Monday, July 25, 2011

Read all about it! Valve World Conference Americas...

 I'm sure it can't have escaped your notice, but the recent Valve World Conference in Houston went down very successfully. In fact, many attendees said that the presentations were quite exceptional.

We are therefore pleased to report that  many of these presentations are now available through the Valve World Webshop.

For example, you can read what Petrobras' João Henrique Rittershaussen had to say about  Petrobras’ Business Plan 2014: Strategy and Demand for Valves, and catch up on how Marie Murphy (NPPD) believes  Nuclear Industry Operating Experiences can be transformed into Improvements in Valve Performance.

And that's just the start: other quality papers come from Marc Simoëns (Dow Benelux) and Rajan Hingoraney (Aramco Services Company).

And then there are workshop presentations too, including Predicting valve performance during sizing & selection phase (by Bill Ross (Chevron) & Henk Hinssen (iHandl Engineering)), Counterfeit valves - a threat to the valve industry  (Steve Butler (Shell) & Ginger Restovic (IDS-Tag Tech)) and Supply chain management (moderated by Jerry D'Avanzo (DuPont Engineering) & Ralph Chaney (MRC)).

In short, if you are into valves, then this bundle of presentations is surely a "must-read".

For more details, please check out the Valve World webshop.

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

The Real Renaissance

By David Sear

Funny things, words. I was reminded of that just last week, when touring the Loire valley with my partner.

Now, I’ve always seen the Loire as a great holiday destination: gentle cycle rides through the forests, visits to mediaeval villages, a glass of wine in a country café… all great fun indeed

It was my partner who pointed out that the Loire is much, much more than just a tourist hot-spot. In fact, she said, the Loire river valley has been included on the UNESCO World Heritage List on account of its exceptional cultural landscapes.

Many of the chateaux, she continued, are shining examples of the Renaissance that spanned Europe during the 14th to 17th centuries.

And she’s right of course, as many of these castles are simply stunning.

But the word Renaissance (which roughly translates as “new birth”) is used in other contexts, too.

And that message was struck home the day after we visited the chateau at Azay-le-Rideau (see photo).

On an leisurely bike ride, in the middle of a forest alongside the Loire, we happened upon a 20th construction of equally impressive appearance. One that is also undergoing a certain Renaissance.

But if you want to know more, please check out my recent article on the Valve World website.