Maincor Pipe Systems
We believe that our products are amongst the highest quality in the industry, and we don’t just make our pipe, but also the machines it is made on. We also make pipe for some of the leading brands so even if we are new to you, if you have used Multi-Layer Composite Pipe (MLCP) before you may well have used some of our products.
We offer a wide range of plumbing pipe systems including pipes and fittings. Maincor is the first multi-layer pipe manufacturer to establish compatibility with our approvals; our Maincor WRAS approval means that we have approval for not only our pipes and fittings but also for our pipe with Uponor fittings. This protects you and your installers if the products were to get mixed on site.
Multilayer Pipe and Copper
Maincor multilayer pipe systems are gradually winning the argument to replace copper as the plumber’s choice of pipe.
The high level of copper use in the UK market shows that for everyday use, many installers are not convinced that pushfit plastic plumbing gives them the performance they need.
Maincor addresses two particular issues. Firstly, its multilayer pipe is very competitive against copper and in such a volatile metals market, much more price stable. Secondly, it addresses the main performance requirements : it is formstable, has low expansion rates and a 100% oxygen barrier. It also has none of the disadvantages of copper : it cannot corrode and is highly resistant to furring and scaling. Maincor multilayer pipe is easily connected to existing copper installations.
In an industry dominated by copper and plastic, multilayer pipe is effectively the third way of plumbing.
Multilayer Plumbing Developments
Manifolds - The Maincor plumbing offering has concentrated on the development of highly controllable manifold systems for plumbing and heating connection.
Fittings - Maincor also has simple compression connectors to connect to 15mm, 22mm, and 28mm copper systems and press fittings for permanent undemountable systems.
Multi-Fit - Look out for the exciting UK exclusive new development of Maincor Multi-Fit connectors click here to find out more
What is MLC?
In an industry which has traditionally copper or simple plastic pipes, multilayer pipe is effectively the third way! Multilayer pipe has all of the advantages of copper and plastic combined, whilst having none of their disadvantages. For example, whereas plastic does not have a complete oxygen barrier, is not formstable – (it doesn’t hold ‘shapes’) and has very high expansion rates, and copper is rigid and is subject to corrosion, furring and scaling, MLCP does not have those problems.
A clear example is when working with “I” beams. Copper will not thread through the beams but will span the 600mm centres. Plastic will thread through the beams but will not span. Multilayer will thread and will span.
MLC Applications
Advantages of MLC
- Can be threaded through a building, with the minimum amount of joints
- Is easy to work with and keeps the shape into which it is formed
- Can be coloured to suit the application
- Has 100% oxygen barrier protection against corrosion
- The aluminium core allows the inner layer of plastic to have no pigment, making it toxicologically clean
- Similar expansion rate to copper with the same fixing requirements
- Easily detectable due to the internal aluminium barrier
- Conforms to NHBC standards for traceable pipe behind plasterboard
- Maincor pipe is manufactured in premises that are ISO 9001:2008 certified (quality management)
- Maincor pipe is manufactured in premises that are ISO 14001:2008 certified (environmental management).
- Paint finished pipe which means no second line finishing.
Pipe Composition
Our MLC pipe is made up of PE-RT / AL / PE-RT
The materials used to form the pipe are as follows:
- Outer Layer: Polyethylene raised temperature (PE-RT) plastic coat: protects the aluminium core and allows the outer shell to be coloured without contaminating the water.
- Adhesive layer: interface zone between the outer PE-RT layer and the aluminium core. Bonds the material together and prevents shear slippage.
- Aluminium layer: thin layer of lap welded aluminium which forms a 100% oxygen barrier to protect against corrosion and allows the pipe to have the ‘form-stable’ characteristic.
- Adhesive layer: interface zone between the inner PE-RT layer and the aluminium core. Bonds the material together and prevents shear slippage.
- Inner layer: inner layer of clear PE-RT. Inert and does not affect the water in any way. Allows for a smooth wall surface to reduce pressure drops for water flow.
Our pipe is supplied in both coils and straight lengths in the pack quantities listed below. For further information about our pipe and conduits please click here. Our pipes are white in colour, however we can supply coloured pipe if required, please contact the office on 01455 555390 for further details.
| 50m | 75m | 100m | 120m | 200m | 500m | 35m | 50m | 85m | 125m | |
| 16 x 2mm | * | * | * | * | * | * | * | |||
| 20 x 2.25mm | * | * | ||||||||
| 25 x 2.5mm | * | * | ||||||||
| 32 x 3mm | * | * |
Compression adaptors and ‘Press to copper tails’ allow our products to be connected directly onto existing copper systems.
More details on our fitting product range.