Pipeline solutions Wavin Ekoplastik

Wavin Ekoplastik is a member of the Wavin Group, a major global supplier of plastic piping systems for residential, non-residential and development projects. The company is the largest player in the plastic system sector in the Czech Republic. Romana Moares spoke to Krzysztof Bocek, the company’s executive director, about his plans for further growth.

PIPELINE SOLUTIONS

Wavin Ekoplastik s.r.o. is the largest producer of polypropylene (PPR) pipe-work systems for pressurised liquid distribution in the Czech Republic. The most typical areas for the use of the Ekoplastik PPR system are distribution networks for drinking and hot water, and hot water heating. Nevertheless, the system is also suitable for many other uses, including the distribution of coolants, compressed air, gases and liquids; it is also used in agriculture and horticulture.

The company has been successfully operating as a plastic system supplier for over 60 years. In 2003, it was acquired by the Wavin Group, which enabled its expansion into further European and global markets. In 2012, Wavin became a member of the Mexichem Group, a global leader in the plastic pipe system sector, employing about 20,000 people worldwide and achieving turnovers of roughly €5.6 billion. The Czech company’s turnover was CZK 1.6 billion in 2015.

“Wavin Ekoplastik is the biggest supplier of plastic systems in the Czech Republic,” says Mr Bocek. “Most of the sales are generated by our own Ekoplastik water and heating distribution systems, manufactured in two locations near Prague. In addition to our own production, we also sell the group’s other products, including those for the distribution of drinking water, rainwater management, wastewater treatment systems, heating and cooling of buildings and similar. Our company has a reputation not only as a supplier of top quality products but also as a provider of excellent technical support and service,” he claims.

Drive for innovation

The Wavin Group offers solutions for basic everyday needs, such as the safe distribution of drinking water, sustainable rainwater and wastewater control, as well as for the heating and cooling of buildings. It has a strong track record in innovation, from the world’s first

PVC pressure pipe in 1955 to the 2013 launch of the world’s first high performance PPr system for Hot & Cold Water supply.

“Innovation is our top priority. We introduce truly revolutionary products to the market,” claims Mr Bocek. “I would highlight, for example, the unique multi-layer plastic piping system with reinforced whinstone fibre. The system is very durable and resistant and offers a long service life. We are the only producer and supplier of this system worldwide. Another example of a successful innovative product is the PPR-CT piping system, which now defines a new standard in our sector and brings better parameters including a higher pressure resistance,” he explains.

The number of innovative products does not stop here. In early 2016, Wavin introduced a brand new low-noise discharge system – Wavin SiTech+. It is a mineral reinforced polypropylene (PP) water discharge system that is easy to install and reduces the noise of discharge water flow mainly due to its heavier fittings. It is recommended for buildings where reduced acoustics of water flow are required, such as hotels, hospitals, office buildings or residential premises.

“In a world where sustainable development and environmental protection play an increasingly important role, manufacturers cannot operate without investing in environmentally friendly technologies and reflecting this aspect into their strategies,” says Mr Bocek, explaining that Wavin Ekoplastik’s complete product range is fully recyclable, with no harmful substances being produced during manufacturing and in subsequent applications.

In this context, rainwater and its management has become a hot topic in the piping system sector – the climate is changing, periods of heavy rains alternate with periods of draughts and societies must learn to manage rainwater in a more economical manner. Wavin Ekoplastik is monitoring the trends closely and has come up with an in-house solution for rainwater management: the systems collect, transport and treat water as required. The company also includes retention systems and discharge control systems in its portfolio. Ahead of competitors

Wavin Ekoplastik has become a market leader, and feels the responsibility to set the right example in terms of both quality and technical solutions. “We believe that innovative and high quality solutions are substantially more beneficial for investors than cheap products imported from abroad,” says Mr Bocek.

Mr Bocek goes on to say that the Czech market offers only limited opportunities for growth and is suffers from volatile demand and lack of vision in the contraction sector. In 2016, the size of the engineering network sector fell sharply owing to the lack of projects for tender.

“Strategically, growth can only be secured by increasing our export market share. Currently, over 50 per cent of total sales are generated in the export markets, capitalising on the fact the Ekoplastik is a globally recognised brand. We have a very strong position in Russia and Ukraine but our products are sold to about 40 countries. At the moment, the fastest growing market for us is China, where we enjoy increasing thanks to the high quality of our products and the preference for European goods.”

In the future, innovation will continue to be Wavin Ekoplastik biggest strength. The company is now working on several new products and services to expand its current focus. “We have launched a new website for professionals – Wavinacademy.cz – with a unique zone for developers and project managers to whom we offer, free of charge, a range of software tools specifically developed for ZTI designing. Together with the new pioneering products we have launched, as well as those in the pipeline, this service should help us stay ahead of competitors and secure further growth, both in the domestic and the export markets,” says Mr Bocek. This will be fully in line with the company’s mission to generate continuous value for employees, customers, partners and shareholders, and to be the supplier of choice with a complete, competitive, innovative and sustainable portfolio. n