Ameron manufactures and markets the world's most comprehensive line of GRP pipe products under the trademarks Bondstrand®, Dualoy®, PSX™ and Centron® for the chemical and industrial markets and for oilfield, service station fuel handling, offshore platform and marine applications. Ameron GRP pipe is a cost-effective alternative to corrosion-prone metallic piping and non-reinforced thermoplastics. Ameron GRP pipe is particularly well-suited for general industrial service and chemical processing because of its ability to withstand higher temperatures and pressures than ordinary thermoplastic materials. The use of GRP piping in secondary containment and waste-handling applications continues to grow in response to increasingly stringent regulation of ground-water contamination caused by corroded metallic piping.

Responding to environmental risks resulting from the wide use of corrodible metal piping for fuel handling, Ameron continues to expand its penetration of service station markets in Latin America and Europe. Ameron offers both single-wall and double-wall secondary containment configurations, as well as flexible fuel-handling systems. Ameron serves the offshore oil production market with a wide range of lightweight, corrosion-resistant piping products, including its new Bondstrand PSX fire-resistant piping that features a proprietary resin system combining the fire-resistant properties of phenolics with the flexibility and impact resistance of Ameron's patented PSX polysiloxane chemistry. Bondstrand corrosion-resistant piping is also used to combat highly aggressive marine environments in the shipping and cruise-ship industry. In addition to conventional marine piping, Ameron produces a proprietary conductive, anti-static GRP piping system for conveying refined petroleum products.

Operations in the Netherlands serve markets in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Ameron's business in Singapore serves the Asia-Pacific region. There is also a domestic manufacturing plant is in Burkburnett, Texas. Centron International products are manufactured in Mineral Wells, Texas. Construction was recently completed on a new plant in Malaysia. An affiliate, Bondstrand, Ltd. (40% owned), manufactures GRP pipe products in Saudi Arabia. Ameron sells GRP pipe and fittings through its direct sales force and dealers, distributors and sales representatives in the United States and more than 40 other countries, making a truly global organisation.

Reasons for Participating
Ameron have a greater interest in reducing life cycle costs to improve sales by the use of NDT as a key enabling technology.

Role in the project
In this project Ameron will provide R&D back up to the consortium with the level of knowledge that is only available to the Original Equipment Manufacturers. Ameron will be a potential customer for the developments in this project for the manufacturing stage and hence their input is invaluable.