield, Managing Director, Phoenix Sealing, commented: ‘EDCO is a natural partner for Phoenix. It has a great company ethos and its business ethics, based around quality and service, are very similar to our own.’ Trelleborg constructs new building to house seal business’ global headquarters Trelleborg Sealing Solutions recently signed a contract for a new building in Stuttgart, Germany, that will house the business area’s global headquarters, its German headquarters and various global support departments, as well as a significantly extended R&D area. This substantial investment will see usable space for R&D increasing by 50%, to around 3000 m2. The new building will be close to the current headquarters in StuttgartVaihingen. The company expects the move to be completed by mid-2018. BASF plans to sell industrial coatings business to AkzoNobel BASF Se of Ludwigshafen, Germany, recently announced that it is planning to sell its industrial coatings division to Dutch company AkzoNobel Bv for €475 million. The transaction would include technologies, patents and trademarks, as well as the transfer of two dedicated production sites – one in Deeside, UK, and one in Vanderbijlpark, South Africa. The planned transaction is subject to the required consultation with employee representatives and certain regulatory approvals. BASF and AkzoNobel intend to complete the transaction by the end of 2016. Ashton Seals exhibits at Fluid Power & Systems show Ashton Seals Ltd, a UK-based supplier of O-rings, bonded seals and associated sealing products, attended the Fluid Power & Systems Exhibition, which was is held recently at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, UK. Commenting on the event, Zoë Fearnley, Managing Director, Ashton Seals, said: ‘We enjoyed the show and our team worked hard to explore opportunities across our expanding product portfolio, meeting with buyers and also with design engineers.’
Sealing Technology
5
NEWS tive sales in Europe in 2001. In 2006, Joest was promoted to head of FST’s Special Sealing Products unit, a position he held until 2010. Since then he has been in charge of the company’s global Gasket Division, with responsibility for facilities in Europe, USA, Brazil, India and China. Joest has helped pioneer a number of crucial developments during his tenure as head of the Gaskets Division, including the creation of the Curve Gasket. This patented innovation makes it possible to design engine components to be smaller and lighter, saving fuel and helping to reduce vehicle emissions. Because of its resource-conserving and material-saving, space-saving and weight-saving design – with improved performance – this gasket fits perfectly into the company’s long-term sustainability strategy. Contacts: Freudenberg Sealing Technologies GmbH & Co Kg, Höhnerweg 2–4, 69465 Weinheim/Bergstrasse, Germany. Tel: +49 6201 80 6666, Web: www.fst.com
Saint-Gobain opens large-diameter seal production facility in Kontich
S
aint-Gobain Seals – a strategic business unit under Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics’ Engineered Components sector of activity – has recently opened a large-diameter seal production facility at its site in Kontich, Belgium, in order to further improve quality and reduce lead-times significantly for large-diameter, polymer OmniSeal seals. The company says that this production facility aims to strengthen the services it offers the energy sector, for applications such as turret swivels for floating production, storage and offloading vessels; large engineered valves; wind turbines; and compressors and turbines. The dedicated area includes a new compressionmoulding press, sintering ovens, large-diameter CNC lathe, bespoke flexible forming and welding technology for components based on Meldin 5301 PEEK, special transportation racks and a large table for assembly and inspection. The equipment operates in a climatecontrolled environment to guarantee optimal dimension consistency throughout the manufacturing process until final shipping. Christophe Valdenaire, Global Market Manager, Oil & Gas, Saint-Gobain Seals, com6
Sealing Technology
