What is HDPE?

HDPE is one of the most widely used industrial plastics there is – here’s why.

High Density PolyEthylene (or HDPE as it’s known to most people) is an extremely versatile plastic that’s used in a huge range of applications, and for good reason.

HDPE is readily available here in Australia and is considered somewhat of a catch-all product when a cost-effective, durable, strong and hard wearing plastic is needed, whether it’s for commercial, industrial or DIY use.

Here are the key properties of HDPE:

• High chemical resistance
• Suitable for use in a wide range of temperatures, from -50°C to +80°C.
• Easy to work with – perfect for cutting, drilling, machining, welding and general fabrication
• UV stabilised (perfect for outdoor use) in black and yellow
• Food safe in the natural colour (white)
• High strength and rigidity
• Available in a huge range of sizes and thicknesses, as well as rods and welding rods
• Low moisture absorption
• Light weight (0.96 density, compared to a density of 1.2 for acrylic)

Applications

HDPE has become one of the most commonly used plastics in Australia and although we couldn’t even begin to name all of it’s uses, here are some of the more common applications:

• Tank construction
• Materials handling such as chute or bed liners
• Food processing
• Marina applications such as fender faces
• Wear blocks
• Machine guards
• Any application requiring wear resistance

Related Products

HDPE is just one part of the many PolyEthylene products we carry in stock, you might also want to look at:

• HMWPE (PE500)
• UHMWPE (PE1000)
• REGEN UHMWPE (PE55)
• Foamed PE
• PE Cutting Board
• Playground PE
• DesignBoard
• BoatBoard
• Twin Wall HDPE

If you’re unsure what any of these other products are, or which one is best for your application, please reach out to us here.

To view our range of HDPE products, please click here.