“The manufacture and distribution of bolting and fluid sealing products for use in chemical processing, transportation, pulp and paper, power generation, pharmaceutical, marine and various other industrial markets.”

This certification covers VSP’s three primary locations: Prince George, VA, Kingsport, TN and Houston (Kingwood), TX.  It is dated July 28, 2011.

ISO certification represents a corporate milestone and confirmation of our commitment to continuous process improvement and quality.  We also recognize that it is largely through the hard work and dedicated efforts of our employees that ISO registration has been achieved, and we sincerely thank them for helping us to reach this standard of excellence.

Tim Heartwell and William Cooper, members of VSP’s Support Services Group, authored and presented their research  “Variables Affecting Nut Factors for Field Assembled Joints”.

During the Computer Technology & Bolted Joint Committee meeting, Jerry Waterland was presented with a Certificate of Recognition by the ASME PVP Division for Valued Service in Advancing The Engineering Profession.

VSP and its staff have participated and supported the ASME Pressure Vessel & Piping Division since 1990 and have many published research papers through this organization.

VSP Technologies’  TORQ-KIT™ simplifies the planning process, reduces the number of inventory items and eliminates potential errors in your flange assembly practices.

TORQ-KIT

Each TORQ-KIT™ pipe code compliance kit is a complete assembly containing the correct  nuts, bolts or studs, washers, gasket and a Tyvek® inspection tag.  All TORQ-KIT™ components are packaged to meet your plant or piping code specifications.  Assembly torque values specific to the fasteners/gaskets and flange type (assembly- torque sheets) are included within every TORQ-KIT™.  The box and packaging are designed to prevent damage to the components.

One more way VSP Technologies is maximizing bolted joint performance and reliability for our customers.

* spiral wound gasket fabrication
* Artios and Flash Cut CAD automated gasket fabrication equipment
* electronic digitizing equipment
* magnetic torque coupling equipment
* VSP’s ‘Heat Link’ doubles specification confirmation pressure bolting/stud program

Thirteen technical presentations (qualifying for Continuing Education Unites/CEU) were presented throughout the symposium on various topics including:

* Application of ASEM PCC-1, Appendix F, Alternative Flange Assembly Procedures –
Anita Bausman/VSP Technologies
* Fluroelastomer Compounds and Capabilities – Arun Gopaladrichnan/DuPont Elastomers
* Mechanical Seal Reliability Improvements – Mike Spencer/AESSeal
* Understanding ASME Requirements for Pressure Bolting – Rodney Roth/Leader Global Technolgy
* Flange Assembley Best Practices – Matt Tones/Garlock Sealing Technologies
* Qualifications of Vacuum Performance of Gaskets – Walter Lee/Inertech, Inc.

With over 200 customers and vendors in attendance, there were positive responses from all involved.

Once again, VSP has set the bar high and has followed through, with an outstanding Sealing Technology Exposition.

All who participated commented that the Exposition was a very valuable learning tool for them in learning fluid sealing products and technology.

Anita is nationally recognized in the technical community, with considerable experience in all aspects of gasket material and flanged connection specification, selection, and assembly developed during the past twenty-three years while working with Eastman Chemical Company. Anita’s 20+ years of experience ensuring operating reliability of industrial piping & pressure vessel flanged connections positions her as a valuable asset to VSP, and our clients that rely upon us as their subject matter expert on bolted flanged connections.

Anita resides in Kingsport, Tennessee and, as a member of our Support Services Engineering Group, is providing engineering and applications support to VSP’s core clients and businesses. Many of you will no doubt be interacting and working with Anita, and I am confident that you will be impressed with her expertise and capabilities, and gain a first hand appreciation for her decision to join VSP Technologies.

Anita can be reached at:
anita.bausman@vsptechnologies.com

Prince George, Va. (July 24, 2009) – VSP Technologies is proud to acknowledge Eastman Chemical Company’s receipt of the 2008 Chemical Safety Excellence Award, presented by CSX Transportation. The award reflects the company’s commitment to rail car maintenance and safety practices for loading, unloading and shipping hazardous materials.