mented: ‘The opening of our large-diameter production cell is an important step forward in our efforts to offer our customers sealing products and systems that deliver a consistent level of performance, even in large diameters up to 3000 mm (118 inch). Our large-diameter seals can be delivered with full material qualification, including NORSOK M-710 and certification according to API 6A PSL3 level.’ In July 2015, the company opened a technical and sales office in Houston, Texas, USA. During September 2015, what it claims is the world's first subsea gas compression station – using Saint-Gobain Seals’ OmniSeal seals – became operational in the Åsgard field offshore Norway. These seals were certified for the axial control valves portion of the gas compression systems that operate at a water depth of 3000 m. The station is a major move forward in powering processing technologies on the sea floor and creating new possibilities to extract hydrocarbons in deeper, harsher waters, further from shore. Contact: Saint-Gobain Seals, 7301 Orangewood Avenue, Garden Grove, CA 92841, USA. Tel: +1 714 995l 1818, Fax: +1 714 688 2800, Web: www.seals.saint-gobain.com Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics Nv, 22 Heiveldekens, 2550 Kontich, Belgium. Tel: +32 3 458 2828, Fax: +32 3 450 6601, Web: www.plastics.saint-gobain.com
Conferences and Meetings News Two-day workshop covers assembly of bolted connections
O
n 12–13 September 2016, Germany’s AMTEC Messtechnischer Service GmbH is running a workshop under the theme ‘Calculation of Flange Connections according to EN 1591-1’. Held in Lauffen am Neckar (Stuttgart area), the course and examination of the qualification of assembly personnel is based on the curriculum defined in the European standard EN 1591-4:2013. The training plan is divided in three sections with theoretical and practical units based on practical application. Contents of the fundamental training course
include theory: • behaviour of the whole flanges-bolts-gasket system; • requirements for leak-tightness; • forces, bending moments, elongation; • health protection, safety precautions; • disassembly of flange connections; • work preparation for an appropriate assembly; • manual torque controlled tightening; • documentation of executed work and of deviations; • emission control; • action after leak occurrence; • tightening techniques; • assembly with torque wrenches; and • influence of lubricants. Contact: Manfred Schaaf, AMTEC Messtechnischer Service GmbH, Hoher Steg 13, 74348 Lauffen, Germany. Tel: +49 7133 9502 0, Fax: +49 7133 9502 22, Email: [email protected], Web: www.amtec.eu
ASME 2016 PVP Conference takes place mid-July
R
eaders are reminded that the ASME 2016 Pressure Vessels & Piping Conference is being held on 17–21 July 2016, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. According to the organiser, the conference promises to be an outstanding international technical forum for participants to further their knowledge by being exposed to diverse topics, and exchange opinions and ideas both from industry and academia in a variety of topics related to pressure vessel and piping technologies for the power and process industries. The ASME Pressure Vessels & Piping Division is the primary sponsor of the event, with additional participation by the ASME Nondestructive Evaluation, Diagnosis and Prognosis Division (NDPD). More than 175 paper and panel sessions are planned, as well as workshops, tutorials, the Technology Demonstration Forum, and the Rudy Scavuzzo Student Paper Competition and Symposium. Contact: Jamie Hart, Manager, Conferences & Events, ECS & ESP Segments, The American Society of Mechanical Engineers, 11757 Katy Freeway, Suite 380, Houston, TX 77079-1733, USA. Tel: +1 281 810 5453, Email: [email protected], Web: www.asme.org/events/pvp
June 2016
Lanxess, Saudi Aramco joint-venture launched under Arlanxeo name
G
erman Speciality chemicals company Lanxess Deutschland GmbH and Saudi Arabian national petroleum and natural gas firm Saudi Aramco have finalised their joint-venture for synthetic rubber and announced its name, Arlanxeo. As reported in Sealing Technology February 2016 (page 7), Lanxess and Saudi Aramco subsidiary Aramco Overseas Co each hold a 50% interest in the concern. The total joint-venture is valued at €2.75 billion. The companies say that new name and logo, which combines elements from the names and logos of both partners, is complemented by the descriptor “Performance Elastomers” to highlight the new company’s product range. Both companies have equal representation on the board, which now consists of four members. Lanxess is represented by Jan Paul de Vries, Chief Executive Officer and Jorge Nogueira, a member of the executive board. Saudi Aramco is represented by Ali Ba-Baidhan and Fayez Alsharef, Chief Financial Officer and Chief Procurement Officer, respectively. Arlanxeo’s headquarters is based in Maastricht, Netherlands. Contacts: Arlanxeo Deutschland GmbH, Alte Heerstrasse 2, 41540 Dormagen, Germany. Tel: +49 214 30 43506, Web: http://arlanxeo.com Saudi Aramco, PO Box 5000, Dhahran 31311, Saudi Arabia. Tel: +966 13 872 0115, Fax: +966 13 873 8190, Web: www.saudiaramco.com Lanxess Deutschland GmbH, Kennedyplatz 1, 50569 Köln, Germany. Tel: +49 221 88850, Web: http://lanxess.com
