WHEN it comes to the production of precast concrete panels, Vollert|Weckenmann has been the global number one choice for most successful precasters and it was the firm that Alabniah turned to when it decided to set up a precast factory in the Eastern Province, according to a spokesman for the plant engineering specialist.
Vollert|Weckenmann’s ample project portfolio that includes 300-plus production plants installed and commissioned in more than 50 years – many of them still in service – is proof of the competence and experience of its engineers and craftsmen, he adds.
The German expert has been providing effective solutions to customers around the world, who have looked upon the company as a reliable partner that can offer a one-stop shop for all requirements.
“The history of Alabniah and Vollert|Weckenmann developed exactly this way. It was in late 2003 that Alabniah first contacted Vollert|Weckenmann to discuss a new plant in Saudi Arabia. Over the years, both the parties developed a relationship of mutual trust and understanding. Following several visits to existing plants and a variety of very fruitful discussions, seeing the quality and reliability together with the price/value ratio of the equipment, and a meeting of the minds, the key players at Alabniah together with its consultant, Prilhofer Consulting were finally convinced that Vollert| Weckenmann was the right partner for this demanding project,” says the spokesman.
Alabniah’s multi-component plant can produce solid walls, slabs, façade elements as well as double walls and semi-precast floor slabs. The output of solid walls is five pallets per hour, which translates to an average production of approximately 1,200 sq m per eight-hour shift, he explains.
The steel tables in the circulation plant are 12.5 m by 4.5 m in size and allow for up to 4-m-wide parts. When completely installed, the plant will be the most modern multi-purpose facility of this size in the world, he says.
Vollert|Weckenmann – which has combined experience exceeding 100 years as the plant engineering companies Vollert and Weckenmann – has been working successfully on an international scale with precasters in Europe, the US, Asia, South America and Australia.
The company designs and manufactures all the main components of its systems and its shuttering systems in three production sites within Germany and caters to the diverse requirements of its various clients.
The company claims to have pushed automation forward within the precast concrete industry. “The first circulation in a precast concrete plant (1974) came from us as well as the first automated concrete distributor (1986) and the first shuttering robot (1992). We built the world’s largest plant for the production of solid walls (2004).
“We constantly improve our systems. We actively participate in research projects and incorporate the latest safety features in our systems in concert with government and scientific institutions at home and abroad.
“We have manufactured more systems than everyone else and many of our systems have been on-line for more than 10 years in multi-shift operations,” the spokesman claims.
Elaborating on the various requirements of precasters in the industry, the spokesman points out that construction techniques vary from country to country and sometimes even region to region within a country.
“Some markets demand semi-precast systems like the double-wall system together with the corresponding floor slabs. Other markets need solid walls and slabs, while other precasters have specialised in producing state-of-the-art façade elements and architectural concrete,” he explains.
Meanwhile, real estate developers who wish to control the entire construction process have other needs compared to traditional precast panel producers. “While some markets require factories with large capacities, others need simple solutions that allow growing with the market,” he indicates.
“Depending on all the individual challenges, a specific concept needs to be drawn up for each precast producer to reflect his special situation: Is a circulation plant the best solution? What level of automation should be chosen and what would be the most efficient layout? Are battery moulds and a stationary production the way to go? Or is a combination of different production principles the right approach?”
Vollert|Weckenmann has been a reliable partner over a number of years, providing answer to these questions and comprehensive solutions for diverse requirements, the spokesman concludes.