REHAU, GERMANY (July 24, 12:15 p.m. ET) — Polymer pipework specialist Rehau AG + Co. has opened its first United Kingdom facility to produce pre-insulated pipework for the district heating and biomass sectors. The new operation will be sited at Rehau’s long established factory in Blaenau, North Wales.
Until now, the U.K. market has relied exclusively on imports of this type of pipework, and Rehau said by investing in local production, it is “significantly reducing the carbon footprint of the Rauvitherm pipe it supplies.”
Rehau has seen sales of Rauvitherm more than double over the past year, driven by the booming market in the UK for biomass and district heating and, more recently, by the impact of the Renewable Heat Incentive.
Martin Hitchin, Rehau’s chief executive, said at the official opening: “Despite the fact that it is a global group, Rehau has long had a policy of producing locally wherever possible and this investment is very much in line with that.
“It is further evidence of our commitment to reducing carbon emissions across the entire supply chain and of securing that supply chain on behalf of our customers.”
Rauvitherm is a pre-insulated crosslinked polyethylene (PEX) pipe made with a high density PE outer jacket that is longitudinally watertight. It is popular in the U.K. market because of its flexibility, which simplifies and speeds up installation. Some Rauvitherm products also use polyurethane insulation.