June 2016
Aesseal receives Queen's Award
A
esseal Plc, a UK-based specialist in the design and manufacture of mechanical seals and support systems, has received the Queen's Award for Enterprise: Innovation 2016. Chris Rea, Group Managing Director, Aesseal, and founder, said: ‘AES Engineering and its subsidiary Aesseal have previously won 12 Queen's Awards since 1988, which means we have had the honour and privilege of being able to fly the flag and use the Queen’s Award emblem in our marketing.’ The firm says that this latest award is timely because it gives it another five years to be associated with the most prestigious establishment to business award that is available in the UK. The award recognises the development of a novel modular approach to standardised components which, claims Aesseal, delivers a step-change in the supply chain for seal support systems. Mechanical seal support systems traditionally have been individually designed to meet the required specification, resulting in long delivery times, inconsistent with the delivery times for the seals themselves. Aesseal’s modular approach enables complex systems to be quickly and easily assembled, ensuring that delivery times are more in line with those of mechanical seals. Contacts: Aesseal Plc, Mill Close, Rotherham S60 1BZ, UK. Tel: +44 1709 369966, Fax: +44 1709 720788, Web: www. aesseal.com
Joest replaces Maschke at FST
F
reudenberg Sealing Technologies (FST), based in Weinheim, Germany, has appointed Rainer Joest has the president of its global automotive sales and marketing organisation. The company, which is part of the Freudenberg Group, says Joest succeeds Torsten Maschke, who has left the company to pursue new opportunities outside of the group. According to FST, Joest brings extensive experience in research and development, sales and manufacturing to his position. He joined the company’s research and development organisation in 1978 and later held positions as a development engineer and sales consultant before taking over the management of automo-
IN BRIEF EDCO signs distribution agreement with Phoenix Sealing for MRO sector EDCO Seal and Supply Ltd, one of Europe’s leading suppliers of sealing products, has signed a major distribution agreement with Phoenix Sealing. It will enable the two companies to extend their reach into the UK and European maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) sector with a combined range of industrial sealing products. Simon Winfield, Managing Director, Phoenix Sealing, commented: ‘EDCO is a natural partner for Phoenix. It has a great company ethos and its business ethics, based around quality and service, are very similar to our own.’ Trelleborg constructs new building to house seal business’ global headquarters Trelleborg Sealing Solutions recently signed a contract for a new building in Stuttgart, Germany, that will house the business area’s global headquarters, its German headquarters and various global support departments, as well as a significantly extended R&D area. This substantial investment will see usable space for R&D increasing by 50%, to around 3000 m2. The new building will be close to the current headquarters in StuttgartVaihingen. The company expects the move to be completed by mid-2018. BASF plans to sell industrial coatings business to AkzoNobel BASF Se of Ludwigshafen, Germany, recently announced that it is planning to sell its industrial coatings division to Dutch company AkzoNobel Bv for €475 million. The transaction would include technologies, patents and trademarks, as well as the transfer of two dedicated production sites – one in Deeside, UK, and one in Vanderbijlpark, South Africa. The planned transaction is subject to the required consultation with employee representatives and certain regulatory approvals. BASF and AkzoNobel intend to complete the transaction by the end of 2016. Ashton Seals exhibits at Fluid Power & Systems show Ashton Seals Ltd, a UK-based supplier of O-rings, bonded seals and associated sealing products, attended the Fluid Power & Systems Exhibition, which was is held recently at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, UK. Commenting on the event, Zoë Fearnley, Managing Director, Ashton Seals, said: ‘We enjoyed the show and our team worked hard to explore opportunities across our expanding product portfolio, meeting with buyers and also with design engineers.’
