Beldam Crossley, the UK’s leading packing and static seals specialist, has announced a new contract with Shiphams Valves (Shiphams).

The new order builds an already strong relationship and will see Beldam Crossley supply Shiphams with a range of gland packing rings to fulfill the Hull-based company’s requirements for a large overseas order.
Shiphams, one of the longest established valve manufacturers in the world, has been involved in almost every major oil and gas project carried out around the world in the last decade.
Every valve manufactured by the company contains a seal and Beldam Crossley will now provide a full range of these seals, cut to specific dimensions as specified by Shiphams, in a range of materials to suit various applications.  The valves will be produced, largely using Beldam Crossley’s unique Pilotgraph 4000 range of sealing material. 
 
Reinforced with inconel wire
Manufactured from very pure expanded graphite, Pilotgraph 4000 contains minimal amounts of trace elements such as sulphur and chloride.  It is reinforced with inconel wire to ensure that the packing has high thermal conductivity, very low friction and rapid heat dissipation; factors that help create a long seal life.  The inclusion of a corrosion inhibitor also ensures that when the packing is used on valves with stainless steel stems, pitting does not occur in environments prone to galvanic corrosion.
Commenting on the order, Ron Strang, technical director for Shiphams, said: “We have a long-standing relationship with Beldam Crossley and have always been delighted with both the products and the service provided by the team there.  This gave us confidence that the company could satisfy this highly bespoke order for a large project on the continent, and we had no hesitation in giving them the business.”
Steve Leopold, marketing director for Beldam Crossley, added: “It is always pleasing when a well-respected company such as Shiphams returns to us to supply packing solutions. We will now work very closely with the Shiphams team to ensure that the products supplied meet their exact specifications.
“We believe that our ability to produce high quality products to order and our customer service adds value to our orders and that has maintained our relationship with Shiphams.  We work closely with all our customers to make sure we address their needs and it is this approach that keeps us competitive and successful.”