Background

Vistar was invented and developed between 1997 and 1999, in response to a challenge from the Norwegian petrochemical industry to all recognised European stainless steel manufacturers for a new stainless steel alloy, able to withstand corrosion in harsher seawater conditions.  
The solution proposed by The Technical Director of Vistar was in fact the only one presented.  Moreover it offered even higher strength and corrosion resistance than originally requested.
Vistar’s patents were applied for, subsequently granted and with the IP are held by our parent company Vistar Stainless Holdings Limited.
Milestones in this development process are shown below:

  • 1998 – desk and foundry research undertaken
  • Autumn 1998 – researches into patent prior art carried out
  • January 1999 – first patent application filed
  • March 1999 – first casting sold under confidentiality agreement
  • April 1999 – welding rods manufactured under confidentiality agreement
  • March – May 1999 – modifications made to reinforce patentability
  • May 1999 – final specification formulated
  • June 1999 – second patent application filed
  • July 1999 – January 2001 – UNS and NACE tests undertaken
  • June 2001 – bar successfully forged
  • July 2001 – UNS number (J95370) granted
  • August 2001 – final NACE tests successful
  • March 2002 – Statoil Norway approve Vistar
  • October 2002 – NACE accreditation granted (NACE – the National Association of Corrosion Engineers, internationally accepted, US based expert body on corrosion matters)
  • January 2003 – Vistar valves sent to Troll A platform
  • October 2003 – US patent granted
  • December 2003 – welding wire produced successfully and successful test welds made
  • January 2004 – EU patent granted
  • April 2004 – Vistar (UNS J95370) included in the new Norsok Standard M-650 Rev 3 as the only cast high alloyed stainless steel
  • 2005 – forging development work on large Vistar ingots
  • SINTEF (Trondheim University Norway) publishes results of high temperature seawater pitting corrosion tests  (Vistar wins)
  • Corrosion Forum publishes results of erosion/corrosion tests/research (as above) – research carried out at Leeds University
  • 2006 - Shell use Vistar castings for sub sea application
  • 2006 - Further forging work is completed and billet is produced in small quantities
  • 2006 - Wire is successfully produced from 5.5mm rod coil
  • 2006 - Development on multi directional welding consumable is started
  • 2006 - Shell use Vistar on Starling project for clamps
  • 2006 - NACE approval begins for wrought Vistar (ISO 15156)
  • 2006 - Extruded tube is explored and small quantities produced.
  • 2006 - Hot sea water testing at SINTEF is discussed and agreed with STATOIL
  • 2006 - Further orders are received for Vistar pump bowls in brackish water
  • 2006 - Billet and sleeve orders are received for salt slurry applications.