Polypipe
Encyclopedia
Polypipe is a large manufacturer of plastic pressure pipe systems, made out of high-density polyethylene (HDPE), a polyethylene thermoplastic
. These pipes are used for waste water and piped water.
of Belgium) for £6m. In July 1998 it bough Domus Ducting for £4.7m; this became Polypipe Ventilation. In January 1999 it bought Pagette Sanitar Produktions (of Germany) for £9m.
In May 2007 it bought Geberit's PVC
piping business in Aylesford in Kent. This became Polypipe Terrain. Also it 2007, it planned to take over Verplas of Dorset
, but after being referred to the Competition Commission, the deal was abandoned in July 2007. In February 2010 it bought Silavent, a ventilation manufacturer.
for £337m; Kevin MacDonald made £56m from this deal and Geoffrey Harrison made £12.5m. IMI sold Polypipe to Castle Harlan
(of the USA), a prevate equity company, for £293m in September 2005. In August 2007, a mananagement buyout took control of the company from the private equity company, although this deal was funded by Bank of Scotland Integrated Finance (since July 2010 mostly owned by Coller Capital
).
In February 2008 the Polypipe Sanitary Systems division of the company was taken over by a management buyout for £12.75m, which was borrowed from Investec Bank
. It became CME Sanitary Systems (based in Warmsworth), with sites in nearby Warmsworth
and Manchester making Celmac toilet seat
s and Macdee flushing system
s.
in Essex
.
and waste water. Polypipe TDI makes insulation. Polypipe Ventilation makes housing ventilation systems. Polypipe Civils also make cable protection for underground electricity and telecommunication cables. Polypipe Terrain makes PVC piping.
Its Polyplumb and Polyfit brands are well known in the housing plumbing market. These use push-fit ring seals
. HDPE products are used instead of cast iron pipe
s in high-rise buildings. PVCu (unplasticized polyvinyl chloride) pipes are used in slightly smaller buildings.
Thermoplastic
Thermoplastic, also known as a thermosoftening plastic, is a polymer that turns to a liquid when heated and freezes to a very glassy state when cooled sufficiently...
. These pipes are used for waste water and piped water.
History
It was formed by Kevin McDonald (a former plumber born in 1933) in 1980, with the help of Geoff Harrison. He had started another plastics company, Bartol Plastics, in the 1960s, selling it in 1966 for £450,000. Later in the 1970s he started the MacDee company which made plastic compound baths, but was forced to sell it in the late 1970s.Acquisitions
In October 1995 it bought Sud Ouest Plastiques (of France) for £2.1m. In January 1997 it bought TDI for £3.1m. In November 1997 it bought Gabo Systemtechnik from Thyssen Polymer (now owned by DeceuninckDeceuninck
Deceuninck NV is a Belgian designer and producer of PVC systems for windows and doors, interior, roofline & cladding and terraces. The company extrudes PVC and the single base material Twinson....
of Belgium) for £6m. In July 1998 it bough Domus Ducting for £4.7m; this became Polypipe Ventilation. In January 1999 it bought Pagette Sanitar Produktions (of Germany) for £9m.
In May 2007 it bought Geberit's PVC
Polyvinyl chloride
Polyvinyl chloride, commonly abbreviated PVC, is a thermoplastic polymer. It is a vinyl polymer constructed of repeating vinyl groups having one hydrogen replaced by chloride. Polyvinyl chloride is the third most widely produced plastic, after polyethylene and polypropylene. PVC is widely used in...
piping business in Aylesford in Kent. This became Polypipe Terrain. Also it 2007, it planned to take over Verplas of Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
, but after being referred to the Competition Commission, the deal was abandoned in July 2007. In February 2010 it bought Silavent, a ventilation manufacturer.
Ownership
In March 1999 the company was bought by IMIIMI plc
IMI plc , formerly Imperial Metal Industries, is a British based engineering company headquartered in Birmingham, England. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index.-History:...
for £337m; Kevin MacDonald made £56m from this deal and Geoffrey Harrison made £12.5m. IMI sold Polypipe to Castle Harlan
Castle Harlan
Castle Harlan is a private equity firm based in New York that focuses on buyouts and growth capital investments in middle-market companies across a range of industries. Founded in 1987, invests in controlling interests in middle-market companies in North America and Europe, as well as in...
