The Victaulic Company of Japan’s innovative pipe joints connect businesses and utilities in earthquake-prone regions.
Manufacturing products and equipment for infrastructure solutions is not without its challenges. In Japan, with its history of earthquakes and climate volatility, these challenges may be even more acute—but the most successful companies know how to turn them into opportunities.
The Victaulic Co., of Japan Ltd. has been literally connecting commerce and utilities for 94 years, producing top-quality custom-made pipe joints that help the nation operate smoothly, no matter the conditions. The company’s success and reputation come down to its innovative, seismic-related technologies and products, as shown in its client list including government ministries and major power companies. “Our corporate philosophy places a strong emphasis on safety and security while simultaneously fostering the development of products that bolster disaster prevention and mitigation, as well as guaranteeing the safe and reliable delivery of water.
Agile management is required to achieve this,” says Victaulic Japan president Goji Wada. “Regrettably, Japan is susceptible to earthquakes and has experienced numerous large seismic events. This necessitates a comprehensive review of standards, expeditious recovery of damaged infrastructure systems, and the establishment of long-term facility management strategies,” he adds. The firm is currently working to help address a significant concern facing Japanese infrastructure. Across 730,000 km of water pipelines, a 2019 survey found that approximately 20% of these had surpassed statutory service limits in terms of aging and lifespan. Meanwhile, a 2020 report revealed that 40.9% of water pipelines had undergone seismic retrofitting – with much more work required.
Victaulic Japan’s solution, so far, includes implementing a large-scale seismic retrofit program for water and sewage systems that installs repair joints and replaces connectors. This allows seismic reinforcement of existing joints and flanges at key points, without suspending water. The method is highly evaluated both in Japan and overseas as a permanent measure of earthquake resistance. The new VICSENSORII and Cloud System also remotely monitors the expansion of seismic joints both above and underground in real-time, and pinpoints areas of concern and urgent maintenance before major leaks or damage have occurred, as well as supporting the production and installation of replacement systems. This new offering is in sync with the company’s move toward digital transformation (DX). “We have initiated numerous projects to address this critical challenge. The company is actively working on accumulating substantial technical data, establishing centralized human networks, and continuously analyzing information to capture invaluable know-how,” says Wada.
The company is looking to restructure its business by subdividing its services into sectors—such as the public sector and waterworks, earthquake reinforcement, and private-sector work (construction, production plants, steel, and energy)—with particular interest in nuclear power reactivation programs. In the energy sector specifically, moves toward sustainable resources such as hydrogen, biomass, and ammonia, have major implications for the pipe joints industry. Victaulic Japan is developing repair products resistant to the corrosive effects of some materials while ensuring seismic resilience overall.
Having made a significant impact in Japan and Taiwan, the firm is now looking to expand to other nations with similar tectonic challenges. “Recent occurrences in Morocco, Turkey, and Afghanistan highlight the global need for solutions,” says Wada. “We aspire to leverage our extensive technology and experience, gained from dealing with large-scale earthquake disasters, to grow our presence in these regions.”
