The Southern African Plastic Pipe Manufacturers Association (SAPPMA) is urging engineers, municipalities, contractors and procurement officers to exercise greater care when sourcing plastic piping systems. With infrastructure designed to last decades, the choice of pipe can make or break a project.

“There is a growing trend by some manufacturers to offer pipes at a reduced price, made possible by bypassing some material requirements,” says Jan Venter, CEO of SAPPMA. “These pipes might look the same at face value, but unless they bear the SAPPMA logo they don’t comply with quality or safety standards and will never achieve the 50+ year lifespan expected of a properly manufactured system. In the end, it’s the end-user who pays the price through premature failures, costly repairs and reputational damage.”

The SAPPMA mark as guarantee of quality                        

Pipes that bear the SAPPMA logo are manufactured to the highest international standards and have passed independent audits and regular inspections. For purchasers, this logo is a visible guarantee of quality and peace of mind.

“When you insist on the SAPPMA mark, you are protecting your investment and safeguarding the communities who depend on reliable water, gas and sewage networks,” stresses Venter.

What to demand in your RFQ

SAPPMA advises that the following requirements should be built into every Request for Quotation (RFQ) for plastic piping systems:

• Quality systems: ISO 9001 certificate or approved quality management plan, with copies of recent audit reports.
• Product certification: Compliance with the correct SANS standards (e.g. SANS ISO 4427-2 for HDPE, SANS 966-1 for uPVC).
• Material certification: Evidence that only virgin raw materials are used and no bought-in recycled materials have been used.
• Traceability: Full batch traceability linking raw materials to finished pipes.
• Testing compliance: Independent laboratory test results for each supplied batch.
• SAPPMA membership: A valid certificate plus the latest SAPPMA audit report.