NUFLOW NORTHWEST SYDNEY
ATLAS COPCO Bessimer Street Blacktown NSW 2148
PROJECT OVERVIEW
Atlas Copco’s busy spare parts distribution centre in Blacktown, Sydney, faced a critical challenge when corrosion and pitting were discovered in the copper fire main pipes beneath the facility’s main delivery and dispatch area. With the network located under a 150–200 mm- thick reinforced concrete slab, conventional replacement would have required costly excavation and extensive downtime. Nuflow was engaged to deliver a trenchless repair solution using their Redline epoxy pipe relining technology, ensuring the fire system remained operational without disrupting business operations.
CHALLENGE
The facility’s fire main network, comprising approximately 440 metres of 100 mm copper pipe, had suffered significant internal corrosion and pitting. Leaks had begun appearing on the slab surface, indicating a high risk of ongoing leakage or even catastrophic rupture. Traditional pipe replacement presented major obstacles:
- Estimated replacement cost of around $650,000, largely due to concrete removal and reinstatement.
- Prolonged site closure, potentially lasting weeks, disrupting thousands of daily truck movements.
- Risk of substantial tenant compensation claims for downtime.
- Environmental impact from concrete cutting and waste removal.
With Atlas Copco’s operations relying on uninterrupted load turnarounds, a conventional approach was not viable.
THE SOLUTION
Nuflow proposed a trenchless rehabilitation program to restore the system’s performance while avoiding excavation, downtime, and unnecessary costs.
THE RESULTS
Nuflow successfully rehabilitated the fire main system with zero downtime, avoiding the estimated $350,000 in additional costs associated with traditional pipe replacement. The relined network not only restored the fire system’s operational integrity but also improved flow rates. Relations between the building owner, facility managers, and tenants remained positive, with no loss of productivity or revenue. The environmentally friendly, non-invasive method eliminated concrete cutting, avoided landfill waste, and delivered a 50-year guarantee on the repair — ensuring the system will continue to perform reliably for decades.
NUFLOW’S AGING INFRASTRUCTURE MAINTENANCE AND REHABILITATION
For information on how Nuflow can help maintain and rehabilitate your potable water assets— including pressure main relining, concrete pipeline repairs, and trenchless rehabilitation of
critical supply infrastructure—contact our team of specialists. We deliver safe, compliant solutions for even the most complex potable water pipe repair projects.
