EH Wachs Company, the global specialists in designing and manufacturing portable machine tools for pipe cutting, weld prepping, flange facing and related field machining applications, portable powered valve operators and light to medium duty transportable utility vacuum systems, represents a unique concern for the reconstruction of Iraq.

Previously the group of companies have proven themselves capable in the Middle East arena after being privileged to have been called upon by the Kuwait Oil Co to provide construction management on the Al-Awda Project in 1991, the Wachs Companies consistently exceeded on-time delivery requirements in support of this effort. These experiences enable them to prepare in advance for needs anticipated in the coming days in Iraq.

Though their role in 1991 was limited to providing industrial pipe cutting machinery,  today Wachs Companies have far more to offer in response to anticipated needs. Combined with historical focus on industrial pipe cutting machinery and unique family of products and services,today Wachs' stands ready in support of efforts towards restoration and operation of Iraq's industrial infrastructure as well as it's water and gas utilities.

The group of companies counts among its constituents the following concerns:
The EH Wachs Company, founded in 1883 in Chicago, Illinois. The first product line, steam engines, were manufactured until 1940. Wachs manufactured  stationary machine tools including precision hand turret lathes, as well as portable pipe cutting machinery production, which began in 1947. Today, Wachs offers over 60 different models of pipe cutting and end preparation equipment as well as portable valve operators and transportable vacuum systems. Wachs products are currently deployed by water, gas and power generating utilities as well as petroleum, petrochemical and refining businesses and contractors serving these markets in over 80 countries. Together the family of products addresses pipe cutting and end prepping requirements ranging from 1/8' tube to 17' diameter nuclear reactor pressure vessels, operation of a wide variety of valves ranging from 6' and up,  and industrial/utility vacuum applications from pickup of industrial solids to, 'soft', excavation, eliminating damage to buried utilities.

Wachs Services was formed in response to client requirements for on-site technical support, equipment  operator training and supervision and contract pipe cutting and related services. Wachs Services market focus includes power generation, petrochemical and refining industries. Services range from training and supervision of clients' site personnel to technical oversight of multiple equipment pieces and operators on large scale projects such as shut down of the Alyeska Pipeline, change-out of multiple feed-water heaters at fossil power plants and steam generator replacement at nuclear power plants. Field contracting began in 1970 in the US and Saudi Arabia where our focus was on oil, gas and petrochemical operations.

In the arabian gulf Wachs machinery and field support service has been widely used for over 30 years by major oil companies such as Aramco and KNPC. Their equipment continues to be regularly operated under hazardous conditions and remains proven while subjected to rough handling, high temperatures, blowing sand and rigorous offshore conditions. They have had full service dealerships in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia for over 20 years.

Iraq opportunity
As Iraq begins its monumental task of reconstruction Wachs has identified a tremendous opportunity: to utilise their valve turning machines and services to the water utilities.
Baghdad, for example, has a critical water distribution valves system which is largely unrecorded or charterd, with technical staff having little knowledge of the hydraulic dynamics of the system and probably unable to accomplish any type of repair or upgrade without isolating a huge part of the distribution system. With this in mind, Wachs believes, the first task would need to be identification and mapping of the water distribution valves.
Once the valves are located a vast majority of these valves would probably be found in-operable from lack use or may have been purposely closed by the previous government.
Unlike conventional piping systems a water distribution system is normally a looped, multi-directional system. 

The most critical element of allowing the repair/upgradeof any water utility piping network, Wachs experts claim, is the ability to isolate the smallest section of the system while making the necessary repairs. This can only be accomplished with a good understanding of the valves that are integrated in to the water distribution system.

In many large cities in the US (+250,000) and many of the smaller cities, EH Wachs equipment has been utilised, particularly the TM-7, (Truck Mounted Valve Turning Machine). In Baghdad, such a solution could be implemented to complete a thorough study of the distribution system.

The TM-7 could be outfitted with data transfer and GIS based software that would allow the capture of critical information gained during the valve turning process. This information could then be analysed to allow the determination of the valve size, condition and operability. This information with GIS coordinates added would allow for the actual mapping of the underground water distribution system, and thus would a long term solution be initiated.

Wachs' considerable experience in this area has lead them to believe the potential benefits of such a solution are huge.

The situation of the water distribution system in Iraq, is such that their participation in their repair of the Water Distribution Infrastructure is not a potential opportunity but an absolute necessity.