Geberit Case Study: Parkol Marine Engineering
Based in Whitby, North Yorkshire, Parkol Marine Engineering is recognised as one of the leading boat, ship and trawler builders in the United Kingdom. It offers a full range of marine engineering services, from new builds to repairs and refurbishment, on an expansive yard which includes building berths and a dry dock.
With any marine engineering project, time is critical. Dry dock space is a valuable commodity and with such tight schedules, any delays can have a serious impact on profitability – not only for the project in question, but for future projects too.
Parkol Marine Engineering turned to the Geberit Mapress press-fitting solution to save time and guarantee quality on a wide range of applications across new build and refurbishment projects on boats, ships and trawlers.
WHY GEBERIT?
Available in a range of materials including copper, stainless steel, CuNiFe and carbon steel, the Geberit Mapress pressing solution offers quicker installation and a cleaner, neater job, with no need for hot works.
It is designed so that any connections not pressed during installation can be visibly detected during testing. The pressing indicator consists of a thin plastic foil encasing the pressing shoulder, which gives a visible indication of a pressed joint as the foil is removed during correct installation.
With no hot works and therefore no subsequent cooling down period, Parkol’s engineers can fit pipework easier and quicker within the tight confines of a shipyard, dry dock or the deck of the ship itself. There is also no need for lubrication and greater reliability.
Crucially, press fit systems have been proven to take 30% less time to install than their traditional counterparts according to a BRSIA report, helping reduce the cost of jobs by approximately 27% compared with screwed steel pipework. It’s easy to see why Mapress has become the pipe fitting solution of choice across all aspects of Parkol’s new build and refurbishment projects.
DELIVERING THE SOLUTION
John Clarkson, piping supervisor for Parkol Marine Engineering, said: “We first switched to Geberit Mapress around three years ago, having previously used welded and threaded joints. From a product point of view it offers a host of installation benefits, but I can’t fault the service, technical support and speed of response from Geberit too.
Parkol now uses Geberit Mapress in a range of materials for varying applications including CuNiFe (28mm – 108mm) chosen for its high level of corrosion resistance on seacock lines, bilges and pipework carrying seawater, together with stainless steel (28mm – 42mm) for domestic water drains and floor drains.
Copper Mapress (15mm – 28mm) is also used on domestic and fresh water systems across Parkol projects, as well as carbon steel (28mm – 108mm) on engine cooling, breather lines and hydraulic suction.
This all-encompassing solution delivers a host of installation benefits, alongside the individual strengths and capabilities of each material – ensuring the Geberits Mapress system is the ideal solution for the vast range of pipework requirements across Parkol’s ship and boat building projects.
John Clarkson adds:
“With Mapress there is no welding and a much faster installation, which can save valuable time on a ship building project. But more than that, it is incredibly neat and we have experienced fewer problems too.”
John Clarkson, piping supervisor at Parkol Marine Engineering, said:
“Geberit Mapress is quicker to install, with no welding and less mess. It’s also reliable, with no leaks It’s the perfect solution for a wide range of applications across our projects.”