Environment-friendly Flowtite fibreglass pipe systems can be offered as alternative to asbestos cement pipes

The Dubai Municipality has issued a technical circular addressed to all drainage and irrigation consultants and contractors stating that for all future Drainage Department projects involving sewerage, drainage and irrigation pipes, contractors may submit alternative cost proposals for using glass-reinforced plastic (GRP) pipe systems instead of pipes made with asbestos cement.

GRP pipes, storage tanks, manholes, fittings and accessories are produced in the UAE by Dubai Pipes Factory Company (L.L.C.), a manufacturing operation in which Saudi Arabian Amiantit Company has a stake, using Amiantit-owned Flowtite fibreglass manufacturing technology.

To meet the region's growing demand for GRE pipes, Amiantit GRE began stepping up production in 2003, doubling output by the end of 2005 when annual capacity reach 9000 metric tons. The two manufacturing facilities in Dammam, Bondstrand Limited and the newly commissioned Amipox factory which is wholly owned by Amiantit, use respectively Ameron technology and Amiantit-owned Amipox technology to produce a range of GRE pipes, fittings, flanges and spools that are made from high quality, fiberglass- reinforced, thermosetting epoxy-resin.

"This is major breakthrough for GRP in the UAE and I congratulate our associates at the Dubai Pipes Factory on the success of their application to the Dubai Municipality for environment-friendly Flowtite GRP pipe systems to be proposed by contractors," said Eng. Fareed Al-Khalawi, President & CEO of the Amiantit Group.

GRP pipes are immune to galvanic and electrolytic corrosion and are the ideal choice for water supply systems. In addition, GRP has proven resistance to the acidic environment found in sanitary sewers and has been the material of choice in Middle East sewer systems for over 25 years.

Strong and lightweight, GRP pipes are easy to install, have a long service life and offer a cost-efficient solution for municipal water and sewage infrastructure networks. Being environment friendly, they also have industrial, agricultural and marine applications. Other Amiantit Flowtite GRP products include corrosion-resistant, high capacity, single and double wall tanks for underground and above ground storage of liquids including fuel oils and petrochemicals.