To be eligible, a company must ship 600 or more hazardous material railcars during the year on CSXT and have no non-accident related releases (NARs). An NAR is defined as a release of a hazardous material during transportation not related to an accident. In 2008, Eastman shipped more than 12,000 hazardous material tank cars (loads and empty residues) on CSXT without any NARs. In addition, during 2008 Eastman won the UP Pinnacle and BNSF Stewardship awards for shipping more than 12,000 hazardous tank car loads and empty residues without incident.

NARs can be caused by improper securement of a tank car allowing product or vapor to escape. Human error and mechanical failures are the predominant causes for NARS. Eastman’s materials handling, tank car maintenance, tank car inspection and logistics groups collaboratively and continually work together to improve the company’s performance in safety and protection of the environment.

“This award shows Eastman’s commitment to transportation safety and attention to detail across all sites,” says Jim Fleming, director of global logistics. “This award helps Eastman achieve our corporate safety and environmental goals and puts Eastman in a favorable position in the chemical industry and with government agencies. We applaud employee efforts which led to this outstanding performance.”

“The achievement of zero non-accidental releases for all of 2008 is a great accomplishment,” says James Frew, director of VSP Technologies’ transportation division. “We are proud that our Ride-Tight fluid sealing management program can help support Eastman’s efforts, and we applaud their achievement.”

About VSP Technologies
VSP Technologies is the largest dedicated fluid-sealing products distributor in the United States, with an approach focused on managing every part of the gasket-use process to make improvements that save customers time and money. The company’s innovative programs have enabled more than $38 million in cost savings to date for its corporate customers and made VSP Technologies one of the most trusted and respected names in the fluid-sealing industry. The company offers products from more than 20 premium manufacturers, as well as several of its own patented products and designs. More information about VSP Technologies is available at www.vsptechnologies.com.

About Eastman Chemical Company
Eastman manufactures and markets chemicals, fibers and plastics worldwide. It provides key differentiated coatings, adhesives and specialty plastics products; is a major supplier of cellulose acetate fibers; and produces PET polymers for packaging. As a Responsible Care® company, Eastman is committed to achieving the highest standards of health, safety, environmental and security performance. Founded in 1920 and headquartered in Kingsport, Tenn., Eastman is a Fortune 500 company with 2008 sales of $6.7 billion and approximately 10,200 employees.

David definitely “lived his life to the fullest” and was a much-loved and highly respected member of the VSP family. He will be sorely missed an leaves a void in our hearts. Please keep David’s family and friends in your thoughts and prayers as they cope with this tragic loss.

Prince George, Va. (February 16, 2009) – Employees at VSP Technologies Corporate Headquarters spent three days undergoing intensive training in Kaizen, the highly regarded Japanese continual improvement philosophy. The training, conducted by representatives from Garlock Sealing Technologies, will enable employees to apply specialized techniques for lean manufacturing to their work in the fluid-sealing industry.

“Kaizen is well-known and respected for bringing lean manufacturing practices into the workplace,” said David Malgee, chief operations officer of VSP Technologies. “We appreciate the opportunity Garlock offered us to learn more about its methods and are excited to begin applying them within each of our business units.”

By encouraging the continual improvement of standardized activities and processes, Kaizen aims to eliminate waste and improve productivity, safety and effectiveness. High-profile companies such as Toyota, Canon and Sony are proponents of the method and attribute improvements in their businesses to its successful implementation.

About VSP Technologies
VSP Technologies is the largest dedicated fluid-sealing products distributor in the United States, with an approach focused on managing every part of the gasket-use process to make improvements that save customers time and money. The company’s innovative programs have enabled more than $38 million in cost savings to date for its corporate customers and made VSP Technologies one of the most trusted and respected names in the fluid-sealing industry. The company offers products from more than 20 premium manufacturers, as well as several of its own patented products and designs. More information about VSP Technologies is available at www.vsptechnologies.com.