Mumbai, May 26, 2003: L&T has launched METSEAL, a metal-seated, high-performance butterfly valve manufactured by Audco India Limited (AIL), an L&T associate.

The METSEAL range was designed and developed in-house, using state-of-the-art R&D tools like Pro/Engineer and Pro/Mechanica and is manufactured at AIL's modern plant at Kancheepuram, Tamil Nadu.
METSEAL valves come with a triple offset geometry that guarantees uniform compressive seal around the entire seat and zero leakage. The triple offset also ensures that the body seat and disc seal are in contact only at the final shut-off position, thereby minimising wear and enhancing life.
METSEAL has a laminar disc seal, constructed with metal layers sandwiched between graphite layers, designed to withstand temperatures up to 538 Deg.C (1000 Deg.F). The resiliency of the laminar disc seal eliminates the risk of disc jamming.
The raised conical body seat prevents solids accumulating and interfering with the seal. As a standard, the seat is hard-faced to meet the severe service conditions. Being metal-seated, these valves are intrinsically fire-safe and are tested for compliance to API 6FA and BS 6755, Part II.

METSEAL valves come with a one-piece blowout-proof shaft which provides greater rigidity to the disc and imparts better resistance to bending. The high integrity shaft sealing arrangement of METSEAL is asbestos-free in line with international norms.
METSEAL valves are provided with actuator mounting flanges with holes conforming to ISO 5211, for easy onsite mounting of actuators.

Valve Standards:
Valve design - API 609, Category B and MSS SP-68.
Pressure Test - API 598.
Fire Safe Design - API 6FA and BS 6755, Part II.

Range:
Wafer, Wafer-Lugged and Flanged type.
Class 150 & 300.
Sizes 3" (80 mm) to 24" (600 mm) - Other sizes available on demand.

Audco India Limited
Audco India Limited (AIL) is a joint venture company with equal equity holding by L&T and Flowserve Corporation, USA. Established in 1962, the company has an international reputation for quality and reliability. The Quality Management System of AIL has been certified to comply with ISO 9001:2000, TÜV and API Spec. Q1 of the American Petroleum Institute, and has been approved by major international customers and consultants.

AIL has three modern independent manufacturing facilities at Manapakkam (Chennai), Maraimalai Nagar and Kancheepuram. These plants are equipped with computerised machining centres, special-purpose machines, automatic welding equipment and heat treatment furnaces. In-house metallurgical, NDE and calibration facilities ensure that all AIL valves are of world-class quality.

AIL belongs to a select band of valve manufacturers worldwide, approved and accepted by international oil majors such as Shell, ExxonMobil, ChevronTexaco, Total, Saudi Aramco and Kuwait Oil Company. More than 50% of AIL's production is exported to developed countries like the USA, the UK, France, Germany, Italy, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the UAE, Singapore and Australia.

For further information, contact:
L&T Valves Business Unit
10 Club House Road, Chennai - 600 002
Phone:044-2846 2081-87, Fax - 044-2846 2078
e-mail:kuriakoseB@dmn.ltindia.com