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As Divisional Business Development Manager for Europe at Victaulic, Manuel Emmerich will drive early-stage engineering engagement to de-risk large-scale construction projects through modular, grooved mechanical piping design.

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Victaulic has appointed Manuel Emmerich as Divisional Business Development Manager for Europe, a role focused on integrating grooved mechanical pipe joining systems into the pre-design phase of major construction and industrial projects. These projects include data centres and battery plants, healthcare and education facilities, and high risers as well as airports, commercial HVAC, and industrial water systems.

The appointment reflects a strategic pivot in how the company engages with the European market. Manuel, who most recently led operations across the DACH region (Germany, Austria, and Switzerland), will now oversee an approach that aligns project owners and engineers with Victaulic’s technical services during FEED (front-end engineering design), ideally 12 to 18 months before construction. This early involvement optimises how piping systems are designed, installed, and maintained, extending the gains beyond the product to influence the entire project lifecycle.

 

Shifting from procurement to pre-design

The core of the European strategy is the ‘Engineering Specialist’ model, which Manuel pioneered in 2022. Rather than entering at the procurement stage, the model focuses on optimising project design and requirements to incorporate fit for purpose specifications during the initial concept phase. This enables engineers to reap the full design benefits of grooved mechanical solutions early on, ensuring project-wide efficiencies from the outset.

For project owners and consulting engineers, this early engagement allows for a comprehensive evaluation of the grooved mechanical pipe joining method versus welding or flanging in terms of total installed cost (TIC), project timelines, quality, safety, and sustainability. This reduces the number of pipe connections on site and optimises pipe lengths, as well as minimising overdesign and late-stage redesigns.

“When we engage 18 months out, for example, we can have a broader conversation on budget pricing, material management in terms of design-build strategies and also assist with thermal and vertical pipe stress analysis to de-risk complex designs,” Manuel says.

 

Mitigating labour and safety risks

Early engagement also ensures projects can be designed specifically for prefabrication and modular assembly to reduce labour requirements. Grooved solutions allow for faster spool fabrication and accelerate timelines, also on final field assemblies. Overall safety and inspection processes are improved even further by moving much of the work off-site into a controlled factory environment.

“Piping systems are much more than just components or a piece of a larger puzzle, they can be leveraged as a strategic choice, where joining method directly impacts total project efficiency,” Emmerich says.

“Our goal is to provide owners and engineers with optimised designs, faster installations and a piping system that is easy to maintain. These efficiencies will lower cost, reduce risk, and improve system optimisation for the entire lifetime of the building.”

 

Career trajectory

Emmerich joined Victaulic 13 years ago as a sales engineer in Cologne. After being promoted to regional manager in 2017 at age 30, he was responsible for aligning operations across Western Germany and Switzerland. His success in implementing the engineering-led sales model in Central Europe now serves as the blueprint for Victaulic’s wider European organisational structure.

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ABOUT VICTAULIC

As the world’s leading producer of grooved mechanical pipe-joining systems, Victaulic works collaboratively with data center owners, engineers, and mechanical contractors worldwide to deliver innovative solutions across our core business areas. From cooling systems to fire protection, our mechanical grooved system is recognized for its ability to improve piping maintenance, reliability, adaptability, and speed in data center construction, and to control costs. Our products and services put people to work faster while increasing safety, ensuring reliability, and maximizing efficiency and sustainability.

With more than 3,500 employees and 40 international facilities, Victaulic helps customers in over 120 countries succeed in the global construction industry. Learn more about how our innovative piping products and design services can engineer confidence into your build at www.victaulic.com.

For further information please visithttps://www.victaulic.com/mission-critical/data-centers/ or contact Viceuro@victaulic.com./ +441438310690

Visit the DATACENTRE.ME Directory Listing for VICTAULIC here.

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