Changes at the Top at Steve Vick International

Steve Vick International was set up in 1981 when Steve Vick, a Chartered Engineer who had worked for Scottish Gas, saw a gap in the market for supplying innovative sealant products to be used in the newly introduced pipe renovation techniques being adopted techniques such as Live Gas Mains Insertion.

Live Gas Mains Insertion
When British Gas brought the idea of live inserting gas mains from the United States, explains Steve, there were practical problems with sealing the annular space between the new PE pipe and the old cast iron main. I saw the opportunity and set up on my own initially supplying expanding resin foam sealants.

In 1984 the company was granted a license by British Gas to market the Live Gas Mains Insertion technique worldwide and development continued on more and more products connected with no-dig gas pipe renewal. Many of the techniques introduced by the company, such as FOAMBAG™ a method of sealing off disused mains have become industry standard procedures.

Crock Harrison, who becomes Joint Managing Director, joined Steve Vick as a technician in 1982 and has worked for the company continuously. His role has developed from being a special contracts engineer, contracts manager and lately director involved not only in the overall management of the company, but also taking the lead in product development.

Joint Managing Director Tony Day has been responsible for the financial management of the company since 1991. He heads up the company’s commercial relationships and also overseas production control.

The most recent addition to the Board is Sean Noonan, 35, who became Operations Director in October 2009. Sean has worked for the company since 1993 and has built up an extensive knowledge of its products and specialist techniques. Sean’s key responsibility is management of Steve Vick International’s Special Contracts Service. Technicians around the UK provide on-site solutions for a wide range of pipe repair and rehabilitation situations including flow stopping and abandonment of gas mains and services, pipe cutting as well as sealing off all types of pipes, ducts and voids in the water, nuclear decommissioning and civil engineering sectors.  Being the youngest member of the Board, says Steve, Sean represents the next generation who will be striving to take the company forward.

Steve Vick International now supplies the gas distribution industry with a wide range of innovative and cost-saving products and techniques used in the minimum-dig repair and renovation of gas pipes. The customer base has widened to include the water and telecoms sectors as well as nuclear decommissioning and civil engineering. In addition, the company designs and manufactures equipment such as pipe coil trailers, pipe handling and pushing machines and pipe cutters which are used throughout the utilities industry in the UK and overseas.

Steve Vick has played an active role for many years as a member of the Institute of Gas Engineers and Managers and is a past Chairman of the South West Section. To further underline his commitment to the industry, he sits on the International Gas Union WOC4 committee, the primary role of which is to support the promotion of safety, efficiency and sustainability across the global gas distribution community.

Steve Vick International will be celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2011. With these board changes in place, says Steve Vick, the company is now strongly placed to grow and diversify.