Will Copper Water Pipes be Widely Used in China?

SHANGHAI, Jul 1 (SMM) - According to the geographical distribution of global copper pipes demand, China has the largest demand for copper pipes in the world, accounting for 54.1%, followed by Europe, North America, Japan, South Korea and other regions. In foreign countries, the consumption of copper pipes in the construction field accounts for 52%, that in home appliances accounts for 19%, that in the transportation field accounts for 10% that in machinery manufacturing accounts for 10%, and that in other fields account for 9%. In China, the consumption of copper pipes in home appliances accounts for 86.4%, that in construction accounts for 7%, that in marine engineering accounts for 5%, that in electronic machinery accounts for 1%, and that in other fields account for 0.4%.

Copper pipes in China are mostly used in evaporators, condensers and connecting pipes in air conditioners, while overseas, copper pipes are mainly used in water pipes and heating pipes in buildings. Buildings in mainland China mainly use PVC pipes, PPR pipes and stainless steel pipes.

So why are copper water pipes mostly used abroad? Copper water pipes are good materials in water pipes, and copper ion has a strong disinfection and sterilisation effect. Using copper as water pipes can prevent bacteria from growing and prevent some common livestock diseases, and copper is an indispensable micronutrient for human beings. Besides, its material is very durable. Copper water pipes get the longest service life of 80 years, while the plastic ones will be hardened and embrittlement with the change of time and temperature. 

Will copper water pipes be popularised in China in the future, and will the application fields of copper pipes change? SMM believes that firstly the cost of copper pipes is much higher than that of other materials, about 10 times that of PPR pipes and 8 times that of stainless steel pipes. Although people's living standards are constantly improving in recent years, the price difference of dozens of times is still unacceptable to common families. Secondly, real estate developers, building contractors, consumers, and installers have a low awareness of copper water pipes. Most real estate projects have no supporting facilities for copper water pipes when they are being developed. Consumers do not know the value of copper water pipes, and installers generally recommend the low-priced water pipes. Therefore, the penetration rate of copper water pipes in China is limited.