The production line of heat-shrink sleeves was inaugurated on Saturday during a ceremony attended by Iranian energy officials.
The heat-shrinkable sleeves, commonly utilized for insulation and corrosion protection in oil, gas, water and nuclear energy industries, were previously imported from Canada and the United States.
Iran is the first country in the Middle East to have obtained the know-how to manufacture the product, reported IRNA, without elaborating on the venue or officials involved.
The production of heat-shrink sleeves will prevent the exit of more than $50 million per annum. The annual export of the product is estimated to generate $100 million in revenues.
The total production cost has been reduced by 30% and 10% compared with the American and Chinese counterparts, respectively, but the quality of the Iranian product is comparatively higher as manufacturers have capitalized on previous experiences in manufacturing the prototypes.
Domestic production capacity of the heat-shrinkable sleeves is estimated at 25,000 tons, of which 15,000 tons will be utilized domestically and the rest will be exported.
Heat-shrink sleeve is a corrosion protective coating for pipelines in the form of a wraparound or tubular sleeve that is field-applied. These are widely used for field-girth weld corrosion protection because they’re easy to install, provide excellent protection and are cost-effective.
