PE100+ Association is an industry organization of several PE manufacturers whose objective is to promote consistent quality at the highest level in the production and the use of polyethylene for PE100 pipes. The association aims to promote the use PE pipes of the highest quality. In an interview with Lekhraj Ghai of polymerupdate and Pierre Belloir, The president of PE100+ Association and Technical Manager at Total Petrochemical Research Feluy

1. INDUSTRY INSIGHTS
Promoting high-quality PE100: Interview with PE100+ President Pierre Belloir
Polyethylene (PE) pipes have a long and distinguished history of service to the oil and gas, mining and other
industries. Stringent waste management laws, ongoing construction and the rehabilitation of aging or obsolete
municipal pipe systems coupled with the numerous advantages that PE offers are some of the reasons for the
increased popularity of PE pipes. Ever since the use of PE piping systems began in the 1950s, PE pipes have
graduallyevolvedtomeetthe requirementsof the market.PE80 andPE100 are PE compoundsthatare designed
to produce pipes whose main application is the transport of gas and drinking water under pressure for a
guaranteed lifetime up to 100 years. PE100 exhibits significant improvement in properties that ultimately
determine the lifetime of the PE material.
PE100+ Association is an industry organization of several PE
manufacturers whose objective is to promote consistent
quality at the highest level in the production and the use of
polyethylene forPE100 pipes.The associationaimstopromote
the use of PE pipes of the highest quality and focuses on providing information support to end users, thereby
enhancing trust in PE piping systems. In an interview with Lekhraj Ghai of POLYMERUPDATE, Pierre Belloir—
President of PE100+ Association and Technical Manager at Total Petrochemicals Research Feluy—explains the
objectives and functions of the association and discusses the market scenario for PE pipes.
Interviewof PierreBelloir (PB) with Lekhraj Ghai (LG):
LG: Tell us about PE100+ Association. Whichare the current membercompanies?
PB: PE100+ isaworldwide Associationcomposedtodayof 11companies.These are Borealis,Borouge,Ineos,IRPC,
LyondellBasell,Prime Polymer,SABIC,SCGChemicals& Thai Polyethylene,SinopecShanghai,TASNEEand Total.
Our members are PE producers and each member company offers at least one pre-compounded PE100 in their
portfolio, which is a prerequisite for membership.
LG: Which are the testing organizations? Which are the parameters that are tested?
PB: The testing labs are selected by our independent administrator Kiwa. Kiwa is strictly independent and not
involvedinmanufacturing,tradingorotheractivitiesthatmightendangeritsimpartiality.Itscore activitiesinvolve
certification with related testing and inspection. Kiwa is in charge of collecting samples for testing, dispatching
themtothe selectedtestinglabsandcollectingthe final results.Afterwards,we establishthe PE100+positive list.
The three main characteristics that are tested every 10 months on 110 mm pipes are: hydraulic pressure
resistance,resistance toslow crack growthand resistance torapid crack propagation.All testsare carried out as
per international well-recognized standards.
LG:WhatexactlyisPE100 material?Howimportant isthe use of approved-qualityPEmaterialsininfrastructure,
construction and durables?
PB: PE100 material isapre-compoundedpipegrade which,ontopof the requirementsof internationalstandards,
fulfils the more severe PE100 requirements on a regular basis.
Pressure pipe applications are long-term applications and require sustainable performance. Therefore, to
guarantee expectedlifetimesof upto100years,one needstouse well-designedandcontrolledPEmaterial.Using
PE100 materials ensures peace of mind for the end users.
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2. INDUSTRY INSIGHTS
LG: What are the advantages of PE100 pipesover otherplastic or iron pipes?
PB: Overmetallicpipes,the lighterweight,longerlife expectancyandthe absence of corrosionandresistance to
biological build up are the advantages of PE100 pipes. Moreover, PE pipes are easy to install. Owing to their
flexibility, they are also adapted for areas of significant ground movement,particularly where earthquakes or
landslides are prominent.
