Support Where it Matters Most

CCI Piping Systems
Written by Pauline Müller

Cutting corners during pipeline installations inevitably becomes a costly affair, so oil, gas, water, and wastewater industry giants avoid this by turning to CCI Piping Systems for durable solutions that save time and increase pipeline lifespan.

After twenty-five years in the industry, CCI Piping Systems knows how to keep pipelines in optimal condition. This manufacturer produces no fewer than three trademarked pipe protection products alongside a range of other trade staples. Clients throughout North America and Europe trust its products to keep pipelines protected from corrosion and manholes free of Inflow and Infiltration.

Currently, clients are especially excited about the company’s latest product which will be released this year. The Omniroller casing spacer is a modern take on its existing product designed to keep a carrier pipe centered and restrained when being pushed through a casing pipe. This Omniroller’s multidirectional assembly reduces the coefficient of friction, making the installation easier, and eliminates the spiraling effect typical when using regular runners or unidirectional rollers.

Casing spacers allow a pipe to glide into its outer casing for easy installation, center a pipe within the outer casing, support the pipe weight, protect against corrosion and provide electrical insulation to prevent possible electrical shorting between the casing pipe and the carrier pipe. The Omniroller’s launch follows the introduction of a top-of-the-line range of pipe supports just last year.

But it is not only the company’s products that have secured its reputation for excellence. It has worked on many impressive projects, like when it introduced its trademarked WrapidSeal manhole encapsulation system to the nuclear submarine base in Bremerton, Washington. Meanwhile, its trademarked ArmorCote coating can be found protecting the pipelines of the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port, near Port Fourchon on the Gulf of Mexico. Another large project entailed providing the California High-Speed Rail Authority in Fresno, California, with casing spacers that keep subterranean pipes in place.

It has also received the stamp of approval from cities across the country, including Houston, San Antonio, and Fort Worth in Texas; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Orlando, Florida; and several others. Cities typically include approved products in their standards specifications, after which suppliers such as Ferguson Waterworks, Core & Main, LB Water, Fortiline, and others carry stock for use on official projects. CCI is also a proud member of both the TDG and WASDA.

CCI Piping Systems’ pipe protection products are fabricated at its main, 45,000-square-foot plant in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana. The growth of both the petrochemical and gas industries as well as increased urbanization here and abroad have kept the company’s growth on a steady incline that saw it reach its best year ever in 2019. “With the introduction of new products, we expect that [growth] trend to continue,” says Claire Morley, sales and marketing manager.

Apart from its products, the company is well known for service and speed. “No one turns a quote around as quickly as we do, and that matters to our customers, especially when they’re in a pinch,” says Morley. Its hard work has paid off in myriad ways, earning the company the prestigious Lantern Award given by the Governor in 2007, as well as a visit from Congressman Clay Higgins in 2019. And, as it would befit any worthy manufacturer, the company also registered with the International Standardization Organization as an ISO9001 manufacturer two years ago.

It is committed to providing clients and end-users with abundant information to complement its quality products. Customers enjoy free access to an experienced sales team and in-house engineers who are always ready with the latest technical information on all of its products and installation methods. Whatever the question, this team is equipped with knowledge and state-of-the-art solutions.

Attention to detail is also crucial. No product leaves the premises until the company is certain that what is dispatched is exactly what was ordered by the client in terms of size, material, and function. This “shows that we care about doing right by our customers, not just trying to make a sale,” Morley says.

And the company also cares about its employees, the results of which are clear in its customers’ satisfaction levels. “They know they are cared about, and in turn, they care to do the best for us,” she adds.

The company was the brainchild of Gene Cazayoux, who went into business in 1995 as a distributor for specialty pipeline coatings company Canusa-CPS. The founder invented his first trademarked product – ArmorCote U-Bolt – and never looked back. This product is a custom coated u-bolt that holds pipes in place without wearing away at the outer coating and was developed in response a client’s issue with prematurely corroding pipes due to metal to metal friction between traditional u-bolts. When the client told Cazayoux he was taping the u-bolt to try to prevent the u-bolt from causing corrosion to his pipe, he went straight to work seeking a better solution, conducting the first round of experiments in a friend’s kitchen oven.

Since then, copycats have, of course, come up with imitations, but today, the product is more popular than ever thanks to its proven durability and quality. The next thing that Cazayoux came up with was WrapidSeal. Here, a protective sleeve is applied to seal manhole structures. Grade rings and barrel joints are shrink-wrapped in a way that prevents groundwater from entering the system via the joints. This is a high-value product that offers top performance, with qualities that far outperform imitation products.

In 2006, Cazayoux was joined by his daughter Claire Morley who set about revamping the company’s image across all platforms. The task was completed two years later, after which Morley stepped into the role of sales agent, dealing with the Gulf Coast region. The business continued expanding, going from attending four annual trade shows to over fifteen trade shows worldwide.

Later, the company also welcomed Cazayoux’s son, Paul Cazayoux, P.E. Paul brought his professional engineering expertise to the company’s technical division. Today, he works closely with specification engineers, conducts training, and contributes to developing new solutions.

CCI Piping Systems ensures that it invests in the best people. From its manufacturing staff to its leadership and management teams, extended tenures are a defining feature amongst its forty staff members. This group prides itself on its expertise, commitment to detail, and punctuality. Its in-house employees are joined by a national team of sales representatives who build and maintain customer relationships in the field. They also offer customer training through demonstrations and ‘lunch and learn’ events.

While accolades and praise do not drive the company’s sense of caring, one cannot help but be impressed by its list of beneficiaries. From the Autism Society Acadiana and New Vision Leadership Foundation to the Breaux Bridge Volunteer Fire Department, Leukemia Lymphoma Society, Breaux Bridge City Police Drug Awareness Program, and the Northside High School Viking Regiment Band Booster Club, many organizations benefit from CCI Piping Systems’ philanthropy.

Steady growth is on the cards with the brother and sister duo committed to retaining quality manufacturing and service throughout while expanding the company’s range. Gene Cazayoux has big shoes to fill, and since his belief in dealing only with those one trusts and in looking beyond the sale still directs this prosperous firm, CCI Piping Systems is set to remain a partner that can be counted on in all economic weathers.

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