The news on the COVID-19 is changing day by day. At ERIKS North America (“ERIKS”), we are following the CDC and other governmental agencies on the latest updates and guidance for critical information. We are also working with our customers to honor their requests related to site visits.
ERIKS has created a Task Force that meets regularly to review the impact of COVID-19 and make appropriate operational adjustments. The rapidly evolving situation requires that we remain agile to quickly and appropriately respond to the ever-changing situations in the world. We are implementing proactive measures to help stop the spread of the virus and keep our associates, their families and our communities safe, which includes customers and suppliers.
Below are the updates from the past several days:
• Our primary focus is to ensure the health and safety of our associates and business partners and compliance with applicable legal requirements, while ensuring that our large sites continue to operate to service customers. We have developed a contingency plan to help reduce the spread of the virus in our largest sites. Among those actions, we have reduced the number of associates in a single location and all critical functions have been separated to avoid disruption. We are also prohibiting visitors to enter any of our facilities unless determined business critical and approved by a Business Unit leader.
• We conducted an analysis of the supply chain, including our operating sites, to determine points of failure. Currently, we have not experienced any disruptions to our ability to process and ship orders from our facilities. We will attempt to timely communicate all supply chain disruptions to our customers. There are processes in place to monitor on hand supply, supplier operations, and export activities.
• We are working through current laws and developing procedures for associates to self-report and self-quarantine if they suspect possible infection with COVID-19. The procedures will also include how to notify potential parties who may have been in contact with the associate. We have also asked associates that report directly to a customer site for ERIKS business to follow customer site requirements in addition to our self-reporting requirements. If known by us, we will follow all reasonable customer requirements for reporting.
• We rely on the CDC to inform our decisions and actions to protect our associates and the community we interact with in our daily activities. In addition to the above measures, we are instructing associates to follow CDC hygiene habits and have asked all associates to implement social distancing practices.
As the uncertainty of this global health issue rapidly evolves, we are committed to keeping our customers informed of impacts to ERIKS and the actions we are implementing.
Best Regards, Shawn Courtney Chief Executive Officer
ERIKS – North America Region Companies include: ERIKS North America, Rawson/Industrial Controls, ERIKS Seals and Plastics and ICD Building Automation
Have you ever had a hose “bubble” right behind, or very near, the fitting?
Your hose assembly is extremely vulnerable nearest the fitting. Therefore, it is very important to select the proper fitting to match the hose and application.
Let’s look at a rubber 300 psi multipurpose air and water hose and review the two most common reasons this may happen.
Fitting too aggressive
Many distributors have a crimper for their hydraulic hoses and will crimp a hydraulic fitting with its barbed end onto a rubber multipurpose hose, sometimes, without issue. However, you need to select the proper fitting to match both the construction and pressure rating to the hose. (FYI – a hydraulic style fitting is not recommended for use on a standard air and multipurpose hose).
If the barbs on the fitting are too aggressive, they will bite through the tube causing a leak path. Material being conveyed through the tube will find the path of least resistance, and when the pressure builds up, air or water will escape through this leak path to form a bubble behind the fitting.
Or, the material will wick its way through hose by following the reinforcement, and where ever the cover is compromised, and that’s where the bubble will form.
You may think you need a more aggressive fitting for a hose with a high working pressure. However, the best course of action is to check with a reputable fitting manufacturer for a suitable fitting recommendation and coupling procedure.
Flex/Stress Point
Another cause of a hose failure right behind the fitting is because this is where the greatest amount of flexing and stress is put on the hose. If the hose bends at the point where the stem of the fitting ends, there is an opportunity for the stem to cut into the tube of the hose, and causes a similar scenario, where material migrates through the leak path and a bubble is formed.
Using a bend restrictor, spring, or strain reliever can reduce the amount of wear at this vulnerable point.
What to do
If you question whether the fitting or crimp is incorrect, or if the hose has a manufacturing defect, it is essential you return the end of the hose with the fitting intact to the manufacturer or fabricator of the hose. They need to see how the fitting was installed, then examine the tube of the hose where the fitting was in contact, to identify the problem and recommend a solution.
