Trelleborg launches flexible coating mobile production unit

Trelleborg, Sweeden – Trelleborg’s offshore operation has launched a new mobile production unit (MPU) – a portable coating facility designed to enable on-site coating of thermal insulation, passive fire and corrosion protection, anywhere in the world.

The MPU, claims Trelleborg, can be mobilised in a short time frame and sent straight to site to apply coatings such as Trelleborg’s thermal insulation. This increases project flexibility and reduces the costs and lead times associated with transporting parts to a specialist coating facility, according to a company press release.

Coatings applied by the unit include Vikotherm R2 - a Rubber-based composite that insulates and protects jumpers, manifolds, risers, pipelines, flow lines, equipment and other subsea structures. The material is said to offer maintenance-free performance for at least 30 years.

“The requirement for local content is growing and more often than not, large parts of projects are now being completed within the same country. In response to this trend, we knew it was important to increase our flexibility to enable the coating process to take place locally too,” said Trond Kristensen, thermal insulation business manager for Trelleborg’s offshore operation based in Norway.

The MPU unit contains an extruder and a rotating spindle with the possibility for side extrusion of Vikotherm R2 directly to straight pipes of up to 12 meters. The extruder is also used to produce 25 mm thick Vikotherm R2 profiles for coating of complex geometries such as bends, valves and flanges. In addition, there are a number of vulcanisation containers for up to 20 meter pipes or structures.

The production unit includes a conventional coating machine for coating of straight pipes for passive fire and corrosion protection.