The AC/DC transformer cathodic protection rectifier is a relatively simple and highly reliable piece of equipment that is a proven workhorse in the cathodic protection industry.
In the short time since our parent company BrandSafway acquired JA Electronics, we’ve learned a lot from them about how they build the best CP rectifier in the corrosion industry.
A lot of little things add up to a big difference between a merely good CP rectifier or a best in class rectifier.
And these little things don’t really add to the unit’s cost. In some cases, they are both best in class and lower cost.
JA Electronics recently published an article entitled Building the Best Cathodic Protection Rectifier. Here are the top 6 things they recommend if you want the best cathodic protection rectifier at the best price:
A marine grade aluminum case
Color coded engraving and wiring
Thoughtful layout for ease of use and long life
Left side maintenance door for simplified access
A modular bridge diode assembly for easy troubleshooting
Brass solder lugs for reliability
To get in touch with our team of cathodic protection experts for more information, to ask a question or get a quote, please click below. We will respond by phone or email within 24 hours. For immediate assistance, please call +1-215-348-2974.
The American Petroleum Institute (API) recently issued a landmark technical report regarding vapor corrosion inhibitor (VCI) use for storage tank bottom corrosion protection (API TR 655).
VCI has been promoted as a technology for use under above-ground storage tanks for the past decade. This effort recently received a big boost with the American Petroleum Institute’s publication of its long-awaited technical report on VCI.
Vapor corrosion inhibitor technology for tank bottom corrosion protection gets boost from API technical report.
MATCOR has been an early adopter of VCI technology as we believe that it can be an important and effective component in a corrosion prevention program for tank bottoms. We have partnered with Zerust to be an authorized distributor and installer of VCI products for tank and other applications.
We are excited that API has led the way on recognizing VCI technology, and we would expect that other organizations–AMPP for one–will adopt similar guidelines and recommendations.
For a more detailed review of the technical report, visit our VCI partner company Zerust’s summary at the link below:
To get in touch with our team of cathodic protection experts for more information, to ask a question or get a quote, please click below. We will respond by phone or email within 24 hours. For immediate assistance, please call +1-215-348-2974.
To honor this critical program, Rusty reached out to Zachary Seese, MATCOR’s Safety Manager, to talk about the safety programs in place at MATCOR.
Zac, thanks for joining us for this safety Q&A. Let’s start by asking the big question, what are MATCOR’s Safety Goals?
At MATCOR, our employees are the most important aspect of our business. Therefore, we are dedicated to providing a work experience that is always free from exposed hazards.
“Goal Zero” is the milestone we wish to achieve at all MATCOR work sites. In order to achieve zero injuries, we must identify remove hazards. To accomplish this, we utilize multiple safety methodologies.
How do you go about identifying and removing hazards in the work environment?
Behavior Based Safety (BBS) is one of the primary programs MATCOR employees and management participate in to communicate jobsite hazards and to audit jobsite conditions.
BBS involves active participation in three programs:
1) BrandSafway’s Employee Intervention System (EIS) All MATCOR employees are encouraged to use the EIS program to document hazards experienced in the workplace and to share how they were mitigated. MATCOR employees also utilize the EIS program to document Good Catches and to make recommendations on how to improve processes.
2) Supervisor Observation System (SOS) All field level supervisors complete SOS’s when they visit jobsites. Supervisor Observations is an audit tool which engages supervisors with our employees to assure that they are complying with MATCOR/BrandSafway EHS expectations.
3) Management Safety Review (MSR) Top level supervisors including EHS Managers, Project Managers, Regional and Area Managers and above complete MSR’s as an upper level audit tool to ensure that all field employees and field supervisors are complying with MATCOR/BrandSafway EHS expectations.
These three programs are the cornerstone of our safety program, and everyone is responsible for identifying and removing hazards in the workplace.
What if an employee sees a hazardous situation?
Stop Work is the most important tool an employee at MATCOR possesses.
Any employee can stop any job at any time when they recognize a hazard. It is that simple – if something appears wrong our employees are required to Stop Work. In addition, all MATCOR employees and supervisors are trained to support stop work and to not retaliate against any employee who does so.
We recently received recognition from one of our customers for our proactive use of stop work. While completing close interval survey work, an employee began to show possible signs of heat exhaustion and their supervisor observed the symptoms. The supervisor immediately made the decision to stop the job for the day and give the employee an opportunity to recover. The near hit/stop work was reported and documented. The following week, one of the customer’s corporate officers commended the MATCOR supervisor’s use of stop work and described how those actions align with their safety expectations as well.
