The UK-based company MEDC part of Cooper Industries a 5B$ US based corporation - has been a leading manufacturer of explosion proof equipment made from metals for over 30 years, but more recently has pioneered the introduction of GRP for explosion proof equipment. In 1993 it launched the first products made from GRP and while the company continues to offer a choice of metal, alloy or GRP for its range of fire and gas safety products, an increasing number of customers are switching to the new material. Brian Walder, the managing director of MEDC, states: “customers have benefited from MEDC’s innovative technology by replacing traditionally used alloys and stainless steel. The lower purchase price in combination with reduced maintenance and longer lifetimes have significantly reduced the cost of ownership. For our key partners, GRP has become the material of choice for their oil and gas installations'.

MEDC has spent almost 15 years researching, designing and manufacturing GRP products for the precise environments encountered in the oil and gas sector, giving them the appropriate combination of properties. The range of products available includes manual alarm call points, heat detectors, beacons, status lamps, loudspeakers and sounders.

In addition to corrosion resistance, GRP will resist attack by most acids, alkalis and chemicals. It is just as resistant to concentrated acids and alkalis as most metal products. GRP meets the flammability requirements of the BSI standard EN60079.

Tests for UV stability have also shown that a service life of over 50 years can be expected. Neither is GRP prone to temperature-related degradation, as thermoplastics can be, allowing it to perform under the most arduous temperature extremes over many years.

MEDCs GRP products are explosion-proof certified for many standards, including ATEX, UL, CSA, GOST R&K and Chinese approvals.

With no corrosion, users can practically 'fit and forget' GRP field equipment. Brian Walder says “We know that maintenance routines still need to be carried out, so that adherence to local requirements can be demonstrated. However we have found that our users need fewer inspections to comply, reducing maintenance costs”. ”The combined properties of strength, lightness and corrosion resistance are increasingly making GRP the preferred choice of many end users.”

MEDC Ltd
Colliery Road, Pinxton, Nottingham NG16 6JFH
Tel: 01773 864100

Also offices in:
Norway: 0047 913 92 289
Texas, USA: 001 713 937 9772

Web: www.medc.com