Hurricanes Create Shortage of PVC Pipe; Projects Delayed

The irrigation sector, as much as any that caters to the golf course industry, has suffered in the wake of the three hurricanes that struck the Gulf Coast region in 2005.

Rod McWhirter says his irrigation company is focusing on the renovation business.

Irrigation projects across the country have been delayed because of a hurricane-induced shortage of PVC pipe, which is a byproduct of petroleum. And what pipe is available is at least 25 percent more expensive than it had been to start the summer.

“Right now, it’s almost what you’d call a crisis because some jobs are being held up as a result of it,” says Rod McWhirter, national specifications manager for Rain Bird Golf Division. “The hurricanes had a very profound effect. It’s been a shortage as well as significant price jump … since the New Orleans hurricane (Katrina). That’s causing some concern and some real obvious pain and agony among customers and contractors.”

Contractors are especially hurting, as they’re also having to foot higher bills for their lifeblood — diesel fuel.

“I’ve heard several golf course builders remark to me throughout the year, especially during the last half of the year, that the diesel prices are really hurting them,” McWhirter says. “Contractors not only have their on-site diesel fuel costs, but they have the high cost of getting equipment from one job to another.”

Hurricanes aside, the irrigation industry enjoyed a decent year, McWhirter says.

“It was a better year than we’ve had in the last four years. There was some improvement,” he says.

Although new golf course construction remained “pretty slow” in the United States, according to McWhirter, the renovation business continued to pick up.

“Renovation is still the big focus for us because the new construction market is still soft,” he says. “We’re really focused on that; not to the extent where we’re ignoring or abandoning the new business, but we’ve refocused a lot on the renovation business. And we’ll probably continue to do that next year as well.”

The situation differs significantly outside of the United States. McWhirter says new course construction is thriving in Asia, Europe, the Caribbean, Mexico and Canada.

“We do very well internationally,” he says. “I wouldn’t call it a golf boom, but the robust international market helps us a lot.”