Stainless steel, specialist alloys and valve supplier Energy Engineered Products (EEP) says that, since establishing the new Energy Bolts fastener division at its head office in Kyalami, Johannesburg, it has been well received by the local market.

The new division will stock a range of 304 and 316 stainless steel grade fasteners to service all industrial industries, including the automobile, appliance, and infrastructural development industries.

EEP business development director Graham Whitty says the company receives many enquiries for special alloy fasteners and it was, therefore, a natural progression for EEP to expand by stocking a range of fasteners.

“Energy Bolts complements the company’s other business divisions, Energy Metals, Energy Valves, Energy Export and Energy Projects,” he states.

He says Energy Bolts’ 304 and 316 stainless steel grade range of fasteners will provide customers with full traceability and certification of the product, owing to these specific stainless steel grades. The fasteners are available in sizes of M12 to M36.

The launch of the new division was prompted by EEP’s appointment as the South African partner of UK-based specialist manufacturer and supplier of fastener solutions, Hydrobolt, in mid-2012.

Hydrobolt manufactures, stocks, distributes and exports hot-forged and bar- turned, fully traceable, high-integrity special alloy fasteners, petrochemicals- grade studbolt assemblies and machined components.

“Our business is built on a sound long-term relationship with Hydrobolt and the two companies share the synergies of high-quality products, superlative service and a strong customer focus,” explains Whitty.

EEP product solutions include piping, fittings, flanges, round bar, hex bar, angle, flat bar, heat-exchanger tubing, valves and fasteners.

EEP is building stock of standard-grade fasteners, including its fast-moving commodity B7 grade alloy. Whitty believes that EEP is well positioned to offer a range of special-grade fasteners, such as Hastelloy, Inconel, Super Duplex, Durehete, and coated items in Polytetrafluoroethylene and Xylan.”

Whitty says both companies are committed to meeting customer requirements by supplying high-quality products and providing suitable solutions on time.

Hydrobolt is internationally accredited and its customer portfolio includes some of the largest oil and gas companies.

“In addition to the high quality of its products, Hydrobolt also has technique expertise, which benefits our clients,” he adds.

Moreover, Whitty says that, in addition to expanding EEP’s product offering to its core markets, including the mining, petrochemicals, power generation, water treatment, pollution control and pulp and paper industries, as well as to original-equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and general fabricators, its partnership with Hydrobolt provides access to new markets for the company.

“We foresee massive scope in industries such as in those of power generation, oil and gas, chemicals, pumps, valves and fabrication, as EEP can now sell from stock and include fasteners in their projects. Customers will have the advantage and convenience of being able to deal with only one company – a true turnkey solution.”

Stainless Steel Round Bar Offering

Whitty emphasises that there is a significant local demand for stainless steel round bar products.

EEP subsidiary Energy Metals and associated company Multi Alloys’ stainless steel round bar product range comprises corrosion- and heat-resistant alloys with austenitic 316L, 304L, 303L grades. Martensitic 431 grades are also available from Energy Metals, while high-performance grades, such as duplex and super duplex stainless steel, 310, 904L, Alloy 400 and Alloy 600, are supplied by Multi Alloys.

“Between Energy Metals and Multi Alloys, we can offer more than 45 grades of material across more than 150 line items from stock and this range is continuously growing,” states Multi Alloys owner Ken Perel.

Both businesses operate from the same facility in Kyalami, Johannesburg, and are well positioned to service customer needs for corrosion-resistant and high-performance round bar from a single distribution point.

“Our offering is supported by a significant investment in stock as well as our ability to cut products and materials to size,” states Whitty.

He adds that through the companies’ extensive international supply network, Energy Metals can source difficult to find items with short lead times.

“We place the highest importance on quality and are proud of our ISO 9001:2008 accreditation. We only conduct business with the world's leading manufacturers, such as Sandvik, Haynes International, Materion Corporation, Valbruna, in Italy and Viraj, in India, which not only ensures a quality product but also provides access to a large pool of knowledge and technical resources.

“Most of our products are used in challenging environments and understanding the performance characteristics of our product range is paramount to providing guidance on selecting the right product for the right application,” adds Whitty.

EEP and Multi Alloys product ranges are supported by teams who have years of experience, which provides them with a clear understanding of the technical aspects to assist customers in selecting the correct materials for complicated and stringent environments.”

Key consumers of EEP and Multi Alloys’ round bar product offering include manufacturers, OEMs, fabricators, machine shops and general engineering, with key applications in the mining, petrochemicals, power generation, water treatment and automotive industries.