After six years of growth, Riyadh-based Arabian Pipes Company (APC) has completed the latest stage of its evolution with a $6 million investment in new equipment to replace and enhance current facilities. Its aim is to streamline manufacturing processes while improving product quality.

The Riyadh mill has an annual capacity to manufacture 184,000 tonnes of ERW pipe from 6" to 20" in diameter, and became the first ERW producer to be qualified and approved to recently-updated Saudi Aramco standards.

Earlier this year, through its local agent in the UAE, the company won a contract to supply about 46 km of carbon steel pipes with various diameters to Abu Dhabi-based Emirates Pre-insulated Pipe Factory (EPPI).

After pre-insulation at EPPI, APC's supplied pipes will be extensively used for an ongoing major project in Abu Dhabi to provide centralised district cooling solutions undertaken by an UAE offset company called National Central Cooling Company (TABREED).

District cooling provides chilled water from a centralised cooling plant through a network of pipes to multiple residential, industrial and commercial buildings for air conditioning use. The unique concept offers huge savings for the users, is easy to maintain and is environmentally-friendly.

APC started commercial production of 6 to 20" longitudinally-welded ERW steel pipes in 1996 and has since grown into one of the Middle East's major pipe manufacturers, supplying markets both within Saudi Arabia and key export markets.

APC's existing facilities comprise a strip Edge Milling machine, which covers the full range of APC products from 6" to 20" in diameter and 3.2mm to 16mm wall thickness in grades up to X70. The Edge Milling machine enables APC to serve major oil and gas companies for their severe pipe

Strip Edge Milling Machine

The German-made BKB1100-1650 machine is the largest available machine of its type. Operation is at speeds of up to 100 ft per minute and covers the full range of APC products from 6" to 20" diameter, 3.2mm to 16mm wall thickness in grades up to X70.

The machine is equipped with two 1100mm diameter milling heads with 74 carbide inserts per head, each driven by 170kW AC speed-controlled motors which automatically control the rotational speed based on the Strip Line Speed.

It is equipped with state-of-the-art CNC and PLC control and all axes have digital measuring systems with accuracy of 0.001mm to provide the exact finished strip width for forming and welding.

Seam annealer

APC added a fourth in-line 1kHz Induction Heater last year. Supplied by UK firm Ajax Magnathermic, this annealer increased APC's total seam heat treatment capacity to 2000kW.

The unit is equipped with automatic temperature control and an automatic seam following system, and complements the Continuous Electronic Process Control system already employed at APC.

Ultrasonic Machines

APC has upgraded its Ultrasonic Inspection systems with the assistance of its long term supplier and the world leader in this field, Germany's Krautkramer. The result is ultrasonic testing equipment which now meets the highest available standards.

Marking Machines

APC has two automatic Paint Marking machines supplied by Numtech Interstahl (Austria). Both machines were installed to improve productivity and product traceability. They are both PC-based and interface directly with the APC Manufacturing Information System (MIS) to transfer pipe data and with the automatic pipe length and weight measurement system.