Specialist drainage engineers from Lanes Group have successfully rehabilitated a key production pipe at a world-leading plastics manufacturing facility, ensuring its long-term integrity and efficiency.

Victrex plc, a global expert in advanced polymers, commissioned Lanes Group’s pipe rehabilitation and lining division to replace a defective liner in an effluent pipe at its Fleetwood, Lancashire factory.

Using specialist remote-access technology, the Lanes Group team completed the work with minimal disruption and in the shortest possible time.

Pinpointing and Solving the Issue

Regular maintenance checks by Victrex identified a potential problem with a section of a 300mm-diameter clay pipe that carries effluent to an on-site treatment plant. A previous contractor had installed a 35-metre liner between two manholes to reinforce the pipe, but a CCTV survey by Lanes Group revealed a 13-metre section of the liner had developed a fault, restricting flow and posing a structural risk.

Gary Carey, Lining Technical Manager at Lanes Group, explained:

"Ensuring the long-term integrity of the effluent pipe and optimising its capacity was of critical importance to Victrex. We were pleased to be able to precisely identify the cause of the problem, then recommend and execute the most effective and sustainable technical solution."

Lanes Group advised that the defective section be removed and a new 35-metre liner installed, covering both the affected section and the intact 22-metre portion. To ensure a perfect fit and prevent rucking, a 294mm-diameter liner was chosen instead of the standard 300mm.

Precision Engineering with Advanced Materials

To meet the chemical resistance requirements of the effluent pipe, Lanes Group collaborated with its German supplier, IMPREG, and Victrex to select a UV-cured in place pipe (CIPP) liner with a specialised vinyl ester (VE) resin. Testing by Victrex confirmed the material's suitability, allowing the project to proceed.

The entire operation was carried out during a scheduled production shutdown. As an added safety measure, bungs were installed at both ends of the pipe to contain any waste generated during the process.

High-Tech Rehabilitation Process

The defective liner was removed using a remotely operated ProKASRO robotic cutter, an electric-powered wheeled device equipped with an articulating grinding head. This precision tool cut the faulty liner into sections, which were then flushed out with high-pressure water jets and extracted by a Lanes Group jet vac tanker for safe disposal.

With the pipe cleared, the team winched the new 35-metre-long UV CIPP liner, made from flexible glass-reinforced plastic, into position. Once inflated with compressed air, a computer-controlled UV light train passed through the liner, rapidly curing the VE resin and forming a durable, impervious pipe-within-a-pipe with a design life of 100 years.

A final CCTV survey confirmed the successful installation.

Gary Carey noted the advantages of the process:

"Lining is often faster, more cost-effective, and has a smaller carbon footprint than replacing defective production pipes, especially if they are buried or difficult to access. We can also install chemical-resistant liners cured with LED light, allowing us to rehabilitate small-diameter pipes, under 100mm, and ones with sharp bends."

Industry-Leading Drainage Solutions

Lanes Group is the UK’s largest drainage and wastewater specialist, delivering services to a wide range of industries, including manufacturing, energy, transport, and water utilities. Its expertise in trenchless technology ensures businesses like Victrex can maintain critical infrastructure efficiently, minimising downtime and environmental impact.