Sustainability needs to be more than just a vague goal for a company – it has to become part of its ethos. It is easy enough to spout marketing jargon and gesture in the direction of environmental concerns. The Industrial Revolution made possible every astounding technological innovation that we, as humans, currently enjoy. From transportation and infrastructure, to communications and medicine, all of it has been forged in the fires of modern manufacturing. These miracles of the modern age have come with a cost, of course. We have a changing environment to come to terms with and business everywhere must now acknowledge that new ways ahead are needed. And equally, to recognize that with responsible innovation comes economic benefit. In the water management industry, multinational outfit Forterra Pipe & Precast sees both its products and processes in alignment with those concerns.

It starts with the implementation of low-carbon cement, which is used across its range of products within Canada. Beyond reducing its carbon footprint through better materials, there are the protections the products offer from the often-devastating effects of climate change. Forterra’s stormwater management range is industry-leading and helps citizens enjoy high-quality water without the pollutants carried by ever-increasing storm-surges. VP of Business Development, Leo Steffler said, “We are the market leader in the province (Ontario) in stormwater quality products. Our history with that goes back to 1995. Since we were the first ones in it, we have licensed technology. Our product lines of Stormceptor, Jellyfish, and Filterra, they’re brand names. We have a good following and we are developing more products internally for stormwater storage and quality, so I think that’s been a big strength. But it’s something good for the environment, and clean water is important for everybody.” It is here that Forterra’s X-Stream retention system is worth particular note. Installation of pre-cast boxes is quick and they can be arranged in a variety of ways to suit the context. Importantly, unlike other systems consisting of less-rigid materials, the X-Stream is built to withstand all kinds of traffic loads. As Steffler described it, “You don’t have to worry about driving a tractor trailer over it, and it’s also long-term. Our products have a proven history of a 100-year lifespan.” Building products that last is fundamental to both combatting climate change and also ensuring customer satisfaction as well. Business and sustainability do, in fact, go hand-in-hand.

Forterra sees another synergistic opportunity developing with its new wet-cast facility that is soon to begin construction. It’s an opportunity to grow as a company and also a massive benefit to both the customer and the environment alike. Steffler said, “We see an opportunity for us to displace cast-in-place structures. We need to grow the business organically. So, we’re going to expand that product line. The advantage of precast is it basically it saves society a lot of time. Take a culvert crossing, for example; it’s constructed on-site with ready mix, with less quality, probably could take months. We can do a crossing in a day with pre-cast, so there’s a big benefit to the owners, the specifiers. And you also get a higher-quality product because it’s made in a controlled environment.” Win-win scenarios like this also demonstrate how thinking in terms of environmental sustainability often ends up in significant savings via greater efficiency. Everyone benefits.

In support of efforts to have its projects reduce their footprints, Forterra has moved firmly into micro tunneling. In contrast with the large excavation required for bigger piping, micro tunneling merely requires a small hole drilled down through the ground that piping can then be dropped into and pushed through the shaft. It is a significant reduction in disruption to the surrounding area. As Steffler said, “I think that product line is going to continue to grow because again, if you don’t have to disturb society, if you can keep traffic moving, you know it’s really a benefit.” Along the same lines, there’s currently an industry-wide difficulty with excess soils from excavations that needs to be moved off site. Flexible pipe products need select granular material compacted all around the pipe. Whereas Forterra’s rigid piping can use the native backfill to cover up after construction. Steffler explained, “Our product is very rigid and if we have a good bedding up to spring line we can use the native back backfill, so that’s a big benefit to the contractor and to the environment as well. You’re saving that gravel. That stone, eventually you’ll run out of it. So, if you can leave that native material on site, that’s a great thing. And our product fits well with that.”

“Forterra’s rigid piping can use the native backfill to cover up after construction.”

Parallel to those efforts, the company also aims to lower its impact through structural means such as installing more efficient lighting in its offices. Similarly, each time Forterra upgrades its plants, more efficient motors are put in place to continually improve its relationship to the planet. It is an on-going process, but the company sees itself at the forefront of the construction industry’s efforts to act responsibly.

The pervasive challenge of the last 15 months has, of course, been the Covid pandemic. With both business and personal livelihoods at the mercy of the virus, navigating a company through the storm is an ongoing effort. It has been a challenge, however, that Forterra has managed to meet well. Balancing a very busy year with the necessities of extremely heightened health and safety requirements required buy-in across the board. VP & General Manager Shane Egan said, “The employees have done a tremendous job in the plants, and I would say we’ve got over 50%  of our office staff working from home. They’ve done a tremendous job. I don’t think we’ve missed a beat during a particularly busy time. So, we’ve done really well. We’ve had, zero cases in Canada. We’ve implemented restrictions well. The team members have managed this situation extremely well.” Covid has laid the groundwork for secondary challenges as well. Supply-chains have been interrupted on a global scale. The costs of materials has drastically increased in many cases, and in others materials are difficult to source at all. As Egan noted, “The supply of the raw materials particularly, steel and resin, rubber-based products will require continued flexibility and nous to steer through the choppy waters of this global scourge.”

“We deliver what we say we’re going to deliver. We don’t like to let anybody down.”

It’s not only Forterra’s products that last. Integrity has multiple meanings for the company. The products are designed to continue to work for a very long time, yes. But so are its relationships. In a highly competitive market, companies that don’t back up their word aren’t long for the world. Steffler explained, “I think what we’ve never done is over-committed, or oversold. We deliver what we say we’re going to deliver. We don’t like to let anybody down. I think that’s really been a feather in our cap.” Bolstering this notion, Egan added, “Well, I think it ties in with that word integrity, right? It ties in with one of our values. It’s one of our six core values; that word integrity.” Things that are built to last the test of time aren’t cheap, quick, or easy. Durability requires real commitment to excellence. Steffler summed it up with an apt aphorism, “If you want to last in this industry, you have to wear well.” 

Lasting words, indeed.

In December 2019, the Province of Ontario announced that they were phasing in a new regulation under the Environmental Protection Act that, in addition to a number of environmental considerations, would result in reduced construction costs by making it easier to reuse excess soil generated during construction activities. The goal of this regulation was to minimize waste and to provide clear rules on managing and reusing excess soils. By way of context, the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) estimates that 25 million cubic metres of excess soil is generated in Ontario every year. While most of this excess soil could be reused safely it is often moved off-site because it can’t or won’t be reused at the development site. In response to these concerns, the MECP implemented the On-Site and Excess Soil Management Regulation (O.Reg. 406/19) on January 1, 2021 to help reduce negative impacts and costs from improper management of excess soil such as:

• Noise and dust
• Truck traffic and road damage
• Erosion and drainage
• Other social, economic, health and environmental concerns.

