WITH prestigious projects such as the Bahrain Financial Harbour, Bahrain World Trade Centre, Lost World Water Park, Al Areen Hotel, Reef Island, Sunset Hills Villas, Bahrain Bay, new Sitra bridges, Sukoon Tower, Al Matrook Tower and Fontana Towers to its credit, leading global formwork specialist Doka has enjoyed high visibility on Bahrain’s construction horizon since it opened a branch office in the country in 2002.

The company has been actively participating in the development of the kingdom, supplying construction companies with high-quality formwork equipment and services to help build concrete structures faster, cost-effectively and safely.
Its most commonly-used formwork systems in Bahrain include the Doka made-to-measure, large-area formwork Top 50, which is designed to suit different shapes and sizes and to meet various requirements. Also widely used is the hand-operated framed formwork Frami, which is designed for smaller areas.

“Frami delivers perfect forming performance even where no crane is available. The panels are lightweight and can be easily erected by hand. This system enables quick vertical forming and is commonly used in residential construction,” says Aurelio Condor, technical executive, Doka Bahrain.
“The most popular solution offered for floor slabs is Dokaflex, a versatile hand-operated floor formwork system,” he continues. “As the system consists of only a few components, it is very easy and fast to set up. On large-area projects, it is often combined with the Dokaflex tables. Pre-assembled units can be shifted and placed very quickly, thus providing the most cost-effective and efficient way of carrying out large-area slab projects. The props’ high load-bearing capacity is complemented by numbered holes for easier height adjustment and special thread geometry, which makes them easier to release even when under a high load – all of which reduces the users’ handling time.”

Doka site supervisors ... assisting the site crew.

All these systems are currently in use at one of Doka’s latest projects in Bahrain, a four-star hotel in the Seef area. The structure, which consists of 26 floors including a three-level basement, is being constructed on a fast-track basis, with a work cycle of one floor to be completed per week. Work on the project started on January last year and is scheduled to be completed this December.
“Doka, with its fast, safe and efficient formwork systems, came up with the ideal solution for the project,” says Condor. “Comprehensive technical support and site supervision added value to the project offering. The material delivery was synchronised to match the timeline of the construction progress.”
For forming of columns and retaining walls, approximately 400 sq m of Frami and more than 1,000 sq m of Top 50 system have been supplied. To form slabs within the time-frame allocated for the work, the contractor, Allied Arms Company, decided to use Dokaflex and Dokaflex tables.
“The systems offered by Doka are safe, time-saving and cost-effective,” comments Ihab Abbas, project manager.
Doka offers high-performing products that are designed to reduce the workload on the construction site and increase profitability while providing the site staff with an easy and safe working environment.
The products are backed by services that are tailored to each individual customer’s needs and play a vital role in any project, from concept through to completion. Its engineers are experts in formwork planning and optimisation.
“Identifying both the customer’s and the project’s needs, Doka ensures that the most efficient solution is implemented on schedule. Whether it’s a wall, a large slab or a climbing formwork, we come with the right formwork solution,” says Condor.
Site supervisors train and assist the site crew, identify opportunities or possible risks and provide onsite problem solutions by working closely with the company’s engineers.
Doka’s products and systems are supplied with various options and can be either purchased or rented, with the materials being in either a new or used condition. It also provides a joint site inspection of hired formwork in order to improve the rental package.
“When finalising the rental contract, the company’s on-site inspection, carried out with the contractor, ensures complete transparency, a smooth transition of the project and a dispute-free project completion. Moreover, the high quality and durability of its products result in less damage, thus delivering measurable added value to the clients,” he says.
Condor continues: “Given the prevailing uncertainty in the market, construction companies are currently more cautious when it comes to investing in new formwork equipment. Therefore, Doka also offers rent-purchase and buyback options. In the first case, the contractor is able to switch to a purchase option and buy the rented material. The previous rental charges are deducted from the total value of the purchase contract.”
Apart from innovative and efficient products and systems, a key contributor to the company’s success is its services, which bring added value to its customers by reducing their labour input and thus saving the overall construction time and costs.
“We share our knowledge and experience with our clients and help them pursue a cost-saving approach on all formwork issues. We are proud to accomplish challenging large-scale projects and are, at the same time, ready to prove to medium- and small-scale contractors that we can help them build safely, quickly and cost-efficiently,” concludes Condor.