Wrapping Up PPXXII: Pipeson’s Insights from the Global Hub for Plastic Pipes

When 350 participants and more than 100 presentations gather under one roof, you know you are at the beating heart of innovation in the plastic pipe industry. The XXII Plastic Pipes Conference & Exhibition (PPXXII), held from 15 – 17 September 2025 at Hilton Warsaw City, Poland, proved to be exactly that: the world’s most important meeting point for knowledge-sharing, networking, and shaping the future of solutions.

For Pipeson, PPXXII was not just another conference to attend. It was an opportunity to connect with partners, exchange expertise, and bring back insights that will help us – and the entire industry – move forward. Here’s our wrap-up of what made this edition stand out, what we learned, and where we see the road ahead.

First Impressions: A Global Knowledge Hub & Stage for Sustainability

Walking into the PPXXII venue, the first impression was clear: scale. With 350 participants and over 100 presentations, the energy was unmistakable. The exhibition floor and conference halls buzzed with conversations, from testing innovations to sustainability strategies.

Compared to earlier editions, this year had a noticeably different flavor that stood out immediately: sustainability had moved from being a bullet point to the center stage. Recycling, circular economy models, and CO₂ reduction were woven into almost every discussion, reflecting both the urgency and the opportunity for the sector. 

Presentations covered everything from advanced PVC recycling to PEX chemical recycling and large-scale circular economic initiatives. The message was loud and clear, and for Pipeson, it was a privilege to be right in the middle of this global hub for knowledge and innovation.

Key Sessions That Set the Tone

Sessions leaving a lasting mark on this year’s program:

1. Advancing Sustainability in the Plastic Pipe Industry (Zoran Davidovski, Wienerberger/Pipelife; Yazgan Mete, Borealis GmbH)

By linking plastic pipes to the EU Green Deal, CO₂ reduction, and circular economy goals, this opening keynote set the tone for the entire event, framing sustainability as the only path forward.

2. Preparing for Harmonised Drinking Water Rules (Peter Sejersen, TEPPFA)

A critical presentation on the EU Drinking Water Directive (DWD), which comes into force in 2027, reminded us just how transformative it will be. This directive will reshape compliance, testing, and certification processes across Europe – and every manufacturer, lab, and testing body must prepare. The sense of urgency in the room was palpable.

3. Circular Strategies Panel (PIPA, Borealis, GF Building Flow Solutions)

This lively and practical discussion pulled everything together and turned toward actionable strategies. From improvements in recyclate quality to the environmental impact of PE-X and PVC recycling, it highlighted real pathways for how collaboration and data can make circular solutions credible and scalable.

As we sat there, it struck us how aligned these themes are with our own mission at Pipeson: helping the industry turn complex challenges into structured, manageable solutions with smart use of data.

Industry Trends: What Everyone Was Talking About at PPXXII

If you listened in on conversations in the hallways across the three days in Warsaw, over coffee, during networking dinners, or panel discussions, four themes kept coming up again and again:

• Sustainability & Recycling – advanced practical solutions for PVC recycling (even legacy pipes with lead stabilizers), PE-X chemical recycling, and circular economy models were front and center.
  
• Durability & Regulation – the 100-year lifetime debate and preparations for the EU Drinking Water Directive (DWD) dominated discussions.
  
• Digitalization & Data – inline measurement, QA automation, and data strategies for efficiency were also hot topics, addressing how smart measurement, QA tools, and dashboards can reduce complexity.
  
• Competence Transfer – with many seasoned experts approaching retirement, the industry is facing knowledge gaps. Tools, platforms, and standardized systems are needed to make sure expertise isn’t lost but kept alive and passed on seamlessly to the next generation.

A standout regulatory theme was the DWD 2027 – 2032 timeline. It introduces harmonized hygienic testing and certification rules across Europe. The challenges? Limited lab capacity, potential bottlenecks, and varying interpretations. For Pipeson, this reinforced how crucial certification management systems and other digital tools will be for the industry in the coming years.

Europe vs. North America: Two Perspectives

An interesting takeaway from this conference was the difference in focus between European and North American participants.

• Europe was all about sustainability, regulation, and digitalization for circularity.
  
• North America leaned more toward safety, long-term durability evidence, and competence transfer.

This contrast underlined the importance of global dialogue. While the regulatory push is stronger in Europe, the focus on durability and training from North America strengthens the bigger picture. Neither is “better” or “worse” – they complement each other. It reminded us how much value there is in bringing global perspectives together.

Conversations That Mattered

Beyond the sessions, conferences are about people as much as presentations, and PPXXII was no exception. We spoke heart-to-heart and in-depth with manufacturers, certification bodies, testing institutes, and technology providers.

