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CONSTRUCTION WORLD
JUNE
2016
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PRODUCTS AND SERVICES
When compared to its sewer pipe prede-
cessor (the SANS 791 Durodrain pipe),
Ultracor was a lighter, more cost-effec-
tive andmaterial-efficient sewer pipe that quickly
gained ground in the market.
Over the years, extensive research and
development by DPI Plastics and its ongoing
commitment to increase its use of recycled PVC
resulted in the development of Ultrapipe, which
represented the ongoing evolution of Ultracor.
Ultrapipe also utilises ‘skins’ manufactured
from virgin PVC material. However, the foamed
core is manufactured from recycled PVC.
The skins cover the core and are in contact
with the effluent and surrounding environment.
While specifiers and contractors were
initially hesitant to use this greener alternative,
today Ultrapipe outsells Ultracor sewer pipe at a
ratio of 4:1 as consumers choose more envi-
ronment-friendly alternatives to traditional
sewer products.
“PVC is the most popular material for sewer
pipes worldwide due to its high strength and
stiffness, toughness, low cost, ease of installation,
chemical resistance and full system availability
of pipes and fittings,” Renier Snyman, technical
and product manager, DPI Plastics, points out.
“As per the SANS 1601 standard, we are only
allowed to utilise recycled material from our
own processes. We therefore have full history
of the rawmaterial and its ingredients, providing
greater confidence and peace of mind for our
customers,” Snyman comments.
Durban-based interior designers, Egg
Designs, discovered the unique durability
and rugged nature of vitreous enamel
steel and promptly decided that the product
ULTRAPIPE
PROMOTES
PVC RECYCLING
DPI Plastics introduced its
Ultracor multi-layer SANS 1601
sewer pipe to the South African
market in 2002. This consisted
of three virgin or ‘first use’
layers: namely, an inner and
outer PVC wall, together with a
foamed inner core.
Ultrapipe complies with the minimum stiffness
requirements of SANS 1601. It is manufactured in
bothmedium-duty (200 KPa or SN 4) and heavy-
duty (400 KPa or SN 8) versions.“Our full range of
PVC sewer fittings are rated heavy-duty, and can
therefore be used with any class of sewer pipe.
In fact, the stiffness of our fittings far exceeds
400 KPa,” Snyman notes.
DPI Plastics was also the first company
in South Africa to introduce ribbed fittings,
providing lower weight with increased perfor-
mance. “The size and shape of the ribs on our
fittings was optimised to provide high stiffness
and maintain overall rigidity,” Snyman explains.
Ultrapipe is available in the popular size
range of 110 mm up to 250 mm. It is supplied
with integral sockets and rubber seals, or can be
joined by solvent welding, providing leak-free
restrained joints.
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Vitreous enamel steel, produced by Vitrex in
Boksburg and traditionally used in architectur-
al applications, is now being used as table top
material for Nando's restaurants.
LEFT:
Renier Snyman, technical and product manager at DPI Plastics.
RIGHT:
PVC is the most
popular material for sewer pipes due to its high strength and stiffness.
EXTRA DIMENSION TO VITREOUS ENAMEL STEEL
Vitreous enamel steel, produced locally by Vitrex in Boksburg,
has become synonymous with diverse architectural applications
worldwide. Now the product has been specified for yet another
innovative – and almost unexpected – application: as a new table
top material for a global restaurant chain.
should be applied as bespoke table tops for
two new outlets of the Nando's international
restaurant chain. Nando's, established in South
Africa in 1987, now has more than 1 000 outlets
in more than 30 countries.
Cristian Cottino, sales &marketing director of
Vitrex in Boksburg, says Egg Designs approached
Vitrex to provide the vitreous enamel steel table
tops for Nando's O.R. Tambo International Airport
and West Street, Durban, restaurants.
“The table tops feature blue enamel graphics
on a white background. The graphics were digi-
tally printed prior to the final firing of the table
tops. Special graphics, such as those designed by
Egg Designs for Nando's tables, are no obstacle
for our production line as Vitrex's vitreous
enamel steel surfaces can incorporate virtually
any graphics including the work of artists, or
special effects such as metallic or wood grain
finishes,” he states.
Cottino says the 32 mm deep tops are
1 300 mm in diameter and factory-fitted with a
core to receive a set of crafted metal legs.
Egg Design has been contracted to design the
interior of Nando's restaurants in South Africa in
line with the new design philosophy, including
the design and manufacture of the various
furniture elements. The two branches for which
Vitrex supplied the table tops were the first to be
completed in Nando's national revamp.
Greg Dry, one of the founders of Egg Designs,
says the Portuguese roots of Nando's influenced
his decision to opt for a ‘kombuis tafel’ concept
for the new restaurant tables. “We did some
research and found that vitreous enamel steel
had the hardwearing attributes we were looking
for and that Vitrex could provide both limitless
colour and print options. Vitreous enamel steel
is also impervious and therefore the ideal mate-
rial on which to serve food. We believe that the
future design possibilities of vitreous enamel
steel is limitless and are extremely excited about
increasingly using it, not only in our designs for
Nando's, but also in other interior designs as we
continue our association with Vitrex.”
Dry says he believes that as vitreous enamel
steel is increasingly seen in Egg Designs interior
landscapes in future, the product's relatively
under-utilised capacity in this creative field in
South Africa will be discovered and increasingly
specified by the design fraternity. “Nando's are
pushing the boundaries in every aspect of design
and allowing Egg Designs to implement this
innovative application of an established form
of architectural cladding shows the restaurant
chain's commitment to lead the field.”
The interior designer says the “absolute
passion, commitment and exceptional profes-
sionalism” displayed by Vitrex in the execution
of this order bore testimony to the company's
success as a global player.
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