Pure Pipe Performance

The 7th PLOMYPLAS Technical Seminar took place on 20 October at the Dow auditorium in Tarragona as part of a joint collaboration between Grupo PLOMYPLAS and Dow Chemical Ibérica, which brought together over 120 clients this year. The event, titled “Plastic Pipes in Civil Engineering and Buildings”, began with a welcome session given by Dow Chemical Ibérica Country Leader Anton Valero and Grupo PLOMYPLAS CEO José Antonio de la Cruz.

Throughout the morning, presentations were given by a number of subject-matter experts, from reputable entities such as Llabería Plastics, DANESPA and HVALPSUND NET, Mediterráneo Servicios Marinos, Hidrotec Sanejament, +APPLUS or the Iberian Trench-Free Technology Association (IbSTT), not to mention representatives from the organizing companies: Dow Chemical Ibérica and Grupo PLOMYPLAS. During these presentations, the professionals offered practical cases in the auditorium related to different applications and environments in which plastic pipes can be used.

One of the most memorable moments was at the close of the Technical Seminar with the Signing of the Charter for a Trench-Free City, in which those in attendance made a commitment to promote the use of trench-free technologies in city planning works whenever it is technically and economically possible, with a view to safeguarding, protecting and improving safety at work sites for operators and pedestrians, peace of mind for neighbors, the environment and sustainable development.

The Seminar ended with a visit to the polyethylene (PE) manufacturing plant and the new Global Water Technology Center at Dow Water & Process Solutions (DW&PS), followed by the presentation of the new Ase TUB Plastic Pipe Installation Manual.

According to Alexey Ryabov, Marketing Manager for Pipes, Dow Europe, “Dow strategic attention is  to have deeper market understanding with specific value added segments.  Plomyplas seminar was nice example to helped Dow better understand the latest market trends, concerns and expectations as it was organized with the key representatives of the whole pipe market value chain.”

Representing Dow Chemical Ibérica, European Director of Research Felip Vidiella and Plastic Sales Director for Southern Europe Víctor Zapata offered their conclusions at the end of the event.

According to Felip Vidiella, “Dow has taken a new line with the PLOMYPLAS event. We no longer refer to collaboration with clients, rather to collaboration with the client's value chain. Those attending the event are clients of the client and end users of their products, as well as public entities that specify products in engineering and construction works. Dow has positioned itself as a quality supplier at every level of the value chain and the brand image has been transmitted throughout all of it”. As regards the contribution of this event to the Company and to the Plastics Business, “The Technical Seminar contributed with the possibility of back-selling; that is, that the clients of our client specify Dow materials in the products they buy from PLOMYPLAS”, he explained.

Plastics Sales Director for Southern Europe Víctor Zapata concluded by saying, “In today's market situation in Europe and in Spain, this innovation event has brought together a total of 130 participants. Dow has positioned itself at the center of the commitment to innovation and to the future of the pipe market, as the best solution for overcoming today's difficulties and to build, together with the industry's value chain, the opportunities to make a difference and grow in the future”.

About Dow

Dow combines the power of science and technology with the “Human Element” to passionately innovate what is essential to human progress. The Company connects chemistry and innovation with the principles of sustainability to help address many of the world's most challenging problems such as the need for clean water, renewable energy generation and conservation, and increasing agricultural productivity. Dow's diversified industry-leading portfolio of specialty chemical, advanced materials, agrosciences and plastics businesses delivers a broad range of technology-based products and solutions to customers in approximately 160 countries and in high growth sectors such as electronics, water, energy, coatings and agriculture. In 2010, Dow had annual sales of $53.7 billion and employed approximately 50,000 people worldwide. The Company's more than 5,000 products are manufactured at 188 sites in 35 countries across the globe. References to "Dow" or the "Company" mean The Dow Chemical Company and its consolidated subsidiaries unless otherwise expressly noted. More information about Dow can be found at www.dow.com.