While MECP has created best practice guides and calculation tools to assist with the excess soil regulations, the Greater Toronto Sewer and Watermain Contractors Association (GTSWCA) retained WSP Canada to help its members identify opportunities for the effective and beneficial use of both excavated soils and recycled materials for buried pipe construction. A report published in August 2020, reveals that the production of aggregate in Ontario is approximately 45 to 90 million cubic metres annually. This, coupled with growing demand expected over the next 25 years, is resulting in unsustainable levels of production and impact, alongside the enormous carbon footprint associated with the mining and transportation of new aggregate sources. The Executive Summary of the GTSWCA-WSP identifies the following issues associated with disposing of excess soils:

• Extra costs on many infrastructure projects.
• Environmental impacts related to virgin aggregate extraction in existing agricultural and protected areas.
• Additional trucking distances to import virgin aggregate materials.
• Significantly larger carbon footprint related to the above issues.

The GTSWCA-WSP report also proposes the following key areas of recommendations:

• Performance requirements to ensure suitable performance of serviceability of engineered fill.
• Compaction methods to improve engineering properties of fill.
• Current uses and specifications on backfill material and compaction, and the need to explore reforms for more viable options.
• Guidelines to help assess the suitability of excavated native soils as trench backfill.
• Benefits of using recycled aggregates (or blended with RAP) as trench backfill for all weather placement.
• Recommendations for restructuring public works tenders to allow for greater use of native soils and recycled materials for backfill.

These recommendations, however, are not new. Many years prior to this MECP excess soil regulation, the Ontario Concrete Pipe Association published an article Concrete Pipe Installed with Recycled Aggregate: Good for the Environment and Good for the Economy, in the Fall 2013 edition of the Concrete Pipe Journal. The article recognized and highlighted the opportunities and benefits to using recycled aggregate as a backfill material for concrete pipe, something which neither flexible plastic or corrugated steel pipe products allow. Interestingly, these same opportunities, such as positive environmental impact and more cost effective project, can also be found by using select native soils to install concrete pipe.

Ontario Provincial Standard Specifications (OPSS.PROV) 401 used by the Ministry of Transportation, Construction Specification for Trenching, Backfilling and Compacting, clearly identifies the differences between the installation requirements of a rigid concrete pipe and flexible plastic or metal pipe for sanitary and storm sewers, pipe culverts, subdrains, forcemains, and watermains. The figure below illustrates the terminology used in Ontario, with the critical backfill soil surrounding each type of pipe highlighted, often referred to as the structural backfill for the pipe.

As highlighted in the figure, the structural backfill is critical for pipe-soil interaction to carry the loads imposed on the pipe and should consist of high quality material and proper compaction effort. For a rigid concrete pipe, this critical zone is limited to the pipe bedding which is from the bottom of the excavated trench to the springline of the pipe due to the inherent strength and load carrying capacity of the pipe. For a flexible plastic or metal pipe, the entire soil envelope from the bottom of the excavated trench to a minimum of 0.3m above the pipe is required to allow the pipe to transfer the loads into its surrounding soil.

An assessment of these two very different installation details results in a plastic or metal pipe requiring more high quality backfill material while also generating more than twice as much excess soil than a concrete pipe.

In a recent example of how concrete pipe can minimize excess soil generation, and the construction costs related to meeting the new MECP regulation, the City of Ottawa along with local industry National Capital Heavy Construction Association (NCHCA) started their biennial construction specifications review in the summer of 2020. As part of this review process, the City of Ottawa construction specifications were divided up with each component being assigned to working groups. These groups were comprised of both City of Ottawa staff and key industry individuals. The Canadian Concrete Pipe and Precast Association (CCPPA) was asked to join the Water/Sewer Working group.

During the City of Ottawa specification review, the CCPPA proposed a change to the backfill requirement, for reinforced concrete pipe (RCP) only. The proposed change for concrete pipe installation was to allow for select native soils to be used as the cover material above the pipe springline. Under existing regulations, backfill, either Granular A or Granular B, was required to a level of 300mm above the top of the pipe. This requirement related to both concrete and plastic pipe only. It was explained that flexible pipe systems (plastic or metal) require this embedment up to 300mm above the top of the pipe for the flexible pipe system to have the capacity to carry the required loads. However, since concrete pipe does not rely on any structural capacity provided by the cover material above the springline, native soils could be utilised as an alternative material, thereby reducing the amount of excess soil generated.

This change was adopted by the City of Ottawa and is included in the 2021 City of Ottawa Construction Specifications dated March 1^st, 2021.

With ever increasing data around the need to reuse excavated soil, it is encouraging that innovative and forward thinking methods are sourced. These regulatory changes will go some way to ensuring that excess soil in concrete piping projects, is retained and recycled onsite. This continuing evolution in specifications, when coupled with locally produced concrete pipe, provides governments and developers with a tremendous opportunity. Not only can the pipe itself be 100 percent recycled at the end of a very long service life, these regulations now encourage both a reduction in the amount of excess soils generated onsite and an increase in the use of properly processed recycled aggregates.

Within certain sectors of the construction industry, there seems to be a resistance to change. Heritage and reputation are hard won commodities and, regardless of actual merits, can be far-reaching and long lasting. The plastic pipe industry has, by any reckoning, been around long enough to be considered a permanent fixture. For well over half a century it has provided flexible and durable solutions to multiple areas within the construction industry. However, given that it is in competition with materials that have been around for thousands of years, it is unfairly considered to be unreliable and unproven in some quarters. To question this narrative is the Plastics Pipe Institute, a long standing association that has been an advocate for its members, ranging from building and construction through to energy and Municipal work, since 1950. In addition to that, the PPI also prioritizes education around the benefits of plastic pipe usage across the industry. Yes, copper and concrete may have their benefits, but plastic has developed into a material that is sophisticated and proven and it is now expected to be the major growth sector in piping well into the future. Given the enormous figures being spoken about in terms of infrastructure investment, the signs are good for the industry.

