About Us

Our History

Early in 1997 Chris Kay, who had an established reputation for engineering innovation in the irrigation business (since 1990 known as the Bay Plugger and for 12 years prior had a earthmoving business) proposed a new process to make large bore diameter agricultural drainage pipe from recycled plastic scrap. After talking to local recycler Greg Finn about what happens to the scrap when he gets it, the wheels were put in motion.

About 6 months later Chris formed a partnership with an engineer in Moama to develop manufacturing equipment. With plastic supplied by Greg a process was established. Production for 11” and 15” pipe was set up at Lancaster near Kyabram in the Goulburn Valley and the first sales of pipe to irrigators were made late 1997. With financial and development assistance from Visy Plastics and Eco Recycle Victoria, larger manufacturing equipment was made. Production was moved to a larger factory in Moama 1998.

In 1999 the partnership failed and Chris, who had not been entirely happy with the initial manufacturing process, moved his plant back to Lancaster in April. He was free to follow up ideas for an innovative method of making a heavier version of the original pipe so a new process was implemented. In August 1999 the fully formed bell joining system was introduced.

In 2000 a new partner joined the business, Peter Mason, with over 40 years specialist knowledge of the plastics industry and recycling. A new company Recycled Plastic Pipe Manufacturers P/L trading as RPM Pipe was set up to manufacture and market the pipe. Together they have refined Chris’s innovative method to give a consistent quality product that is widely accepted by the agricultural community, forestry’s, councils and Goulburn-Murray Water.

RPM “Heavy Duty” HDPE drainage pipes are manufactured in our Lancaster factory by Chris’s son Terry and his team. Every pipe is individually machined to give a close tolerance push together fit, also if needed for waterproof applications a rubber ring is permanently fixed inside the pipe bell.

Chris’s wife Nancy manages the office and completes the team that has made RPM Pipe a successful and growing family business in country Victoria. We are here for your long-term pipe dreams.