Tuesday, June 28, 2016
2:00 p.m. Eastern
Participants earn one Professional Development Hour
Webinar Overview
FRP pipe has been around for decades, but some engineers have been skeptical, preferring more traditional, often ferrous choices. The goal of this webinar is to address questions and allay fears about FRP pipe.
Sharing his perspective will be Les Whitman, who has direct experience using Flowtite FRP.
We will discuss in detail the many benefits of using pipe manufactured in the modern continuous-winding method (CWFRPM), such as Flowtite pipe, including how it is successfully used today for gravity, pressure, open-cut, slipline and jacking applications.
Also addressed will be the cost of using FRP and how it is an affordable option when transportation, handling, subsequent maintenance and operating costs are factored in. In addition, you will learn about available options and useful considerations when specifying and installing FRP pipe.
Thompson Pipe Group—Flowtite’s Executive Vice President, Mike Leathers and Engineering Manager, Jeff LeBlanc, P.E., will present this webinar.
Company Profile
Pipe and structures are built to last for decades and handle the most challenging infrastructure issues of today. The Thompson Pipe Group serves this need across the U.S. and Canada beginning with three flagship products: Reinforced Concrete Pipe (RCP), Precast Box Culverts, and Flowtite fiberglass pipe (FRP). Thompson Pipe Group also manufactures polymer concrete pipe, Meyer Polymer Concrete structures, and a range of other structures including precast concrete, often custom-poured.
In 1977, contractor Ken Thompson started a company to install concrete pipelines and underground structures. The business gradually shifted focus to the manufacture of piping and related products to serve the whole U.S., with superior support and delivery based on contractors' needs. Because of the contracting background, Thompson Pipe Group is a company that has a unique perspective that includes the needs of the owner and contractor and manufacturing efficiency, as well as a focus on meeting the needs of the most demanding capacities and lay schedules. Each manufacturing plant has teams of engineers and designers with the same hands-on contracting experience that forms the company’s roots. Every project is supported all the way from the drawing board to the construction site.
Speakers:
Les Whitman, EVP & GM, S.J. Louis Construction of Texas
With more than 30 years in the industry, Whitman’s experience covers water, sewer, tunneling, marine, sliplining and bypass projects. The 300-employee construction company that he founded and leads today has successfully completed a significant number of multimillion-dollar pipeline projects across the South Central and Southeast United States. Whitman is uniquely positioned to discuss working with Flowtite FRP pipe from the contractor’s perspective.
Mike Leathers, Executive Vice President, Thompson Pipe Group
Mike Leathers is executive vice president for Thompson Pipe Group. Prior to this, he was president of Hanson Engineered Products, which included Hanson Pressure Pipe and the Canadian gravity RCP division in Ontario and Quebec. Mike serves on the American Society of Civil Engineers’ Task Committee on Sustainable Design of Pipelines and is a member of the University of Texas at Arlington Civil Engineer Advisory Board. He previously served two terms as chair of the American Concrete Pipe Pressure Association. With all this, and more than 20 years in the industry, he is passionate about his business and the importance of water transport.
Currently, Mike lives in the Dallas–Fort Worth area. He’s active in his community council and serves on the planning committee for the city of Colleyville, Texas.
Jeff LeBlanc, Engineering Manager, Thompson Pipe Group—Flowtite
Jeff LeBlanc is the engineering manager for Thompson Pipe Group— Flowtite, which is the licensed manufacturer of Flowtite Fiberglass Pipe for North America. Jeff has a B.S. in civil engineering from Louisiana State University and is a Registered Professional Engineer in the state of Louisiana.
He has more than 16 years of experience in the water and wastewater industry. For the past decade he has worked in the design, manufacture and installation of fiberglass and polymer concrete pipelines for water, sewer and hydropower utilities. His expertise is in flexible pipe design and long-term performance of composite pipe materials.
He is an active member of the ASTM committees on Plastic Products (D20) and Plastic Piping Systems (F17). In addition, Jeff is also a contributing member of three ASCE Pipeline Committees. These committees include Thrust Restraint Design for Buried Pipelines, Sustainable Design of Buried Pipelines and Water Pipe Condition Assessment Guidelines. He is also a member of the Board of Directors for the Southeast Society for Trenchless Technology in Region 4.