In order to get a clear picture on where things currently stand, it is important to look back somewhat. The mission of the Plastics Pipe Institute is to “advance the acceptance and use of plastic pipe systems through research, education, technical expertise and advocacy” and it is within this context that the burgeoning industry set about forming a collective in 1950 having, according to David Fink, President of Plastics Pipe Institute, acknowledged that “at that point there was not an association or an organization that was managing thermoplastic piping. There were no standards or codes, or anything that was standardized as far as development of pressure listings and lifetime expectancies.” At the time, plastic was still in an embryonic stage with many aspects of the material still being created and invented. It was an unknown and the need to methodically research and test its capabilities was an essential aspect of moving the potential towards the tangible. Over time, this initial group, a thermoplastic pipe division within the Society of Plastics Industry, grew steadily into the leading North American trade association for all segments of the plastic piping industry.

It goes without saying that the PPI needed to ensure that they had the data available to back up claims of efficacy and performance. In the 1950’s, questions abounded about the strength, functionality and longevity of the material and understandably so. Change does not come easily and project managers can grow reliant on what they already know. The institute was faced with the task of providing confidence throughout the industry and this, as they found out, would take time. David is keen to stress that, by acknowledging that the road ahead was to be a long one, the PPI has been able to build up a secure and reliable bank of data. “To have confidence in using a material in any piping application, you have to understand what its capabilities are. How long it can last? How it can function? At the time, those things just weren’t available. We needed to develop resources. Having been around now for over seventy years, one strength of PPI has been addressing technical questions on capabilities for the materials within our hydrostatic stress board. With any new plastic materials or advancements in materials they submit data to the hydrostatic stress board, and then based on the data, they are provided with a listing. This gives confidence to end users.”

“It’s an opportunity to get information into the hands of those that might need to better understand how to engineer, design or install these plastic piping systems.”

Developments in the area has now given PPI the backing and experience to truly advocate for its members. This is achieved through a range of educational and promotional activities that include conferences, participation on committees and the provision of technical notes, and documents. According to David, the reach of PPI has grown steadily over the years and the institute has now become a vocal leader across the industry. “We developed a tagline a couple of years ago; PPI – the voice of an industry, and as far as getting the word out, it’s everything from participation in various conferences such as the upcoming and widely anticipated PPI Semi-Annual Conference, actively participating within and providing educational technical notes, documents, manuals, even handbooks for the engineering community. It’s an opportunity to get information into the hands of those that might need to better understand how to engineer, design or install these plastic piping systems.”

Given the pressure that is put upon the plastics industry from advocates of rival materials, it would be understandable if those at the Plastics Pipe Institute spoke in less than favorable terms about these competitors. However, rather refreshingly, that isn’t the case. David is keen to stress that PPI is a firm believer in free and open competition, following this with the prosaic acknowledgement that, “All materials have their place. Different materials have different features and benefits and subsequently, they should provide the end user with specific opportunities and options for their project.” This willingness to allow plastic the freedom to stand on its own merit and offer solutions based on research and evidence is rather at odds with the way many across the industry work. David explains that, despite the historical advantage that concrete and copper may hold over plastic, the Plastics Pipe Institute has a proven track record with evidence to back up the claims that for the right job, plastic is the right material. “First and foremost, plastic is a non-corrosive material. Corrosion is an eighty million dollar a year issue in the United States alone. So that helps with our longevity, and also our lower life cycle maintenance costs. Also, we tend to be usable in almost all of our applications. You don’t have joint leakage or joint separation and, as a result, plastic is resistant to things like earthquakes or ground movement. With plastics, there is also an ease of installation. The materials tend to be lighter weight than the materials that they compete with, so you can get materials to the jobsite with fewer trucks.”

Given the wide ranging benefits that the PPI have identified, it would make sense to think that the future may be a positive one for the industry. With the Biden administration pushing forward with huge plans to repair and develop infrastructure across the U.S., there is certainly scope for an increase in the use of plastics as a primary material. David feels that it is an exciting time for the industry and has identified numerous opportunities to advance the use of plastics. “The power and communications segment is probably going to see some phenomenal growth here over the next five years. As we have all learned, working from home during COVID-19, no one has enough bandwidth to get everything done. Also, if we take into consideration any new housing that needs to be built, we anticipate large growth in areas such as water, wastewater and natural gas distribution. With the lack of sufficient housing here in the U.S., the estimate is that we should be building about 1.2 million homes a year, so we believe that demand for housing is going to be very robust. I think there is really good potential for bipartisan support with this plan and I’ve seen numbers as high as a trillion dollars needs to be spent over the next 20 years, but we have got to start somewhere.”

Starting somewhere seems to be a running theme for the Plastics Pipe Institute. As an organization that is representing members in one of the fastest growing sectors of the construction world, it has had to think on its feet since 1950. This one-time newcomer to the industry has strategically and methodically developed its knowledge and skill bases to now offer genuine alternatives to legacy materials. For the PPI, the future of plastic piping is filled with opportunity. David feels that, as opportunity and growth remerge over the next number of years, his members are primed and ready to take full advantage. “I believe that we will continue to see plastics outpacing alternate materials. I think our members are going to grow at two to three times U.S. GDP for the next few years. It is really exciting to see the establishment of more manufacturers and more efficient manufacturing sites, to meet the demands and the needs of the industry. For the PPI, it is straightforward. We are going to continue to work at educating end users on the benefits of our materials.”

Changing directions and incorporating new product lines is nothing new in the construction industry, or any other for that matter. Businesses are at the mercy of trends and the shifting dynamics of markets, thus ensuring that occasionally, the road is already laid out for a company if it wants to remain successful. Large scale changes to products and services can, however, leave a company in the difficult situation of maintaining a brand identity and navigating relationships with clients that go back generations. In instances such as these, innovative thinking is required and fortunately for S3 Precast, they have this in abundance.

Tanks-A-Lot is a provider of quality concrete tanks, catch basins and precast fencing across Alberta and British Columbia and has been in existence almost forty years. The company has built up a highly regarded reputation as experienced and skilled water and wastewater specialists, working mainly in the residential markets. Created alongside the Tanks-A-Lot brand is S3 Precast, which itself has been in operation since 2018. When it came to diversifying the product line, an in-house decision was made to launch the new entity. With a different logo, branding and title, this may seem like a completely new venture from the outside. However, internally it is anything but. Lenil Samuel, Business Development at S3 Precast and Tanks-A-Lot, explains; “S3 Precast was started in 2018 but it is part of a bigger company. It’s more like a new division, with new products, but the company has been in place for a long time. The name reflects our core values of Service, Solutions and Sustainability.”

