Arkema and Barrday team up for composite solutions for oil/gas market

Barrday Inc, a major player in the composite market, and French materials maker Arkema have set up a joint venture to manufacture and market carbon fibre and specialty polymer tapes for the growing oil and gas industrial market.

The new venture to be named Barrflex TU will supply thermoplastic composite solutions to the various players of the oil and gas industrial markets.

The tapes are said to deliver substantial improvements in terms of weight reduction (replacement of metal) and corrosion resistance for the flexible pipes used in the deep offshore as well as onshore operations of tomorrow.

The complementary offerings of Barrday (proven experience in thermoplastic composite manufacture) and of Arkema’s range of specialty polymers and resins (PVDF, Polyamides 11 and 12, PEKK, etc.) will enable Barrflex TU to fully capitalise on the growth of the oil and gas market by marketing a new comprehensive and integrated range of solutions, say the companies.

Barrflex TU will be focused on satisfying customer composite tape requirements using any resin, fibre and the development of product and process technology.

Said Michael Buckstein, CEO of the North Carolina-based Barrday, “This partnership with Arkema provides us with access to a unique and wide range of proven polymer solutions for this sector. For a long time Arkema has been an innovative and renowned player in fluoropolymers with Kynar PVDF, in specialty polymers with Rilsan PA11, and more recently with its new Kepstan PEKK resins. We are delighted to be teaming with Arkema for this exciting oil and gas opportunity.”