Iplex is one of Australia’s leading manufacturers of locally produced, sustainable polyethylene pipeline systems and solutions to water authorities, rural and urban agriculture, residential, urban subdivision, civil and mining infrastructure markets.
Iplex has a customer-centric focus and its experienced team provide product leadership, unrivalled technical support, and training to help ensure the success of its customers’ projects. Iplex is experienced in project delivery on major pipeline infrastructure projects, from the design phase through to manufacturing and installation advice.
Iplex has manufactured the well trusted brand of POLIplex® Large Bore and higher-pressure polyethylene pipes and fittings since the early eighties. While initially available in smaller diameters for industrial and agricultural applications, Iplex PE pipe and fittings are now available in diameters up to 2000mm.
Iplex Product Manager – PE Systems Luke Kennedy says while these Larger Bore sizes are not an everyday pipe, they are often required for significant infrastructure projects.
“The application is usually any project that requires large volumes of fluid, such as marine outfalls/inlets, bulk water transportation, dams and associated infrastructure, water diversions, trunk lines and culvert work”, he says.
“The 1200, 1400, and 1600-mm sizes are becoming common enquiries, while 1800 and 2000 mm are steadily gaining more interest with our customers”.
Kennedy says Iplex’s manufacturing capability can deliver these sizes to clients when requested.
POLIplex® pipes may look the same, however, the performance upgrades in the applied resins have seen significant technical evolution in recent years. This translates to mechanical and performances of POLIplex® Pipes exceeding the Australian standards.
Iplex manufactured plastic pipe systems are designed to last and are safe for people and the planet.
The excellent durability of polyethylene manufactured pipes means that very little pipe reaches the end of its useful life or finds its way into the waste stream.
As challenges arise in the management and planning of safe water security for our growing population, smarter and innovative solutions are required to ensure we are safeguarding our finite water resources. With over 80 years’ experience, Iplex has broad and proven capabilities and is firmly focused on the future to support Australia’s water industry to address the imminent water supply challenges.
“As innovative solutions start to emerge, most of these types of projects will require reliable and easily sourced larger pipe products as the interlinking lifelines. Thinking around storm water harvesting, dam linking, on-land network upgrades or emergency water diversions are already emerging” says Kennedy.
A future focused example was a project for the Gold Coast City Long Term Recycled Water Release Plan. The plan is a 20-year program which will see the city expand its existing recycling network.
With a significant growth corridor expected in and around the Gold Coast, QLD region, significant infrastructure upgrades were planned and executed allowing for environmentally managed discharge of Recycled Water into the Gold Coast Seaway.
One section of the project required a 900-metre stretch of POLIplex® 1200mm SDR11 (PN16) Polyethylene Pipe to be welded into a continuous string. The string was then floated from Moondarewa Spit down the Broadwater to be appropriately positioned so that the single pipe could be directional drilled from Southport to Main Beach.
“For this to occur, the pipe material had to be polyethylene in that it was the only materially capable of being welded on site in a continuous string, floated down the seaway into position, then also cope with the rigours of large bore directional drilling”, says Kennedy.
Kennedy says fortunately, the appropriate companies involved with the project all held significant experience in minimalising disruption, executing the project, and ensuring that all project markers were achieved.
“It was a tribute under the guidance of John Holland to see the Project executed so well with GEM Industrial, Dunstans Construction Group and Maritime Services all contributing. Iplex was a very proud supplier of POLIplex® Large Bore Thick Walled Polyethylene Pipes and fittings. We are looking forward to producing more pipes like this to support such initiatives in future,” he says.
Iplex continues to advocate for smarter innovative water solutions, today and into the future.
This article appeared in the January 2022 issue of The Australian Pipeliner magazine. Click here to view the digital edition.