VIP ready to talk TSG innovation at the WTC

WTC Conference and Exhibition

VIP-Polymers Ltd is taking its latest innovation in tunnel segment gaskets – a major step forward in cast-in gasket design – to the ITA-AITES World Tunnel Congress in Dubai.

The patented compliant compressible corner technology has already impressed clients on tunnelling projects. Now VIP will explain its benefits to delegates at the World Tunnel Congress (WTC), 21-26 April 2018.

VIP’s cast-in tunnel segment gasket (TSG), delivers consistent load performance along the entire perimeter of the gasket, greatly reducing risk of segment cracking during installation.

Matthew Levitt, VIP Technical Business Development Manager, said: “Our innovative cast-in gasket represents a step change in performance in terms of reducing segment cracking caused by corner point loading, which is one of risks tunnellers are most keen to eliminate during the installation process.

“We are looking forward to showing visitors to our stand at WTC how the technology works, and the advantage it delivers in terms of greatly reducing the need for post-installation repairs and associated costs.”

The gasket, created with a unique joining process that maintains the TSG profile right to the corner edge, has most recently been used in the construction of Scottish Water’s Shieldhall Tunnel under Glasgow.

Sam Simons, Tunnel Lining Supply Manager for Shieldhall joint venture construction partner Costain, said: “VIP gaskets contributed to an exceptionally well-built tunnel, with no reported segment cracking arising from high corner contact pressure, or segment ram loading transfer, cracks or leakage, meeting the tunnel lining specification without compromise.”

VIP can also point to recent contract success with two major tunnelling projects. It will provide its cast-in TSG for the 12.7km Thames Tideway Central wastewater tunnel in London. VIP is also supplying glued-in tunnel segment gaskets for the Mumbai Metro Line 3 (Packages 5 and 6), a 4.5km twin tunnel.

VIP is driving the development of innovative tunnelling products that deliver greater customer value. The compressible corner cast-in TSG is an example of how, by combining its in-house expertise in compounding rubber, product development and testing, and using enhanced manufacturing processes, VIP is supporting Contractors and Clients to achieve defect free construction.

Matthew Levitt said: “These are exciting times for VIP. There are always new challenges ahead. We’re attending WTC to talk to representatives from tunnelling companies and organisations across the world, to see how we can help them build better tunnels.”

To see the latest innovation in cast-in tunnel segment gaskets, visit please VIP on stand 135 at WTC 2018.

VIP to showcase innovation and performance at NMBS

NMBS Trade Exhibition 2018

VIPSealChem, the new game-changing chemical resistant flexible pipe coupling, will be a star attraction on the VIP-Polymers Ltd stand at this year’s NMBS Exhibition.

VIP is looking forward to showcasing the innovative distinctively green coupling, along with a range of other products popular with builders, plumbing, and heating merchants across the UK.

The NMBS Exhibition, organised by the National Merchant Buying Society, takes place at the Ricoh Arena, Coventry, on Wednesday 11th April 2018.

VIP is looking forward to welcoming visitors to its stand (number 253) where there will be a special product offer and a prize draw for exhibition visitors throughout the day.

VIP Commercial Director Jon Crean said: “This is a great opportunity to meet and talk with our many clients in the builders merchant sector. Also, to show them, and potentially new customers, what we have to offer.

“We will be displaying our range of VIPSeal® flexible couplings, which we added to in 2017 with the launch of the VIPSealChem coupling for use on pipe systems where a high degree of resistance to chemicals or extreme temperatures is needed.

“The patent-pending product dramatically simplifies the joining of pipes, speeding up installation, reducing costs, and minimising operational downtime, because it is just as easy to fit as all other VIPSeal® couplings.

 

VIPSealChem Standard CouplingVIPSealChem Adaptor Coupling

“VIPSealChem has been enthusiastically welcomed by builders, plumbing, and heating merchants already, so we’re excited by this opportunity to present it at such a popular trade event as the NMBS Exhibition.”

VIPSeal® is a versatile range of rubber couplings and adaptors for joining and repairing low pressure and non-pressured pipes of any material and size combination.