Are you having trouble tracking and inspecting your hose assemblies? ERIKS offers a complete survey, tracking, and hose reclamation program. Click here to complete a quick form to download our Industrial Hose Maintenance Management brochure to learn more.
Your industrial hose supplier should be aware that tube erosion (typically called the popcorning) in steam hose is most pronounced in hoses on the market which have tube of inferior rubber. The popcorn effect is what destroys a steam hose and the steam network. It is also what can injure workers when a hose fails. Popcorning destroys steam hose from within and the effect occurs when:
Microscopic water particles collect in the wall of a hose. When new steam enters the hose it heats up those particles, which expand explosively to 1600x their size.
When that happens, popcorn-like blisters explode on the hose’s inner surface. The resulting particles of rubber can contaminate the steam network or the product.
Over time, moisture forces its way out towards the skin of the hose, weakening the steel braiding and making it unsafe for use.
The popcorn effect is most pronounced when hoses are built with an inferior tube compound.
To prevent blistering or popcorning on the inner surface of steam hose, Goodall® formulated a premium, proprietary Chlorobutyl compound that’s 15x less permeable than EPDM. Even after thousands of hours of stop-start use, the Super Inferno, Inferno, and Dante hose shows no signs of popcorning. The lower the permeability, the longer the hose life, the greater the safety.
The Goodall range of Chlorobutyl hoses are:
Made of an abrasion and ozone-resistant EPDM in a distinctive red and black spiral striping for high visibility in all situations
The hose inside is pinpricked to significantly reduce the likelihood of cover blisters
Inside, multiple high tensile wire braids add plenty of integrity to handle a maximum pressure of 250 PSI at temperatures ranging from -40°F to 450°F
Goodall also formulated a high grade EPDM tube compound that provides excellence resistance to the effects of popcorning, resulting in durable, long-lasting steam hose assemblies.
Click here to complete a form download a technical datasheet for more information on the Goodall® steam hose products.
Your conveyor system is one of the most important elements of your operation so it’s critical that you work with a partner that understands just that. The simple truth is that you need a supplier that understands your operation, needs and knows conveyor systems like the back of their hand so that you don’t have to.
Here’s a quick checklist when selecting a conveyor system provider:
Do they provide surveys and inspections of your location? You want someone that knows conveyor systems. Period. You want to know that you’re using the best product available, that you’re only experiencing the number of change-outs necessary and that you’re reducing your total cost of ownership and that you have more uptime than downtime.
Do they have service crews and downtime support? You need a supplier that can be there when you need them. Whether it’s for installation, troubleshooting or preventative maintenance services having access to specialists, especially during an emergency is key.
Do they have an in-depth knowledge of everything that’s available? Some suppliers only know heavyweight belt that’s used in heavy traditional industry. Some only know lightweight belting products that are used in industries like Food and Beverage and Agriculture. Your supplier should be well-versed in both. Why? Because product innovation only comes from knowing trends, understanding what’s available and knowing the right solution to apply to each individual circumstance. A supplier should also be very familiar with every component and accessory used in all different types of systems. From pulleys and idlers to chute liners and safety cages – your supplier should evaluate everything and do what it takes to keep you running straight.
Are they experienced with servicing customers like me? Does this supplier have experience servicing your industry or even your competitors? Are they aware of common issues that I might face on a regular basis? Do they understand my needs both individually and as a whole? If they are not taking the time to learn by conducting an in-depth evaluation then you might need to shop around.
Will they prove the value that they’re providing? Your supplier should always be thinking of ways to help you which ultimately will save you money.
Did they install a product substitution that resulted in less change-outs than before?
Are they providing innovative solutions that’s reducing or avoiding downtime?
Are they helping me reduce the labor needed? Are they available around-the-clock whenever I need them?
If you’re questioning any of these responses there are conveyor belt suppliers out there that will partner with you 365 days a year 7 days a week to ensure the smoothest operation possible. But of course the question is always, what have you done for me lately? Having a supplier that keeps documentation of what they do for you is helpful, especially when you can show a cost savings as a result of the partnership.
