Photo: DPI Plastics product manager, RenierSnyman

DPI Plastics technical and product manager Renier Snyman points out that the company’s range of Ultraflo pipes are manufactured from modified polyvinyl chloride (mPVC), which is specifically designed to provide similar tensile strength and greater resilience than standard PVC piping products.

“The Ultraflo range of pressure piping systems are ideally suited to bulk water supply projects, due to the fact that mPVC is considerably more ductile than industry standard unplasticised polyvinyl chloride (uPVC),” he explains.

Snyman notes that the ductility of the Ultraflo uPVC piping system ensures that the pipes have exceptional resistance to crack propagation under pressure.

“The product being supplied to the water supply line project is the 500 mm Ultraflo system, which is the largest in the DPI Plastics range. It boasts a pressure rating of 12 bar, with a design stress of up to 18MPa, making it ideally suited as a large underground piping system.”

According to Snyman, Ultraflo pipes offer environmental advantages too.

“Due to its superior toughness, the wall thickness of mPVC is less than that of uPVC. This ensures that less materials are used during the manufacturing process, which ultimately results in a lighter product that is easier to transport and install, thereby minimising the carbon footprint of the pipe.”

The DPI Plastics range of Ultraflo piping products are available in pressure classes varying between 6 bar and 25 bar, and are supplied in standard 6 m lengths, complete with spigot, integral socket and rubber ring seal for user friendly installation. Snyman highlights the fact that DPI Plastics was the first company in South Africa to manufacture mPVC piping systems in the 1970s.

“DPI Plastics is recognised as a pioneer in the local development of mPVC products, and to this day remains an international market leader in mPVC product development, having sold numerous licenses to manufacturers in markets as far afield as Australia, Asia and South America. What’s more, all Ultraflo mPVC products in South Africa are compliant with SANS 966 quality standards, which involves rigorous impact and pressure regression testing to provide the end user with complete peace-of-mind,” he adds.