With a new partnership that has unlocked a portfolio of exciting commercial and civil projects, Nuflow Manawatu is ready to pump new life into its region’s aging infrastructure.
Nuflow Manawatu has recently launched a partnership with Semtex, a local plumbing company that specialises in commercial and civil project contracting. Semtex boasts a collective 200 years of combined industry experience in plumbing, gas, drainage and civil pipelaying. As well as serving the Manawatu region, it operates New Zealand-wide on a number of key specialist contracts.
According to Managing Director, Matthew Nieper, the partnership will bring a new area of proactive, new-age plumbing and relining solutions that are crucial to Manawatu’s pipe infrastructure and its residents.
“We’re really excited to partner with Semtex. Nuflow will be able to lend its expertise to a whole new range of commercial and civil projects, and Semtex will have access to our market-leading relining solutions and pipe inspection technology.
“Ultimately, this is guaranteed to benefit local government, businesses and residents, as we’ll be able to provide modern solutions to monitor, assess and repair even more damaged or aging pipes in the area.
“It’s especially exciting as our solutions are cutting edge, and aren’t yet mainstream or highly available to the Manawatu area. We’ll be able to help shape the region with pipes that are more durable, resilient and efficient than ever before,” Matthew said.
Nuflow is best known for its specialist relining services that repair and rehabilitate pipes by creating a ‘pipe within a pipe’. This is created with an epoxy liner that bonds to the host pipe’s interior wall, sealing and protecting the system from further deterioration while dramatically extending the life of the piping system. Nuflow boasts a range of products that have been developed in-house by the company’s own research and development team, all with special applications to cover all types of problems. ‘Greenline’, for example, is AS/NZ 4020: 2005 approved and deemed safe for drinking water, while ‘Ultraline’ contains a specialised UV resin which cures with an LED Ultra Violet light.
Nuflow’s unique approach is all about providing non-invasive, low impact plumbing solutions that make it easier to be proactive rather than reactive. One of their key services is CCTV inspection, which allows for a detailed, high-definition assessment of a pipe’s condition without needing to dig trenches and create unnecessary environmental or societal impact.
“Our team uses the latest IBAK Tractor Cameras and Pushreels, operated by ProjectMax CCTV trained operators, Matthew said.
“Paired with WinCan VX and WinCan Webflex Cloud Software, we’re able to generate professional reports and grade pipelines to NZPIM 4th Edition along with providing Laser Deformation and Inclination Reports from 50mm to 3000mm.”
Matthew said this CCTV and assessment technology, while not widely available, is becoming increasingly valuable to major commercial and civil projects. The approach allows for quick, accurate and low impact evaluation of the pipes before major project assets, like repair equipment, need to be on site. Ultimately, this helps government and commercial stakeholders to benefit from a significantly more efficient and cost-effective solution.
“Whether it be stormwater, drinking water or sewage, pipe infrastructure plays a crucial part in a modern, developed society. The trouble is that costs, logistics and societal impacts are major factors in deciding how and when to maintain critical pipe infrastructure.
“A potential issue may be left until it becomes an immediate problem that justifies the cost, labour and time to excavate and make the necessary repairs. By then, it might be too late,” Matthew said.
This is particularly important for the aging pipe infrastructure in the Manawatu region, which has the potential to impact water quality and environmental health.
Nuflow’s CCTV solutions are able to view pipes with minimal impact, providing a clear view of issues underground so that reliable and accurate condition reports can be done efficiently and more frequently. This is expected to help increase the frequency of assessments every year, allowing local councils to keep a closer eye on the conditions of pipes that serve their communities.
“At Nuflow Manawatu, we’re eager to deploy this technology more frequently so we can be more proactive with how we maintain our critical pipes. Everyone should have the right to clean drinking water and a reliable sewerage system, and our goal is to ensure this is a pillar for the region.”
