Polyethylene pipe is being laid across Australia almost faster than it’s being made, but when dealing with critical networks like potable water and gas, it’s important to know every link in the production chain is tried and tested. And that’s where Benton’s Gas comes in.
Pipe networks across Australia are under pressure to evolve. Polyethylene (PE) pipe materials, especially high-density PE100, have emerged as the backbone of new water and gas networks. Their favourable properties, including long service life, corrosion resistance and flexibility, make them ideally suited to modern infrastructure needs.
Since 1999, Benton’s Gas has built a reputation in the pipeline industry for supplying high-quality products and services for Australia’s growing PE networks.
The company’s scope is broad, supplying PE and PVC pipe, pipe fittings, tooling, gas meters, valves, personal protective equipment, and much more. This covers gas, potable water, recycled water, and electrical conduits.
“In the PE pipe space, much of our work comes from commercial developments and greenfield areas,” Benton’s Gas Category Manager Bevan McWha told The Australian Pipeliner.
“With gas, everything’s PE, from main to meter. Water is very similar.”
The company left its mark on countless projects last year, including the Victorian gas renewal upgrade program, which involved works in rural and metro regions all over the state. Benton’s also played a role in multiple pipeline relocation projects, including for the Melbourne Airport Rail and the North East Link.
Bevan said the order books are already filling up for 2026, with supply contracts for asset initial development and maintenance programs lined up in South Australia and Victoria.
From utilities to data centres, appetite for PE pipe remains strong in the market, which Bevan attributes to its impressive properties.
“PE is lighter than steel, but more durable and flexible than PVC,” he said. “It has high-pressure properties and a shelf life of 100 years if you treat it right. It’s easy to understand the appeal of these assets.”
But just like any type of pipe, not all PE is created equal.
Bevan said the main pain points when working with PE are on the manufacturer’s end, with the pipe and fittings needing to adhere to strict standards, as well as the joining methods.
Issues with quality control can sometimes arise when sourcing cheap PE resin from overseas. That’s why Benton’s sources its high-pressure PE pipe from Vinidex, which supplies over 50 per cent of the business. Vinidex uses only the highest standard of raw materials and the latest manufacturing technology to manufacture its PE pipe. In other words, Benton’s Gas knows exactly where its pipe comes from, and its technical capabilities.
The gas division of the business takes this one step further, with BSI certification, and the collection of test certificates for every batch of pipe that comes in.
“We supply PE pipe from 16mm all the way up to 355mm,” Bevan said. “All of it is tried, tested, and trusted.”
Fittings & installation
The pipe is only one piece of the picture; once it hits a worksite, it needs to be installed. For PE, this means butt-welding or electro-fusion, depending on application.
“Butt-welding is common in the water industry due to its simplicity,” Bevan said. “Gas is more focused on electro-fusion, which requires more preparation but has a faster cook time.
“We supply high-performance electro-fusion and butt-welding equipment from a range of leading brands such as Fusion Plast.
“We hold accreditation from these OEMs, which means we can provide qualified servicing, support and spare parts to keep these machines performing at the top of their game.”
This means that Benton’s is able to alleviate the main challenges associated with PE pipelines, those being pipe quality and proper installation. All that remains is for installers to follow best practice when assembling the pipe.
“If the joining method is correctly performed, whether it’s a butt-weld or electro-fusion, these sections will actually be the strongest part of the pipe and the asset will last the intended duration.”
The Benton’s family of companies covers several markets and operating out of 16 branches across metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria. Bevan said the plan for 2026 is to consolidate its multi-sector resources, rolling out streamlined practices across the whole company, to better serve the markets in which it operates.
“We’re opening a new site in Lynbrook which will house our trade; heating, ventilation, and air conditioning [HVAC]; and gas business,” he said. “Consolidating our resources like this will allow us to support our customers on a broader level.
For asset owners looking to develop PE pipe networks, Benton’s Gas delivers a single-point supplier model that is hard to look past. And yet, despite its broad scope the company understands its products at a granular level, delivering tried, tested and trusted service to the pipeline industry.
For more information, visit bentonsgas.com.au