For a long time, the European market for PVC pipes and pipes made from polypropylene and other polymers stagnated at around 5 million tonnes per year. Ceresana’s market analysts now expect a slight recovery in demand: EU directives on drinking water (TWR) and municipal wastewater (KARL) are gradually coming into force, driving the expansion of water supply networks.
Adapting to climate change and extreme weather events is also requiring investments in new piping systems—not only in agriculture and horticulture, but also in many municipalities—for example, pressure pipelines, sewer pipes, and water treatment infrastructure. In addition, demand is rising for conduits to protect power and telecommunications lines. For cable protection pipes, often made of polyethylene, Ceresana forecasts annual growth of 1.7%.
Plastic pipes indoors and outdoorsThe latest, eighth edition of Ceresana’s report on the European plastic pipes market differentiates, for the first time, between building services and supply networks within the key application areas of drinking water and wastewater. In other words, it distinguishes between installations inside buildings and pipes used in outdoor infrastructure.
The market volume for building services is heavily dependent on construction activity in the building sector, as well as on energy-efficient refurbishment and modernization. The trend toward lightweight, durable plastics continues: especially in renovation projects, old metal pipes are increasingly being replaced by pipes made of polypropylene random copolymer (PP-R) or cross-linked polyethylene (PE-X).
Glass fiber-reinforced plastics (GRP) are particularly used for large-diameter pipes where stiffness and corrosion resistance are critical. Although the market share of fiber-reinforced composite pipes—typically mixtures of glass fibers and thermosetting polyester or epoxy resins—is still relatively small, Ceresana expects strong growth of around 3% per year in this segment. However, this outlook depends on a limited number of large-scale projects.
Ceresana forecasts growth of 1.4% per year for polyethylene pipes, which are widely used for drinking water, irrigation, and parts of gas networks. One factor driving increased consumption of plastic pipes is the trend toward closed, trenchless construction methods.
Opportunities and risks for plastic pipesThe European construction industry could begin to recover from 2026 onward. However, many projects continue to be delayed by bureaucratic approval procedures, skilled labor shortages, and rising construction and financing costs. Municipal projects in particular are affected by budget cuts, while at the same time large-scale public investment programs for infrastructure are being launched.
The European Union aims to expand trans-European energy networks through initiatives such as a “European Grid Package” and new “energy highways,” particularly for cross-border electricity, gas, and hydrogen pipelines.
The market report on plastic pipes analyzes demand across the various segments of the construction industry. The current boom in artificial intelligence is also driving strong growth in data center construction. In addition to market data and forecasts, the new study provides background information on the EU regulatory framework, the overall economic environment, and the state of the construction industry in different European countries, including key companies, construction activity, investments, and planned projects.
Further information is available
here.