How important is training to maintaining a workplace environment free of all hazards?
Training is critical to our safety programs. And since our Behavioral Based Safety involves all levels of the organization, we have developed extensive safety training programs to engage our entire organization.
MATCOR training provides our employees with the knowledge they require to perform their tasks in a safe manner. In addition, it provides them with the ability to recognize hazards and the knowledge about how to react and report them.
We provide instructor- and computer-based training, competency training and hands-on assessments.
What are some examples of the safety training MATCOR provides to its employees?
The following list contains some examples (not all) of the trainings MATCOR provides its employees:
Computer-Based Training New employee orientation (including our Life Saving Rules) Code of Conduct Stop Work Obligation Distracted Driver Defensive Driving HAZCOM/GHS Confined Space Lockout/Tagout
Instructor-Led Training Fall Protection NSC Basic Orientation Plus PEC Basic Orientation PEC H2S Clear Incident Reporting
Competency/Hands-on Assessments Task-Specific Operator Qualifications (in house and third party) Forklift Backhoe Aerial lift
Our supervisors receive higher-level training to ensure they are able to teach and ensure compliance with EHS standards at all jobsites. These supervisor-specific trainings include but are not limited to: EIS/SOS Program Job Safety Planning Fall Protection Personal Risk Tolerance Drug and Alcohol Awareness Stop Work Obligation Material Handling
Where does technology fit in to MATCOR Safety Programs?
One key technology component in our arsenal is the use of tracking equipment on our extensive fleet of construction equipment.
This equipment travels from jobsite to jobsite, and while being transported, they are subject to DOT regulations. We utilize Geotab Electronic Log Devices with GPS tracking on all company DOT regulated vehicles. GPS tracking enables us to comply with DOT regulations, monitor for and correct adverse driving habits. It even allows us to locate and recover missing equipment, or to locate an employee who might be in danger with no communication.
Another key technology that is integral to our Behavior Based Safety system is our in-house Integrated Management System (IMS). The IMS allows us to track, collect, compile and perform data analytics on all of the collective reporting from our field personnel while performing observations. This data can be used to identify and focus on critical issues.
Thanks Zac, any last words on Safety?
One final comment – communication and continued improvement are necessary to ensure that our EHS program is successful. Our EHS department is engaged daily with all levels of our Operations to encourage active participation, and we know that it works. We can create a work environment that is free of hazards.
To get in touch with our team of cathodic protection experts for more information, to ask a question or get a quote for safe, industry leading products and service, please click below. We will respond by phone or email within 24 hours. For immediate assistance, please call +1-215-348-2974.
We are pleased to be featured in the 2021 Storage Terminals Magazine Products & Profiles Supplement, which brings together the latest products and technology enabling storage terminals to run safe, efficient operations.
MATCOR provides industry leading cathodic protection and AC mitigation solutions to storage terminals operators around the globe.
Internal pipeline corrosion is a significant challenge for maintaining pipeline integrity, particularly during construction or after hydrotesting. Vapor Corrosion Inhibitors (VCIs) provide a targeted solution for protecting internal pipeline surfaces and mitigating corrosion risks.
Internal corrosion occurs when contaminants such as water, oxygen, and bacteria interact with the metal surfaces inside a pipeline. This risk is especially high after hydrotesting, a mandatory step for verifying pipeline integrity.
During hydrotesting:
Residual moisture and bacteria often remain even after draining and drying, creating a highly corrosive environment.
Hydrotesting introduces water into the piping to ensure there are no faulty welds and that the piping system can handle design pressure without leaks. Unfortunately, this testing can also introduce bacteria, which exacerbate corrosion risks.
Even with efforts to dry internal surfaces, residual moisture and contaminants can accelerate metal degradation, compromising long-term reliability.
How VCIs Work for Pipelines
VCIs are chemical compounds designed to protect pipelines by:
Diffusing and adsorbing onto metal surfaces to create a molecular-level protective barrier.
Blocking water and oxygen from reacting with the internal metal surface.
Providing long-lasting protection for months or years, depending on application conditions.
For pipeline preservation applications, VCI chemicals are typically mixed with water into a slurry. This slurry is then pumped into the piping manifolds using a series of injection pumps and injection ports, delivered via hoses from multiple mixing tanks.
