New 3LPE Coating Production Line Commissioned at DF Steel Pipe — Annual Coated Pipe Capacity Reaches 500,000 Tons with Pipe Diameters Up to 72 Inches

DF Steel Pipe proudly announces the commissioning of a fully automated 3LPE/3LPP/FBE anti-corrosion coating production line at our manufacturing facility. This strategic USD 8 million investment increases our annual coated pipe capacity to 500,000 metric tons, supporting pipe diameters from 4 inches to 72 inches. The line is certified to DIN 30670 (polyethylene coatings for steel pipes), CSA Z245.21 (external polyethylene coating), ISO 21809-1 (external coatings for buried/submerged pipelines), NACE SP0394 (FBE application and quality control), and AWWA C210/C213/C214 (liquid epoxy and FBE for water industry applications).

1. Coating Line Technical Capabilities and Process Overview

The new coating line represents the latest generation of fully automated pipe coating technology, integrating pipe preheating, grit blasting, FBE electrostatic spray application, copolymer adhesive side-wrap extrusion, polyethylene/polypropylene spiral extrusion, water quenching, holiday detection, and automated marking into a single continuous production flow. The line operates at speeds up to 3.5 meters per minute depending on pipe diameter and coating thickness specifications. Key process stages include: (1) Surface Preparation: Steel grit blasting to cleanliness Sa 2.5 per ISO 8501-1 with anchor profile Rz 50-90 microns, verified by Testex press-o-film and surface profile comparators. (2) FBE Primer Application: Induction heating to 230-240°C followed by electrostatic spray application of fusion bonded epoxy powder at 150-450 microns DFT with ±25 micron tolerance. Gel time 8-12 seconds, cure time 25-35 seconds at application temperature. (3) Copolymer Adhesive Application: Maleic anhydride-grafted polyethylene compound applied by side-wrap extrusion at 220-240°C, thickness 170-250 microns, achieving peel strength exceeding 50 N/cm at 23°C. (4) PE/PP Topcoat Application: High-density polyethylene (HDPE) or polypropylene (PP) applied by spiral extrusion at 200-230°C, thickness 2.0-5.0mm depending on specification and pipe diameter. (5) Cooling and Inspection: Water quench cooling followed by 100% automated inline holiday detection at 25kV DC per DIN 30670, coating thickness measurement at 12 circumferential positions, peel strength testing, and visual inspection under 500+ lux illumination.

2. International Standards and Certification Framework

The coating line is certified to multiple international standards enabling global project acceptance: DIN 30670 — Polyethylene coatings for steel pipes, the primary European standard governing 3LPE coating systems including material requirements, application procedures, and quality control testing. CSA Z245.21 — External polyethylene coating for pipe, required for North American pipeline projects including those in Canada and the United States. ISO 21809-1 — Petroleum and natural gas industries external coatings for buried or submerged pipelines used in pipeline transportation systems, harmonizing requirements across ISO member countries. NACE SP0394 — Application, performance, and quality control of plant-applied, fusion-bonded epoxy external pipe coating. AWWA C210 — Liquid-epoxy coating systems for the interior and exterior of steel water pipelines. AWWA C213 — Fusion-bonded epoxy coating for the interior and exterior of steel water pipelines. AWWA C214 — Tape coating systems for the exterior of steel water pipelines. EN 10204 3.1/3.2 — Material test certificate requirements for coating materials including FBE powder, adhesive, and PE/PP compounds.

The coating line quality management system is integrated with our existing ISO 9001:2015 certified quality framework, ensuring consistent process control, personnel competency, equipment calibration, and continuous improvement across all coating operations. Third-party inspection by Bureau Veritas, SGS, and TUV is available for customer-specific quality surveillance requirements.

3. Strategic Impact — Serving Larger Pipeline Projects with Shorter Lead Times

This expansion enables DF Steel Pipe to serve larger pipeline projects requiring corrosion-protected steel pipes with significantly reduced lead times. Prior to this investment, coating was outsourced to third-party applicators, adding 3-4 weeks to project schedules and introducing quality interface risks. With in-house coating capability, DF Steel Pipe now controls the complete manufacturing chain from steel plate procurement through pipe forming, welding, testing, coating, and final inspection — a fully integrated production model that enhances quality control, reduces total project lead time by 20-30%, and provides customers with single-source responsibility for both pipe and coating quality.

The 500,000-ton annual coating capacity is particularly strategically important for: (a) Large-diameter LSAW pipes (OD 16"-72") for cross-country gas transmission pipelines requiring 3LPE external coating and internal epoxy lining; (b) SSAW spiral welded pipes (OD 8"-140") for water transmission and structural applications requiring FBE or liquid epoxy coating; (c) Offshore pipeline projects requiring 3LPP coating for elevated temperature operation, concrete weight coating for subsea stability, and field joint coating kits; (d) Middle East oil and gas projects where ADNOC, Saudi Aramco, and KOC specifications mandate DIN 30670 or ISO 21809 certified 3LPE coating with third-party inspection; (e) Water infrastructure projects in Africa and Asia requiring AWWA-compliant FBE or liquid epoxy coated pipes for long-distance water transmission pipelines.

The in-house coating capability also supports DF Steel Pipe participation in larger EPC tenders that require pipe suppliers to provide factory-applied coating as part of a single integrated supply scope, a competitive advantage over manufacturers who rely on third-party coating subcontractors.