2 PEX, PE-RT and PB pipes: General Information and Trends (page 11 - 16)
3 Joining Techniques (page 17 - 22
4 Consumption of heating&plumbing pipes, Europe (page 23 - 27)
5 PEX, ÜE-RT and PB pipes production output + company profiles (page 28 – 188)
6 PEX, PE-RT and PB pipes in numbers and graphics (page 189 – 227)
7 PEX, PE-RT and PB pipe markets (page 228 – 261)
8 Certificates (page 262 – 329)
9 Producers and distributors of PEX, PE-RT and PB pipes (page 330 – 344)
INDEX / Firmenregister
Price Information:
Production Output, Markets, Companies, Certifications, 352 pages, CD + Print Charts + Graphics additionally as Excel-Spreadsheet, in English language 920,- € for subscribers of KWD-SHK or KWD-globalpipe 1.150,- € for all others
The Authors:
Dipl.-Ing. Jutta Hix, HIX Publishing:KWD newsletter and market [email protected]
With more than 15 years experience in marketing and sales ofplastic pipes and consumer products, Jutta Hix publishes since2005 newsletters and market reports in the segments windows aswell as pipes and fittings.In 2009 she took over the position as chief editor of KWD-Fenster,KWD-SHK and KWD-globalpipe.
With more than 30 years experience in production, developmentand sales of plastic pipes and pipe systems for pipe installations inhousing technology Achim Seydel advises today companies in thisbusiness worldwide:Products recommendations (pipes, fittings and accessories)Pipe production advice (PE-X pipes and multilayer pipes)
The latest report about PE-X and PE-RT pipes for heating & plumbing pipes was published in 2011.Since then we have seen different trends and developments, regarding both the manufacturers in thisindustry, and their various pipes and fittings.
Our survey is meant to highlight the respective trends and to up-date you on the quantity of polymericmaterials used, as well as estimates of the produced pipe volumes by the main manufacturers of PE-X,PE-RT and PB pipes for heating & plumbing applications worldwide.
Multi layer metal pipes are not subjects of the report. So wherever possible material used for inner and/orouter layer for metal (mostly aluminium) composite pipes were deducted from the raw material volumes.
In preparing this report, demands for raw material were converted int meters by an averaging factor.
The survey also shows the current situation and gives a trend analysis of the future development of thedifferent pipe material in Europe.
Insights of the new report:• All pipe materials are increasing more or less in the last years, just as PE-X, PB and PE-RT pipes
worldwide, which are the objects of this market analysis exclusively.• PE-X and PE-RT pipes worldwide are increasingly used in heating applications particularly for
underfloor heating systems, whereas PB could consolidate its niche position in some markets.• The last time showed trend towards multilayer 5-sheet constructions is going on.• PE-Xa further on is making up ground on PE-Xb and PE-Xc too. Increased investments last time
in the specific production equipment of PE-Xa pipes are demonstrating this trend.• PE-Xc unreasonably is losing attention, whereas PE-Xb is contending with the increasing require-
ments for drinking water applications.• Nothing really new in the world of PE-X, PE-RT or PB pipes. The creativity of product develop-
ment again has been focused on the pipe joining and fittings.• As always changes at the producers of plastic pipes are to report, less in Europe or North America,
more in Russia, Middle East or Asia.• Interesting is the system companies’ unabated trend into an own pipe manufacturing – much to
the disgust of the left OEM pipe producers• We are again presenting a current overview about the main producers - in many cases with esti-
mations about the volumes but in some cases even without concrete information about volumes.
Schwelm /DEU, August 2014
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le2 PEX, PE-RT and PB pipes: General Information and trends
2 PEX, PE-RT and PB pipes: General Information and trends
2.1 Pipes of cross linked polyethylene (PE-X)Following methods are known to cross link the molecular chainsof a polyethylene:
PE-Xa: Use of organic peroxides (Chemical cross linking)PE-Xb: With Silane compounds (Chemical cross linking)PE-Xc: By electron beam (Physical cross linking)PE-Xd: With Azo compound, longly not in use (Chemical cross
linking)
Cross Linking of Polyethylene
Simplified the principle of the molecular linking of polyethyleneis describable as follows:
The long molecular chains consist of carbon atoms (C) and hy-drogen atoms (H).
[−H2C−CH2−]n
By use of special chemicals, i.e. temperature related decom-position of organic peroxides or by using high energy rays, e.g.electron beam, hydrogen atoms can be separated out of the molecular chain, which is generating reactivespots (free radicals) in the chain. Across those reactive spots adjacent chains direct carbon – carbonbonds could be formed what leads to a three dimensional network.The linking mechanism of the silane cross linking method is quite different – after creating free radi-calsthe linking of the molecular chains is generated by grafted silane bonds under the treatment of heat andhumidity.
