Local artist has brush with corrosion engineering

It's nice to see how much the company I've owned and operated for over 32 years has grown. We keep adding new staff to our team of designers, engineers, and sales teams -- so much that we outgrew our space at our Doylestown, Pa. headquarters, and recently expanded our facilities.

But the newly leased space was a bit drab. So we hired Lynette Fries, a local artist who lives in Kintnersville, Pa., to give the place a splash of our global project images and color. She's painting a beautiful mural, which depicts many of MATCOR’s key global corrosion projects.

I think her work is just the thing to help create an innovative workplace for our ever-expanding company. More important, having the chance to see great talent such as Lynette’s supports the local community and promotes the arts -- a couple of my top priorities (in addition to saving the world and many of its treasures, one less corroded pipeline at a time!).


Just look at what Lynette has done so far to brighten our offices. She grew up in Warminster, but now makes Upper Bucks County her home. Lynette studied journalism at Temple University, and pursued several careers before finding her calling and joy with paints and creativity. Her work can also be found in children’s rooms, nurseries, and local business waiting areas.

She says she approaches each project by personalizing the images, and finding the right colors to meet each customer request. Well, we're one satisfied customer, Lynette! Thank you again for your hard work, creativity, and enthusiasm!

Here’s a quick view of Lynette below. We'll keep everyone updated on her progress, so be sure to check back for pictures of the finished project.

Put safety first, and profits will follow

Last month, the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) issued its report on the deadly blast at BP’s Texas City refinery in 2005. The industrial accident, the largest since 1990, killed 15 people and injured many more.

The report called attention to safety and process management improvements as a way to prevent such tragedies. I couldn’t agree more, and wanted to add a critical point I’ve learned from my years in the field.

Cost-cutting and poor planning during project management costs operators dearly in the long run. Refineries, like any other business, want to spend less and save more. But employee and building safety shouldn’t be sacrificed to reach the goal.

Tighter regulations and stricter test/inspection mandates are important for keeping workers safe, and running facilities smoothly. So make certain you follow them, and stay updated on all safety requirements.

Yes, keeping your employees and facilities in line with all safety standards can cost a pretty penny. But running damage control, rebuilding the refinery, and settling claims' with victims' families will require even more financial and emotional capital.

It’s better to be proactive with upfront expenditures -- and reduce the chance of tragedy -- than be reactive after a deadly event, and dig the company into a financial hole.

The lesson: Address safety and operations issues on the front end. Procrastination leaves companies open to accidents with disastrous consequences, a situation no conscientious organization wants to face.

Let's be upfront about corrosion

Earlier this month, a pipeline spilled over 5 million gallons of raw sewage into the Buena Vista Lagoon, outside San Diego: .

A little up-front planning and consultation with experts/ engineers who understand this stuff, and I'd be blogging about a different subject today. Instead, Vista and Carlsbad: are running up a hefty $250,000 bill to repair the pipeline. Worse still, a mini environmental disaster is hurting the ecosystem, killing dozens fish and threatening the habitat of nearly 100 species of birds.

The Buena Vista Lagoon is just the latest victim in our country's constant (losing) battle against corroding pipelines. No matter how much is spent to repair pipelines, the problems seem to start all over again.

I know hindsight is 20-20, but remember, this is not the first significant pipeline leak - they are an all too frequent occurrence. Perhaps spending a little more effort on the front end to implement measures that prevent pipeline leaks, we, and our water, will all be a lot better off.

Thirty-two years in the pipeline

I've owned MATCOR for over 32 years. That’s a long time -- and a heckuva lot of industry changes. Buildings are taller. Infrastructure is bigger and more complex. And the country has grown at a rip-roaring pace.

Yet you’d be surprised how much hasn't changed.

Take Forestville, N.Y., for instance. Some water pipes around town date back to President Lincoln’s day. I don't know about you, but I'd feel pretty uncomfortable drinking molecules that might have washed into the earth over 150 years ago.

Obviously, some of these pipe systems are reliable and long-lasting. Nonetheless, they still need to be replaced. Even pipes made of brick have corroded to a degree. This will be a costly investment for Forestville and similar towns across the U.S., but it's a necessary investment that can't wait another 150 years.

Perhaps U.S. Rep. Dave Camp (R-MI) said it best: "We have an antiquated infrastructure. We really need to help our localities protect the water and also the public health."

It's been a long time coming ... isn't now the perfect time for a change?

CP not a cure-all for advanced corrosion

As a corrosion engineer, I field plenty of questions about corrosion protection (CP) and our niche technology. One person recently asked me if CP could be effective in extending the life of a rusted, 66-year-old pipe. If nothing is done, the pipe will last about two more years. It has had some leaks.

The short answer is yes, because CP can stop further damage on infrastructures with advanced corrosion. Tests should be conducted to determine the physical integrity of the pipeline. If it is physically OK and can be repaired, then the final decision rests with the owner and it is a economic/management decision they must make.

Today, there a number of tests that the engineer can conduct to determine the integrity of a pipeline and to greatly extend its life. There are even older pipelines still operating with functioning CP systems. The age of the pipeline isn’t the determining factor.

Got questions of your own? Drop me a line in the comments section, and I'll try to answer it in a future post.

Helping veterans help themselves

The daily reports from Iraq highlight just how difficult and taxing a soldier's job can be. Equally hard: the transition from the battlefield to civilian life as a military veteran.

I know quite a few veterans, and have witnessed their struggles coping with -- or escaping from -- the harmful psychological effects of war. And readjusting to family life and 9-to-5 careers is even more challenging.

MATCOR is addressing these issues through our Veterans Training Program, where we teach vets corrosion testing and engineering. The program gives veterans useful technical skills, and helps them get in on the ground floor in a tight job market.

This is often the first 'real world' job for soldiers who joined the military right out of school. And it gives older veterans the chance to re-enter the working world, in the event they do not return to their former employers. We also benefit from the skills of those who trained with the Army Corps of Engineers.

I'll be writing more about this program in coming posts, and hope to share some stories of veterans who have successfully completed our program.