VCIs are particularly effective for hard-to-reach areas within pipelines, such as manifolds and intricate piping systems, where traditional methods may fall short.
VCI Case Study: West Texas Pipeline Reservation Project
MATCOR completed a significant preservation project at a newly constructed pipeline station in West Texas. Highlights of the project include:
Injecting over 24,000 gallons of VCI solution into multiple above-ground manifolds after hydrotesting.
Adding methanol (anti-freeze) to the slurry mixture to ensure freeze protection during winter.
Successfully mitigating corrosion risks while the remainder of the construction continued.
This project demonstrated the effectiveness of VCIs in preserving pipeline integrity under challenging environmental conditions.
Enhancing VCI Effectiveness with Complementary Measures
VCIs are a powerful tool for internal corrosion prevention, but their effectiveness is maximized when used in conjunction with other measures:
Reducing contaminants before pipeline entry: Ensures that corrosive agents are minimized, allowing VCIs to focus on existing risks.
Internal pipeline cleaning: Removes residue and deposits that can interfere with VCI diffusion or create localized corrosion.
Cathodic protection systems: Provide additional protection for pipeline areas not effectively reached by VCIs, such as crevices or air gaps.
By integrating VCIs with these measures, operators can create a comprehensive internal corrosion prevention strategy.
To get in touch with our team of cathodic protection experts for more information, to ask a question or get a quote, please click below. We will respond by phone or email within 24 hours. For immediate assistance, please call +1-215-348-2974.
MATCOR has historically stocked and specified dual insulated HMWPE/Kynar™ for all of our chemically aggressive cable applications. Many other suppliers in our industry utilize HMWPE/Halar™ for their chemically aggressive cable applications. The two are generally seen as being equivalent materials for cathodic protection purposes.
Due to recent supply chain disruption, MATCOR has had to provide HMWPE/Halar™ in place of HMWPE/Kynar™. This is due to the availability of materials.
Unless explicitly instructed otherwise, MATCOR reserves the right to substitute these two cable installations interchangeably based on material availability.
Should you have any questions, please contact your MATCOR sales representative.
May 2021 Cathodic Protection Supply Chain Update
Historically, MATCOR has enjoyed an exceptional on-time delivery record. Over the past decade our lead times for anodes have gone down. 1-2 weeks for rush orders is quite achievable. 3-4 week deliveries are the norm for MATCOR manufactured cathodic protection products. Through 2020, we were able to navigate cathodic protection supply chain issues and avoid delays due to material availability.
However, if you are reading the news, you cannot help but see stories the stories:
The general state of the global economy is one of delay and disruption accompanied by price increases and surcharges.
In our cathodic protection manufacturing business, we have not been immune to these pressures. Supply is tighter and orders delayed for key items we use on a regular basis. This includes lumber for anode reels to Iridium for our mixed metal oxide anode coatings. Cathodic protection cable availability, especially for Kynar dual insulated cable, has gone from 4-6 weeks to 15+ weeks.
Shipping Issues
The cost and reliability of shipping channels is another challenge facing manufacturers. Both ocean freight and motor freight are struggling with shortages of containers, truck drivers, port congestion and rising fuel costs. Getting materials to our manufacturing facility and shipping them out is more difficult and less reliable than ever before.
At MATCOR, we have a great logistics team and a very flexible manufacturing team. Our on-time delivery record has suffered, but we are doing everything we can to minimize the impact on customers. We communicate early and often with those affected to advise them of any supply delays.
We encourage our customers to give themselves additional lead time by purchasing materials a little earlier than normal. This will assure that they have them on site well in advance of their planned installation. Engage early with MATCOR and your other suppliers to coordinate delivery timeframes. This is a good idea for both planned projects and critical timeline projects as we navigate these challenging times.
Don’t allow cathodic protection supply chain issues to affect your project. Plan ahead by contacting us at the link below. For immediate assistance, please call +1-215-348-2974.
RUSTY Talks to Michael Grace, Vice President of JA Electronics
MATCOR is excited to welcome JA Electronics to the BrandSafway family, bringing decades of expertise and a range of cathodic protection rectifiers and other CP accessories to MATCOR customers.
We recently sat down with JA Electronics’ VP Michael Grace for this informative interview.
RUSTY: Michael, first off, welcome to the BrandSafway family – what do you think of your new logo?
