Extrusion International 3-2023

33 Extrusion International 3/2023 EXTRUSION TOOLING Responding to Market Conditions in Pipe Extrusion By Rich Guillemette, CEO, Guill Tool & Engineering Guill is analyzing the latest market demands, combined with its extrusion die design expertise, to deliver solutions to its customers. Guill’s new Spiderless Pipe Die is an alternative solution, utilizing precision tooling to provide material savings vs conventional Basket Dies. T he global market for pipes used in irrigation systems, sewage systems and industrial applications is expected to grow in the coming years. According to a report by Mar- ketsandMarkets™, the global mar- ket for pipes is projected to reach USD 23.5 billion by 2025, growing at a CAGR of 6.1% from 2020 to 2025. The demand for pipes is driven by the increasing need for water and wastewater infrastructure, as well as the growth in industrialization and urbanization. These factors are expected to drive demand for pipes in emerging economies such as Chi- na, India and Brazil, as well as in de- veloped markets such as the United States and Europe. The U.S. govern- ment has announced several infra- structure improvement plans aimed at revitalizing the country's aging infrastructure, including its water and wastewater systems. In March 2021, President Biden proposed the American Jobs Plan, a $2 trillion infrastructure plan that includes funding for a wide range of infrastructure projects, including the modernization of water infra- structure. The plan proposes to in- vest $111 billion in drinking water infrastructure, $45 billion in reduc- ing lead exposure in drinking water and $56 billion in modernizing wa- ter infrastructure, including waste- water treatment plants and storm- water management systems. What differentiates Guill’s Spider- less Pipe Die design over a basket die is Guill’s focus on precision tooling, developed from decades of experi- ence in medical tubing, flow analy - sis and Guill’s ISO 9001 and AS9100 (Aerospace) quality systems. The significance of Guill’s Spiderless Pipe Die becomes clear when one consid- ers material savings. In general, the cost of the polymer raw material can range from 50% to 70% of the total cost of produc- ing polymer pipes. The cost of other materials such as additives, fillers and reinforcements, as well as the cost of energy, labor, equipment and overhead also contribute to the total production cost. In some cases, the cost of energy, particularly electricity and natural gas, can be a significant part of the total cost of production, especially for large-scale production facilities. In other cases, labor costs in regions with high labor costs, can signifi - cantly impact the cost of production. Also a factor is that the cost of the raw polymer can be affected by mar- ket fluctuations in the price of oil, impacting the cost of petrochemicals used in the production of polymers. Additionally, the cost can also be in- fluenced by supply and demand fac - tors and global trade dynamics. Guill’s Spiderless Pipe Die is now available to meet the needs of its customers, as they consider all these factors required to be competitive in the production of pipes from 2” to 15” OD. This product was entire- ly conceived, designed, engineered, manufactured and CFD tested at the Guill factory in West Warwick, Rhode Island. GUILL TOOL & ENGINEERING Tom Baldock West Warwick, Rhode Island, USA www.guill.com The Guill Spiderless Pipe Die incorporates unique design features to produce pipe more efficiently, according to company CEO Rich Guillemette