The industry suffered with the COVID-19 pandemic, after huge economic expansion following the recession in 2008. Resilience was key, which the plastic pipe industry has in abundance, alongside a capacity to adapt to new economic circumstances. 2021 is expected to be a rebound year for the sector but there’s uncertainty and weaker financial position going into it. If construction activity is affected, the plastic pipes industry may suffer from lack of investment.

There is hope for the industry. Here, we examine the infrastructure sector, where a large proportion of the demand for gravity pipes comes from. Some parts of Europe have a well-developed infrastructure, including sewerage, roads and railway networks, as well as power and telecommunication cables. Nevertheless, major parts of that infrastructure need maintenance or modernisation. Further to this, thermoplastic pipes are gaining market share at the expense of non-thermoplastics for drainage and sewerage pipes, soil and waste pipes, roof drainage pipes and road and railway drainage. This will continue to drive demand for plastic pipes.

The future of the industry is dependent on new standards and regulations, new solutions and inter-material competition trends. Understanding these is key to aligning effort, resource and product, and as a knock on – achieving success.

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  Interests

  Compounds, additives & masterbatch

  CompoundingConductive plasticsFlame / fire retardantsFoam and foaming agentsFootwearMasterbatch / concentratesMedical tubingPigments / colours / colourantsPolyolefin additivesPVC and PVC compoundsReinforcements / minerals / fillersTechnical compounds

  Energy & infrastructure

  Artificial grass / yarnCablesCarbon captureCompositesElectrical and electronicEnergy storageFlooringGeothermal energyHydrogen energyNuclear energyOil and gasPipe extrusionPipeline coatingPolymer engineering for energyProfile extrusionRoto-mouldingSolar power / photovoltaicsWaste to energyWaterproof membranesWind turbines

  Extrusion

  CablesFilm extrusionMedical tubingPipe extrusionProfile extrusionSheet extrusion

  Flexible films

  Agricultural filmsBiax films / bioriented filmsBreathable filmsFilm extrusionFlexible packagingPE / polyethylenePlastic pouchesSheet extrusionStretch and shrink films

  Moulding

  Automation / process optimisationBlow mouldingDesign and simulation softwareInjection mouldingMould making / tool buildingRotational moulding

  Raw materials & distribution

  BioplasticsEngineering polymers (PA, ABS, PBT, PC, POM, PMMA)Materials testingPA / polyamidePE / polyethylenePETPolymer sourcing and distributionPP / polypropylenePS / polystyreneResin pricingRubberThermosetsTPEs

  Recycling & sustainability

  Chemical recyclingGreen chemistryMechanical recyclingNatural fibresOcean plasticsRecycling engineering plasticsRecycling flexible packagingStrategies for plastics sustainabilityWaste management and feedstock for recycling

  Rigid packaging

  Blow mouldingCaps and closuresFood and drinksMedical devices and rigid disposablesMoulded fibre packagingRigid packagingSingle-serve capsulesSmart packagingThermoformingThin wall packaging

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Application scope and segmentation

The study encompasses the following application segments:

• Underground Drainage & Sewerage
• Soil & Waste
• Roof Drainage Systems
• Road and land drainage
• Cable Protection
  
  

Materials scope

The study includes the following thermoplastic-based systems:

• PVC-based systems
• Polyethylene-based systems
• Polypropylene-based systems
  
  

In addition to thermoplastics, the pipe demand analysis includes also non-thermoplastic pipe systems:

• Glass-reinforced polymeric pipes (GRP)
• Ductile cast iron systems
• Clay pipes
• Concrete pipes
  
  

Where beneficial, the report further analyses thermoplastic pipes by type of material (for instance PP-HM versus regular PP) and by pipe structure, i.e., solid wall, foamed wall, and twin wall.

Data points

The study provides demand data for 2016, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2026. It was published in June 2022.

Require updated data? We can design customised market reports that meet your exact needs.

Geographical scope

For the purpose of this report, Europe is defined as the European Union (27 countries), as well as Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, and the UK.

To enable meaningful analysis, the 31 countries were divided among France, Germany, Italy, the UK, Benelux, Nordic countries, Spain, Poland, other occidental countries (OOC), and other Central and Eastern European countries (OCEE).