While the reason for launching the S3 Precast brand has its roots in the past, its sights are firmly fixed on the future. Different opportunities that were becoming available led to the decision to expand and grow with a ‘new start’ attitude. Lenil identifies a clear delineation between the two companies that is borne of necessity. “The companies operate in two separate markets. On the Tanks-A-Lot side of the business, the focus is mostly on residential work. We sell septic tanks, holding tanks, water cisterns. It is a different market with a different end consumer. S3 is going into completely different areas. Most of the end users are municipalities, cities, the government or commercial developers. That’s why it made more sense to start a brand within a brand. It’s completely different.”

Despite the clear lines that separate the companies from a public vantage point, the inner workings of both S3 Precast and Tanks-A-Lot come from the same team of individuals and staff. The business is operated in a much more fluid and seamless manner, with geographical markets or product lines being as closely interlinked as departments within a company. Regardless of how the companies are perceived, internally, there is no division. “We operate the business as one. There is no separate branch or physical location for the two companies. We operate from the same plant, same office building. The ownership is the same.” Unsurprisingly, this gives a wealth of benefits to S3 Precast, something which simply would not be available to a newer company. By sharing a production facility, both companies are strengthened by both scale and experience. In addition to this, the staff working in-house have the required skill-set to manufacture the full suite of products across the board. “Everything happens underneath the same umbrella and there are synergies in that aspect, where a lot of the overhead is shared between the two. With the production team that is actually making the product, again it’s shared which is great as we don’t need a separate crew for individual products. This allows us incredibly flexibility in responding to our customers’ needs.”

“As any company that is entering a new market will attest to, getting the first couple of years under your belt can be a challenging experience.”

With an existing platform of skilled staff and contacts throughout the industry, the S3 Precast brand has flourished. The company, by diversifying the product line and growing into the municipal market, effectively doubled its addressable market. While having a successful business behind it, along with a knowledgeable and experienced workforce, the company still encountered what Lenil refers to as “growing pains”. As any company that is entering a new market will attest to, getting the first couple of years under your belt can be a challenging experience. S3 Precast was no different. “I wouldn’t say it was all smooth sailing from the get go. Even though we didn’t have to start from scratch, in the sense that we had experienced personnel on board, we still faced challenges in setting up and eventually ramping up production. Mistakes were made, but you learn from them and incorporate changes as needed.”

One pivotal aspect of this early development was the opening of a new 90,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility based in Sherwood Park, AB. This state-of-the-art facility was developed to ensure the company could produce to an industry-leading standard all year round, regardless of the punishing winter climate. S3 Precast and Tanks-A-Lot have benefitted from a climate-controlled environment that gives the companies a much greater level of accuracy and sophistication. The expansion involved the installation of a new automated batch plan with preprogrammed inputs that ensures a consistent mix is obtained every time. The company also incorporated ‘drycast’ concrete production. Whereas traditional precast concrete production involves a relatively wet concrete mix, drycast production involves zero slump concrete. This method allows for improved quality and a faster throughput, allowing S3 Precast to meet project timelines on a moment’s notice.

The company also recently obtained its Canadian Precast Concrete Quality Assurance (CPCQA) certification. This comprehensive, third-party administered and audited certification program is a testament to S3 Precast’s commitment towards quality and directly reflects its focus towards sustainability. After all, quality ensures your products stand the test of time.

One beneficiary of this production overhaul is the Imagine Jasper Avenue project. The innovative and forward thinking project, to revitalize and rejuvenate downtown Edmonton is a high profile and, more importantly, vitally important piece of work for both S3 Precast and the people of the City in general. When discussing the value of being involved in a project such as this, Lenil is unequivocal in his view. “The intent of this project was to revitalize Jasper Avenue – the main street located in the heart of downtown Edmonton – to make the space more livable and pedestrian friendly. It was really incredible to be part of this project, considering obviously that we’re a local producer located right here in Edmonton. It was good to be a part of this long term project for the city and to kind of leave our mark on it.”

“We are not really limited by geography and there are a lot more precast products that we could supply to our customers.”

In addition to being able to improve the city, the company was also able to showcase its innovative approach towards projects. “You can imagine, because the work is taking place downtown, it’s all tight corners, tight streets, there’s not a lot of room to move. The original design involved conveying stormwater using circular pipe from point A to point B. Our approach involved an alternate design whereby we were able to maintain the conveying capacity while reducing the overall length of the conduit. This innovative solution avoided crossing a major intersection, thereby eliminating further disruption to traffic and saving the project a lot of money – a reflection of our core value of providing solutions.” Given that the S3 Precast brand has effectively grown from product diversification, it is interesting to consider the next destination for the company. In order to maintain the rapid growth that has seen it become a leading member of the precast industry in Alberta, Lenil and those at S3 Precast are aware that they cannot afford to rest easy. As economies around the world react to stimulus projects and the possible recovery from the pandemic, it is important to ensure that the path ahead is well planned for and achievable. For Lenil, the future is one of sustained development and growth. “I don’t think we’ve kind of hit the peak of what we can achieve in terms of expanding, both geographically and in terms of our product line. We are not really limited by geography and there are a lot more precast products that we could supply to our customers.” Given the success that has been made with the S3 Precast brand so far, you wouldn’t doubt it for a second.

Industries develop on unique paths. The story of the United States can, in one way, be told as the story of intrepid people forging businesses out of determination and a keen eye toward the needs of a given market. One successful effort spawns competition and not long after, you have the beginnings of a full-blown industry. Providing a market continues to grow, so will the individual providers. Managing the nation’s wastewater is a colossal undertaking, one that requires a nearly endless quantity of piping to keep us all in living standards that people several hundred years ago could not have fathomed. And up until the late 1970’s, ductile pipe fabrication had many providers, but no specific industry standards. Several large manufacturers and a slew of independent outfits all operated according to their own guidelines, leading to all sorts of inefficiencies and real difficulties. Sensing a chance to remedy the situation, at a convention in 1979, Ted Wright introduced the National Association of Pipe Fabricators to the industry. Wright pulled together a number of independent fabricators to form the Board of the NAPF and shortly thereafter established the first industry-wide standards of ductile pipe manufacturing. This set the stage to eventually bring most of the country’s ductile pipe fabricators and manufacturers under the aegis of the NAPF and thereby raise the quality of the industry wholesale.

