Weird and wonderful applications of RWC’s push-fit technology

Image of a Paris water fountain using drinks dispense technology

You may know us for our plumbing and heating solutions within domesticcommercial and public buildings. However, you may not be aware that our same trusted technologies are used in many different industries and applications. This includes telecomsautomotivedrinks and beer dispensecompressed air, many OEM project designs, including a variety of unexpected applications.

From ice cream vending machines and tiny homes, through to commercial dishwashers and even drinking water fountains in Paris, our products feature in many unique places across the globe. In this blog, we will delve into just a handful of the unusual applications we have been involved in and how we created bespoke solutions for our customers.

Helping Paris residents stay hydrated

An interesting project that we’ve been involved in is keeping the water from the infamous Wallace drinking fountains clean and purified. This is all thanks to our John Guest drinks dispense technology.

Working with Eau de Paris, the public office responsible for water resource management, we helped in revamping the iconic structures and keeping the fountains’ drinking water compliant with regulations. Using John Guest’s push-fit fittings for water filtration applications, we were able to meet the potable water approval requirements. In turn, we are also helping reduce the number of disposable plastic bottles used in the city.

Image of ice creams made using JG push-fit technology

A sweet success with soft ice cream machines

This is undoubtedly our most fun project. Polaren, Czech Republic’s only manufacturer of soft ice cream dispensing machines, needed to streamline its production and operations to ensure their machines provide the best quality ice cream each time.

With our John Guest brand well known for its expertise in food grade push-fit fittings and pipe, we helped the manufacturer create an efficient solution that could help speed up the installation, repairs and maintenance of their ice cream machines.

Our fittings are used to transport the ice cream substrate from where it is stored in liquid form to a freezing chamber. The frozen product is then carried to the front of the machine to be dispensed as delicious soft serve ice cream.

We are proud to be distributing these frozen treats across the country.

Image of Tiny Homes using RWC plumbing products

Tapping into the ‘tiny home’ phenomenon

‘Tiny Homes’ are one of the latest architectural movements to take off worldwide, and demand is soaring for these miniature properties which typically span over just 400 feet or less.

Particularly popular in Germany, tiny houses are sprouting up across the nation, built as novel hotels and even as mini villages. So, when German joinery firm Heinz Diekmann approached RWC to help create a plumbing solution for more than ten of their houses, we were more than happy to help.

Their key requirement was to have a lightweight and reliable plumbing solution that was easy to assemble and disassemble while coping with high pressures and flow from white goods, appliances and fixtures. This made RWC’s push-fit solutions an essential component for plumbing these beautiful yet compact homes.

Products used in these tiny homes included push-fit fittings from our SharkBite NEXUS quick connection system, and JG Multilayer universal connectors to create a lightweight, reliable and easy-to-install system.

Image of laboratory using Speedfit push-fit fittings

Clever design for algae feeding systems

Showcasing just how flexible and versatile our products are is this innovative application from Down Under: a unique algae feed system for shellfish.

Collaborating with Cawthron Institute, New Zealand’s largest independent science organisation, we worked with their biotechnologists to develop a high-quality, practical algae feeding solution. There were two key challenges in this project – ease of cleaning and maintaining a high level of sterility.

To help overcome the first challenge, we designed the system using our JG Speedfit PEM 15mm fittings and 15mm BPEX pipe. Thanks to our push-fit fittings, the algae feeding system can be easily assembled and disassembled for regular cleaning, making the process simple and efficient. Meanwhile, the BPEX pipes ensure a high level of sterility when feeding the algae, which can’t be achieved when using conventional pipe and fittings.

The system works by having the sea water first pass through a sterile filter, which then goes through our fittings at 20°C and at a maximum pressure of 40psi to feed the algae.

Image of dishwasher using John Guest plumbing fittings and pipes

Making commercial dishwashers more sustainable

You may be used to seeing RWC brands and products in plumbing and heating systems, but did you know that our solutions are also used in commercial dishwasher systems?

Yes, that’s right. Our John Guest products are incorporated into dishwashers of a New Zealand based company – Washtech, to help make their systems economically and environmentally sustainable.

Our 3/8 PI range of fittings and 3/8 LLDPE tubes from John Guest create reliable connections in the inlet water process of Washtech’s heat recovery units, which are integrated in their pass-through dishwashers, pot-washers and rack conveyors. The fittings are also used for manufacturing and repairing the systems.

Compared with conventional counterparts, our products have greatly helped in reducing the energy consumption of Washtech’s innovative and industry-leading commercial dishwashing technology. Washtech is now the leading player in Australasia partly due to the reliability, ease-of-use and sustainability benefits our products bring.

Clever design and smart, sustainable solutions

At RWC, we are always looking to design clever solutions to make our customers lives easier, help build more sustainable solutions and make installations faster and easier. These were just a few examples of how and where our technology is used in unusual applications. And there are plenty of more interesting placements of your favourite push-fit connectors, so watch this space to discover more.

Project solutions

Take a look at the wide variety of projects we've been involved in.

Richard Bateman Headshot

Richard Bateman

Product Marketing Manager Plumbing and Heating

About the author

A highly experienced and passionate professional, I have over 15 years' experience as a commercial and domestic plumber and hold NVQ Level 3 qualifications from City and Guilds

Since joining RWC in 2015, I began as a technical engineer, utilising my extensive knowledge to provide exceptional support. Currently, I am thrilled to be working with the marketing department as a Product Marketing Manager. 

This role allows me to combine my technical background with a keen eye for market trends, ensuring that RWC's products meet the evolving needs of the industry. With my wealth of experience and commitment to excellence, I am proud to serve as a spokesperson for RWC, sharing our innovative solutions and contributing to the growth of the plumbing and heating sector.