The peroxide cross linking will be performed at temperatures above 130°C in the so-called amorphousphase. At cooling down a changed semi-crystalline structure is forming back within the new molecularnetwork. This causes the characteristic lowered density and the outstanding flexibility of the peroxidecross linked pipes.
The cross linking processes of the silane or the irradiation methods however are running at temperaturesbelow the crystallite melting temperature. Thus both cross linked materials are retaining the propertiesof the basic raw material here.
www.kwd-globalpipe.com 11
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le3 Joining techniques
3.2 Axial compression (sliding sleeve)
Connecting principle Beside the radial compression an equally often used joining technique duringwhich the contact pressure is applied by sliding a sleeve onto a mostlyexpanded pipe end.Through the expansion diameter reductions in the fitting area are oftenreduced compared to other joining techniques, also O-ring seals are notnecessary due to the specific fitting construction.
Rehau Rautitan, Photo: Rehau AG + Co.
Connector materials Parts for water transport are made of brass alloys or red brass or plastics,same as with radial press fittings whereas the sliding sleeves are either metaland plastic sleeves, mostly PVDF or less often PPSU or a combination ofmetal and plastic.
Assembling tools Manual or electrically operated expanding tools with swap top pieces forsystem-specific expansions.Manual or electrically driven sliding tools, also offered with integrated ex-pansion function.
www.kwd-globalpipe.com 19
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le4 Consumption of heating & plumbing pipes in Europe
4 Consumption of heating & plumbing pipes in EuropeIn this chapter you will find an extract from our market report “KWD Market + Charts: Heating &Plumbing Pipes Europe 2013“ which is revised on an annual basis. It is the purpose of this report toprovide a comprehensive reference book for all important information for this particular market segment.
Contents of the KWD market report:• Introduction and Statistics (Country and Construction Information)• Market + Charts: Heating & Plumbing Pipes by Countries:
- Economics Environment / Housing Development- Company News of the Heating & Plumbing Sector- Consumption of Heating & Plumbing Pipes in the period 2010 – 2016
• European Overview of Heating & Plumbing Pipes,• Listings of Certifications by pipe material and Companies in the Heating & Plumbing Sector
Acome Département BatimentFRANCE - Pariswww.acome.fr
Company Profile:Acome Département Batiment has maintained its activities since its cre-ation in 1932. The company is the leading French manufacturer of PEXctubes for the building industry. With buildings totaling an area of 115,000m2 encompassing manufacturing, ACOME’s industrial facility in Normandyis one of Europe’s biggest.
7.1 General market information, developments and trends
PE-RT Pipes in Heating & Plumbing Installations in Europe⇒ PE-RT pipes, underfloor heating systems
PE-RT in underfloor heating systems is a success story! Since 30 Years PE-RT pipes arecontinously growing in Europe. In our recently published KWD Market + Charts “Heating &Plumbing Pipes Europe” we have – amongst others - a look on the consumption of PE-RTpipes in the period 2010 to 2016.
KWD-globalpipe, 06.02.2014. The development of the material PE-RT (Polyethylene of raised temper-ature) for pipes in underfloor heating systems but also for radiator connections as well as for sanitarysystems / hot and cold water installation was mainly driven by DOW. Today there are other providers forPE-RT but Dow is still the market leader in Europe. Already in 2007 Wolfgang Quack, the developer ofPE-RT, and HPG/Germany, the first producer of PE-RT pipes, could celebrate the 25th anniversary ofPE-RT pipes. PE-RT is used for full plastic pipes as well as for aluminium multi layer pipes. Today wefind producers of PE-RT pipes worldwide and it is used worldwide in heating & plumbing applications.PE-RT is used for full plastic pipes as well as for aluminium multi layer pipes.
Let´s just have a look on the full plas-tic pipes: According to our in December 2013published report, KWD Market + Charts “Heat-ing & Plumbing Pipes 2013”, the main applicationfor full plastic PE-RT pipes are underfloor heat-ing systems. If we have a look on the coun-tries where PE-RT pipes are used most, it is veryclear Germany. The reason is not only that it hasbeen developed in Germany but this is the coun-try with the biggest surface of underfloor heatingsystems. About 70% of new built single fam-ily houses are built with underfloor heating sys-tems.
A look in the future shows that PE-RT pipes will grow further, but it slows down.
Related to the main use of PE-RT full plas-tic pipes in underfloor heating systems, PE-RT pipes are growing mainly in those countrieswhere this kind of heating system is success-ful.
PE-RT in aluminium multi layer pipes is verysuccessful too. In our KWD market report“Aluminium Multi Layer Pipes 2013” we showed,that there is still an enormous growth in the pro-duction of those pipes worldwide. We find grow-ing markets in and also outside Europe.
