With the acquisition of Urecon Ltd., a Canadian specialist for pre-insulated piping systems for freeze protection and chilled water, GF Piping Systems is expanding its footprint in North America and accelerating the launch of its pre-insulated piping system COOL-FIT in the NAFTA region. Urecon operates two state-of-the-art production sites in the provinces of Quebec (Coteau-du-Lac) and Alberta (Calmar), has a workforce of approximately 100 employees and generated sales of around CHF 20 million in 2016.

The shift of the portfolio to higher-value products and services is a key element of the strategy of GF Piping Systems. The division wants to grow significantly in the area of automation solutions, sensors, and intelligent valves. At the same time, it aims to expand its global service business. The development of its digital offering, which optimally connects the diverse stakeholders in the value chain, plays an important role. An example is Track&Trace, a new digital service that enables centimeter-precise positioning of GF products. In addition, the piping installation process can be monitored remotely.

The launch of Strategy 2020 marked the start of a corporate-wide initiative to implement the Design Thinking approach. So far more than 1’000 GF employees have taken part in training sessions in Asia, America, and Europe. At GF Piping Systems alone, more than 30 projects are currently being carried out in the spirit of the customer-oriented Design Thinking approach.