NEWS


ADS sales stagnant as profits decline by 12%


US pipe manufacturer Advanced Drainage Systems (ADS) reported flat sales – and a profit dip of 12% – for the financial year ending March 2024. Sales rose 1% to nudge over US$2.9 billion, while pre-tax profit fell 12% to US$453 million. The performance came on the back of a final quarter in which sales fell 6% and pre-tax profit dropped by nearly 20%. “In Fiscal 2025, domestic construction market sales increased 3%,” said Scott Barbour, president and CEO of ADS. “In the fourth quarter, sales decreased 6% overall as demand contin- ues to be impacted by higher interest rates and economic uncertainty.” The fourth quarter also had unfavourable winter


Barbour: “In Fiscal 2025, domestic construction market sales increased 3%”


weather conditions, he added. For the full year, domestic pipe sales fell nearly 3% to around US$1.5bn. International sales fell around 6% to end at about US$195m. ADS estimates 2026 net


sales at US$2.825bn- 2.925bn – both within 1% of this year’s result – which the


company said was made on the basis of “current visibility, backlog of existing orders and business trends”. In addition, it expects profitability – measured in terms of adjusted EBITDA – of US$850m-910m, com- pared to US$889m this year. n ADS has acquired River Valley Pipe, a privately owned pipe manufacturing company located in Lacon, Illinois. Founded in 2015, the company specialises in corrugated plastic pipe for the agriculture market. It has two manufacturing loca- tions, in Illinois and Iowa. “This advances our


strategic priority to grow our market-leading position through acquisitions in our core stormwater and agriculture drainage markets,” said Barbour. � www.ads-pipe.com


Tariff woes affect US machine sales


The US-based Plastics Industry Association says that uncertainties over tariffs affected first-quarter machinery sales. Its Committee on Equipment Statistics (CES) says sales fell to around US$252 million in the first quarter of the year – down nearly 5% year-on-year, and nearly 18% lower than the previous quarter. Year-on-year, extruder


sales rose strongly, with single-screw extruders up 31% and twin-screw up nearly 11%, while injection


8


moulding sales fell by almost 9%. This contrasts with sales since the previous quarter – which saw single- and twin-screw extruder sales rise 17% and 3%, respectively, while injection moulding sales fell 22%. “Shipments appeared to pause in the first quarter as businesses reassessed strategies amid uncertainty surrounding US tariffs and trade policy,” said Perc Pineda, the organisation’s chief economist.


US plastics equipment PIPE & PROFILE EXTRUSION | Summer 2025


imports rose more than 6% in the first quarter to nearly $940m, up nearly 6% from the same period last year. In addition, exports fell to $325m, a near-19% decline in the same period. In the CES first-quarter


survey, 62% of respondents expected market conditions to remain steady or improve over the next 12 months – down from 83% in the previous quarter. However, 42% reported an increase in quoting activity, up from 31% in the prior survey. � www.plasticsindustry.org


Polypipe uses more


recyclate Polypipe Building Services has raised the use of recyclate in its products to 32%, after investing in new equipment.


It has invested in two


new extrusion lines and materials handling equipment. This comple- ments other sustainability initiatives such as its prefabrication service, which reduces on-site fabrication waste and enables smart scheduling. “With two brand new


extruders, we’re able to run both rework and post-consumer recycled material, increasing our recycling capability and efficiency,” said Andy Martin, manufacturing director at Polypipe Building Services. One extrusion line was


upgraded, while the second is completely new. “The key aim was to


create a three-layer pipe with inner and outer skins made of virgin PVC, with the core comprised of recycled material – mak- ing up to 65% of the pipe’s material content,” he said.


Customers also benefit


from an on-site waste recycling scheme. Recycled materials are processed at the factory and used in Polypipe products, improving the carbon footprint of construction projects and cutting the amount of waste going to landfill. � www.polypipe.com


www.pipeandprofile.com


IMAGE: ADS


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44