The Clear Winner.
How GripSafe® ST Helped an EPC Recover Schedule and Cut Costs on a Major Refinery Project
Customer Profile: A global Engineering, Procurement & Construction (EPC) company with operations across Latin America, executing pipe spool modules for a major refinery project owned by the country’s National Oil Company.
THE CHALLENGE:
The EPC was facing mounting pressure on a large-scale refinery project that required 6,240 high-pressure weld tests. The project had fallen behind schedule and was experiencing significant cost overruns.
Traditional testing methods—welding on pipe caps, hydrotesting, cutting caps off, and re-beveling pipe ends—were labor-intensive, time-consuming, and costly. The EPC needed a safe, fast, and economical testing solution that could be deployed immediately in the field without risking pipe damage or further delays.
THE SEARCH FOR A BETTER SOLUTION:
After learning about the GripSafe® ST pipe plug, the EPC contacted USA Industries to explore a more efficient testing strategy.
To ensure a fair and practical evaluation, the EPC invited USA Industries—along with several competing pipe plug manufacturers to the job site in Latin America for an onsite field demonstration.
THE SOLUTION: GripSafe®ST Pipe Plugs
USA Industries sent senior design engineers and commercial representatives to the site to conduct live demonstrations, testing, and hands-on training. The goal was to prove not just performance, but safety, ease of use, and real-world efficiency under jobsite conditions.
During the demonstration, the GripSafe® ST plug clearly differentiated itself through:
- Patented, non-scarring technology that protects the internal pipe wall
- Simple, repeatable installation and removal
- Superior safety and reliability compared to competitive products
USA Industries’ team worked directly with the EPC’s field engineers, inspectors, installation crews, and project management to ensure full understanding of the technology and proper operating procedures before production testing began.
Why Gripsafe ST Was Selected:
Based on direct field experience and feedback from the EPC’s engineering team, GripSafe® ST was selected as the preferred pipe testing solution.
Key decision drivers included:
- No internal pipe damage
- Dramatic time savings
- Lower labor and material costs
- Onsite engineering support and training
Unlike competing plugs, GripSafe® ST did not scar the pipe ID—eliminating the need for costly pipe “cut-offs” or “drops” after testing.
Weld test procedures were streamlined, reducing testing time by an average of 93% compared to conventional cap-and-cut methods.
Fewer man-hours, less rework, and reduced material waste translated directly into higher ROI.
USA Industries’ commitment to sending senior engineers onsite to train crews and inspectors was a major differentiator in both safety and execution confidence.
The Results:
This project demonstrates By implementing GripSafe® ST pipe plugs, the EPC achieved:
- Significant reductions in testing cycle time
- Elimination of pipe rework caused by internal scarring
- Improved safety and consistency across testing crews
- Measurable cost savings in labor and materials
- Progress toward recovering the project’s original schedule
- The GripSafe® ST value proposition clearly outperformed competing pipe plug solutions in both economic and operational impact.
Ongoing Partnership:
USA Industries continued to support the project through its completion, working closely with the EPC’s engineering and construction teams to provide:
- Ongoing technical support
- Additional onsite and remote training
- Engineering modifications for specialized testing requirements
- Supplemental pipe plugging and isolation solutions as the project evolved
Bottom Line:
GripSafe® ST proved to be the clear winner—delivering safer testing, faster execution, and substantial cost savings when the project needed it most.