TECHNO-PLAST Russia: Interview with multilayer pipe equipment manufacturer Mr. Vitaliy Ubeyvolk
Our Dow team recently had the opportunity to interview Mr. Vitaliy Ubeyvolk, Founder and General Director of TECHNO-PLAST, a company specialised in the development of pipe equipment located in Voroneg, Russia – a city that is approximately 500 kilometers from Moscow.
Question: Mr. Ubeyvolk, could you please give us an introduction on the background of TECHNO-PLAST?
Mr. Ubeyvolk: TECHNO-PLAST originally began as a company called “SKTB-MAYAK”, which was created in 1994 and specialised in manufacturing materials for composite pipes. In 2000, we decided to broaden our offering and we changed the name of the company to TECHNO-PLAST. Our work expanded to include the development and production of equipment for pipes. From 2000-2004, we focused on the creation of our product line and then in 2004 we received our first order from a Russian company called “Sibirskie Tovary.”
Today, we have a team of eight specialists working to produce this line of high quality equipment for pipe production. Our primary focus is the composite pipe market, as it is referred to in Europe, or as we say in Russia – reinforced plastic pipes, metallopolymeric pipes or metallo-plastic pipes.
To ensure that our customers get top quality products, we make sure that the components for our equipment come from leading world manufacturers such as Siemens, Bosch and Mitsubishi, as well as others.
While the majority of our clients are based in Russia, like Sibirskie Tovary, our client list also includes pipe manufacturers in Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Belarus and Armenia.
Question: Why did TECHNO-PLAST decide to work with The Dow Chemical Company? Where do you see the business opportunity for TECHNO-PLAST in working with PE-RT pipes?
Mr. Ubeyvolk: This was actually our first year working with The Dow Chemical Company. Our relationship began when we purchased a shipment of material from Dow in order to conduct tests on our equipment. We were extremely satisfied with the way that the DOWLEX™ PE-RT resins performed in the equipment. The technological difficulties we had previously had all disappeared with the application of this material. Using DOWLEX™ 2344 and DOWLEX™ 2388 simplified the technological process, thus we managed to increase productivity and make the line cheaper, which really pleased our clients.
As a result of this successful testing, we purchased the material from Dow to make the end product – a composite pipe. We now recommend DOWLEX™ 2344 and DOWLEX™ 2388 PE-RT resins to all of our customers. They are so simple to use, especially compared to cross-linked polyethylene.
To summarize, we chose Dow as our supplier on the basis of the technical characteristics of the polymer itself – DOWLEX™ PE-RT resins. We found the material, bought it, tested it, and really appreciated its quality and performance. We believe that PE-RT is currently the best material on the market for composite pipes.
Question: Can you describe the pipe market in Russia? What are the primary applications for PE-RT pipes within the market?
Mr. Ubeyvolk: The market for plastic pipes in Russia, although it is just emerging, is growing at a fast pace, primarily due to the rise of construction throughout the country. The key customers for plastic pipes in Russia include the new building and construction companies for civil or industrial use as well as companies that specialise in small private houses located in rural areas, which may not have had pipe systems already installed. On the other hand, companies building or renovating large apartment complexes are not currently using composite plastic pipes, though they would benefit greatly from their use. In addition, composite pipes have not entered the DIY sector as of yet since the customer base is rather small.
The principal applications for the PE-RT pipe market will most likely be hot and cold water applica tions as well as radiant heating. While it is difficult to forecast with certainty where the market will head, it is important to keep in mind that there is definitely room for future growth for PE-RT resins for pipes in Russia.
Question: Following your trial with PE-RT in 2006, how would you rate PE-RT as an alternative to cross-linked polyethylene based pipes?
Mr. Ubeyvolk: I think that PE-RT has a lot of potential in the chemical industry, while cross-linked polyethylene will probably become outdated. For example, up until now pipe production technology was based on cross-linked polyethylene, which, in its natural state has a matte surface. However, consumers in the Russian market, for example, prefer a glossy surface. Consequently, with cross-linked polyethylene, additional components like gloss agents must be added – a step that complicates the technological process and reduces the pipe durability. On the other hand, with PE-RT the pipe has natural shine after processing without any additives.
While, in principle, there is no difference in the installation procedure or design of
PE-RT pipes and cross-linked polyethylene, we prefer to work with PE-RT based plastic pipes since the material is significantly more flexible allowing you to easily mould the pipe into whatever shape you need. In contrast, cross-linked polyethylene is quite difficult to bend and, in addition, the extra step of cross-linking adds to the price but not to the performance.
Question: Can you describe the technical standards in Russia for pipes with regards to their different applications?
Mr. Ubeyvolk: At the present time, there are no standards for pipes in Russia. As a result, building and construction companies tend to base their technical specifications on the relevant European standards.
Contact: www.techno-plast.ru, info@technoplast.ru.