Advance Drainage Systems, Inc. (ADS) added a fourth manufacturing line to its plant in Saint-Germain, Quebec, to produce large-diameter corrugated pipe out of high density polyethylene.
ADS opened the facility in 2009 and has been ramping up production ever since to meet demand for pipe that resists chemicals, road salts and freeze-thaw cycles, according to Ewout Leeuwenburg, senior vice president of international operations.
“Most of this growth is due to the increasing and steady demand for our products to fulfill the needs of agricultural, storm water management and sanitary sewer projects,” he said in a statement.
From farms to the infrastructure of cities and towns, the company's products are used around the world. The pipe manufacturer also sells to sports stadiums, golf courses, housing developments and airports.
ADS has a global network of 57 plants and 28 distribution centers. The company bills itself as the world's largest producer of corrugated HDPE pipe, which it has been making since 1987.
In Quebec, the new line is running product that is to 900 mm to 1500 mm, or about 35-50 inches in diameter. The plant is certified to produce sizes from 100-900 mm in accordance with the American Society for Testing and Materials.
The product also is certified to meet requirements of the Canadian Standards Association and specifications for load resistance factor design (LRFD) set by the American Association of State and Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO).
The structural integrity of ADS thermoplastic pipe comes from specially designed molds created to meet the latest edition of AASHTO's LRFD bridge design specifications, according to Greg Bohn, the company's director of national engineering. The code also incorporates thrust, buckling and combined strain.
“The materials science available to pipe manufacturers has progressed significantly since the introduction of concrete in road construction,” Bohn said in a statement.