First and foremost, the establishing of one set of standards and specifications for ductile pipe fabrication was paramount. Allowing for significantly greater cohesion for everyone involved, this solved innumerable problems. This was accomplished by a number of initiatives.  NAPF’s Quality Plus Certification Program is available to Members. With input by a seat on the AWWA A21 committee, C115, which covers the manufacturing of Ductile Iron Pipe Fabrication, now requires NSF61 listing for fabrication used in domestic drinking water. According to former NAPF Chair, Joe Palombo, “When NSF comes in, they have a checklist and they stay here for the day, and we make sure that we’re spending time with them to show them that everything that needs to be up to snuff, is up to snuff. And that’s from the paperwork that we keep, to the certifications on the pipe that we purchased to make the fabricated pipe. We have to show them the paperwork from the foundry of the testing of the pipe.” This meticulous process allows for a sense of trust, and that everyone is always on the same page. It generates a confidence across the industry. Also, in March 2000 NAPF published the NAPF 500-3 Standard. This standard, which sought to address best practice and give guidance on “surface preparation for duction iron pipe and fittings in exposed locations receiving special eternal coatings and/or special internal linings” is now used by both engineers and the piping community.

Industry-wide standards are important from a logistics standpoint but there were multiple reasons Ted Wright and his colleagues sought to establish the NAPF in the first place. Protection against reputational harm was a serious concern. Especially amongst independent fabricators, all it takes is one bad apple to sully the rest. Without the same name-brand leverage that the biggest companies enjoy, one smaller outfit underperforming could tarnish them all. Palombo, said, “We had to make sure that everybody knew what they were doing. Everybody was on the same page, make sure they were making everything the right way, threading it properly, tightening the flanges properly, lining up the bolt holes properly, using the proper thread sealants, and all that had to be centralized so that we were all doing it the same way.” Joining the NAPF is a way to ensure a measure of protection for independent fabricators, one that also gives them a voice in the conversations that affect the direction of the industry.

“Staying up to date on current trends, networking with other members from all corners of the industry, and availing the educational programs on offer are just some of the built-in benefits.”

Membership in the NAPF ensures keeping a finger on the beating pulse. Staying up to date on current trends, networking with other members from all corners of the industry, and availing the educational programs on offer are just some of the built-in benefits. The NAPF acts as a nexus, facilitating as much as possible for the industry. As Palombo described it, “We’ll be up to date with everything that’s happening in the industry, including coatings, linings, what’s happening with all the different epoxies, what’s going on with the funding by the government. We have speakers that come in to talk, experts on the subject. The members are always kept up to date to know what’s going on. And you know, we always say, you don’t know what you don’t know. And so, if you’re not a member, you can’t always know what’s going on, you’ll be all by yourself out there on an island, not hearing all the things that are happening in the industry.” With the sheer volume of information to stay abreast of, the NAPF are making a concerted effort to organize it all in an accessible manner under one umbrella. 

One of the topics anyone involved in the wastewater sector keeps a keen eye on is government funding. Traditionally the allocation of funds in infrastructure spending has been focused above ground. Roads and bridges are the common refrain in the halls of Washington. Wastewater systems maintenance and upgrading funding has been harder to come by. Frustratingly, it may be simply a case of “out of sight, out of mind”. Mostly underground or behind thick walls, ductile piping may not inspire landscape artists like some cloud-rippling suspension bridge, but it is inarguably more crucial to our everyday lives. Current NAPF Chair Dan Henrie, said, “Water is very important, as we saw down in Dallas, Texas, when those folks down there had the frigid temps. And what happened with the water infrastructure, it’s aging.” Without significant spending increases these problems will only become more frequent, and more expensive. Being reactive to these situations is far from ideal. Citizen’s lives get upended for sometimes weeks on end and often these recovery efforts end up in the multi-billion-dollar range. Henrie continued, “If they have significant water main breaks, or their infrastructure is too old. Some communities have 100-year-old, ductile cast iron pipe. It’s managed by exception. When there’s catastrophe, or when there’s a problem, then it’s significant. And it’s a part of the infrastructure issue as a whole.” Membership in the NAPF allows businesses to keep on top of the latest developments in this area and to participate in the ongoing conversation as well.

It has been important for the NAPF to maintain an open stance to a broadening coalition over time. Palombo stated, “It’s evolved over the years. Little by little where we started allowing associate members in, people that sell us the product, the components that we use to make the pipe, we included them. If they make pipe, if they fabricate pipe, then they’re included also.” In the eyes of the NAPF, getting everyone in the ductile pipe business together at one table is to the benefit of the industry as a whole. Henrie added, “Our organization has always been about being inclusive… And just recently, in the spirit of being inclusive, we added two board seats for distribution members. Because we feel that they have a voice and they have a significant presence in the pipe fabrication and the water and wastewater business.”

“It’s a very cohesive, supportive, tight-knit membership.”

NAPF members are proud to use products that are made from recycled scrap metals making them environmently safe. Beyond the practicalities of the business, the organization is proud of its human-level achievements. Palombo added a worthwhile sentiment, “You don’t have to believe me, but the people in this association are really great people.” A lovely notion; one that is perhaps overlooked in today’s busy world. Something you wouldn’t want to take for granted, either. Henrie agreed, “They are a great, great group to work with. It’s a very cohesive, supportive, tight-knit membership. We rely on each other and support each other in in the day-to-day business. And they’re amazing folks, a very cohesive group.”

As the population grows, so does its infrastructure needs. Wastewater maintenance requires a mammoth ductile piping industry to keep us humans in the style we’re accustomed to. The NAPF seeks to ensure that industry functions as smoothly and coherently as possible while shining a light on the integral work that its people and businesses provide. Work that a very industrious nation should most certainly appreciate. 

Modern markets, particularly those within the construction industry, move at their own pace. Each one dances to its own specific beat, reacting and evolving when necessary. Through a combination of industry and innovation, they are driven forward and it is only when the time is right that demands are made and questions are asked of those that service the industry. While certain sectors of the construction world may experience rapid growth as new technology emerges, most examples of this are in niche areas with fine margins of development. In many cases in fact, the opposite is true. Given that materials such as concrete and cast iron have  been used as a key element in the construction of buildings for thousands of years, it is safe to say that change doesn’t necessarily come easy in the infrastructure market.

“I think a better question, instead of why now, is, why only now?” These are the words of Iris Jancik, VP of Business Development and Sales at Plasson USA. The question relates to the timing of HDPE (High Density Polyethylene) becoming a leading choice of material in the piping sector and, given the growth that the company has experienced in recent years, it is appropriate that she is leading this discussion. Since its emergence in the piping sector, HDPE products have had to work twice as hard in order to prove detractors wrong and face down unfounded criticism in relation to its strength and efficacy. With the ever emerging need to modernize the North American infrastructure network, questions are once more being asked about the suitability of materials and the benefits of each. It now seems as though these years of research and education are resulting in an increased acceptance and dependence on HDPE as a reliable and credible material with unique benefits .