Products are designed, developed, tested, and manufactured all under one roof at VIP’s HQ and manufacturing centre in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire.

Jon Crean said: “Builders merchants benefit from VIP being in control of the entire development and production process, ensuring our products set the highest performance and quality standards.

“Our ability to develop VIPSealChem is an example of the added value we deliver. It also means we can also turn around off-shelf and bespoke products in a matter of hours, not days, helping merchants deliver the best service to their customers.”

You can find more information on VIPSeal® flexible couplings and tickets to the exhibition can be booked via the NMBS website.

VIP wins contract double for major tunnelling projects

VIP has won contracts to provide tunnel segment gaskets for two major tunnelling projects in the United Kingdom and India.

VIP has also won a contract to supply its latest cast-in gasket for the 12.7km Thames Tideway Central wastewater tunnel in London and has also won a contract to supply tunnel segment gaskets for a project to extend the Mumbai Metro.

Matthew Levitt, VIP Technical Business Development Manager, said: “Our success with both projects demonstrates our ability to deliver a wide range of innovative products and technologies for supporting major water and transport infrastructure projects anywhere in the world.

“These are exciting tunnelling projects that are vital to the sustainable development and growth of two great cities, and we’re delighted to be involved with them.”

Caption: Complete Thames Tideway Project Map

Thames Tideway Central is the longest of three sections of a 25km tunnel, due for completion in 2024, designed to prevent the discharge of untreated storm water and sewerage from 34 combined sewer overflows into the tidal River Thames.

VIP is supplying its cast-in gasket referenced VIP028CI with patented corners to tunnel segment pre-caster Pacadar for the section, which will be 12.7km long, with an inner diameter of 7.8m. Supply commenced in December 2017.

Cast-in gaskets

A consortium made up of Ferrovial Agroman and Laing O’Rourke (FLO JV) is the main contractor for the central section, which runs from Fulham to Blackfriars and will have 6,100 tunnel segment ring sets.

Caption: Finished segments utilising VIP's Cast-in gaskets

VIP’s compliant compressible corner technology for cast-in gaskets delivers consistent load performance along the entire perimeter of the gasket. This eliminates the risk of high loads at one or more of the gasket’s corners during installation, which could contribute to segment cracking.

The technology has already been proven on other tunnelling projects, including the 5km Shieldhall wastewater tunnel in Glasgow, commissioned by Scottish Water.

Mumbai route map

Caption: Mumbai Metro Route Map (Line 5 - pink, Line 6 - Brown)

VIP has been commissioned by J Kumar Infraprojects to supply tunnel segment gaskets for the Mumbai Metro Line 3 (Packages 5 and 6) tunnel, which is being built for the Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation, a joint venture between the Indian Government and the Government of Maharashtra.

glued-in gasket

The project involves the construction of a 4.5km twin tunnel, with an outside diameter of 6.6m, requiring a total of 17,800 tunnel segment ring sets.

Production of the glued-in gaskets selected for the tunnel has already begun at VIP’s factory in Huntingdon.

Caption: Finished segments utilising VIP's Cast-in gaskets

This latest contract continues VIP’s long standing position as a major supplier of TSGs in India having previously supplied four phases of the Delhi Metro project and the Ghatkopar High Level Tunnel in Mumbai.

Matthew Levitt said: “The gasket has been specifically developed as a modification of our VIP024 gasket to provide additional sealing assurance sought by project engineers as the tunnel passes under the Mithi River.

Latest innovation in tunnel segment gaskets granted UK patent

VIP's Patented Corner Joint

VIP-Polymers Ltd has been awarded a UK patent for a cast-in rubber gasket corner joint system specifically designed to reduce the risk of tunnel segment cracking during installation.

The new ‘compliant compressible corner’ ensures delivery of consistent load performance along the entire perimeter of the tunnel segment gasket (TSG).

This eliminates the risk of a build-up of pressure at one or more of the gasket’s corners during installation, which could contribute to segment cracking.

VIP, based in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, is a global leader in the manufacture of rubber seals and gaskets for the tunnelling and water utility industries.

