The "PE" in PEX refers to the raw material (polyethylene) used to make PEX tubing, and the "X" refers to the cross-linking of the plastic molecules within the polyethylene material.
PEX, simply stated, is a very durable tubing and there are a variety of manufacturers that produce it, including Wirsbo, Vanguard, Zurn, Watts, Ipex (Kitec) and others. The primary difference between these companies is 1) the type of fittings they use and 2) the method they use for connecting the fittings to the tubing.
A simple analogy would be the idea of a hamburger (PEX) and the fact that there are many different makers of a hamburger including McDonalds, Burger King, Carl’s Jr., etc. PEX simply has many different brands. There are differences, of course, between the various manufacturers, but these are defined on the "
Why Uponor Wirsbo PEX" page.