Plasson USA is the North American subsidiary of Plasson LTD., a leading manufacturer of polyethylene fittings for polyethylene pipes with a truly global reach. Plasson has approximately 2,000 employees and operates in over 100 international markets and it is within this context that the success of Plasson USA needs to be viewed. The company differs from many of the twenty-five subsidiaries worldwide in that it operates in a sort of hybrid manner; manufacturing products in its own right while accessing the support and experience that comes from the Plasson Headquarters in Ma’agan Michael, Israel. Many of the products are manufactured in these headquarters, in close alignment with the US subsidiary, creating a seamless network that can cater to the needs of any potential customer. Iris explains how this solid relationship works to serve the needs of the American market. “Most of the Plasson subsidiaries are marketing companies that are selling the fittings to their respective markets. At Plasson USA we do sell these fittings, of course. In fact, we also have some unique fittings that were specifically developed for the US market. These stem from the needs of our customers and we have several patents on them. Plasson global and the Research and Development department services all of the subsidiaries by trying to help meet customer needs in that specific location. That is something that we are all very proud of. We have new products coming out every year, new developments as the market changes and as the customer needs change.”

“Plasson global and the Research and Development department services all of the subsidiaries by trying to help meet customer needs in that specific location.”

This sentiment is echoed by Jeremy Harris, Business Leader, Fittings Group. Jeremy sees the link with the Plasson headquarters as being of huge benefit to the company as it allows for a bidirectional sharing of ideas and views which, inevitably, results in a more intuitive product line for customers. “Plasson does a really good job of responding to feedback around what products our customers need. We try to be innovative, where it makes sense. You can’t make everything that everybody wants but Plasson certainly likes to be on the lead edge when it comes to developing new technology or new products within that technology. We try to do a really good job of listening to the customers and what their needs are, and then we take those needs back to the headquarters to develop it, if it is a viable option for that particular market.”

Given the global reach and product versatility within Plasson USA, it seems as though the company is well placed to take advantage of the steady foothold that polyethylene is gaining within the piping industry. The road to this point has, however, been a slow one. It seems as though the markets were not ready to accept polyethylene into the fold. However, Jeremy believes that the changing mindset of providers, combined with a greater understanding around the long term benefits of polyethylene, are beginning to reap rewards within the industry. “In the nineties, the use of polyethylene was more geared towards gas utility. There were certainly other applications, other markets, but really the bulk of polyethylene in the nineties was more geared towards gas and maybe even some telecom. Over the past twenty years, we’ve really seen a major growth into the water markets. That is the market with the greatest potential.”

The reason for this, Jeremy believes, is a combination of necessity and education. Given the need to operate in an ever more sustainable manner, infrastructure decisions are becoming increasingly high-stakes. “I think it’s that we’re finally to the point where we’re treating water as a precious resource. Other piping materials will leak or corrode over time whereas polyethylene has a life of over 100 years. It doesn’t corrode the way that steel pipe will and concrete pipe could crack and break over time. Polyethylene is a very strong, elastic material and once it’s fused and bonded together, it’s a completely monolithic system. There is no weak spot meaning there is no potentials for leaks.”

One aspect of Plasson USA that stands out from other subsidiaries worldwide is its US production operation. Made in Corsicana, TX, the company is the sole provider of Spirolite, a specialized HDPE fluid network conveyance system encompassing pipe, fittings, manholes and structures made from spirally wound HDPE pipe in open, closed or solid wall profiles up to 120” diameter, or larger. The product is a leading piece of innovation that is used in large diameter thermoplastic pipes and fits into the industry as the necessary continuation of HDPE piping for low pressure systems. The subset in the market was identified and, through this advanced technology, the company is able to meet exact client specifications. Iris explains that, simply put, the product is available because it is exactly what the industry needs. “What we manufacture here in Texas is very industry focused. The Spirolite pipe systems are a homogeneous solution to the project’s needs.  It is a 100%, pressure grade resin HDPE pipe system for low pressure applications up to 120 inches.”  Where other pipe materials have an allowable leak percentage within their specifications, Spirolite is committed to zero leakage at every application.  

“It is a system that offers zero infiltration and exfiltration and there’s absolutely no other type that can say that.”

This, Iris explains, is a piping system that offers the flexibility and strength of HDPE while also being able to operate from pipe, right through to manhole. With water solutions, each joint, corner and junction has the potential for leaks. Plasson USA’s Spirolite system can negate these challenges by creating a secure, complete system. “Spirolite gives all the benefits of HDPE, which is the long lifespan, the flexibility, the durability and corrosion resistance and because we provide a complete system; pipe, fitting, elbow and the manhole, it is the only pipe system that can guarantee that it will be leak proof. Whenever you connect, even a concrete pipe with a concrete manhole, it will leak because the connection between the two depends on a third material between those two structures. HDPE is a continuous system. No material will fail before another, no material will be affected differently from the external factors than the other; it is a system that offers zero infiltration and exfiltration and there’s absolutely no other type that can say that.”

When an industry is ready for change, the companies within the industry need to be ready to react. This change can be unexpected or long overdue. With a creaking and failing infrastructure, it seems as though the US piping industry may be experiencing both. The current administration has plans to invest hugely in the area and, for Plasson USA, this will bring up key growth opportunities. Iris and Jeremy both feel that these opportunities are emerging because previous materials are failing prematurely, thus offering the HDPE industries the opportunity to show their benefits. However, one key aspect of this change, as Iris explains, is the people within the industry. Engineers are now willing to explore alternatives. Faced with an ever changing landscape, innovative solutions, such as those being produced by Plasson USA, are offering a viable answer. “Younger engineers are coming in that are a lot more open and willing to listen. It is not just a matter of budget or billions being poured into infrastructure. It’s also the industry becoming younger, again, from the natural cycle of how these things work. They are looking for more economical solutions, looking for a smaller carbon footprint, looking for a more environmentally safe product. What has been done in the past is not necessarily the best way. It could have been the best way for that time but today there are much better solutions. We call it an evolution not a revolution, just because it’s going to take time. But eventually, the US will have to catch up with the rest of the world and make HDPE their best practice.”

