DOKA is on a mission to convince contractors around the region that it offers the perfect formwork solution and regional logistics set-up to support every project requirement – be it large or small.

In line with this goal, the leading Austria-headquartered formwork specialist is making a strong presence this month at Saudi Build in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (November 11 to 14) and at Middle East Concrete which runs alongside The Big 5 in Dubai, UAE (November 5 to 8) – having earlier exhibited at Infra Oman in Muscat, Oman, last month (October 2 to 4).

At its stands, Doka will offer formwork consultancy on industry leading formwork and shoring systems for bridges and tunnels; social infrastructure; metro/rail; commercial and high-rise, power and energy projects.

In addition, Doka will be launching two new Doka systems for affordable housing (Dokaflex 15) and highly safe and fast slab forming (Dokadek 30). It will also be providing information on several of its value-added services including sale or rental of new and used material/components, engineering, formwork instruction, and reconditioning – all of which contribute to the company’s global philosophy on safety, cost-effectiveness and sustainability.

Elaborating on the two new systems that will be launched at these shows, a spokesperson for Doka Gulf says: “Dokaflex 15 is the newest cost-effective solution for affordable housing construction. Compared to traditional formwork, Dokaflex 15 offers a major reduction in the price of panel and slab formwork systems and speeds up construction workflows, especially since the system can be assembled by semi-skilled labourers.”

“Using Dokaflex 15, contractors can expect to cut their assembly time, material weight and singular components in half. The unique features allow for more reuses, faster forming times, and minimal onsite adjustments. It also boasts optimised lifespan and maximum cost savings when used for up to 25-cm-thick slabs,” he says.

Dokadek 30, meanwhile, is something totally new for clients in the Middle East, he says. It is a beamless handset system for speed and safety onsite. Its lightweight steel construction with powder-coated frames and proven Xlife sheet with built-in plywood, ensures it excels in safety, ease of handling and high speed for onsite use. Spacious 3 sq m panels are ideally sized for forming large areas fast, while greatly reducing the number of separate parts that need to be shifted, he adds.

Using Dokadek, contractors can make their entire forming operation quicker, also due to the fact that no crane is needed during set-up. With the suspension clamp, infill zones can be formed quickly as Dokadek 30 merges seamlessly with the adaptable floor-slab system Dokaflex.

“Safety – a topic of utmost importance – is defined in the workflow as Dokadek 30 is deployed from the floor level and erected from below with no need for anyone to step onto the slab formwork itself. For the best end result, the tried and tested Xlife sheet offers immaculate concreting results and sustainability for many reuse cycles,” he says.

Also on display will be Doka’s Staxo 100, which is suited for all Middle East infrastructure. According to the spokesman, the load-bearing system has proved itself over the years with its flexibility on irregular layouts, high stability and rugged load capacity of more than 100 kN per leg.

The RTU service ... achieving complicated dome shape works.

The system has won praise for its ability to safely handle transfer slabs in the building sector, provide ultimate stability for shoring (including large shoring heights), and for applications in industrial and petrochemical sectors, he says.

Staxo 100 features integrated access ladders, gapless assembly decks with planking units inside the towers and between frames, integrated connectors and logical colour-coded assembly. “Staxo 100, supported by the Doka supervision team, is ready for all upcoming challenges,” he claims.

Furthermore, by listening to and acting upon proactive feedback from its customers, Doka’s facilities in the Middle East are offering the exclusive and cost-effective Ready-to-Use (RTU) preassembly service.

“RTU simply means that Doka plans, designs and expertly custom builds the formwork units for your jobsite requirements,” the spokesman explains. “Then, instead of delivering loose material that must be assembled by a contractor’s site crew onsite, Doka send trucks prescheduled or ‘just-in-time’ with the pre-assembled formwork units, ready to start concrete pouring. The bottom line is that RTU is in high demand across the region because it saves costs, time, and space on construction sites.”

Dokaflex 15 ... for affordable housing.

With over 160 sales and logistics facilities in more than 70 countries, the Doka Group is one of the world’s leading full-line suppliers of modern system formwork technology, and one of Austria’s biggest exporters. Ever since it was established in 1958, Doka has helped construction firms around the world to carry out their in-situ concreting operations faster and more efficiently, by providing them with high-performing top-quality formwork systems and customised services.

Since the 1970s, Doka has been among the region’s strongest and most reliable full-line formwork technology partners. Today, within its network of 160 sales and logistics locations across the globe, Doka Middle East has 12 subsidiaries across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain, Lebanon and Jordan. The company’s engagement with customers initiates from the earliest design stage of a project through to its shell completion. With each project requirement, customers receive added-value services from their local Doka branch offices including consulting, engineering, onsite supervision by Doka site supervisors, sales, rental, material inspection, reconditioning and return. The region’s logistics are supported with stockyards in each country, plus a 50,000-sq-m regional hub in the Jebel Ali Free Zone, Dubai.

Doka will be present at Hall 2, Stand 717-1, at Saudi Build as well as Saeed Halls, Stand MEC C51 at Middle East Concrete.