Jul 15 2006
Solvay announces today that it has concluded an agreement for the transfer of its HexelOneTM reinforced plastic pipe technology to Egeplast Werner Strumann GmbH & Co. KG, the German polyethylene pipes manufacturer. The HexelOneTM process allows the production of high resistance, large diameter tubing for water and gas distribution networks with considerably improved environmental performance. The process was developed by Solvay’s New Business Development (NBD) team at the Group’s Research & Technology campus in Neder-over-Heembeek, Belgium.
The financial details of the agreement, which cover the transfer of technology, production equipment and know-how to Egeplast, will not be disclosed.
The HexelOneTM process is aimed for the production of pipes of between 180 and 1000 mm in diameter, able to sustain pressures of 25 bars and higher, making them suitable for applications in major utilities as well as for the transport of fluids in the manufacturing industry. Compared with existing technologies, this high resistance can be obtained using reduced quantities of one single type of plastic resin (instead of a combination of several raw materials for the production of multilayer reinforced pipes), ensuring full recyclability as well as improved cost and energy efficiency of the end product.
“HexelOne illustrates the dynamism of innovation within Solvay,” commented Leopold Demiddeleer, Corporate R&D and New Business Development Director, Solvay. “We believe that Egeplast is in the best position to realize the technology’s full potential, in terms of commercial success and in terms of environmental advantages for society at large,” Leopold Demiddeleer added.