36 | Evolution in pipeline repair Pipe Technologies has specialised in repairing, rather than replacing, underground pipelines since 2003. Pipe Technologies T T Hugh de Lacy CONTRACTING The significant cost and time advantages of trenchless pipe-lining technology over traditional excavation and pipe replacement have helped Taranaki firm Pipe Technologies grow into a substantial business with a nationwide client base. Pipe Technologies has specialised in repairing, rather than replacing, underground pipelines since 2003. With much of New Zealand’s aging water and wastewater infrastructure in poor condition, demand for the company’s services continues to grow. One of the company’s core systems is known as uPVC Fold & Form, a process that involves heating a specially manufactured uPVC liner on-site using steam generators, softening the material so it can be pulled seamlessly into the existing pipeline to form a new structural lining within the damaged pipe. “We can re-line pipes from manhole to manhole, typically 100–150 metres apart, without the need for excavation,” says Pipe Technologies Managing Director Rowan Burgess. “This restores structural integrity while also allowing us to clear blockages, cut intruding roots and eliminate groundwater infiltration. “Most importantly, it reduces the cost of replacing damaged pipes by around 40–60 percent.” Speed is another major advantage. “We can repair more than 100 metres of pipeline in a single day, whereas excavating and replacing the same section could take up to three weeks,” Burgess says. “Once the uPVC liner is installed, we then use robotic tractor technology to remotely reopen the lateral connections to homes.” For many local authorities, deteriorating wastewater networks create a costly problem. “When pipes leak, treatment plants end up processing large volumes of groundwater that should never have entered the system in the first place,” Rowan says. The technology used today is a significant advancement on the early trenchless CIPP pipe-patching methods that Pipe Technologies’ founder Owen Burgess and cofounders Colin Hayes, Mark Hay and Thomas Crowley first adopted when launching the business in 2003. “At that time most of the technology came from Europe and the United States. “Today our Chinese supplier, ASOE Hose Manufacturing Inc., continues to push the boundaries with new innovations.” Rowan Burgess has a background in oil and gas drilling fluids, and grew up working in his father’s civil and earthmoving business. Six years ago he took over running Pipe Technologies alongside brother-in-law Maifea Maifea after the original directors retired. Today the company operates nationwide, employing two 11m curtain-sider trucks to carry the steam boiler units required for installation, supported by vans equipped with CCTV and robotic cutting equipment. For the past 11 years the team has travelled to Ashburton each February and March to help refurbish sections of the Ashburton District Council’s wastewater network, while also completing projects across the North Island from Wairoa to Auckland and down to Wellington. Pipe Technologies has recently expanded its services beyond gravity pipelines, introducing a reinforced polyethylene semi-structural liner system capable of rehabilitating pressurised pipes from DN50 through to DN1600. “The company has doubled in size over the past six years as more councils recognise the cost advantages of rehabilitating sewer and stormwater networks using trenchless technology,” Rowan says. PLUMBING & PIPELINE Avenue Roading delivers reliable, durable surfacing for projects of all sizes — from driveways and paths through to roading and chipseal contracts. With a strong local presence and hands-on expertise. OPS Plumbing & Pipeline are Taranaki’s experts in delivering large-scale infrastructure projects. From trenchless HDD drilling to full subdivision services and major civil pipeline installations, we bring the people, plant, and experience to get it done. 027 555 6774 | avenueroading.co.nz 027 555 6774 | plumbingandpipeline.co.nz
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