Benefits of Stainless Steel

In demanding plumbing environments where temperature, hygiene, strength and durability are essential, stainless steel is the logical choice.

It may cost more initially, but in system lifecycle terms, it's a clear winner in return on investment. Here's why:

Fire resistance - unlike PVC and other plastics, stainless steel won't melt or give off toxic fumes in a fire.

Hygienic properties - Nothing beats the natural hygienic properties of stainless steel in medical, food processing and pharmaceutical applications. With the Mapress pressfitting system, the tight, moulded join between tube and fittings also means fewer cavities and vastly reduces the risk of hygiene problems developing. The Blucher drainage system enables the safe and hygienic disposal of a range of waste fluids, hot, cold or corrosive, helping to eliminate contamination.

Corrosion resistance - the high alloy grades of stainless steel used in the Mapress system can resist corrosion from most acids and alkaline solutions, as well as in chloride-bearing environments, even at elevated temperatures and pressures.

Versatile carrier - a combination of high grade stainless steel, precision pipe joining and specially designed rubber ring seals means the Mapress pressure system can carry water, gases, fuels & solvents.

Longevity - stainless steel is a durable, low maintenance material and is often the least expensive choice in a life cycle cost comparison.

High and low temperature resistance - the stainless steel used in Blucher drainage and Mapress pressure systems will resist scaling and maintain high strength at very high temperatures, while others show exceptional toughness at cryogenic temperatures.

Environmentally friendly - stainless steel is recyclable and reusable, with a long lifecycle.

Problems with PVC

This picture shows the consequences of using the wrong product. The PVC junction shown here has been subjected to hot water in a food processing plant. In this case, plastics were chosen over metal products to save money for the specifiers and builders. The cost of downtime for repairs and inevitable replacement, is now the responsibility of the food processor, and that cost already far exceeds the original saving. In this case the company is lucky. The section is accessible and can be replaced with Blucher stainless steel products. We've seen cases where entire floors have had to be dug up to reach damaged plumbing.

There's yet another common problem in industries where hygiene is important. Where plastics might have been sufficient when the system was originally installed, it's often no longer suitable when hygiene laws and requirements are tightened or when it comes time to upgrade or refurbish.