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Pipex senior technical engineer Eddie Bradbrook talks about the company’s products and applications.
What is the background?
Pipex Limited began trading in the Middle East in 1975, supplying thermoplastic (PP-H) pipe systems to the pharmaceutical and petchem markets. Projects included the Dubai Smelter Plant, the Kuwait Institute of Scientific Research and Sultan Qaboos University.
Recently Pipex has been involved with Masdar City, where it has already supplied 300 m of dual-contained Chemsafe pipe systems, drainage gullies and channels, as well as providing on-site fabrication training. In addition to our history of supplying pipe to the region, Pipex has also supplied thermoplastic manholes, tanks and chambers and Fibre Reinforced Polymer (FRP) structures.
What are your main products and services?
Our main products are pipe systems, manholes, pumping stations, tanks, chambers, bespoke fabrications and structures. The materials we manufacture from are high-quality thermoplastics (PP, HDPE, PE) and composites (GRE, GRP, GRV and FRP). Pipex has a standard range, but also offers bespoke systems and innovations to suit customer requirements. Our unique manufacturing capabilities enable us to collaborate with our customers to design project-specific construction solutions. With regard to services, we provide design, site surveys, stress analysis, project management, installation, specialist site services and ongoing maintenance packages. Specialist manufacturing facilities are located in Plymouth in the UK and the Jebel Ali Free Zone in Dubai. We source our raw materials from Europe and the US from approved suppliers, who have the necessary quality standards which we require.
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What are your main markets?
Our main target markets are the marine, industry, offshore, transport, water, power and renewable energy sectors, although Pipex products are very diverse, so we serve many additional markets. Our main growth areas at present are transport, ‘green’ and renewable energy, water and power.
What are your main opportunities and challenges at the moment?
The opportunities for Pipex are numerous. We have established a reputation with our customers over the last 35 years of delivering expertise and quality products, so we intend to build on this with repeat business and winning new customers. The recession remains a challenge for us as competitors offering cheaper, low-quality products are attempting to compete.
What impact has the downturn had?
Sales predictions have been problematic due to projects being delayed and put on hold. In order to address this, we have increased our sales and marketing team, with the aim of targeting new business/projects and winning new customers. We have also found that, during the recession, some customers have asked for longer payment terms; conversely, we have actually arranged more prompt payment for our own suppliers in order to get a better service. This payment management has allowed us to get better deals for our customers. This, in turn, has assisted us in winning customer confidence over our competitors.
Fluctuating exchange rates can cause difficulties, as we import materials from both Europe and the US. We deal with this in a number of ways, offering quotes in the same currency to produce a natural hedge, ensuring we have up-to-date accurate information available, monitoring our exchange risk and taking appropriate action and by selective hedging contracts.
Any expansion plans?
If our trading in the Middle East continues to grow, we will look at the possibility of expanding and establishing a manufacturing facility in the region, especially if the Guggenheim Museum in Abu Dhabi kicks off.
What are some of the latest trends?
Over the last decade Pipex has noticed a steady increase in the demand for dual-contained (Pipex Chemsafe and Pipex Biosafe) pipe systems, which offer superior corrosion resistance when compared to pre-cast concrete or steel pipe systems, and have a longer design life expectancy, typically 60+ years depending on application.
We would attribute this to companies being increasingly cautious of chemical and biological incidents which can result in a variety of environmental disasters
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