Sophiane - 1998 annual report - Vinci

18
Pre-insulated
pipes
Sophiane is represented on this market by
Wannitube, which designs, manufactures and
markets pre-insulated pipes for the long-distance
conveyance of hot and cold liquids used in district
heating and air conditioning networks, or in
industrial plants. The Company offers its customers,
in both construction and industry, a wide range of
piping products made of plain steel, galvanised
steel, stainless steel and copper.
As the leading French producer, with a market share
of 50%, Wannitube is now seeking further growth
on foreign markets.
Business activity
Wannitube’s business volume
grew in 1998 by almost 20%
over the previous year, but if one
uses the average of the three
previous fiscal years as the base
line, the growth rate comes
down to 10%.
Apart from manufacturing
conventional products such as
its rigid heat-bearing conduit
made of carbon steel, galvanised
steel or copper (suitable for
average temperatures running
up to 120° C), or its flexible
pre-insulated tube, Wannitube
has worked at developing special
solutions for non-traditional
applications: implementation
of a high-temperature technique
operating at 180° C, based on
a double steel envelope network
combining mineral wool
insulation with air space
insulation; insulation of a
polyvinyl chloride heat-bearing
conduit for conveying hot water
at 40° C as input to a thermal
spa; development of a
pre-insulated tube with an
exterior galvanised steel
envelope, allowing for “M1” fire
protection classification,
and hence for application in the
renovation of ascending pipes.
In parallel with these technical
developments, Wannitube has
gradually expanded its
traditional offering to make it
more global, with the inclusion
of civil engineering, installation
and supply of equipment.
Wannitube successfully
completed several significant
projects in 1998: renovation
of the district heating network
of the Beau Marais “ZUP” Zone
in Calais; replacement of the
high-temperature district
heating network of the town
of Autun by a low-temperature
network; conveyance of drilled
well water for the thermal spa
of Gréoux-les-Bains; installation
of a network for co-generation
at Berck Hospital; restructuring
of the underground heating
network at the military camp
of Valdahon; finally, the
installation of a network
at the co-generation plant
in Le Havre.