Do they provide on-site training? You may need to understand the product and their applications so that you can handle emergencies if they arise. Sure, it’s always nice to have someone to call and rely on in the case of an emergency but wouldn’t it be great if you could be the hero of the day? Some suppliers will train your entire staff on various topics from safety to troubleshooting problems. In-person training that meets your needs is also a token of a solid supplier.
In summary, everyone is different and has unique needs and you want a conveyor belt supplier that understands what yours are, and that can be there immediately to help you when you’re in a bind. Besides, the work that you do is too important not to reduce your downtime as much as possible.
Click here to download an example of how ERIKS processes prevented a customer from replacing a belt and avoided downtime.
For a great marksman, hitting the center of a target is not a problem. You set up a target, and he can hit it. In fact, he can hit it all day long; because this is what he does. However, all his skill and confidence won’t help him a bit if he’s presented with two targets and not told which one he is to hit. Which one should he focus on and which one should he ignore?
Such is the problem with many flange torquing standards, especially in regard to heat exchangers. In the majority of cases, existing assembly procedures for heat exchangers call out a specific stud stress that should be targeted. That stress level may be 40%, 50%, or 60% of yield, and that same value is applied – almost without exception – to all heat exchangers in the plant, regardless of pressure ratings, the number and size of the studs, the gasket size, or a host of other factors. Success – in so far as tightening the exchanger is concerned – is defined by how much a stud is stretched. It’s an easy target to hit. But is it the right target?
Many studies have been completed which show that long-term sealing of bolted connections is all about gasketstress. To be more precise, it is about attaining the needed stress, and maintaining that stress in the face of the relaxation that can be anticipated in the joint.
The ruling parameter in determining the assembly torque required for a given joint must always be gasket stress, not stud stress.
Studs don’t seal flanges, gaskets do. The “target” must be the gasket stress needed for optimal performance. Because of this, it is necessary for your gasket supplier to:
1. Evaluate the gasket area
2. Then evaluate the pressure interactions and the desired gasket stress
3. Calculate the stud stress that must be developed to achieve that end
To put it simply, any assembly specification that is based on achieving a specific stud stress is aiming at the wrong target. In fact, any such specification can only develop the optimal gasket stress by accident, or by coincidence. The only way to make sure that the correct gasket stress is achieved is by targeting gasket stress.
Click here to download a technical note on the importance of using gasket stress instead of stud stress when torquing your heat exchanger flanges.
PITTSBURGH, Dec. 19, 2019 – ERIKS North America announced that Industrial Distribution magazine ranked the company at number 22 on its 2019 Big 50 list. The prestigious, annual listing ranks the country’s top industrial suppliers by their previous year’s worldwide sales revenue.
During the Big 50 video countdown, Anna Wells, executive editor, Industrial Distribution, cited several significant achievements by ERIKS North America in 2018, including the rebranding of companies, such as Lewis-Goetz, EVCO House of Hose, and Valley Rubber & Gasket. She also highlighted company milestones, such as the appointment of Shawn Courtney as president and chief executive officer, and the opening of a new metal gasket and fastener fabrication shop at ERIKS’ Chicago Service Center.
“It’s an honor for ERIKS North America to once again be named to Industrial Distribution magazine’s Big 50 list,” said Courtney. “With the evolving distribution landscape, this recognition is a testament to the hard work and dedication of all of our 2,000 associates—from our sales teams and support staff to our engineers and product specialists who enable ERIKS North America to provide customers with reliable products, dependable service, and exceptional technical support.”
Click here to watch the video announcement. The full listing appears in the November/December issue of Industrial Distributionmagazine.
For more information on ERIKS North America, as well as to explore its complete line of industrial product and service offerings or find one of its nearly 140 locations in the U.S. and Canada, visit www.ERIKSNA.com.
About ERIKS North America ERIKS (www.ERIKS.com) has been a leading international industrial service provider since 1940. ERIKS North America offers a wide range of innovative, high-quality mechanical engineering components and associated technical and logistical services from nearly 140 locations across the United States and Canada. We provide the highest quality product standards in the industry, along with the peace of mind knowing that our products and fabrication are consistent, location-to-location, across our extensive footprint. From agriculture to power generation and from oil and gas to food and beverage, ERIKS North America provides a local presence and infinite possibilities, backed by ERIKS’ worldwide network of resources and know-how with over 340 locations in 17 countries. For more information, please visit www.ERIKSNA.com.
