Pipeline construction – in safe hands
In pipeline and station construction, it's essential that both people and the planet are kept safe. For DENSO, this means ensuring the highest standards of safety and continuously developing our products in line with national and international standards. Bernd Röhling, an Authorised Expert from TÜV Hessen and Max Wedekind, Managing Director of DENSO Group Germany, talk to us about safety in Germany's gas infrastructure during the construction of the EUGAL pipeline.
Mr Röhling, what is your role in the construction of the EUGAL pipeline?
Bernd Röhling: The law stipulates that construction sites must be monitored, which is why TÜV Hessen is here. When products are selected, we ensure that they have the relevant approvals from the construction supervisory authorities. We also check the qualifications of employees who work for the companies contracted to carry out the work.
The German gas infrastructure is one of the safest in the world. Why is that the case?
Bernd Röhling: In pipeline construction, safety primarily means safety for people and the environment, but it also refers to safety of supply. German gas infrastructure exclusively uses products that meet the highest standards of corrosion protection and that have the highest levels of approval for resilience against wear.
Mr Wedekind, as a businessman, what does safety in pipeline construction mean to you?
Max Wedekind: For me, safety is a like a chain – and a chain can only be as strong as its weakest link. This is also true for the construction and operation of pipelines. It's not just about protecting each individual section of pipeline; all of the weld seams also require optimum protection. So our approach to safety is the same wherever we're working: We set the highest benchmarks for our products and satisfy the most stringent quality standards.
And how does DENSO contribute to a safe infrastructure?
Max Wedekind: DENSO collaborates on numerous national and international standards to help make sure that standards remain high and are continuously reviewed. We have been producing and developing our products in Germany for almost 100 years and place great importance on quality. Our products are continuously monitored by independent institutions and we ensure that our processes run faultlessly. In terms of quality management, we hold ISO 9001 certification.
What's the most special aspect of this major project for you?
Bernd Röhling: I am enjoying working on and being jointly responsible for one of Germany's largest pipeline projects.
Max Wedekind: For us, it's very special when such a major transportation pipeline is routed through Germany and we get the opportunity to contribute to the project. Ten years ago we installed our corrosion prevention products on all the weld seams on the OPAL pipeline, and now we're involved once again! This means we have to fine-tune all of our processes, from production to logistics to the on-time delivery of our products to the site.
Thank you for the interview!
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