The materials and installation methods used to install pipe have evolved considerably over time; beginning with wood, terracotta tile, cast concrete, iron pipe, and galvanized steel, bringing us to today with the material of choice being
thermoplastics.
Beginning in the 1960s, the two primary thermoplastic materials used in extrusion, the process used to manufacture pipe, have been HDPE and PVC (polyvinylchloride).
The industry experienced a significant increase in demand for HDPE pipe when telephone companies sought to add capacity in major metropolitan areas by removing traditional copper cables and replacing them with small diameter, fiber optic cables.
It was the introduction of trenchless installation methods, such as horizontal directional drilling (HDD) and pull or chute plowing that significantly contributed to the wider adoption of HDPE pipes. When coupled with the HDPE pipe’s long reel lengths, trenchless installations are much less intrusive to existing roadways, infrastructure and landscaping, and can reduce installation costs.
Whether it is above or below ground, HDPE pipe continues to be the material of choice as utilities expand their distribution infrastructure in urban and rural areas, and as communication companies increase availability of network bandwidth to meet the needs of the connected population.
HDPE pipe facilitates communication network expansion through a variety of features, benefits, and product offerings such as microducts, color coding, Cable-in- pipe (CIC), and various packaging methods are explained in the HDPE Product.
