News
Viking Johnson Maxfit Helps Earthquake Stricken Christchurch
Posted on 01st Apr 2011
A Viking Johnson Distributor, Hygrade, based in New Zealand has been working closely with Christchurch City Council and City Care in restoring water supplies and repairing the sewer system in the Canterbury area, on South Island, after the 7.1 magnitude earthquake hit the area in February.
Hygrade has supplied Viking Johnson MaxiFit and MaxiStep, along with EasiClamp and UltraGrip products, to make repairs to a wide range of pipework systems that are predominately concrete, asbestos cement or PVC based.
MaxiFit is specifically designed to accommodate plain ended pipes with different outside diameters, and one fitting is able to connect Steel, Ductile Iron, PVCu, Cast Iron, GRP, Asbestos Cement and PE pipes. MaxiStep allows transition between pipes of different nominal bores which simplifies installation when repairing old pipe with new. This has proved highly useful in the Canterbury area for repairing concrete sewer pipe, stepping up from concrete to PVC.
Liquefaction, a phenomenon whereby saturated soil substantially looses strength in response to an applied stress like an earthquake, was responsible for a great deal of damage, especially to the business district in Christchurch. However, 6 weeks on, 99% of water supplies have been restored, albeit with a low mains pressure, but the sewer system has been badly disrupted and many repairs are still required.
Leigh John, Hygrade Business Manager, said “the Viking Johnson products have been a real life saver for Christchurch. They have helped to speed up the restoration of precious water and wastewater supplies through their ability to efficiently fix cracked pipes and join together different pipe materials.”
Viking Johnson is a leading brand of Crane Building Services & Utilities and is a world leader in the manufacture and supply of couplings, flange adaptors and pipe repair solutions for international water, wastewater, gas and industrial markets.
