Rob Saltiel 

F.W. WEBB ANNOUNCES

MCELROY DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT

F.W. Webb Co. is now selling, renting and servicing McElroy fusion equipment as a certified distributor. The full line of McElroy fusion equipment is available across the F.W. Webb footprint, and the company’s Springfield, Massachusetts location will serve as the main hub. McElroy is a global manufacturer of fusion tools for polyethylene and polypropylene piping.

“Having what customers need, when they need it is our primary goal,” said Mike Leander, director of industrial sales at F.W. Webb. “We are pleased to partner with McElroy and provide customers with world-class fusion equipment, service and related products across our footprint. It’s a big step forward as we look to support the growing demand for fusible piping systems.”

The McElroy fusion portfolio includes their popular Acrobat, Pit Bull, TracStar and MegaMc lines designed for underground, construction, mechanical, HVAC and plumbing applications that involve PE and PPR piping. The fusion equipment works by using controlled heat and pressure to join pipe and fittings together with a precise weld bead to ensure a leak-free system, F.W. Webb noted.

“This is a very exciting time for McElroy. Not only are we expanding our footprint in the Northeast with F.W. Webb; we are working with a team that shares our pas-sion about the pipe fusion industry,” said Chip McElroy, president of McElroy. “We look forward to working closely with them to grow the fusible thermoplastic market.”

Rob Saltiel 

ASC ENGINEERED SOLUTIONS

ACQUIRES TRENTON PIPE NIPPLE

ASC Engineered Solutions has acquired Federalsburg, Maryland-based Trenton Pipe Nipple Co. Trenton Pipe Nipple Co. produces and supplies brass and stainless nipples, fittings and pipe to industrial pipe, valve and fittings markets. In addition, the company’s custom fabrication capabilities will enable ASC Engineered Solutions to handle special customer requests for certain pipe nipples.

ASC Engineered Solutions’ CEO Jason Hild said, “We expect that the addition of Trenton Pipe Nipple will strengthen our organization’s ability to provide differentiated solutions to our customers.”

“We are excited to have the additional product breadth, knowledgeable team members and distribution partners that Trenton Pipe Nipple brings to us,” said Dean Taylor, ASC Engineered Solutions executive vice president. “I would personally like to thank Steve Holloway, past owner of Trenton, for his dedication to our industry and wish him well as he transitions into retirement. Steve will provide consultative support through the integration.”

Rob Saltiel 

VIEGA PRODUCTS

RECEIVE NAVY APPROVAL

Viega MegaPress CuNi and ProPress copper fittings are the first press fittings approved for use in Navy combat ships. After years of rigorous testing, the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) has approved the use of MegaPress CuNi mechanically attached fittings in sizes 1/2-inch to 2 inches in surface combatants for a variety of systems, including chilled water, potable water, electronic freshwater cooling, seawater cooling, washdown countermeasures, drainage and many others. ProPress copper 1/2-inch fittings were also approved for potable water and various drains.

“NAVSEA is arguably the toughest standard in the world, and earning that approval has been a longtime goal of Viega,” Viega Director of Marine TJ Tracy said. “It’s an affirmation of just how reliable and durable our fittings are in even the most demanding circumstances.”

Pressing pipe offers the Navy, its shipyards and contractors two enormous benefits, Viega noted.

The first is mitigation of fire. Fire is one of the greatest dangers in ship construction, repair and maintenance. There were more than 600 shipboard fires documented between 2017 and 2020. A recent analysis by the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers found more than half of the fires were caused by hot work, such as welding and soldering.

In July 2020, welding sparks ignited small fires on Navy ships at two separate shipyards. Though they were quickly extinguished, the fires prompted work shutdowns while safety measures were reviewed. That same month, the amphibious assault ship Bonhomme Richard burned for four days while pierside in San Diego. Repairs were estimated to take six years and cost $3 billion, so the Navy was forced to decommission the ship 18 years ahead of schedule.

Because pressing does not require heat, flame or an external power source, it eliminates the danger of fire when joining pipe, Viega explained. It also makes it unnecessary to post a fire watch or to prepare a jobsite for hot work.

The second benefit is cost and labor savings, Viega added. Pressing can reduce installation time by 70% over traditional methods of joining pipe, the manufacturer stat-ed. When coupled with savings when testing the systems, due to near zero leaks, the cost and schedule advantages easily outweigh the investment, Viega stated. The National Steel and Shipbuilding Co. (NASSCO), which builds Navy ships, has done studies showing that testing pressed pipe fittings costs less due to fewer leaks, repairs and retesting.

“Viega has been helping commercial marine and other industries benefit from pressing for years, and we’re excited to bring that technology to our defense partners. We’re proud and confident that our fittings will make pipe joining safer, faster and more efficient on Navy ships,” Tracy said.

The primary NAVSEA-approved fitting is MegaPress CuNi, a 90/10 copper nickel alloy specifically designed to withstand harsh marine environments. It can be used on Schedule 40 and Class 200 90/10 copper nickel pipe. The second is the ProPress copper fitting system, which offers more than 400 different configurations and three differ-ent sealing elements: EPDM, FKM and HNBR.

The Navy approval is only the latest marine-related approval for Viega products. The U.S. Coast Guard, American Bureau of Shipping, DNV-GL, Lloyd’s Register, Bureau Veritas and RINA all have previously approved the use of Viega fittings in marine environments.

Compiled by Mike Miazga miazgam@bnpmeda.com