Blast From the Past: San Juan, Puerto Rico — October 1975
This week’s blast from the past takes us to San Juan, Puerto Rico in October of 1975, and it’s a special one for more than one reason.
Front and center in this snapshot of pipeline history is JSI’s own Sam Damico, one of the founders of Joint Specialists. Beyond his technical skill, Sam was known as a genuinely good, kind, and generous person. He left a lasting impression on everyone who worked with him, and he is deeply missed by many to this day.
At the time, the pipeline industry was still in the early days of Raychem’s pipeline solutions, and this project highlights one of the most innovative technologies of that era: GRS (Gas Repair Sleeves). These heat-shrink sleeves were designed to do something remarkable for their time—seal active, leaking natural gas lines without shutting them down.
The challenge in San Juan was a leaking flange, a situation that even today demands careful planning and execution. Sam tackled the repair using a GRS heat-shrink sleeve, a torch, and putty filler—simple tools by today’s standards, but cutting-edge technology back then. With skill, confidence, and experience, he successfully sealed the leak and restored integrity to the line.
Looking back, it’s impressive how much was accomplished with ingenuity, hands-on expertise, and a deep understanding of materials and application. These early successes laid the groundwork for many of the gas repair and sealing solutions we rely on today.
This moment isn’t just a piece of industry history—it’s a reminder of the people who helped build it.
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