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Editor’s Note: An image is available upon request.
ERIKS North America earns spot on Industrial Distribution’s 2019 Big 50 List
Four years of service yields zero-percent flange repair/replacement fraction
PITTSBURGH, Oct. 16, 2019 – ERIKS North America announced that a U.S. hydrofluoric (HF) acid alkylation refinery experienced an unprecedented, four-year, zero-percent flange repair/replacement fraction, thanks to the use of the company’s ALKY-ONE™ gasket—the refining industry’s leading technology for combating flange corrosion and erosion in HF acid units.
“Hydrofluoric acid is one of the most difficult and dangerous sealing applications in the refining industry,” said David Clover, senior product/application specialist for ERIKS North America. “Not only can leaks threaten bodily harm, but the acid also corrodes carbon steel flanges from the inside, causing taper corrosion, which usually leads to costly flange repairs or replacement.”
In 2015, a HF acid alkylation refinery in the Midwest was looking to upgrade 3,119 flanges to prevent taper corrosion, eliminate associated repair or replacement costs, and improve safety. Partnering with gasket specialists at ERIKS North America, the refinery’s engineering staff selected the ALKY-ONE™ gasket.
“During install, our team worked closely with the refinery to put strict inspection and quality control procedures in place to ensure proper protocols were followed at each flange. By following these measures, all flanges were completely leak-free at startup,” explained Clover.
During its next scheduled turnaround cycle in 2019, the refinery opened 1,320 (more than 40 percent) of the upgraded flanges equipped with the ALKY-ONE™ gasket for inspection. Each flange was in like-new condition, with no need for repair or replacement.
“The zero-percent flange repair/replacement fraction is truly unprecedented in the industry, and a testament to the capability and reliability of the ALKY-ONE™ gasket to provide long-term, safe seals in dangerous applications,” said Clover. “With alternative gasket options, that fraction can be as high as thirty percent.”
First introduced in 2011 by Advanced Sealing, an ERIKS North America company, the ALKY-ONE™ gasket is a specially engineered kammprofile gasket with an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene interior barrier that provides a complete seal across a flange face. Through its unique design, the ALKY-ONE™ gasket drastically reduces the potential for HF acid leaks, combats corrosion and erosion inside of flanges, maintains its seal in the event of a fire, and minimizes the bolt force needed to safely seal flanges.
For more information on the capabilities of the ALKY-ONE™ gasket, visit www.ERIKSNA.com.
Editor’s Notes: Photos are available upon request. ALKY-ONE is a trademark of ERIKS North America.
ERIKS North America’s ALKY-ONE™ gasket delivers unprecedented corrosion and erosion resistance in hydrofluoric acid units. The photo above shows an ALKY-ONE™ gasket after four years of reliable service in one of the refining industry’s most dangerous and demanding applications.
The photo above shows an ALKY-ONE™ gasket prior to being put into service.
PITTSBURGH, September 16, 2019 – ERIKS North America, a leading distributor of industrial solutions for the refining industry, was recently recognized as one of the Top Suppliers by Marathon Petroleum Corp (MPC), the largest refining company in North America. A special invitation for outstanding vendor performance was extended to the top 0.5% of MPC’s suppliers—representing only the top 80 out of 15,000 companies—at the company’s Supplier Recognition Awards 2019. The awards were held at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa on Sunday, Sept. 8. MPC emphasized that this event was created to recognize their key suppliers; the ones that are depended upon to get the job done under all circumstances.
“It’s an honor to be recognized by MPC, one of the leading energy companies in the country,” said David Kazmierczak, Key Account Manager for ERIKS North America. “At ERIKS, we are in the business of making industry work better; solving problems before they become emergencies. The ERIKS team brings innovative technology products and industry leading best practices to partner with MPC and develop solutions. We value our relationship with MPC and take great pride in working together.”