Steve Casey, VIP’s Sales and Technical Director, said: “We are delighted that the innovative design and manufacture of our new compressible corner joint, which is used across our entire cast-in gasket range, has been recognised with a UK patent. An international patent is also pending.

“Segment cracking during tunnelling operations is a significant cause for concern for both tunnel designers and tunnelling contractors. It is this concern we directly sought to address when we set out to design this new corner joint.

“Our innovation has been very favourably received within the tunnelling industry, and has already been used in a number of tunnel-building projects, with excellent results. VIP’s design has already been specified for use in future tunnelling projects.

“Tunnel segment cracking is a hidden cost in all tunnelling projects, through the need for post-installation repairs and other associated costs. By using our new corner joint, tunnelling companies can reduce the risk of TSGs contributing to these costs.”

Most cast-in TSGs are made with conventional ‘shot-joint’ corners. During the moulding process, the rubber in these corners fills the compression cavities in the extruded gasket sections, creating a solid rubber corner.

When the tunnel segments are installed, the compression of solid corners is very limited, which can result in corner point loading, thus increasing the risk of the segment becoming cracked.

Tunnel incorporating VIP's Patented gasket

Caption: Tunnel incorporating VIP's Patented gasket

VIP’s new patented corner joint is created with a unique joining process that maintains the TSG profile right to the corner edge. This makes the complete gasket compliant with all specified load requirements, which therefore provides greater assurance to designers, builders, and clients on the quality of the ring build.

These benefits have been demonstrated through rigorous comparative testing. This has shown solid corner joints are more resistant to closure, resulting in increasing loads, which could, potentially, affect closure between segments. In contrast, VIP’s new corner joint maintains a uniform closure performance around the whole TSG.

The new corner joint can also be manufactured at a variety of angles – 90 degrees, obtuse, and acute – so the TSG can be moulded to the exact shape and angle of each segment in the design. No tunnelling project is the same, however VIP can ensure a perfect fit, regardless of the shape of the segment.

VIP can also vary the profile orientation along the gasket’s Z axis. This can greatly help with the precise installation of final segments, or non-uniform segment systems, again reducing the risk of segment damage or partial sealing of joints.

Steve Casey said: “A multi-disciplinary team across our sales, laboratory, and product development departments has contributed to a new product that is now being used on international tunnelling projects, and is an innovation that can save the industry both time and money.

“Excellent test results we’ve witnessed, through to the positive feedback received from within the tunnelling industry, are testament to the hard work and collaborative effort put in by everyone at VIP.”

VIP to attend the BMF Members Day 2017

BMF Members Day

VIP are looking forward to exhibiting at the BMF Members Day on the 20th September which is held this year at Jurys Inn Hinckley Island Hotel in Leicestershire. The annual event brings together merchant and supplier members of the Builders Merchant Federation for a 2 day networking event including a day of activities and a day of seminars and keynote speakers followed by a awards dinner.

VIP will be exhibiting the VIPSeal® range of flexible couplings, a versatile range of flexible couplings and adaptors for joining and repairing low pressure and non-pressurised pipes of any material and size combination.

Merchants play an integral role in the distribution network and the event is a great opportunity to meet with them, answer any questions they may have regarding the product and discuss how we can work together to overcome some of the issues the industry faces as a whole.

The theme of the event this year is ‘Building Beyond Brexit’ with the aim to focus on the national need for more house building, as well as challenging BMF members to consider if they are doing enough to continue to build their businesses in a changing political and trading landscape.

Further information on the event can be found on the BMF website.

Your chance to find out more about VIP’s cast-in tunnel segment gaskets

You may have been unable to visit this year’s Arabian Tunnelling Conference in Dubai or the World Tunnelling Conference which was held this year in Bergen, Norway, however there’re still more opportunities to meet VIP and discover more about our tunnel segment gaskets.

You may want to find out about our cast-in gasket and how it is currently being used successfully on the Glasgow Shieldhall project, or you may be interested in hearing how our unique corner jointing process, which after listening to feedback received from tunnel designers and engineers, is designed to eliminate corner point loading which can lead to segment cracks or spalling.