When asked about being awarded Life Member status by the national American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), Prof. Mo Ehsani responds jokingly “That just means that I’m really old!”

With age comes experience, and Prof. Ehsani has plenty of that. As well as the aforementioned Life Member status, which he describes as “a surprise”. He is also a Fellow of the American Concrete Institute (ACI), the Centennial Professor Emeritus of Civil Engineering at the University of Arizona, a past director of the Arizona Chapter of ACI and he has served as President of the Structural Engineers Association of Arizona. He has received B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Michigan and his research findings have been published in numerous academic and industry publications, including those published by ACI, ASCE, the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute (EERI) and more.

He has also been featured on CNN, National Public Radio, the History Channel, and in other media, including Engineering News Record (ENR) for his expertise on the strengthening of structures, particularly related to earthquakes, terrorist attacks and other potential structural disasters. 2019, the year Prof. Ehsani was awarded Life Member status by the ASCE, was also the year that the company he founded, QuakeWrap Inc., celebrated 25 years of infrastructure repair and renewal innovations.

“The sky is the limit” for the company according to Firat Sever, the manager of QuakeWrap’s Pipeline Division. “Where we are really growing are both in our Pipeline Division and in our Marine Division,” adds Prof. Ehsani, “because we have about twenty different patents in these areas so this is where we don’t have any competition and we really see great opportunity for growing the business”.

“Prof. Ehsani co-authored the first technical paper on using carbon fiber reinforced polymers for strengthening structures back in the 1980s.”

Incorporated in 1994, QuakeWrap has done pioneering work with Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) and its applications for infrastructure repair and renewal innovations. “It was back in 1987 or so we had a crazy idea, one of my colleagues and I, to strengthen the infrastructure of buildings, bridges and pipelines and so on, and instead of using steel and concrete we would use carbon fiber” said Prof. Ehsani, “At that time it was a really crazy, novel idea so it took many years of testing and going to conferences and publications to convince the engineering community that this was ok”. He isn’t exaggerating about the novelty of the approach. In fact, Prof. Ehsani co-authored the first technical paper on using carbon fiber reinforced polymers for strengthening structures back in the 1980s.

It was the late 1990s before QuakeWrap really began to focus on working with, and reinforcing pipes. “We went to nuclear power plants where they have large diameter pipes as a part of their cooling systems. These are pipes that are anywhere from seven or eight feet to ten or twelve feet in diameter. And what happens with these pipes is that they usually have steel wires in them and over the years the wires start to corrode and the pipe becomes weak. So we were proposing that we could go inside these pipes and line them with carbon FRP”. Prof. Ehsani also came up with the idea of ‘Super Laminating’ pipes that were too small for maintenance workers to enter. The basic premise is that the FRP is placed around a “balloon-like device” called a Packer which is sent inside of smaller diameter pipes. Once the Packer has reached the point of the pipe that needs to be repaired or strengthened, the device can be inflated and the FRP will line the inside of that section of pipe. “It’s almost like a stent that they use in the medical field” he says.

QuakeWrap recently received a grant from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to further develop this technique to repair damaged water pipes without cutting trenches under roads and streets. They were also awarded a Phase II Small Business Innovation and Research (SBIR) grant ($1,000,000) by the US Department of Transportation (USDOT)/ Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) for development of an innovative oil and gas transmission pipeline repair system that can be installed without any excavation (no-dig). In addition to the potential to save lives and substantial amounts of money in pipeline integrity management, this new technology is also expected to reduce methane emissions from natural gas lines significantly by stopping and preventing leaks.

Environmental concerns often get a mention in Prof. Ehsani’s work. As well as avoiding environmental damage by super laminating pipes with FRP, QuakeWrap has also sought to improve environmental friendliness through its revolutionary StifPipe^® and InfinitPipe^® innovations. StifPipe^® consists of a custom-designed sandwich structure without the need of excessive layers of carbon fiber. It is a high-strength, lightweight, and corrosion resistant product ideal for water, wastewater, stormwater, oil, gas, and other fluid conveyance systems subject to internal and external loads. StifPipe^®’s strength to unit weight ratio is unmatched by any material used in the pipeline industry, according to Prof. Ehsani. It can be used for structural pipeline rehabilitation with trenchless technology (by the wet layup or sliplining method) or new pipe installation. Sliplining with StifPipe^® typically does not require any jacking equipment due to its light weight.

“StifPipe^®’s strength to unit weight ratio is unmatched by any material used in the pipeline industry.”

Another innovative technology by QuakeWrap is the InfinitPipe^® system, which enables making essentially joint-free pipeline on-site. Most pipes manufactured to date require extensive heavy equipment to handle, and manufacturing in a large plant. These larger pipe sections are typically made in 5-10 meter pieces and are shipped to the job site for assembly in the field. These logistics add significant transportation and installation costs. Worse, the joints on these pipes are the weakest links, where water, gas or oil can leak and cause environmental damage. For sewer pipes, these joints become a source of penetration of roots and require a constant maintenance expense. InfinitPipe^® overcomes all of these limitations. This innovative pipe takes advantage of long-recognized engineering principles of FRP, and uses these materials to make a pipeline on a mobile manufacturing unit (MMU) by producing approximately 10 ft of pipe every 30 minutes in the field, requiring no joints except for branch connections or bends greater than a certain limit depending on the pipe size and design. InfinitPipe^®’s flexibility is comparable to plastic pipes and can accommodate FRP and plastic fittings for such connections.

Using this technology to avoid environmentally disastrous leaks for pipes carrying everything from water to oil to sewage is sure to become more and more popular as environmentalism gains momentum. The Keystone XL pipeline’s developer halted all construction on the project in June after its permit was revoked by the Biden administration. Environmentalists and Native American groups had fought against the project for more than a decade due to fears that a leak could do untold damage to local ecosystems and tribal lands. Innovations like StifPipe^® and InfinitPipe^® could help ease environmental concerns and ensure smoother business dealings for all involved. “In a couple of years, I anticipate that we will start getting a good share of that pipe repair market in the oil and gas industry upon finishing this grant project from the US Government” says Firat.

Looking to the future, Prof. Ehsani and QuakeWrap are eager to expand their pool of talent going forward to build on the success of the past. “Every year for the past seven years we have been offering twice a year a contractor certification and training course”. Helping to train engineers and installers to work with their technology is sure to improve QuakeWrap’s hold on the market in the coming years.

