KWH to supply US utility with PE100 pipes

KWH Pipe Canada Ltd. (Mississauga, ON) has signed a three-year contract to provide a US utility, Public Service Electric and Gas Co. (Newark, NJ), with gas pipes made from a bimodal polyethylene resin called PE100.
"This is the first multi-year contract awarded by a major gas distribution utility in North America that specifies the use of PE100 type material," said Paul Van Warmerdam, president of KWH Canada. "PE100 has been used to a significant extent in Europe under ISO Standards, and is generally recognized as an improvement over the materials that are used in North America today."
PE2406, a medium density resin under ASTM standards, is currently the most common thermoplastic used in North America for gas pipes, Van Warmerdam explained.
"[However], a smaller number of gas distribution companies specify the use of PE3408 type material, which is a high-density material under ASTM Standards," he noted.
This deal also marks KWH Canada’s first multi-year contract with a US utility, and it is possible the contract could be extended to a total of five years, Van Warmerdam said. Previously, all of the firm’s contracts to provide piping for gas distribution were secured with Canadian companies, he added.
The 2-inch to 12-inch pipes for Public Service Electric Gas will be extruded at KWH Canada’s facility in Huntsville, ON, and will be made of a material supplied by Innovene LLC (Chicago, IL).