“MPC operates 16 crude oil refineries across the U.S. and is capable of producing more than three million barrels per day,” added Terry Subia, Director of the Gasket Product Business Unit for ERIKS North America. “Our goal is to keep customers’ plants running efficiently and cost-effectively. This recognition is a testament to the dedication and experience of the entire ERIKS team to get the job done for MPC under any circumstances, in the safest and most reliable way possible.”
From nearly 140 locations across the U.S. and Canada, ERIKS North America offers a wide spectrum of products, including industrial hoses, gaskets, seals, conveyors, valves, loading arms, and related solutions from some of the world’s top manufacturers. With decades of experience in the refining industry, ERIKS North America provides value-added services and engineered solutions that are designed to significantly reduce operation downtime and lower the total cost of ownership for customers. Over the past five years, ERIKS North America has provided refinery customers with a total of $10.3 million in documented cost savings.
For more information on ERIKS North America’s comprehensive products and services for the refining industry, visit www.ERIKSNA.com.
About ERIKS North America
ERIKS (www.ERIKS.com) has been a leading international industrial service provider since 1940. ERIKS North America offers a wide range of innovative, high-quality mechanical engineering components and associated technical and logistical services from nearly 140 locations across the United States and Canada. We provide the highest quality product standards in the industry, along with the peace of mind knowing that our products and fabrication are consistent, location-to-location, across our extensive footprint. From agriculture to power generation and from oil and gas to food and beverage, ERIKS North America provides a local presence and infinite possibilities, backed by ERIKS’ worldwide network of resources and know-how with over 340 locations in 17 countries.
PITTSBURGH, August 28, 2019 – Advanced Sealing, an ERIKS company, helped Netherlands-based Delft University of Technology’s Delft Hyperloop team earn fourth place at SpaceX’s 2019 Hyperloop Pod Competition, held in Hawthorne, California, on July 21, 2019. Now in its fourth year, the competition was developed by SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk to spark innovation and challenge students from all over the world to develop the best functional prototypes of self-propelled pods for high-speed ground transportation.
Advanced Sealing, a leading supplier and manufacturer of sealing and gasket products, invited Delft Hyperloop to work on their pod, named Atlas 02, at the company’s facility in Norwalk, California. In addition to supplying spare parts and machinery, Advanced Sealing created a fully functional workshop for the 40-student team, and enabled them to gain access to shipping and receiving logistics and capabilities.
Advanced Sealing’s parent company, ERIKS, which also is headquartered in the Netherlands, was a sponsor of the 2019 Delft Hyperloop team. As part of their partnership, ERIKS played a pivotal role in helping the team design and build Atlas 02.
Twenty one international teams were selected to compete in the 2019 Hyperloop Pod Competition. After completing a 122-point safety inspection test, four teams were chosen to race. Teams were judged based solely on maximum speed with successful deceleration. Delft Hyperloop’s Atlas 02 pod placed fourth, successfully reaching 125 mph—a 37 mph improvement over the team’s 2018 showing. First place was awarded to four-time winner Technical University of Munich’s TUM Hyperloop team, which achieved 288 mph. Full results can be seen at SpaceX.com/Hyperloop.
Introduced by Elon Musk in 2013, the Hyperloop is an energy-efficient, high-speed transportation system in which pods travel through vacuum tubes and are propelled by magnetic accelerators. The tubes create a low-pressure environment where the pods are surrounded by a cushion of air, similar to a pneumatic dispatch system. Due to the low air resistance, pods could reach speeds exceeding 700 mph, meaning passengers could travel from Los Angeles to San Francisco in about 35 minutes.
Click here to watch a video on Advanced Sealing’s partnership with the Delft Hyperloop team. For more information on Advanced Sealing’s gasket and sealing solutions, visit AdvSeal.com.
About Advanced Sealing
Advanced Sealing is an ERIKS North America company and is a full-spectrum manufacturer and distributor of fluid sealing products for harsh applications including refining, chemical processing and power generations facilities. A premier sealing house to customers looking for new solutions to age old problems, Advanced Sealing provides a broad product mix including metallic and non-metallic flange gaskets, valve packings, metallic and elastomeric hoses, stud bolts, hex nuts, steam traps and heat exchanger gaskets. Advanced Sealing has a special focus on fugitive emission products, proven to meet and exceed today’s demanding LDAR sealing standards.
