The new standard of HDPE seamless bends

Linesco Pipeline Engineering Supplies, a leading supplier of steel backing flanges to the high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipe market in Southern Africa has increased its product offering to include HDPE pipe fittings. 

Linesco is no stranger to HDPE pipe manufacturing, as it forms part of the Rare Plastics group of companies, which is a leader in HDPE pipe manufacturing in South Africa.  

Linesco has recently entered into a license agreement with Pipestar Inter-national, based in Winnipeg, in Canada, to locally produce Arc Bends* and Super Arc Bends*. Arc Bends* and Super Arc Bends* are HDPE 3D long radius seamless sweep bends, and will be manufactured by using the technology owned by Pipestar International. 

In terms of the agreement Linesco has been rebranded and will in future be known as Pipestar Africa. The Arc Bends* and Super Arc Bends* will be produced in Pipestar Africa’s facility in Kliprivier, south of Johannesburg.

Pipestar International was formed 
when a group of associates with over 60 years of combined experience in the distribution and manufacture of HDPE pipe and fittings, acquired a unique process for manufacturing 3D seamless long radius HDPE bends.

The group formed Pipestar International Inc. in 2000 and set up a manufacturing facility in Canada. 

Initially the product offering of seamless Arc Bends* was limited to sizes up to 14” (350 mm). Pipestar International Inc. over the last 21 years has continued to improve and modernise its manufacturing processes. In 2013 Pipestar’s product offering increased to include 16” (400 mm), 18” (450 mm), and 20” (500 mm) Super Arc Bends*. Arc Bends* and Super Arc Bends* in iron pipe size, from 1” to 20”, produced in every imaginable angle, have been sold worldwide and are now the preferred 3D long radius sweep bends in North America.  

These “State of the Arc” bends have been used in a multitude of industries including mining, oil and gas extraction, power generation, and infrastructure piping systems, to name a few. Given Pipestar International’s recent association with Pipestar Africa, Arc Bends* manufactured in metric sizes are available for these same industries and applications all over the world. 

Initially the locally manufactured Arc Bends* will be available in both SDR11 and SDR17 in sizes up to 280 mm. Pipestar Africa has already started manufacturing the equipment to expand the size range to 630 mm.

Arc Bends* are non-reversion bends that will maintain their bending angle without the need to be restrained. Due to their exceptional dimensional stability and roundness the Arc Bends* are fully pressure rated and offer increased flow capacity. Arc Bends* are manufactured to within 2˚ angular tolerance as opposed to the market norm of 5˚ tolerance and they are suitable for both butt fusion welding as well as electro fusion welding.

“When we first saw the Arc Bends* and Super Arc Bends* manufactured by Pipestar International Inc. we knew that we had to have them, it was love at first sight. Our dream was to offer our market locally manufactured Arc Bends* that were of a similar quality to our pipes that we produce at our Rare Plastics facility, in Meyerton, Gauteng. 

I believe that this will improve the integrity of HDPE pipe systems in our region as a whole. 

We are extremely proud that these world class Arc Bends* will now be locally manufactured in South Africa and we believe that it will be the new standard for sweep bends in our market,” says Pipestar Africa director Renier Viljoen.

In addition to Arc Bends*, Pipestar Africa has also started the manufacturing of stub ends up to 315 mm in diameter in both long and short form at the local facility. 

“We will be the only manufacturer in our region that will offer full traceability back to the raw materials used in the manufacturing of our stub ends as a standard practice. A pipeline is only as strong as its weakest component and if we are to improve the integrity of our industry we need to ensure that we focus on all the components that make up a pipeline and not just the pipes. Our market should be driven by quality if we are to build infrastructure to serve generations to come,” says Pipestar Africa director 

Ashin Tasdhary. 

The stub ends will be branded as PSA. In addition to Arc Bends* and stub ends, Pipestar Africa will continue to supply the full range of steel backing flanges as well as fasteners suitable for HDPE pipe sizes.

*Arc Bends and Super Arc Bends are registered trade marks of Pipestar International Inc.