Much of João’s work is behind the scenes but its impact influences nearly every project. He supports early design choices, tendering decisions, and long-term performance evaluations. “What we do here has a direct impact on how confident we can be in the product” he explains. “It’s about ensuring that in years to come we can still support the predictions we make today.”
What João appreciates the most about this responsibility is the trust Strohm gave him since very early on. Careful testing, long-term exposure research, and close cooperation with specialised laboratories are necessary for many of the questions he works on. “You don’t always get immediate answers, shortcuts can lead to wrong conclusions” he says. “You need the time and space to build the evidence properly.” João was given ownership over how testing methodologies are defined, which data is relevant, and how results impact product design and client confidence.
He explains the close connection between sustainability and his work, as clients increasingly ask for clear insight into emissions and environmental impact over the full lifetime of a pipe, and supporting those claims with data is essential. “When you compare thermoplastic composite pipe (TCP) with conventional flexible pipes, the difference is significant,” João explains. “Being able to quantify that difference with data is important.”
João’s ability to take on this role is grounded in a broad technical background. Before joining Strohm, he built experience in mechanical engineering and materials science, working in industrial manufacturing for the oil and gas sector and on large-scale energy infrastructure projects.
He also completed a master’s degree in materials engineering at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. His studies focused on how materials interact with fluids over time “I was approached by Strohm due to my niche expertise which fit well within the team. Most of my colleagues come from aerospace and composite engineering, and I trust my background matches perfectly with those areas to develop the understanding of mechanical response with chemical exposure and its correlations for composite and polymeric materials”. This combination proved particularly interesting for Strohm, where understanding structural behaviour and chemical interaction is essential.
Looking ahead, João remains focused on strengthening the tools and models that are at the base of Strohm’s technology. “There’s still important work to finish as we constantly strive to improve our products,” he says “I want to see it through and continue to be a part of TCP's wider adoption as we keep proving to the industry that what we build here stands the test of time.”