U.S. Pipe Demand to Increase

Pipe demand in the U.S. is expected to increase 2.4% per annum through 2005 to over 16 billion feet. Pacing advances will be the expansion or replacement of deteriorating potable water, sewer, drainage and other pipe networks. Further advances will be threatened by declining housing starts and the uncertainties endemic to government funded storm and sewer pipe projects. Best opportunities are anticipated for plastic pipe based on the material's corrosion resistance, long service life and lower installed costs compared to concrete, cast iron and other materials. This will create demand for 6.4 billion feet of plastic pipe in 2005. Copper pipe will remain the footage leader due to its excellent thermal transfer properties and durability, making it ideally suited for refrigeration and indoor potable water applications. These and other trends are presented in "Plastic & Competitive Pipe", a new study from The Freedonia Group, Inc., a Cleveland-based industrial market research firm.

For more information, contact Corinne Gangloff, The Freedonia Group, Inc., 767 Beta Drive, Cleveland, OH 44143-2326, 440-684-9600, Fax: 440-646-0484, E-mail: pr@freedoniagroup.com.