More details, well, maybe way more
Bill Tindall, E.Tn.
The stuff is poly(ethylene), same composition as grocery bags and milk bottles and not at all related to the stuff in soda bottles. It is made from ethylene which is made from ethane which comes from gas wells, particularly the shale gas wells. The industry to make this polymer was moving to the Middle East and then hydraulic fracturing got invented. For some geological reason gas from these fractured wells is rich in ethane, so much so that a several billion $ plant is under construction in western PA to make polyethylene from these wells. There have been huge expansions in TX to take advantage of the Permian shale wells in TX.
When making poly(ethylene) the process can be diddled with to make poly(ethylene) with different properties from soft and squishy to one of the strongest materials known. To wit: try breaking a tiny strand of dental floss which is UHMW PE.
The higher the molecular weight the stronger and tougher this material becomes. "Ultra" high molecular weight (UHMW) implies the "ultra" in toughness and hence wear resistant and strength. Be wary that what is called UHMW often is simply HDPE (high density poly(ethylene). That is another property. If the polymer is made as long straight molecules, not necessarily ultra long, without branching, it will crystalize and become strong and tough, but not as strong and tough as UHMW, but stronger and tougher than LDPE (low density). Crystallization raises the density, hence the name. That sheet of stuff for the drill table is most likely HDPE.