Even as the construction industry has so far been able to cope with the coronavirus crisis better than other sectors, manufacturers of plastic pipes, which depend primarily on the development of the construction industry, will nevertheless face very serious challenges in the coming months, if not years, predicts a report.

 

Market research institute Ceresana has now updated its third report on the global market for plastic pipes, which had been published in 2018. The new edition provides a first assessment and quantification of the effects of the pandemic, including forecasts until 2027.

 

Pipes enable communication

 

Home office and online commerce are pushing digitisation. This upheaval in the economy seems to have very little to do with pipes at first glance. However, large sums are currently being invested in the expansion of fibre optic networks all across the globe. “Plastic cable protection pipes are needed to shield the expensive cables from harmful environmental influences,” said Oliver Kutsch, CEO of Ceresana, “This is an example of the influence of current megatrends on traditional industries,” he added.

 

 

Plastic pipes against the drought

 

Climate change, too, is affecting the market for plastic pipes. The current drought in almost the entire northern hemisphere poses an immense challenge for the agricultural sector. Efficient irrigation systems can at least reduce crop losses. In addition to the use of suitable sensor technology, maintenance-friendly plastic pipes can ensure that the precious resource water is distributed with minimal losses. Since an increase in extreme weather phenomena is to be expected, plastic pipes for agricultural irrigation will experience growing demand over the coming years. Ceresana forecasts an increase in global consumption of around 2.6 per cent per year. 

 

Increasing competition for PVC

 

Plastic has become a reliable alternative to other materials in the construction industry. However, the significance of the individual application areas for the different types of pipe differs considerably. Pipes made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) are comparatively inexpensive and are used in particular for sewage, drinking water, and cable protection. Pipes based on polypropylene and polyethylene, however, are becoming a serious competitor to PVC pipes when it comes to the distribution of drinking water. In industrial applications and gas supply, they already play an important role. 

 

The sector is characterised by the different types of plastic: polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and other plastics. Demand in each country is additionally divided into the individual application areas: sewage, potable water, cable protection, gas supply, agriculture, industry, and other applications.

 

The study provides company profiles of the most important manufacturers of plastic pipes, such as Aalberts Industries, Aliaxis, Amiblu Holding, China Lesso Group Holdings, Fletcher Building, Georg Fischer, Nan Ya Plastics Corp, National Oilwell Varco, Sekisui Chemical Co and Tessenderlo Chemie.-TradeArabia News Service