Joh
Shipman Contracting Ltd. (JSC), a company
that manufactures a large range of pipe joint kits and pipe apparatus for the
worlds leading VRF systems, recently launched Reflok. The new Reflok system
combines a compression pipe coupling with specially produced VRF components. It
has been developed in the UK by JSCs team, together with various companies
within the VRF industry in the UK and abroad, which helped refine and trial the
product. JSC now has agents in the UK, America, North and South Africa, Baltic
Sea States, and is following up enquiries in Russia and India.
The use of heat can be a problem. Jon Shipman, Director
General de JSC, said: We are seeing interest emerge within the developed
countries, where the use of a naked flame can present problems, for example in
airports, underground stations, hospitals, petrochemical facilities, military
facilities, schools and hotels. The requirement to obtain hot works permits
and to have fire alarm stand down is irksome and time consuming for the fitters,
as is nitrogen purging. All of these requirements cost time and money. According
to the companys press release, Reflok allows the fitter to simply turn up on site
and begin work immediately with no delay. The other area where interest is
growing is in less developed countries, who have a low skill base and simply no
fitters with experience of installing VRF systems.
With its Reflok Installer training programme, where
personnel are trained either in house, on site or at customers premises, JSC is
building up a database of registered installers that can be accessed through
their web site. Potential customers of the Reflok product can now access the
web site, find a registered stockist (or apply to become one) and contact a
registered installer to carry out the work. This way, installation problems are
avoided.