About ERIKS North America
ERIKS (www.ERIKS.com) has been a leading international industrial service provider since 1940. ERIKS North America offers a wide range of innovative, high-quality mechanical engineering components and associated technical and logistical services from nearly 140 locations across the United States and Canada. We provide the highest quality product standards in the industry, along with the peace of mind knowing that our products and fabrication are consistent, location-to-location, across our extensive footprint. From agriculture to power generation and from oil and gas to food and beverage, ERIKS North America provides a local presence and infinite possibilities, backed by ERIKS’ worldwide network of resources and know-how with over 300 locations in 17 countries. For more information, please visit www.ERIKSNA.com.
PITTSBURGH, April 23, 2019 – ERIKS North America, a leading industrial distributor, will exhibit a wide variety of innovative, reliable, and cost-effective solutions for the offshore oil and gas industry at booth #2872 during the Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) 2019. The event will take place May 6–9, at NRG Center at NRG Park in Houston.
“ERIKS North America has served the offshore energy industry for decades in different capacities,” said Shawn Courtney, President and CEO of ERIKS North America. “As ERIKS North America has grown, so have our product offerings, as we strive to be complete problem solvers for our customers, providing them with reliable solutions and trusted services they need for the oil and gas industry’s most demanding applications.”
Visitors to the booth will have opportunities to talk with specialists in multiple product groups within ERIKS North America, including ERIKS Seals and Plastics, gaskets, industrial and hydraulic hoses, and loading arms.
Product specialists from the ERIKS Seals and Plastics group will be onsite to discuss a variety of high-performance, advanced elastomers and engineering plastics. Attendees can learn about ERIKS Seals and Plastics’ engineering capabilities and technical support, including complete application, design, development, testing, and analysis services.
Featured products on display at the ERIKS North America booth will include: · The MARINE-ONE™ gasket, which is the latest breakthrough in sealing technology to prevent crevice corrosion on super-duplex stainless steel flanges on offshore drilling platforms in saltwater locations. The MARINE-ONE™ gasket is the industry’s only gasket featuring a triple-seal design that seals tighter than spiral-wound gaskets in both liquid and gas applications.
· FLEXION ™ hydraulic hoses, which are proven to handle 50% more pressure than required by industry standards and to provide a superior bending radius over alternative hoses. In addition, FLEXION™ hoses offer increased abrasion and ozone resistances that are 10 times better than industry standards, making FLEXION™ hoses one of world’s highest-quality engineered fluid connector solutions available today.
In addition, attendees will have an opportunity to learn about ERIKS North America’s Hose Maintenance Management program, which has been documented to save customers a total of $9.7 million over three years. The unique program enables plants to improve operational productivity and safety, while reducing the total cost of ownership for hoses and related coupling products.
Specialists from ERIKS North America’s loading arms group will be on hand to discuss a variety of products, such as loading arms, rack systems, gangways, pumping stations, liquid level probes, dry-break couplers, and more. In addition to providing extensive technical expertise and co-engineering services, ERIKS North America also works directly with leading manufactures, including OPW Engineered Systems.
Visitors to ERIKS North America’s booth also can participate in raffles for Maui Jim and Costa sunglasses.
For more information on ERIKS North America’s comprehensive solutions for the offshore oil and gas industry, stop by booth #2872 or visit www.ERIKSNA.com.
About ERIKS North America ERIKS (www.ERIKS.com) has been a leading international industrial service provider since 1940. ERIKS North America offers a wide range of innovative, high-quality mechanical engineering components and associated technical and logistical services from nearly 140 locations across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. We provide the highest quality product standards in the industry, along with the peace of mind knowing that our products and fabrication are consistent, location-to-location, across our extensive footprint. From agriculture to power generation and from oil and gas to food and beverage, ERIKS North America provides a local presence and infinite possibilities, backed by ERIKS’ worldwide network of resources and know-how with over 300 locations in 20 countries. For more information, please visit www.ERIKSNA.com.
