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out of change comes opportunities

FBOS: SVI’S LATEST INNOVATION FOR RELINING WITH PE PIPE METALLIC
STEVE VICK AND CROCK HARRISON DEMONSTRATING MAINS OF ENGINEERING DIFFICULTY – A TECHNIQUE THAT COULD BE
LIVE MAINS INSERTION IN THE 1980S USED BY GDNS WHEN PREPARING THE NETWORK FOR HYDROGEN
trials of a method of relining the cast in Argentina, Mahanager Gas in India growing electricity demand by building
iron network with PE while keeping the and, closer to home, BG Deutschland in new nuclear power plants.
cast iron live. The live mains insertion the former East Germany.
process as we know it today was born. The beginning of the new millennium
The biggest problem both regions had brought a new opportunity to the My advice is not to fear
in successfully launching the new company with the birth of the 30/30 change, but to embrace it.
process was finding a reliable sealant to mains replacement programme. We If the trials in hydrogen
seal the annulus between the old cast have spent the last 20 years honing
iron and new PE pipes. This was my the products we supply for mains and are successful and the UK
big opportunity and the development service insertion techniques. adopts a hydrogen network,
and application of resin foams to My advice is not to fear change, but opportunities will arise. The
seal both inserted mains, and later, to embrace it. If the trials in hydrogen
inserted services, became the heart are successful and the UK adopts a key is to remain flexible and
of the company’s development and hydrogen network, opportunities will adaptable and seek out the
production programme. Without the arise. The key is to remain flexible and openings for innovation and
change to natural gas, this opportunity adaptable and seek out the openings for diversification
may never have arisen. innovation and diversification.
The privatisation of British Gas
in 1986 brought great changes and WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE The government’s 10-point plan
spawned the era of entrepreneurship GOVERNMENT’S 10-POINT PLAN? emphasises its commitment to
in the newly privatised company as it The plan offers some real innovation. The vision “to be a global
bought or took stakes in gas companies opportunities. The government’s leader in the technologies needed
around the world. This gave us commitment to the introduction of to decarbonise our economies and
opportunities to introduce our products hydrogen into the gas network signals transition to net zero” should give
to those companies such as Metro Gas a bright future for the industry we plenty of opportunity for the next
have served for the past 40 years. The generations of our business, and other
old metallic gas distribution network organisations within the industry, to
Our more recent entry into will need to be fully replaced to secure their long-term futures in the
the nuclear industry has also enable it to safely transport hydrogen, new green energy world.
been given a boost by the potentially giving us and our fellow Steve Vick International supplies
companies in the gas industry work
government’s commitment to do beyond the end of the 30/30 innovative engineering solutions
to generating significant programme in 2032. for the trenchless renovation and
For us, our more recent entry into the
amounts of our growing need nuclear industry has also been given a decommissioning of pipes within
the UK gas distribution networks
for electricity through building boost by the government’s commitment and worldwide. For more information,
new nuclear power plants to meet a significant portion of our visit www.stevevick.com

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