December 2009 Vol. 64 No. 12
Features
Hobas Pipe Celebrates 25 Years In North America
Hobas Pipe USA is celebrating 25 years of providing corrosion resistant Hobas pipe made of centrifugally cast fiberglass reinforced polymer mortar (CCFRPM) for sewer and water system pipeline infrastructures in North America .
When Hobas Pipe USA started operations, it brought to the U.S. a proven product developed more than 20 years before by a Swiss company, Hobas Engineering AG. Worldwide there is nearly 40,000 miles of pipe in place, enough to circle the world one and a half times, says Kimberly Paggioli, PE, vice president of marketing and quality control.
Hobas’ manufacturing facility in Houston began operations in 1987 and is the only plant in the United States that produces CCFRPM pipe, says Paggioli. As demand for product grew, capacity of the plant has been expanded.
Over the past 25 years, Hobas Pipe USA has become a proven leader in large pipe, available in diameters ranging from 18 to 110 inches, says Paggioli. Pipe can be installed by direct burial, jacking, sliplining, microtunneling, and tunneling.
“Hobas CCFRPM pipes are strong, light and inherently corrosion resistant with consistent dimensions, smooth surfaces and high stiffness,” explains Paggioli.
Precision centrifugal casting produces pipes with a dense composite, mold smooth exterior surface and a glass smooth liner that is nonporous, resilient and abrasion resistant. Hobas Pipe’s thin wall construction produces inside diameters for maximum flow.
“Hobas pipe has a consistent, mold smooth outside diameter to seal perfectly to molded or precise tolerance machined couplings,” Paggioli continues. “Push together joints provide a 100 percent leak free pipeline that preserves the streets above and reduces treatment costs. It meets or exceeds ASTM standards as measured in sewer pipe accelerated aging tests and is also approved for potable water. Design service life is up to 100 years and more.”
Impressive history
Paggioli says Hobas CCFRPM pipe has been used on many record setting projects, including a 7,000 foot long Staten Island, NY, microtunneling project that included a record 1,560 foot drive of 60 inch pipe, along with drives of 1,170 and 1,336 feet. While much of the Hobas pipe produced is installed in sewer and water systems, the benefits of CCFRPM pipe also can be applied to water projects and applications in other industries. Hobas made a major entry into the hydropower market when more than 1,000 feet of 84 inch diameter Hobas pipe was used to replace an aging wooden penstock serving the Jackman hydroelectric facility operated by Public Service of New Hampshire.
Hobas Pipe USA customer service, technical and field personnel provide support during every phase of a project.
“We are known for responsive customer service,” Paggioli says. “On site field representatives are backed by extensive engineering support. That means continuous cooperation from the specification writing stage to installation and final acceptance.”
The reasons driving continued growth of the company are very basic, believes Paggioli.
“Our products and service repeatedly exceed customer needs,” she concluded. “The market needed a competitive pipe with leak free joints, long life and high flow capacity. Hobas delivers a pipe that fills the bill and, we believe, has certainly raised the bar for pipe performance and service.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Hobas Pipe USA, (800) 856-7473, (281) 821-2200, www.hobaspipe.com
Comments