- On-site production of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipes up to 26 inch (660mm)
- Technology eliminates risk of handling large pipe lengths
- Applications: HDPE pipes for mining, irrigation, municipal water/wastewater, oil and gas
The company Tubi USA Inc. has launched a patented modular extrusion system which reduces logistics, installation, and handling costs for the manufacture and installation of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipes for the mining, oil and gas, irrigation, and municipal water and wastewater industries.
Increased flexibility compared to conventional extrusion plants
These mobile extrusion plants can be packed onto flatbed trucks and moved to strategic locations to manufacture HDPE pipes for a wide range of infrastructure projects, thus providing increased flexibility compared to conventional brick-and-mortar plants.
Technology eliminates risk of handling large pipe lengths
Public road transportation is currently seen as the only viable way of delivering pipes, rendering the extrusion of long length pipes impossible, according to the company. Tubi’s modular extrusion plant offers unprecedented lengths of weld-free pipes produced directly on-site, reducing up to 95% of conventional weld joints. The plant can extrude 4- to 26-in (100-660mm) pipes. Each modular extrusion factory has an annual capacity of 20 million lb (9,070 MTA).
New mobile extrusion pipe plants in the US and New Zealand
Tubi has established a new mobile manufacturing site in Bartow, Fla (USA) with two plants that are now both fully commissioned and operational. The company won a large project and then leased space from the customer, Mosaic Co., which is the largest fertilizer producer in the world. Mosaic is using Tubi pipes for processing wastewater from phosphate mining. Tubi is producing the pipes in 500-foot (150 meter) lengths. Previously, the Florida HDPE pressure pipe markets were geographically isolated from HDPE pipe manufacturing plants. The direct access to the new plants in central Florida reduces freight and installation costs, improves safety, and creates local jobs.
Tubi also currently operates a mobile extrusion plant in Odessa, Texas with plans to move a fourth new mobile extrusion plant to Tucson, Ariz. to serve the Southwest mining industry.
In New Zealand, Tubi’s mobile manufacturing unit produced 105 miles (169 km) of HDPE pipe for irrigation of farmland. The irrigation pipe was produced on-site in 100-meter lengths (328 feet). IPLEX NZ, an existing pipe producer in New Zealand, bought the plant from Tubi and operates it under license.