CPVC | on February 21st, 2021
In today’s fire protection systems, BlazeMaster® CPVC is everywhere – it’s the most specified fire sprinkler pipe and fitting system of its type in the world. But how did we get here?
A Brief History of CPVC
You may be surprised to know that CPVC material was invented in our labs, which gives us a unique vantage point as to where these materials originally started – and how our meticulous R&D and engineering has enhanced them over the decades.
It all started in 1938, when Waldo Semon of the specialty chemicals team at BF Goodrich was looking for a way to make synthetic rubber, because natural rubber from trees was becoming too expensive. While PVC had been discovered back in the 19th century, no one had actually found a practical use for it, until Semon discovered a plasticization technology. This was the invention of vinyl – a soft, rubber-like material used initially as a water-resistant coating for fabrics. Infact, during World War II, this very same vinyl material was used to insulate the wiring on military ships.
The company’s specialty chemicals division later became part of Lubrizol Advanced Materials, which includes BlazeMaster® CPVC and its sister brands FlowGuard Plus® and Corzan®.
Through the 1940s and 50s, PVC was further developed into rigid materials for pipes and other varied applications. In 1942, chlorine was added to the material composition for the first time, and R&D continued until PVC chlorination technology was patented in 1958. And CPVC was born – a thermoplastic made from a base PVC polymer, fortified with chlorine molecules, and specialized additives that enables it to stand up to the intense heat and pressure.
The first field trials started in 1960, as CPVC pipe was installed in plumbing in an experimental home built by the National Association of Home Builders. The success of that project led to the start of commercial production as soon as 1962. Next year, the company’s CPVC compound was incorporated into research houses in the Baltimore, Maryland area. More than 30 years later, a team was able to take samples of the piping from the homes and – no surprise – found them to be in perfect condition.
Growth of BlazeMaster® CPVC Fire Protection System
The company entered the fire protection system market in 1984 with the introduction of BlazeMaster® CPVC. With its easy installation, low maintenance and natural corrosion resistance, it offered the market a viable alternative to steel pipes.
BlazeMaster® CPVC Fire Protection System continued to grow during the 2000s as:
- Over 15 years of usage since its introduction in 1984 brought out the biggest advantage of BlazeMaster® CPVC compound over metals – its resistance to corrosion, which even today is a major challenge with steel pipes.
- The company developed new listing enhancements which enabled the CPVC fire protection system to be installed in basements, attics, and numerous other applications.
- Combined with BlazeMaster®’s easy, one-step solvent cement solution that streamlines installation, this helped enhance CPVC’s ease of installation when compared to metals.
- BlazeMaster® CPVC sales continue to expand globally reaching markets in Europe, Latin America and Asia, including India.
- The FBC™ System Compatible program was launched in 2002 to ensure ancillary products such as thread sealers and lubricants are chemically compatible with all brands of Lubrizol pipes.
Global growth brought investment in manufacturing facilities. In 2014, Lubrizol launched a $400 million global expansion of its CPVC resin which further scaled its manufacturing capacity. A wholly owned CPVC compounding manufacture was inaugurated in 2016. In 2020, Lubrizol Advanced Material and Grasim Industries entered into a definitive agreement to manufacture and supply CPVC resin in India, for which a 1,00,000 metric tonne state-of-the-art CPVC plant is being set up at Vilayat, Gujarat. Once commissioned, this will be the largest CPVC manufacturing plant in the world.
So, when you look up and see the now ubiquitous orange pipe, know that it all started with Waldo Semon and his innovations many years ago. Today, his legacy lives on in fire protection systems around the world, and India is a crucial next chapter that will help lead the world towards a robust, safe and sustainable future just like BlazeMaster® CPVC fire protection systems.