Sealing Technology
5
NEWS tive sales in Europe in 2001. In 2006, Joest was promoted to head of FST’s Special Sealing Products unit, a position he held until 2010. Since then he has been in charge of the company’s global Gasket Division, with responsibility for facilities in Europe, USA, Brazil, India and China. Joest has helped pioneer a number of crucial developments during his tenure as head of the Gaskets Division, including the creation of the Curve Gasket. This patented innovation makes it possible to design engine components to be smaller and lighter, saving fuel and helping to reduce vehicle emissions. Because of its resource-conserving and material-saving, space-saving and weight-saving design – with improved performance – this gasket fits perfectly into the company’s long-term sustainability strategy. Contacts: Freudenberg Sealing Technologies GmbH & Co Kg, Höhnerweg 2–4, 69465 Weinheim/Bergstrasse, Germany. Tel: +49 6201 80 6666, Web: www.fst.com
Saint-Gobain opens large-diameter seal production facility in Kontich
S
aint-Gobain Seals – a strategic business unit under Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics’ Engineered Components sector of activity – has recently opened a large-diameter seal production facility at its site in Kontich, Belgium, in order to further improve quality and reduce lead-times significantly for large-diameter, polymer OmniSeal seals. The company says that this production facility aims to strengthen the services it offers the energy sector, for applications such as turret swivels for floating production, storage and offloading vessels; large engineered valves; wind turbines; and compressors and turbines. The dedicated area includes a new compressionmoulding press, sintering ovens, large-diameter CNC lathe, bespoke flexible forming and welding technology for components based on Meldin 5301 PEEK, special transportation racks and a large table for assembly and inspection. The equipment operates in a climatecontrolled environment to guarantee optimal dimension consistency throughout the manufacturing process until final shipping. Christophe Valdenaire, Global Market Manager, Oil & Gas, Saint-Gobain Seals, com6
Sealing Technology
mented: ‘The opening of our large-diameter production cell is an important step forward in our efforts to offer our customers sealing products and systems that deliver a consistent level of performance, even in large diameters up to 3000 mm (118 inch). Our large-diameter seals can be delivered with full material qualification, including NORSOK M-710 and certification according to API 6A PSL3 level.’ In July 2015, the company opened a technical and sales office in Houston, Texas, USA. During September 2015, what it claims is the world's first subsea gas compression station – using Saint-Gobain Seals’ OmniSeal seals – became operational in the Åsgard field offshore Norway. These seals were certified for the axial control valves portion of the gas compression systems that operate at a water depth of 3000 m. The station is a major move forward in powering processing technologies on the sea floor and creating new possibilities to extract hydrocarbons in deeper, harsher waters, further from shore. Contact: Saint-Gobain Seals, 7301 Orangewood Avenue, Garden Grove, CA 92841, USA. Tel: +1 714 995l 1818, Fax: +1 714 688 2800, Web: www.seals.saint-gobain.com Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics Nv, 22 Heiveldekens, 2550 Kontich, Belgium. Tel: +32 3 458 2828, Fax: +32 3 450 6601, Web: www.plastics.saint-gobain.com
Conferences and Meetings News Two-day workshop covers assembly of bolted connections
O
n 12–13 September 2016, Germany’s AMTEC Messtechnischer Service GmbH is running a workshop under the theme ‘Calculation of Flange Connections according to EN 1591-1’. Held in Lauffen am Neckar (Stuttgart area), the course and examination of the qualification of assembly personnel is based on the curriculum defined in the European standard EN 1591-4:2013. The training plan is divided in three sections with theoretical and practical units based on practical application. Contents of the fundamental training course
include theory: • behaviour of the whole flanges-bolts-gasket system; • requirements for leak-tightness; • forces, bending moments, elongation; • health protection, safety precautions; • disassembly of flange connections; • work preparation for an appropriate assembly; • manual torque controlled tightening; • documentation of executed work and of deviations; • emission control; • action after leak occurrence; • tightening techniques; • assembly with torque wrenches; and • influence of lubricants. Contact: Manfred Schaaf, AMTEC Messtechnischer Service GmbH, Hoher Steg 13, 74348 Lauffen, Germany. Tel: +49 7133 9502 0, Fax: +49 7133 9502 22, Email: [email protected], Web: www.amtec.eu
ASME 2016 PVP Conference takes place mid-July
R
eaders are reminded that the ASME 2016 Pressure Vessels & Piping Conference is being held on 17–21 July 2016, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. According to the organiser, the conference promises to be an outstanding international technical forum for participants to further their knowledge by being exposed to diverse topics, and exchange opinions and ideas both from industry and academia in a variety of topics related to pressure vessel and piping technologies for the power and process industries. The ASME Pressure Vessels & Piping Division is the primary sponsor of the event, with additional participation by the ASME Nondestructive Evaluation, Diagnosis and Prognosis Division (NDPD). More than 175 paper and panel sessions are planned, as well as workshops, tutorials, the Technology Demonstration Forum, and the Rudy Scavuzzo Student Paper Competition and Symposium. Contact: Jamie Hart, Manager, Conferences & Events, ECS & ESP Segments, The American Society of Mechanical Engineers, 11757 Katy Freeway, Suite 380, Houston, TX 77079-1733, USA. Tel: +1 281 810 5453, Email: [email protected], Web: www.asme.org/events/pvp
June 2016