SI World 2/2024, Snowmaking & Slope Maintenance
TRM & PNP: A North American case study
Sugarloaf Mountain is the second highest peak in the American state of Maine – the most northeastern state in the union.
At a height of 4,237 feet (1,288 meters), this majestic and storied mountain is home to Sugarloaf, a beloved year-round resort with 1,360 skiable acres in the winter, miles of trails, cat assisted skiing in the expansive snow fields above tree line, and a Nordic center – as well as delightful and popular summer offerings of hiking, mountain biking, golf, and more.
Boyne Resorts masterplan
A sustainability promise to be carbon neutral by 2030.
Boyne Resorts masterplan
Since 2007, Sugarloaf has been a proud member of the Boyne Resorts twelve-member family of North American resorts. Boyne Resorts has a 75-year history of pioneering leadership which is deeply committed to their core guiding principles of generational environmental sustainability, community partnerships and vitality, and long-range financial responsibility.
In 2010 – as part of this forward-thinking vision and commitment to a sustainable future – Boyne Resorts released the Sugarloaf 2020 Road Map, a planning manifesto for the first ten years, which was promptly followed by Sugarloaf 2030, an updated road map that includes plans for new lifts, new snowmaking, a western mountain expansion, base village upgrades, community development, year round amenities, and – most importantly – a sustainability promise to be carbon neutral by 2030.
BRENDAN RYAN
Boyne Resorts Vice President of Snow Surface Design and Management
“PNP and TRM have been great partners on these challenging projects. From the initial training of our in-house teams, problem solving and extra fittings availability from PNP’s warehouse, PNP was there for us every step of the way. These projects have all been completed on time and have set up Boyne Resorts with sustainable piping solutions for the foreseeable future.#
The durability of ductile iron piping versus that of steel is something we knew we were after, but the ease and efficiency of installing TRM piping at several of our resorts has been game changing. PNP Supply stands ready to help, whether we’re working through a significant challenge or have a last-minute need for extra fittings.
PNP also provides training to our resort-based teams and supports Boyne Resorts’ focus on developing great people. The value of TRM piping systems is enhanced by our own teams being skilled to complete an installation with 100% confidence in their performance and the resulting boost in their pride and passion. These benefits combined allow us increased efficiency. We value PNP Supply as a true partner.”
Massive investment
Sugarloaf’s Western Mountain development is the largest North American ski area expansion since the 1970s – one that includes 120 acres of new terrain, one new quad lift, 246 new snowmaking guns, and over 88,000 feet of new pipe, which includes 22,000 feet of the world’s finest ductile iron pipe and fittings from TIROLER ROHRE GmbH (TRM) in Hall, Austria, supplied exclusively to the North American market by PNP Supply LLC.
For Boyne Resorts, the selection of TRM’s ductile iron pipe from PNP Supply was part of a rigorous decision-making process to source snowmaking pipe that would meet Boyne’s critical standards for safety, longevity, dependability, and sustainability.
Peterson Piece
PNP’s innovative and proprietary “Peterson Piece,” a welded connective fitting imagined by PNP’s american ingenuity and perfected by TRM’s European engineering.
The project in detail
The ordering and installation of TRM’s ductile iron pipe from PNP Supply was a one-year undertaking that spanned the months from January 2023 through February 2024.
Because the distribution system was all steel, the new ductile iron pipe system expansion was linked to the existing pipeline by PNP’s innovative and proprietary “Peterson Piece,” a welded connective fitting imagined by PNP’s american ingenuity and perfected by TRM’s European engineering.
This state-of-the-art design innovation meant that the installers did not need to use buried flanges for the system.
Once things dried out, the installation continued. In wet or dry conditions, with no special skills, training, or equipment required, up to 1,300 linear feet (400 meters) of TRM’s ductile iron pipe can be laid in a single day. © PNP
Harsh wheater conditions
During the summer installation phase in June 2023, New England experienced monsoon-like conditions that included a few weeks during which six feet of rain (yup, you read that correctly – six feet of rain!) drowned Sugarloaf resort and the surrounding area.
In spite of this extreme weather, the ductile iron pipeline installation continued smoothly, safely, and ontime because of the ingenuity and simplicity of TRM’s patented VRS®-T joint design.
With no special skills, training, or equipment required, up to 1,300 linear feet (400 meters) of TRM’s ductile iron pipe can be laid in a single day using in-house personnel.
During the installation of the ductile iron (DI) snowmaking pipe at Sugarloaf in June 2023, New England experienced monsoon-like conditions that included a few weeks during which six feet of rain prevented welders from working, but the DI installation continued safely and efficiently despite the soggy conditions. © PNP
Sucess story – and much more
Installation of TRM’s ductile iron pipe from PNP Supply at Sugarloaf was a resounding success, and a case study for what can happen when the client is committed to the same core values as the supplier – straightforward simplicity, longevity, flexibility, sustainability and peace of mind.
In addition to this Sugarloaf installation, PNP Supply is helping Boyne Resorts achieve a lower long-term cost of ownership for all their North American resorts.
To date, more than 50,000 feet of TRM ductile iron pipe from PNP Supply has been installed at Sugarloaf, Sunday River Resort, and Pleasant Mountain in Maine, Boyne Mountain Resort and The Highlands in Michigan, and Big Sky Resort in Montana.
Kel Alford (PNP Marketing Manager)
