When speed is of essence, Victaulic – a leading manufacturer of grooved and plain-end mechanical pipe joining systems – says it has the ability to rise to the occasion, thanks to its extensive experience, as it has done in the construction of the first phase of Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre in the UAE.

The facility is one of the largest exhibition centres in the region and was implemented on an extremely fast-track mega project with a timeline of eight months from start to finish, which even the most seasoned project manager would see as a challenge, says a spokesman for the US-headquartered firm.
With such tight deadlines on the build, the 28,000 sq m exhibition centre, owned by Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (Adnec), needed to use the fastest installation techniques available.
“The foundations on the site were laid in February and due to the fast-track nature of the job, we were called in to provide grooved-end couplings and fittings for the plant room, chilled water distribution and fire protection and potable water piping,” says Rami Mahmoud, regional manager of Victaulic, Middle East.
“The forecasting and planning procedures that we have in place at Victaulic enabled us to provide our standard fittings and couplings and our AGS (Advanced Groove System) large diameter system only eight weeks after the order was placed. In addition, because Victaulic couplings do not require welding they could be installed quickly and without the limitations placed on a jobsite when welding is in progress,” he adds.
Thanks to the project management skills of ETA M&E Abu Dhabi and the use of highly experienced companies such as Victaulic, the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre was completed on time for its first event and opened by the President of the UAE, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan in February (see separate article in Abu Dhabi feature).
“Due to the high-profile nature of the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre, any delay on meeting the grand opening deadline was unacceptable,” says Jacob John, projects director for ETA M&E Abu Dhabi, who oversaw the mechanical and electrical installations on site.
This meant that work was carried out on-site round the clock and, during the peak times of construction, there were 2,600 mechanical and electrical (M&E) workmen on the project.
“One of the biggest pressures we faced was ensuring manufacturers could meet our incredibly short lead times on deliveries and also be versatile enough to cope with the ever-changing construction plans,” he adds.
“The highly technical nature of this installation and the building’s sheer size meant we had to depend on suppliers that were used to working on serious jobs with serious deadlines. Companies such as Victaulic enabled us to complete the project on time and we have confidence that Phase Two of the build – scheduled for completion in 2008 (and is double the size of the present exhibition space!) – will be as much of a success as Phase One has been,” comments Manoj Kumar Dhoot, senior general manager of ETA, mechanical and engineering division, Abu Dhabi.
The complexity of the building and its sheer size meant that large diameter piping was used throughout the chilled water system. The latest range of large diameter grooved-end fittings and couplings from Victaulic – the AGS system – offers unprecedented performance and reliability and is ideal for installations such as the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre due to its performance, speed and ease of installation, explains Mahmood.
The AGS, a range of large diameter rigid and flexible couplings, fittings, valves and accessories, is now the company’s strongest mechanical coupling assembly system in its size range.
Ideal for HVAC (heating, ventilation and air-conditioning) and industrial piping applications, the new AGC is available in diameters ranging from 350 mm to 600mm and has been designed with performance, speed and ease of installation in mind. With a two-piece housing, requiring only two fixing bolts (rather than up to the 20-bolt flanged equivalent) and a new wedge-shaped groove that delivers pressure ratings up to 350 psi (24 bar), Victaulic AGS couplings and fittings offer unprecedented assembly speed and reliability, John says. In addition, the coupling also provides visual confirmation of correct assembly via a bolt-pad-to-bolt-pad design.
Victaulic was founded in New York in 1925 to market a radical new concept in the piping industry – a mechanical bolted coupling that would engage into grooves and feature a gasket seal.
The company’s world headquarters are located in Easton, Pennsylvania, in the US and the Victaulic family of companies has offices, foundries and distribution centres all over the globe with 2,500 employees worldwide. Its grooved-end products comprise a complete system of rigid and flexible couplings, accessories, valves, fittings and adapters, gaskets and tools and accessories. The company has been involved in many major projects throughout the UAE and some recent jobs have included the Jumeirah Beach Residence development and Dubai International Airport, amongst others.