The ZSM (short for Zugfeste Steckmuffenverbindung, German for “tensile-resistant socket joint”) is a positive-locking and detachable pipe connection. It is used in shaft pipelines for underground mining and deep well construction. It was designed by engineers at Carl Hamm in Essen, Germany, to provide a secure, leakproof connection ideal for vertical pipeline applications.
In 2003, the first riser pipe in the German hard coal mining industry was installed with ZSM technology at the Heinrich Shaft in Essen. Since then, the ZSM connection has been continuously refined and successfully applied in a variety of international installations.
In 2025, Carl Hamm and Esser partnered to combine the benefits of the ZSM connection with Esser’s abrasion-resistant piping systems. Both companies have been in business for over 75 years and share the goal to provide piping systems that deliver improved value and safety to their customers.
The ZSM connection can be installed with both single-wall Esser 400 and our twin-wall Esser 700 series of hardened pipes. Together, operators can install vertical pipelines, such as those used in mining boreholes, in a fraction of the time and with reduced safety exposure when compared to traditional bolted or welded coupling systems.
Contact us today to learn how you can put ESSER pipe and the ZSM connection to work on your next vertical piping system.
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