Guangdong Gangfeng of mainland China offers PVC pipes with high resistance to impact and combustion. Price is $0.22 per meter.

Taiwan, mainland China and India suppliers of plastic pipes are expanding material options and upgrading manufacturing processes to address a wider variety of applications.

Models traditionally target water distribution networks. As technology in the line is relatively mature, however, many makers are starting to tap the industrial and agricultural segments.

As part of this strategy, some makers are exploring alternative materials such as HDPE, UPVC and PP-R for models that target highly specialized industries. This comes as PVC, PE and PP remain the top choices for most plastic pipe suppliers.

Because of its rigidity and high resistance to corrosion, chemicals and impact, HDPE is now utilized on models designed for a broader range of applications. Even so, PVC continues to be popular because of its relatively low cost. The material is also flexible and, therefore, easier to shape during manufacture.

Among Taiwan suppliers interviewed for this report, Chabin Enterprise Co. Ltd focuses mainly on HDPE pipes. Models can carry potable water, wastewater and compressed gases. The material has a service life of about 50 years.

Chabin sources HDPE from Samsung Plastic of South Korea. The company is currently developing longer pipes that measure up to 300m.

PVC pipes from Ocean Plastics Co. Ltd are applied primarily on water distribution and sewage systems.

Ocean produces PVC resins in cooperation with Kaneka of Japan.

Ta Fong Plastics Co. Ltd procures materials from Formosa Plastics, a Taiwan-based supplier of PVC and HDPE resin, acrylic acid and carbon fiber.

Ta Fong has also partnered with a local nanotechnology company for the nanosilver coating of its HDPE pipes.

In the mainland, Guangdong Gangfeng Electrical Appliance Co. Ltd and Guangdong Liansu Technology Industrial are among the companies who offer PVC pipes. The latest models are usually applied in sewage and drainage systems.

Guangdong Orient Resin Co. Ltd recently launched PE80 and PE100 pipes for transporting and distributing water, natural gas and chemicals.

New designs from Guangdong Welsun Group Co. Ltd and Zhejiang Zhongcai Merchants Investment Group Co. Ltd come in PE, PP-R and PVC.

Products are suitable for drinking water and underground heating applications.

Most India makers source polymers from petrochemical giants in the western region of the country such as Reliance and Indian Petrochemicals. For specialized applications, materials are imported from the mainland, South Korea, Japan and the US.

The Kisan Group of Companies and Kitec Industries (India) Ltd recently introduced PE pipes with an inner aluminum lining. By combining the two materials, products avoid thermal expansion and deformation.

Fine Flow Plastic Industries has designed models specifically for the gold mining industry in South Africa.

The pipes come in PVC and are used mainly in the transport of slurry.

Aside from PVC and HDPE pipes, Sameer Enterprises offers models in PP-R. The heat-insulating material is applicable to hot and cold water systems, and compressed air pipelines.

In response to tough import regulations especially in the US and the EU, makers consider compliance with safety standards a priority. For most companies, this entails stricter QC through laboratory tests and the use of advanced equipment.
Enhanced manufacturing

	Guangdong Orient of mainland China offers high-performance pipes made of PE100. Price is $113 per meter.

To produce high-performance and specialized models, plastic pipe suppliers in the mainland, Taiwan and India are applying a range of enhanced manufacturing and QC processes.

Most companies are investing heavily in sophisticated machinery to boost capacity and reduce operating costs.

They also delegate experienced QC personnel to supervise all production steps.

In the mainland, Guangdong Welsun has installed imported plastic-injection molding and extrusion lines from Krauss Maffei of Germany. Guangdong Gangfeng and Guandong Orient are both employing automated production systems.

The companies' plants house computerized equipment, which allows them to meet plastic pipe requirements faster and more reliably.

Guangdong Liansu conducts stringent QC, including visual inspection and hydraulic testing. The company runs ISO 9001- and 14001- certified operations.

Most suppliers in Taiwan, including Chabin and Ocean, have in-house QC technicians that ensure the quality and durability of plastic pipes.

In addition, finished products are sent to independent laboratories such as SGS and the Plastics Industry Development Center for further testing before they are considered valid for export.

Ta Fong has invested $0.76 million to replace its old machinery with advanced plastic processing equipment. The new units will reduce manufacturing time, labor input and costs.

In India, suppliers are bolstering their manufacturing and QC systems in order to offer models that are on a par with releases from foreign brands.

Moreover, makers are performing enhanced ISO 9001:2000-compliant testing procedures to meet stricter export standards.

There are about 1,500 suppliers in the mainland, which accounts for 40 percent of the world's plastic pipes supply. Most are based in the provinces of Guangdong and Zhejiang.

Makers cater primarily to the low-end and midrange segments. The EU, the US, Asia, the Middle East and Africa are the export markets, with most shipments under OEM or ODM contracts.

In Taiwan, most companies are small and midsize operations. The majority carries out production in the northern part of the island.

Taiwan's plastic pipe makers cater primarily to the sewage and tap water sectors in Hong Kong and the mainland. Aside from plastic pipes, they also manufacture pipe fittings and plastic sheets.

The supplier base in India consists of more than 1,000 makers. They are located in the union territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli, and the states of Gujarat and Maharashtra.

Output reached $30 million in 2006, up 10 percent from the previous year. More than 25 percent of this was shipped overseas. The Middle East, Africa, France and Australia are the main export markets.