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Contractor’s Guide to Fast Pipe Delivery: Optimizing Lead Time, Coatings, and Logistics

  • Writer: Pipekom
    Pipekom
  • Aug 5
  • 2 min read

In pipeline procurement, lead time is as critical as quality. Delays in pipe delivery can disrupt schedules, inflate project costs, and jeopardize contractual obligations. Whether in water infrastructure, oil & gas transmission, or industrial projects, fast pipe delivery is a decisive factor in contractor success.

At Pipekom, we’ve engineered our operations to meet these time-sensitive demands with speed, traceability, and technical precision.


🔍 Understanding the Technical Timeline of Pipe Delivery

To ensure fast and predictable delivery, contractors must account for several key variables:

1. Pipe Type and Availability

  • Standard sizes (e.g., 4"–24" ERW, SSAW, or seamless pipe in S355JR or API 5L Gr.B/X42):

    ✅ Delivery from stock: 3–7 days (FOB)

    ✅ From rolling mills: 3–4 weeks production lead time

  • Non-standard dimensions or high-grade materials (e.g., X60+, A333 Gr.6, ASTM A106 Gr.C):

    ⏳ Lead time: 5–8 weeks depending on mill backlog and testing

2. Internal and External Coatings

Coating can be a critical path item, especially for pipelines exposed to aggressive environments.

  • External Coatings:

    • 3LPE: +5–8 working days

    • FBE: +4–6 working days

    • Bitumen or Coal Tar Epoxy: +3–5 days

  • Internal Linings:

    • Cement Mortar Lining (CML): +4–6 working days

    • Fusion Bonded Epoxy (FBE): +5–7 days

    • Polyurethane Lining: +5–8 working days depending on diameter and thickness

All coatings follow ISO 21809, AWWA C210/C213, or EN 10289, with full QC documentation upon dispatch.

3. Testing & Certifications

Depending on specification, testing requirements may include:

  • Hydrotesting (100% per EN 10224, API 5L)

  • NDT: UT, RT, MPI

  • Third-party inspections (SGS, BV, TÜV)

🕒 Add 3–7 days for projects requiring full documentation and third-party inspection protocols.


4. Shipping & Site Delivery

With Pipekom’s experience delivering to over 17 countries in the Middle East and Africa:

Destination

Transit Time

Mode

KSA, UAE, Oman

8–14 days

Sea

Egypt, Libya

6–10 days

Sea

Jordan, Iraq

3–6 days

Land

Nigeria, Ghana

25–35 days

Sea

All shipments include:

  • Custom packaging per pipe size

  • Protective end caps

  • Complete packing list, COO, Mill Test Certificates


🚀 How Pipekom Ensures Fast Pipe Delivery

At Pipekom, fast delivery is not a slogan — it's a process:

  • Synchronized Sourcing: With access to Tier-1 mills in Turkey, China, and Europe, we balance availability, compliance, and geography to minimize delays.

  • Integrated Coating Facilities: Coordinated project scheduling across in-house and partner coating lines with real-time QA/QC.

  • AI-Driven Planning: Intelligent procurement forecasting, allowing us to reserve production slots ahead of demand.

  • Dedicated Export Desk: Complete control of document flow, customs compliance, and port coordination.


📌 Project Snapshot – Water Transmission (UAE)

  • Scope: 6 km of DN600 steel pipes, 3LPE-coated (EN 10219 + ISO 21809)

  • Challenge: 30-day delivery window

  • Execution:

    • Manufacturing: 16 days

    • Coating: 6 days

    • Documentation & inspection: 3 days

    • Transport (Jebel Ali): 5 days

  • Total Lead Time: 30 days from PO to delivery


✅ Conclusion

Contractors managing high-value infrastructure projects cannot afford unpredictability in their pipe supply chain. A reliable pipe supplier must deliver more than steel — they must deliver speed, compliance, and documentation, all within strict timelines.

At Pipekom, we specialize in fast pipe delivery, underpinned by mill relationships, quality assurance systems, and logistics infrastructure that deliver results you can plan on.


📧 Email: info@pipekom.com

🌐 Website: www.pipekom.com

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