KAI News and Events

Kuwait International Advanced Industries Introduces New Polyethylene Pipe

Kuwait International Advanced Industries with Borouge and Georg Fischer Piping Systems held a Seminar on HDPE (High Density Polyethylene) Solid Wall Pipe, Fittings and Applications.

The future of all pressure networks (gas and water) was discussed and practical solutions were on display.

More than 200 delegates from leading Construction Companies, Consulting and Engineering Firms and the Ministries attended the Seminar held at the Courtyard by Marriott Hotel.

Borouge is a leading supplier of environmentally superior polyolefin plastics - polyethylene and polypropylene. The speaker was Mr. Mario Andrade, Senior Sales Manager for Pipe and Dr Yousef Judeh, Senior Technical Manager

A leading supplier of piping systems in plastics and metal, Georg Fischer develop and manufacture application-oriented solutions with high-quality products for gas and water utilities and in building technology. The speaker was Mr. Mark Jarrett, Regional Sales Manager.

Kuwait International Advanced Industries (KAI) is a local manufacturer of very high standard Solid Wall HDPE pipe. KAI has been manufacturing and supplying HDPE Solid Wall systems to the region for over 2 years and specializes in the problems related to this region. The speaker was Mr. Jamal Al Naama, General Manager of KAI.

The Seminar emphasized the use of HDPE Solid Wall Pipe and Fittings for all water and gas networks. The benefits were shown quite clearly in all three presentations. HDPE Solid Wall Pipe is light and very easy to handle, especially on the site and transport and storage becomes very easy and cost effective. Another benefit from HDPE pipes is that it is non-corrodible and does not get damaged by the sun. The lifetime of this pipe is fifty plus years, whereas more traditional Ductile Iron pipe only last on average between 15 and 25 years.

The most important factor emphasized at the seminar was that a HDPE Solid Wall Pressure Network for Water is 100% leak free. It was shown in the seminar that water leakages from more traditional networks can be as much as 50% of the water supply due to corrosion and weak joints.

The direct cost aspect of using HDPE Pressure Pipe and Fittings were shown to be considerably less than others as the pipe comes in longer lengths (12m and above), is quicker to lay in the trenches and less fittings will be used. The pipe can bend to follow the contours of the landscape, which reduces the use of fittings as well.

The other costs savings that could be made were in the maintenance of the network. With HDPE Pressure Pipe Network there is practically no maintenance. HDPE Pressure Pipe Network is a maintenance free network. On the other hand Ductile Iron Networks needs maintaining permanently.

Interesting statistics at the seminar showed that the world is changing over to Polyethylene Pipes and Fittings. The case study that was shown dealt with the city of Palermo in Italy with similar ambient temperatures (45 degrees) as Kuwait and the region. The case study clearly illustrated that the pipe of the future to be used in pressurized water networks will be Polyethylene pipes and fittings.

There case studies also showed that the Middle East is not lagging behind and approvals for HDPE are becoming more and more the norm.

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