MICHAEL: JA Electronics has a long and proud history of servicing the Cathodic Protection industry dating back to 1980. BrandSafway’s acquisition of the company marks a new and exciting chapter in that history.
The new logo is a great way to reflect on our past and look forward to our future as part of BrandSafway’s growing set of Corrosion and Integrity businesses. We are very excited about the opportunities ahead of us.
RUSTY: Other than a new logo, what big changes do you see coming for JA Electronics?
MICHAEL: Let’s start by saying what is not going to change—we are going to continue to supply the highest quality rectifiers on the market and do so at very competitive rates. JA Electronics has earned its reputation of providing rectifiers that are built to perform for the long haul. We are not changing our manufacturing team—our rectifiers are proudly built in Stafford, Texas by a team of experienced and dedicated rectifier assembly professionals. Another thing that will not change is our customer service. We stand behind our products and provide world class technical support.
What will change is our relationship with MATCOR. As a fellow BrandSafway company, MATCOR and JA Electronics will be actively looking at ways to partner our products and services. MATCOR, like JA Electronics, is an established name in the cathodic protection industry with a reputation for outstanding products and a long history of innovation. We expect to see collaboration with MATCOR on marketing efforts, shared R&D initiatives, and a closer pairing of our offerings to our customers to add greater value.
RUSTY: What makes JA Electronics a great value proposition?
MICHAEL: JA Electronics’ rectifiers are highly respected in the marketplace for their quality and reliability, a reputation that we have earned over the past 40 years.
Our conservative design basis sets us apart from other rectifier manufacturers. Our transformers, bridge stacks and wiring assemblies are all designed with a 20% safety factor. There are other features and material selection choices that we make to further enhance the reliability of our rectifiers. These design choices result in a higher quality product and allow us to offer a 2 year standard warranty, when most of our competitors limit their warranty to 1 year.
RUSTY: Are JA Rectifiers priced at a premium relative to other rectifiers in the market?
MICHAEL: There is a perception with some in our industry that JA Rectifiers are higher-end rectifiers and cost more than other brands. But the reality is that our rectifiers are cost-competitive with other suppliers even with the great value that we offer. Give JA Electronics a shot—we think you will be surprised at our competitiveness with other rectifier suppliers.
RUSTY: Why are aluminum enclosures better for cathodic protection rectifiers? What’s wrong with galvanized steel?
MICHAEL: Well, there is nothing wrong with galvanized steel enclosures. They’re just not as good as the aluminum enclosures that JA Electronics supplies. We prefer aluminum for its lightweight, anti-corrosive and thermal conductivity properties; whereas galvanized steel is significantly heavier, typically more expensive and does not provide the same level of corrosion resistance in outdoor installations that aluminum offers. The weight savings translates into reduced shipping costs and easier handling during installation. The aluminum enclosures we provide will never rust as aluminum will naturally react with the environment to create a thin oxidizing layer that protects the enclosure. We consider aluminum to be the superior enclosure material.
RUSTY: Is there anything we did not cover that the MATCOR customers might find useful to know about JA Electronics?
MICHAEL: We have a QuickTurn program that covers some of our most common sizes of rectifiers, and we will be looking to expand on this program working with MATCOR to better serve our customers’ needs.
For the past several NACE Conferences, MATCOR has spiced up the lives of AMPP (formerly NACE) Conference attendees by handing out our highly coveted Hot Sauce with our mascot Rusty on the bottle.
Complete the form below to get your free hot sauce!
Together MATCOR® by BrandSafway and JA Electronics will provide full range of cathodic protection and corrosion control solutions.
KENNESAW, Ga., April 9, 2021 — BrandSafway has acquired JA Electronics Manufacturing Company, a privately owned business, specializing in providing the corrosion control industry with cathodic protection equipment, custom engineered using the latest technology.
“By bringing JA Electronics Manufacturing products and solutions to MATCOR and BrandSafway, we will be able to more effectively grow our cathodic protection and corrosion control business,” said Dave Witsken, president of Industrial, Energy and Commercial for BrandSafway. “We’re also excited that JA Electronics’ solar-powered rectifiers will enhance BrandSafway’s ongoing ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) efforts.”