LG: How does PE100+ Association assure quality consistency in production and application of polyethylene,
especially with the larger-diameter pipes in use these days?
PB: Regardless of the pipe dimensions, the pipe grades are regularly tested by independent labs for the
aforementioned three main characteristics.
LG: What kinds of assurances/guarantees are extendedby PE materials and PE pipesthat comply with PE100+
standards?
PB: The specificityof PE100+ Associationistoguarantee the consistencyof listedmaterials.All PE100listed
materialsonthe PE100+ positive listavailable onourwebsiteare regularly(every10months) testedforthe
three maincharacteristicsof a pressure pipe material byindependentlabs.Onlyafterconformingtothe series
of testscan a PE material appearonthe PE100+ positive list.
LG: How does PE 100+ Associationgo about achievingitsmain missionof promoting and supportingthe PE
pipingindustry?
PB: PE100+ Associationisarecognizedactorinthe value chainforpressure pipe applications.Eachyear,PE100+
Associationorganizesameetingof the AdvisoryBoard,whichiscomposedof apanel of worldwidePEpipes
experts,whichinclude individualsfromtestinglabs,engineeringorinstallationcompanies, standardization
committeesandendusers.Moreover,the PE100+ website providesvaluabletechnical informationforPEpipes
users,andwe continuouslyenrichitwithmore andmore useful information.
LG: Please enlistsome of the achievementsof PE 100+ Association duringyour term as President.
PB: The mainachievementsare the additionof new members—weare now 11 andaspire to grow furtherinthe
comingyears—andthe reinforcementof technical activitieswithotherindustryassociationshavingcommon
projectssuchas TEPPFA (The EuropeanPlasticsPipesandFittingsAssociation) andPPI(PlasticsPipesInstitute)in
the USA.
LG: Besidescomingtogetherto form the association, what rolesdo major manufacturers like Total play within
the PE 100+ Association?
PB: Each memberof the associationisentrustedwiththe jobof makingitasactive as possible.Global
promotionactivitiesare essential foreducatingthe industryandspreadingawarenessaboutthe advantagesof
usingPE pressure pipes.
LG: How does PE100+ Associationintendto promote itself outside of Europe and Middle East in key markets
of Asia such as China and India?
PB: PE100+ Associationhassetuptwo sub-groups—one forAsiaandone forthe Middle East.Each sub-group,as
perthe global strategyof PE100+ AssociationmainBoard,isentitledtoorganize some promotionactivitiesinits
zone.The Asiansub-groupstartedpromotionactivitiesacouple of yearsagoand is active inChinese
standardization,pipesconferencesandend-usersmeetings.The Middle-Eastsub-grouphasbeenonlyrecently
setup and will soondefine appropriatepromotionactivitiestopushPE100 inthisfast-growingmarket.
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3. INDUSTRY INSIGHTS
LG: What can be expectedinthe future for PE pipes?Growth inwhich sectors are expectedto be beneficial
for the PE pipessegment?
PB: Several consultingcompaniesare indeedpredictingsubstantial growthinthe comingyearsonthe back of
the shale gas developmentsandthe needforaccessto waterand sanitarynetworksforthe growingpopulation.
LG: What growth rates can be expectedfor the HDPE pipe market in the near future?
PB: The global growthrate forthe PEpipesindustrycanbe estimatedat3to4 percent.However,the growthrates
may exhibit regional variationsfrom mature markets to still growing ones.Asia—particularly,China and India—
remains the place with the highest potential.
With a PhD in Petroleum Sciences from Institut Francais du Petrole
Paris,Pierrejoined FINA,which isnowadaysTotalRefining&Chemicals.
After various activities in Technical Assistance for the polyolefins pipe
markets,including South Europeand South America as well as specific
developments and involvement in several standardization working
groups and Plastics Europe expert groups, Pierre is currently
Infrastructure & Durables Technical Manager. He was appointed
President of PE100+ Association in 2013.He has also been Vice-
Chairman of Barcelona Plastics Pipes XVI Conference.
END
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September 22, 2015
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