(of the USA), a prevate equity company, for £293m in September 2005. In August 2007, a mananagement buyout took control of the company from the private equity company, although this deal was funded by Bank of Scotland Integrated Finance (since July 2010 mostly owned by Coller Capital
Coller Capital
Coller Capital, founded in 1990 by Jeremy Coller, is one of the leading global investors in the Private equity secondary market ....
).
In February 2008 the Polypipe Sanitary Systems division of the company was taken over by a management buyout for £12.75m, which was borrowed from Investec Bank
Investec Bank
Investec is an international specialist banking and asset management group. It provides a range of financial products and services to a select client base in three principal markets: the United Kingdom, South Africa and Australia. Investec is listed on the London Stock Exchange and the...
. It became CME Sanitary Systems (based in Warmsworth), with sites in nearby Warmsworth
Warmsworth
Warmsworth is a village and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster in South Yorkshire, England. It has a population of 3,855. The main route to Warmsworth is the A1 and the A630. The River Don also runs next to Warmsworth, as well as a train line from Doncaster to Sheffield...
and Manchester making Celmac toilet seat
Toilet seat
A toilet seat is a hinged unit consisting of seat and lid which is bolted onto a toilet bowl for a flush toilet. A toilet seat consists of the seat itself, which may be contoured for the user to sit on, and the lid, which covers the toilet when it is not in use.If the toilet is located in a home...
s and Macdee flushing system
Flush toilet
A flush toilet is a toilet that disposes of human waste by using water to flush it through a drainpipe to another location. Flushing mechanisms are found more often on western toilets , but many squat toilets also are made for automated flushing...
s.
Structure
The head office is in Edlington, close to the former pit. It has a distribution centre in Saffron WaldenSaffron Walden
Saffron Walden is a medium-sized market town in the Uttlesford district of Essex, England. It is located north of Bishop's Stortford, south of Cambridge and approx north of London...
in Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
.
- Polypipe Building Products - also based in Glasgow
- Polypipe Civils - based in LoughboroughLoughboroughLoughborough is a town within the Charnwood borough of Leicestershire, England. It is the seat of Charnwood Borough Council and is home to Loughborough University...
, LeicestershireLeicestershireLeicestershire is a landlocked county in the English Midlands. It takes its name from the heavily populated City of Leicester, traditionally its administrative centre, although the City of Leicester unitary authority is today administered separately from the rest of Leicestershire... - Polypie TDI - based in Darley DaleDarley DaleDarley Dale, also known simply as Darley, is a town in Derbyshire, England, with a population of around 6,000 people. It lies north of Matlock, on the River Derwent and the A6 road.- History :...
, DerbyshireDerbyshireDerbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx... - Polypipe Terrain - based in AylesfordAylesfordAylesford is a village and civil parish on the River Medway in Kent, 4 miles NW of Maidstone in England.Originally a small riverside settlement, the old village comprises around 60 houses, many of which were formerly shops. One pub, a Post Office and four small independent shops remain...
, KentKentKent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of... - Polypipe Ventilation - based in Kirk SandallBarnby Dun with Kirk SandallBarnby Dun with Kirk Sandall is a civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster in South Yorkshire, England. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 8,524. The parish covers Barnby Dun and Kirk Sandall, both parts of the Doncaster urban area.-History:The parish was formed in...
Products
It mainly makes HDPE pipes for mainsWater supply network
A water supply system or water supply network is a system of engineered hydrologic and hydraulic components which provide water supply. A water supply system typically includes:# A drainage basin ;...
and waste water. Polypipe TDI makes insulation. Polypipe Ventilation makes housing ventilation systems. Polypipe Civils also make cable protection for underground electricity and telecommunication cables. Polypipe Terrain makes PVC piping.
Its Polyplumb and Polyfit brands are well known in the housing plumbing market. These use push-fit ring seals
Hose coupling
A hose coupling is a connector on the end of a hose to connect it with another hose or with a tap or a hose appliance, such as an irrigation sprinkler...
. HDPE products are used instead of cast iron pipe
Cast iron pipe
Cast iron pipe is a historical pipe which found widespread use as a pressure pipe for transmission of water, gas and sewage, and as a water drainage pipe, during the 19th and 20th centuries. It comprises predominantly a gray cast iron tube and was frequently used uncoated, although later...
s in high-rise buildings. PVCu (unplasticized polyvinyl chloride) pipes are used in slightly smaller buildings.