DPI Plastics to launch PVC-M couplings in larger diameter options
PRESS RELEASE
DPI Plastics to launch PVC-M couplings in larger diameter options
30 September, 2013: DPI Plastics - a leading manufacturer of water reticulation, drainage and pipe-fitting systems in South Africa - is introducing larger diameter Ultralok PVC-M couplings to the local civils and mining sectors, following the continued success of its current range.
Ultralok, which is currently available in 110 mm and 105 mm diameters, is a first-of-its-kind patented product for the jointing of plain ended pipes. The existing Ultralok offering has proven to be highly popular in mining and civils applications, thereby prompting DPI Plastics to expand the range.
DPI Plastics technical product manager Renier Snyman points out that the company plans to launch the 155 mm and 160 mm Ultralok variants to the local market by November 2013 and the 200 mm and 210 mm variants by May 2014. "Ultralok is ideal for repair couplings or primary joints in mining and civil pressure pipelines, due to the fact that it can be used with high-pressure PVC or HDPE pipelines up to 16 bar."
Snyman indicates that DPI Plastics originally developed the Ultralok PVC-M coupling in mid-2012 in response to requests from its clients in the mining industry that were experiencing substantial and costly damage to their metal pipelines as a result of sulphate reducing bacteria (SRB) in the water.
"When the metal pipes are exposed to sulphate containing water, the interaction of water and metal creates a layer of molecular hydrogen on the metal surface. SRB then oxidise the hydrogen while creating hydrogen sulphide, which causes severe corrosion," he explains.
Snyman highlights the fact that the Ultralok system is fully protected against corrosion. "The lightweight, high-strength, low reactivity and corrosion resistance of PVC as a material makes it far better suited to heavy-duty and highly-abrasive mining applications."
According to Snyman, the design mechanism of Ultralok is unique in terms of its robustness and gripping nature. "The body is manufactured from high-impact PVC, incorporating a unique pressure enhancing rubber seal. As the pressure increases, the design of the seal facilitates a distributed load, thereby alleviating the tensile load on the body of the coupling."
Ultralok is manufactured in-house by Johannesburg-based DPI Plastics, and is performance tested to the company's stringent internal specifications to meet all criteria for use in 16 bar pressure pipelines where fully restrained joints are required. As a result, the Ultralok PVC-M rangehas successfully met the following test criteria for the SANS 1283 specification; one-hour test at 54,50 bar, ten-hour test at 50,60 bar, 100-hour test at 45,50 bar and the 1 000-hour test at 16 bar at 60°C.
Although Ultralok has been used predominantly in mining applications to date, Snyman states that the product is gaining ground in the civils market, and he is confident that the extended range of larger diameter couplings will lead to increased sales in this sector.
"We have sold a substantial amount of Ultralok couplings, particularly for use in new potable water reticulation pipelines. As more money is invested in larger pipeline projects, I believe that the demand for the new diameter couplings will increase substantially in the long-term," he adds.
Looking to the future, Snyman notes that DPI Plastics will be promoting the benefits of the new Ultralok range through various tradeshows, publications and industry word-of-mouth. "The market is currently looking stable, and the promotion of DPI Plastics' proven quality and reliability will contribute significantly towards sustaining future market share," he concludes.
Ends
Notes to the Editor
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About DPI Plastics
DPI Plastics (Pty) Ltd is a leading manufacturer of PVC and HDPE water reticulation and drainage pipe and fitting systems with two ISO 9001 certified South African factories based in Johannesburg and Cape Town.
DPI Plastics Contact
Martine Goodchild
DPI Plastics Marketing Manager
Phone: (021) 957 5600
Fax: 086 505 6484
Email: mgoodchild [at] dpiplastics [dot] co [dot] za
Web: www.dpiplastics.co.za
Media Contact
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NGAGE Public Relations
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Email: renay [at] ngage [dot] co [dot] za
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