VIP gets ready to showcase UK innovation at IFAT 2018

A pioneering flexible coupling that allows chemical resistant pipes to be joined more quickly, at reduced cost, and with minimised operational downtime is just one of the new products VIP-Polymers Ltd will be putting on show at IFAT in May.

The leading global rubber couplings and gasket manufacturer, based in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, will be among 78 UK exhibitors at the event, in Munich, Germany, from May 14-18, billed as the world’s leading fair for environmental technologies.

VIP’s new patent-pending VIPSealChem coupling, part of the VIPSeal® range of products, will be on prominent display at the event, which is expected to attract up to 140,000 visitors from more than 160 countries.

VIP Commercial Director Jon Crean said: “We’re expecting a good deal of interest in VIPSealChem. We believe it’s an industry game changer. For the first time a coupling with high resistance to chemicals and extreme temperatures can be fitted in the same way as a standard VIPSeal® coupling.

“We have just officially launched the product, and IFAT is an ideal opportunity to show it to international customers, and many potential new ones.”

VIPSealChem FKM flexible couplings are manufactured to meet the requirements of EN681-1 WB/WD and EN295-4. Sectors it is designed for include chemical and process industries, food and drink manufacture, fuel storage, and research laboratories.

A VIP team from the UK will join representatives from VIP-Polymers GmbH, VIP’s German VIPSeal® distributor, at IFAT, after a successful 2016 exhibition.

They will be showcasing the full range of VIP’s services. These include rubber compounding, product design and development, and coupling and gasket manufacturing techniques which include compression and injection moulding, extrusion, and rubber to metal bonding.

John Crean said: “One of VIP’s key strengths is our ability to control the product development and manufacturing process from end-to-end, from product concept, to rubber formulation, development, and production control. This allows us to control quality standards with precision, and drive innovation, which we will be talking about at IFAT.”

VIPSealChem couplings will be displayed alongside other key VIP products, including the full VIPSeal® range, tunnel segment gaskets, VIP-Weco no-dig pipe repair seals, and the new Tyton-SIT Viper self-restrained gasket.

VIP will be able to point to recent successes and important developments across the product range. For example, its cast-in tunnel segment gaskets have been used in Scottish Water’s Shieldhall wastewater tunnel project which completed its construction phase in December 2017.

The tunnel is the first in the UK to benefit from VIP’s new patented compliant compressible gasket corner technology, which reduces the risk of segment cracking.

Tyton-SIT VIPer, on show for the first time, is a next-generation self-restrained gasket for ductile iron pipes (EN545/EN598). It is potable water approved, 60-degree WRAS approved, and allows faster pipe installations with smaller excavations compared to non-restrained gaskets.

Jon Crean said: “We will also be using our attendance at IFAT to make some exciting announcements about developments of our VIPSeal® flexible coupling range. It’s going to be a busy event, and reflects our confidence in delivering innovative, high quality products for the global water management industry.”

Visit VIP-Polymers during IFAT at Stand 220 in Hall B3.

IFAT Map