Seven major formwork players including GHI, PERI and Doka will showcase a range of innovative products at the Middle East Concrete (MEC) Exhibition, which is co-located with The Big 5.
Citing considerable growth across Saudi Arabia over the past five years, with similar strength predicted for Qatar and Kuwait in the final quarter, representatives from market leaders attributed success to small but vital enhancements to their product and service offerings.
Formwork is the building technique whereby concrete is poured onsite into prefabricated permanent or temporary molds, and can be a costly and time consuming endeavour for building developers and contractors if not addressed properly.
With production and shipping expenses amounting to a significant segment of total formwork costs, suppliers have identified and applied new technologies to their manufacturing processes, resulting in significant cost reductions for project developers, averaging nearly 50 per cent.
Influencing factors in cost reduction include considerable advancements in materials production which has decreased the need for cranes and costly heavy equipment.
Mohamed Soliman, managing partner of GHI Formwork, said: "Implementing minor changes, such as the use of lighter yet stronger base materials in specific product lines has resulted in up to 47 per cent savings to our clients with absolutely no compromise on pressure standards. Lighter material that can be manipulated by the manpower on site allows the client to purchase less material overall, as it can be moved easily and is not dependent on precious crane time. Developers want the flexibility to integrate new material with old stock in order to maximize their savings."
Highlighting the importance of research and development across the industry, Ulrich Rottler, general manager of PERI Middle East, said: "The prices of formwork and scaffolding work are determined by the combination of material price and workforce used. By developing systems with easy-to-handle elements, fewer components and increased maneuverability, clients benefit from less labor and in turn lower costs. These are the key components to any successful formwork R&D department."
Peter Vogel, regional manager, Doka, Middle East,? said: "Services such as our Ready to Use pre-assembly units maximise our clients' investment by offering value-driven solutions providing significant cost savings and time-gain, all with maximum safety, transparency and reduced close-out costs."
With live demonstrations scheduled to take place over the four-day event, visitors will have the opportunity to experience the benefits first hand.