VIP will be exhibiting at two further exhibitions in 2017 (see below) and we look forward to seeing your there. Along with our cast-in gaskets, we will also be showcasing our range of glued-in and hydrophilic gaskets.

TunnelTech 2017 – Sep 26 – 27

TunnelTech2017

Held at the Institute of Mechanical Engineers, London, Tunnel Tech2017 is the only event to focus specifically on the technologies that are driving tunnelling forward to increase performance and enhance productivity. With guest speakers from EDF Energy, Mott MacDonald, Scottish Water, Transport for London and CH2M, the two day event will be a great opportunity for open discussion on how innovation and technology can drive the industry forward.

Book your tickets now for TunnelTech2017

Australasian Tunnelling Conference 2017 – Oct 30 – Nov 1

ATS 2017

ATS2017 builds on the success of the previous show held in 2014 and will see tunnelling professionals from the area and further afield visiting the Star Hotel in Sydney, Australia for the 16th Australian Tunnelling Conference.

The conference aims to get industry members to engage in valuable discussions and keep up to date with the latest tunnelling key issues and future projects.

Book your tickets now for ATS2017

Missed us at Utility Week Live? Visit VIP at Drain-Ex 2017

Drain-Ex 2017

VIP Polymers Ltd enjoyed a successful show at Utility Week Live. Located in the Wholesale Water Pavilion, VIP exhibited both VIPSeal™ Flexible Couplings – a versatile range of flexible couplings and adaptors for joining and repairing low pressure and non-pressurised pipes of any material and size combination and VIP-WECO – no-dig repair seal for pipes up to DN3500mm.

Commenting on the event, Josh Spavins, VIPSeal™ Area Sales Manager commented “coming to events such as Utility Week Live gives us a great opportunity to speak directly with the people who use our products on a regular basis and gives us the chance to offer practical advice and also to gather valuable feedback on the issues that they face day to day which in turn, enables us to design innovative products”.

If you were unable to visit us at Utility Week Live fear not as you will have another chance at Drain-Ex 2017. Held at the Harrogate International Centre on the 1st and 2nd June, the free 2 day event is dedicated to the drainage, water and wastewater industries. We will again be exhibiting our VIPSeal™ flexible couplings and VIP-WECO no-dig repair seals and you can find us on stand H8.

For further information prior to the event or to arrange a meeting, contact us at sales@vip-polymers.com 

Information on the event can be found at the official website http://draintradershow.com/

Visit Us at the BTS Conference & Exhibition 2016

BTS Conference & Exhibition 2016

VIP Are exhibiting at this year’s BTS Conference and Exhibition at the Queen Elizabeth Centre, Westminster, London on October 11th – 12th.

The biennial event is the largest gathering of tunnelling and excavation professionals in the UK and VIP will be exhibiting on stand B22 with Business Development Manager, Matt Levitt and Sales and Technical Director, Steve Casey on hand to answer any questions you may have.

We will be showcasing our range of glued-in and cast-in gaskets along with our newly released corner jointing system which is designed to eliminate corner point loading, often the cause of cracked and damaged segments.

You can book your ticket and find out more information about the exhibition here.

VIP joins the BMF

We are pleased to announce that we have recently joined the BMF as a supplier member.

While many of our products are used by OEM pipe manufacturers, merchants are an important and vital route to market for the range of VIPSeal™ flexible couplings and other VIP branded products in the future.

Commercial Director, Jon Crean, said “Merchants play a key role as a route to market for our products, notably the VIPSeal™ range of flexible couplings and we believe that it’s important for us to work closely with them so that we can understand their needs and ultimately provide a high level of service to the industry and end user.

Being a supplier member of the BMF allows us to share knowledge and aid merchants through marketing and technical support and we believe that being a member of the BMF will help make it easier for merchants to do business with us.

Our current strategy involves new product developments and distributor networks are central to that strategy.”

John Newcomb, BMF MD, added “We are delighted that VIP Polymers have joined the growing number of supplier members within the BMF. They have already made clear their intention to utilise their membership to the full and I am looking forward to working with them.”