• Manufacturers were especially interested in project overviews, secure storage of critical information, and the use of dashboards and alerts.
  
• Certification bodies and labs were more focused on certification management, harmonization under DWD, and smarter ways to manage complex test data.

One of the most fascinating chats we had was with iNOEX/iDOO, around building robust and flexible data infrastructures. It is these spontaneous exchanges that spark new ideas. Their insights resonated with our own mission: creating systems that make data a tool, not a burden. 

The challenges we heard most often? 

Data overload, certification complexity, knowledge continuity, and digital integration. 

Reflections from PPXXII: Trust, Challenges, and Shared Priorities

One of the most rewarding parts of PPXXII was hearing how the industry views its challenges, and where solutions are most urgently needed. The feedback was both uplifting and humbling.

A recurring theme was trust. Attendees often spoke about the importance of reliable partners in a changing regulatory and technical landscape. Having confidence that critical tasks are managed well is becoming more valuable than ever.

The conversations also brought some clear priorities into focus

The feedback we received at PPXXII was both uplifting and humbling. We will admit, it was encouraging to hear how people perceive Pipeson. Attendees consistently described Pipeson as a trusted, professional, and supportive partner. The alignment between our solutions and industry pain points could not have been clearer:

• Certification management. With the Drinking Water Directive transition approaching, reminders and expiration tracking were top of mind. One participant even shared how a missed renewal had led to lost revenue, a reminder of how critical even small oversights can be.
  
• Competence transfer. Many highlighted the risk of knowledge being “locked” in individual experts. Turning data into structured, accessible information was seen as essential for the next generation of engineers.
  
• Efficiency gains. Dashboards, automation, and reducing manual work were recurring topics, with teams eager to free up time for higher-value tasks.

• Certification management – with the Drinking Water Directive transition approaching, reminders and expiration tracking were top of mind.
  
• Competence transfer – Many highlighted the risk of knowledge being tied to individual experts. Turning data into structured, accessible information was seen as essential for the next generation of engineers.
  
• Efficiency gains – Dashboards, automation, and reducing manual work were recurring topics, with teams eager to free up time for higher-value tasks.

For us, these conversations validated our roadmap and deepened our commitment to supporting customers where they need it the most.

Our Key Takeaways From 2025 PPXXII Plastic Pipes Conference & Exhibition

So, what did Pipeson bring home from Warsaw? When we think back, three insights stand out:

1. The spirit of collaboration. With 350 participants, the sheer amount of expertise was an honor. But what impressed us most was how open everyone was to sharing. Every conversation was a chance to learn.

2. The industry’s cooperative mindset. From sustainability to competence transfer, PPXXII showed us again how supportive this community is, and how approachable its people are. Whether it was a technical debate or a casual chat over lunch, every conversation mattered and brought a new perspective.

3. The urgency of the challenges ahead. From preparing for DWD to closing knowledge gaps, the industry is united in acknowledging and addressing them as the foundation of our collective future.

Following Up & Moving Forward

For Pipeson, the work does not end with the conference. Armed with fresh knowledge and connections, looking ahead, our next steps are clear. The conversations in Warsaw will not just end as memories. We are already following up, sending personal notes to old contacts, connecting with new ones on LinkedIn, and keeping the dialogue we started in Warsaw alive, ensuring they grow into lasting collaborations and progress.

What this conference reminded us is that this industry thrives not just on innovation, but on collaboration, and how proud we are to play our part of the plastics piping industry.

Final Thoughts

The PPXXII conference confirmed what we already knew but needed to feel again: this industry thrives on collaboration, innovation, and trust.  

Looking back, PPXXII was not just three days in September. It was a reminder of why we do what we do at Pipeson, and why we look forward to the road ahead. The industry is at a turning point, facing big regulatory changes, navigating sustainability, and ensuring knowledge isn’t lost along the way. But what we saw in Warsaw was optimism, openness, and a shared determination to tackle these challenges together.

And that is exactly where Pipeson wants to be: helping the community move forward with smarter data, stronger tools, and solutions that make a difference. Whether it is helping manufacturers prepare for DWD, enabling smoother competence transfer, or building tools that make sustainability measurable, our mission is the same: to empower the plastic pipe community.

Warsaw was inspiring and gave us plenty to think about, but most importantly, it left us excited for what comes next. We are already looking forward to continuing these conversations at upcoming spin-off events, and, of course, to reuniting with the global plastic pipe community at PPXXIII in Houston, in September 2027. Until then, we will keep helping this community work smarter with data and certifications, preparing for the future – together.