How clay drainage can benefit your next project
The finest pipe on Earth,
born of the earth.
At Hepworth we have always believed that for future-proof drainage ‘clay is the way’ – the ultimate sustainable, durable, cost-efficient and high-performance sewerage solution. Here’s why:
Clay is a 100% natural and plentiful raw material. Sourced from our local quarries which minimises transportation, the clays are carefully blended to take advantage of their distinct mineralogy prior to heat treatment in a calciner, a globally unique process for clay pipe production.
Filtered moorland rainwater is used to hydrate the clays during pipe extrusion. They are then guided through driers utilizing recovered heat from energy efficient fast firing roller kilns, supporting our environmental policy, leading to BS EN ISO 14001 certification.
Up to 15% of any off-cuts, trimmings or product used in testing are ground down and re-introduced into the manufacturing process with no loss of quality. With total end-of-life recyclability, vitrified clay is the ultimate birth to rebirth manufacturing process.
Even our quarries are expertly returned to flourishing natural habitats, alongside a tree planting programme to continually offset the carbon impact of quarrying activities. For most construction materials, sustainability is a pipe dream; for Hepworth Clay it’s a natural and actual reality.
If you set out today to create the perfect material for drainage, clay would be the product you’d invent.
Clay pipes are inert, making them impervious to almost any chemical or physical attack.
Vitrified Clay’s strength not only means it’s highly resistant to static and dynamic loadings, it also doesn’t need as much granular bedding, cutting installation costs as well as the carbon footprint of aggregate transportation.
It’s a genuine fit and forget solution too, that will be trouble-free for future generations. And with no renovation or repairs needed, service costs are as low as its installed risk profile.
To which can be added the Hepworth hallmark of precision manufacturing to guarantee consistent quality, standards compliance, a complementary jointing performance and total service support.
Clay has been used in drainage for more than 6,000 years. For every consulting engineer making a choice today, it is the natural choice for the future.
Superior sustainability
Clay is a future-proof material, 100% natural and 100% recyclable.
Superior quality
Kitemarked to BS EN 295-1, supported by a declaration of performance and CE mark.
Superior strength and durability
Naturally high product strength enhances in-use performance resulting in a lifetime expectancy of over 100 years.
Superior bedding performance
Recycled aggregates arising from selected construction demolition waste are approved for use with clay pipes.
Superior jetting performance
Hepworth pipes carry a lifetime jetting guarantee, jet proof to 7500 psi*.
Superior chemical resistance
Clay is inert, so is unaffected by any effluent approved for discharge into a public sewer.
Perfect piping.
Proven joints.
Hepworth Clay is as impressive in the ground as it appears on paper.
Satisfying BS EN 295-1:2013, our advanced jointing technology passes the angular deflection and shear resistance tests to cope with the effects of subsidence or ground movement.
It’s a performance which means that the lifetime expectancy of over 100 years applies to the entire clay drainage system, not just the pipe.
The availability of short length pipes, often used at manhole or junction positions not only reduces cutting and construction time on site, it also helps to further ensure the integrity of the seal is never compromised.
Hepworth Clay
is available in 150, 225 and 300mm diameters.
Clay for today