The Prairies cover an almost inconceivable stretch of land across Western Canada. At nearly 690,000 square miles, you could fit France inside with some change left over. Forever skies. Wide-open spaces. A volume of space that dwarfs even our most ambitious engineering feats and architectural wonders. It’s a landscape that seems a natural home for a company like Inland Pipe, whose portfolio includes one colossal project after another. 

Based in Calgary, Southern Alberta, at the edge of the Prairies, Inland Pipe, alongside its sister outfit, Lehigh Cement (formerly Inland Cement), has been manufacturing and supplying concrete pipe and cement in the region for more than a century. The original iteration of the company was the result of four construction companies banding together and forming Consolidated Concrete. These days Inland Pipe operates as part of Lehigh Hanson, the North American subsidiary of HeidelbergCement, and is one of the industry’s leaders in front-to-back concrete piping solutions. Technical Sales Manager Shawn Rogers has been with Inland since the mid-eighties, rising up through the ranks as the company drew the attention of global conglomerates. About being with the company he said, “We were Consolidated Concrete at the beginning and then we transitioned into CBR Hydropipe. We have been under the Lehigh Hanson brand for a little over ten or twelve years now. We do tend to have a fairly long loyalty list.” With a devoted workforce and an ability to tackle large-scale projects, it’s little surprise Inland Pipe was appealing to a large construction materials company like Lehigh Hanson. And you don’t have to look far from Inland’s Calgary headquarters to find examples of its abilities. 

The Bonnybrook Wastewater Treatment Plant is the largest of Calgary’s three plants and was first constructed in the 1930’s. The population growth of the city and its environs over the years necessitated that its biggest wastewater plant be significantly upgraded. Inland Pipe was one of the companies sought out to work on the sizeable project. Rogers recounted, “There’s been some expansion plans for years. It was kind of expedited, if you will, by the floods that we had. They were revamping the outfall structure and upgrading capacity at the at the wastewater facility.” While no large-scale project would be considered easy, on its face it may seem a job like any other for a concrete piping company. The expansion of Bonnybrook, however, contained considerably more difficult challenges than at first glance. Rogers continued, “The challenge of it was that it had to go underneath one of the Canadian National rail lines. So, you only get about a twenty-day construction window for installing or shutting down the rail spur.” On top of the normal intense logistics endemic to laying underground pipe, the Bonnybrook project required alacrity as well. Speed and quality aren’t always comfortable bedfellows, but sometimes there’s no choice in the matter. Sometimes you just have to answer the bell. Rogers summed up the complexity of the installation, “So, there were essentially four different conduits stacked on top and beside each other. The rail spur had to be taken apart, the berms ripped down, the boxes installed, backfilled, and the rail line put back in place. It was quite an operation.” And all inside the twenty-day deadline. Perhaps the art of working underground inculcates a manner of understatement in its practitioners.  

“Speed and quality aren’t always comfortable bedfellows, but sometimes there’s no choice in the matter. Sometimes you just have to answer the bell.”

If complexity is one axis of the challenge graph, scale is represented on the perpendicular. In the Cranston neighborhood of southern Calgary, the Rangeview Sanitary Trunk project required laying 3.4 kilometers of pipe.  On top of the sheer length of the installation, Inland was operating with a newer technology. Only appearing in North American operations relatively recently, micro-tunnelling installed pipe is used in smaller-bore tunnelling projects, ranging from 500 to 4000 millimeters in diameter. The small size doesn’t allow for operators to drive the machines and so an even higher degree of precision than normal is required. According to Rogers, “It’s a very tightly spec’d product and you need a lot of trust. There’s a lot of emphasis placed on the supplier product and quality.” The first micro-tunnel projects in the region were actually supplied by pipe companies from outside the province due to the delicate nature of the work. Relying on previous relationships where that trust had already been built, made it difficult for any of the Alberta concrete pipe companies to get a foot into the micro-tunnelling game at first. Eventually, however, Inland was able to join forces with one of its prior partners to win the Rangeview job and expand its repertoire in a progressive direction. Rogers continued, “One of our major customers in Calgary, Volker Stevin, we’ve got a long-term relationship with them. And they joined forces with another tunnelling company, Innovative Pipeline Crossings. They’re actually owned by Bothar, which is a leader out of Australia. They’re quite a substantial micro-tunnel company that is looking to make a presence and establish a footprint in North America. So, we were able to partner up with them for this project and it was turned out quite well. This is pretty successful project.” 

As in the case with expansion into micro-tunnelling, Inland is pushing forward into other progressive arenas as well. Across all industries, climate-friendly solutions are rapidly becoming not just sensible options but the state of the art. Inland’s Cement division is offering EcoCemPlus amongst its range of cementitious materials. Designed to impart both strength and durability, it also significantly lowers the environmental effect of cement and concrete. A Portland-limestone blend, EcoCemPlus has less storage requirements at plants and was found to have a 22 percent smaller carbon footprint than General Use cement. And they’re pushing even further ahead into the realm of cutting-edge technologies. Rogers said, “The other thing our cement people are doing is, in Edmonton, they are undertaking a feasibility study of building a carbon capture facility where they’re going to actually capture the CO2 off of their operation.” Inland Pipe is certainly used to stepping up to monumental tasks. Engaging with the front line of heavy-industry environmental technology seems to be just the next step along the path of success.

Despite its significant successes over the years, challenges always remain. The pandemic has collected a heavy toll everywhere, including from most businesses. Juggling cost-concerns with the welfare of employees is no easy consideration. Then there are the more prosaic concerns of market fluctuations, which vary significantly in Canada. Rogers remarked, “There’s a different market for pricing even between southern and northern Alberta. And then it just it varies greatly as you go province to province. You’re always trying to keep your finger on the pulse of where the market is for each region. It can be a challenging thing to try and keep up with.” One strategy the company is turning towards to ensure future growth is a more holistic market offering. Being able to meet every aspect of their customer’s needs. Rogers said, “So, there’s a lot of value-added opportunities we’re pursuing, partnering up through some of the waterworks individuals that are out there so that we can provide turnkey options to the market to essentially reduce construction time in the trench. Our industry operates on how many days in the trench the contractors need to get the products in the ground. So, if you can reduce it in any way, it’s going to be helpful to them and it’s going to make everything more efficient.”

Tackling some of North America’s largest concrete pipe installations is a given. Embracing and developing new climate-friendly materials and technologies has begun. Keeping a constant eye out for potential partnerships to expand the breadth and reach of Inland Pipe is ongoing. It’s the kind of vast ambition that requires a broad horizon. And the Prairies happily oblige.