Canadian pipe maker Soleno opens first US plant

Quebec-based Soleno Inc. has opened its first U.S. plant in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., to produce pipes made from recycled high density polyethylene, including a new product line with diameters up to 136 inches that leverages a spiral-wound pipe technology.

Soleno, which acquired the Krah-branded German technology in 2022, built a $22 million, 48,000-square-foot facility in New York to introduce a product line called Kustomflo to the United States. The plant opened with one line of Krah technology and 35 employees, Soleno President Alain Poirier said in an email. A second line is planned, along with about 15 more workers, he added.

Krah pipe technology is the most advanced for manufacturing large-diameter pipes, according to Poirier.

"It uses an adaptive process that allows for the optimization of pipe profiles to meet specific project needs and applicable standards," he said. "This custom manufacturing approach, drawing on over 100 different profiles, enables tailored solutions that help connect communities for generations."

The Kustomflo product line, which is made primarily from HDPE, offers some of the largest diameters on the market. Pipe diameters range from 24-136 inches for uses such as stormwater, sanitary and combined sewers, and gravity applications.

"These pipes are distinguished by their exceptional durability — they last for over 100 years — their ability to be custom-designed, and their low environmental impact compared to traditional materials, such as concrete," Poirier said.

Customers can tailor the wall thickness, stiffness and diameter of not only the system but also each individual section within the system, which reduces the material costs for the entire design. "In short, HDPE allows you to use [and pay for] just what you need," a product brochure says. "If the past was [about] overdesign, the future is the right design."

Soleno products are made mostly from recycled HDPE, making them sustainable options for a circular economy, the company president said.

"Recycling plastic is part of our DNA," Poirier said. "Depending on the product range, Soleno integrates 75 percent to 100 percent of recycled HDPE plastic in our products."

While HDPE pipes have been in use for more than 60 years worldwide, the material hasn't been widely adopted for large-diameter applications despite being what Poirier describes as the best sustainable option to meet North American water infrastructure needs based on research and life cycle analyses.

"We believe that HDPE pipes should be considered equivalent to concrete in terms of project specification and by government standards," Poirier said. "HDPE pipes also have lower environmental impact and offer critical benefits such as custom-made structures for complex projects, providing a competitive edge over concrete."

Kustomflo HDPE pipes resist corrosion, abrasion, de-icing salts, vibration, impact and freeze-thaw cycles of -20° F to 190° F, the company says, while concrete can corrode, erode and crack over its lifespan and during installation.

HDPE pipes also are 20 times lighter, which saves on transportation costs, installation workforce and time, and they can be installed at longer lengths, he said. Pipe systems with HDPE products have up to 60 percent fewer joints than a concrete network of the same size, which decreases the likelihood of leaks.

With an estimated $46 million in annual related sales, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu-based Soleno ranks 74th among North American pipe, profile and tubing extruders, according to Plastics News' latest ranking.