MATCOR by BrandSafway delivers cathodic protection and corrosion control solutions for major infrastructure assets, including oil, gas, and water pipelines, above-ground storage tanks, power plants, energy facilities, deep wells, and steel-in-concrete structures worldwide. JA Electronics’ industry-leading corrosion protection rectifiers, controllers, boxes, anodes, testing equipment, and additional grounded materials are an ideal complement to MATCOR’s business. JA Electronics and MATCOR’s combined customers will benefit from a broader range of solutions and greater depth of expertise in cathodic protection and corrosion control.
Founded in 1984 and located in Stafford, Texas, JA Electronics has a proven leadership team, committed to the highest industry safety and quality standards. “This is a great opportunity for JA Electronics and our employees,” said Jesse R. Marion, JA Electronics president and CEO. “JA Electronics has an experienced team with a great depth of knowledge in manufacturing cathodic protection and corrosion control equipment, which will complement the expertise that BrandSafway has in access, scaffolding, forming, shoring, and related industrial services.”
About MATCOR
In business since 1975, MATCOR by BrandSafway provides services and products that solve corrosion problems globally for major infrastructure assets such as oil, gas, and water pipelines, above-ground storage tanks, power plants, energy facilities, well casings, and steel-in-concrete structures. MATCOR is a turnkey ISO 9001:2015 certified provider of customized cathodic protection products and systems combined with high-quality corrosion engineering, installation, and maintenance. The company maintains specialized CIS (close interval survey) teams and a large fleet of construction equipment. MATCOR’s manufacturing plant is located in Chalfont, Pennsylvania, and the company maintains field service and sales offices in Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Wyoming and Western Pennsylvania, in addition to a growing list of international distributors. For more information about MATCOR, visit www.matcor.com.
About BrandSafway
With a commitment to safety as its foremost value, BrandSafway provides the broadest range of solutions with the greatest depth of expertise to the industrial, commercial and infrastructure markets. Through a network of 340 strategic locations across 30 countries and more than 38,000 employees, BrandSafway delivers a full range of forming, shoring, scaffolding, work access and industrial service solutions. BrandSafway supports maintenance and refurbishment projects as well as new construction and expansion plans with unmatched service from expert local labor and management. Today’s BrandSafway is At Work For You™ — leveraging innovation and economies of scale to increase safety and productivity, while remaining nimble and responsive. For more information about BrandSafway, visit www.brandsafway.com.
This article describes a recently completed sled anode installation for ship terminal corrosion prevention on the water side of a dock structure along the Houston Ship Channel.
The project involved protecting a new combi pile wall being installed in front of an older existing conventional sheet pile wall nearing the end of its useful life. The combi wall utilizes large diameter steel pilings as the primary structure combined with conventional Z-pilings as the secondary structure.
Sled Anode ready to ship from MATCOR’s Chalfont, PA manufacturing facility
Project Details
For this project, there were twenty-seven 60” diameter steel pilings being driven to a depth of 100 ft and spaced approximately 10 feet apart.
This cathodic protection system design, prepared by another CP company, called for twenty-five discreet shallow vertical anodes to protect the land side area between the new and old dock structure and two sled anodes to protect the new water side.
The interior side of the existing wall was already being cathodically protected with a deep anode system.
MATCOR was successful in securing the contract for the supply and installation of the new sled anode system. We utilized MATCOR’s Sled Anode assembly consisting of mixed metal oxide coated, titanium tubular anodes installed with custom fabricated concrete ends. In addition, we utilized a Kynar/HMWPE #1 cabling system installed in a flexible protective black HDPE pipe.
Benefits of MATCOR’s Sled Anodes for Ship Terminal Corrosion Prevention
Each of the sled anodes include lifting lugs for ease of installation and floating locator buoys to allow for temporary removal in the event of dredging operations.
The sled anodes weighed approximately 5800 lbs each to assure that the sleds remained anchored in place along the ship channel floor.
Installation of sled anode for ship terminal cathodic protection using a barge mounted crane
The use of sled anodes makes for an easy installation and minimizes the need for divers – in this case the use of divers was only needed to help route the cabling back to shore.
Each sled anode was designed for 75 amps output for 30 years continuous service in seawater. The two sled anodes are being powered off a common rectifier configured with an RMU for remote monitoring of the systems operations.
These sleds were installed using a qualified marine sub-contractor who provided a properly sized crane mounted on a barge to facilitate the installation.
Have questions or need a quote for ship terminal or other near shore structure corrosion prevention? Contact us at the link below. For immediate assistance, please call +1-215-348-2974.
