From landmark high-rises to ministerial headquarters and schools, formwork systems from Paschal-Werk G Maier are helping leading contractors to shape a variety of buildings in Bahrain, thanks to the support provided by the German manufacturer’s regional office, Paschal Concrete Forms. 

Among such contractors is Kooheji Contractors, which is using the formwork to construct the 27-storey Future Energy Bank (FEB) headquarters building at the entrance of Bahrain Financial Harbour in central Manama. Paschal’s Modular system is being used as the single-side retaining wall formwork with supporting jack, as well as for water tanks, core walls and columns, while the Paschal Deck system with H20 wooden girder and heavy-duty adjustable props is being used for the slabs.

Kooheji Contractors is also relying on both the systems for the construction of the core walls, columns and slabs of Canal View, which comprises four mid-rise residential buildings at Dilmunia; and the nearly-complete Fontana Infinity, which consists of two buildings that rise up to 43 and 44 levels respectively.  The contractor has recently completed work using both these systems on One Bahrain Bay, comprising the 45-storey Tower A and the 40-storey Tower B; Marassi Boulevard, featuring four buildings of five to nine storeys; Juffair Square, an outdoor lifestyle and entertainment destination; Al Safra School at Diyar Al Muharraq; and the 35-storey Catamaran 1 building.

Paschal formwork in use at Burj Kadi tower project in Juffair.

Paschal’s Deck system with H20 wooden girder continues to be popular for the construction of slabs, while its Modular system remains a firm favourite for the construction of columns and core walls, says Amir Delghandi, general director of the Bahrain-based Paschal Concrete Forms.

Another contractor Rabia Palace Construction (Rapco) has completed the structure of the seven-storey Waterfront Residence at Bahrain Financial Harbour. The Modular system was used for columns, core walls and for single-side retaining wall. Special supporting jacks were utilised to support the single-side retaining wall formwork. Paschal Deck system with H20 wooden girders and heavy-duty frame support were used for the slabs of the upper ground floor and heavy-duty adjustable props for the remaining floors.

Meanwhile, Paschal’s Modular system is being used by Kadi One Construction to build the columns and core walls of the 41-storey Burj Kadi in Juffair and by Al Jameel Construction for the construction of the retaining walls of the Ministry of Transportation  and Telecommunication headquarters in Muharraq.

Other contractors currently using the Modular formwork system include Dadabhai Construction, which is building the 10-storey Bahrain Institute of Banking and Finance (BIBF) complex at Bahrain Bay (for the retaining walls, columns and core walls); Al Sabah Construction for The New Indian School in Sanad (for the columns); Smart Skyline Contracting for the construction of the Abdulrahman Kanoo School at Diyar Al Muharraq (for the basement retaining walls, columns and  shear walls); and Yaqoob Maklai Interior and Construction, which is building a 14-storey building in Juffair (for the retaining wall and water tank) and a seven-storey building in Mahooz (for the columns and core walls), where Paschal Deck with a frame system is also being used for supporting the slabs.

Among the projects newly completed using Paschal systems are a 21-storey office building for the Royal Charity Organisation (RCO), which was built by Kuwaiti Manager Company (KMC) Holding, where the company’s Climbing system was utilised as an external platform for the shear wall. KMC also used Paschal Deck with H20 wooden girder for the slabs of its 16-storey head office tower project in the Seef District, and a mixed-use development in Hamala that comprises 12 blocks.

Two other contractors used the Modular system for the construction of their industrial projects, namely MCSC for the construction of reinforced concrete walls as part of Bapco’s Enhancement of Fire Protection System (EFPS) project; and Delta Construction for the construction of the foundation of Alba’s Rectrifier Bay.

Paschal is a sought-after partner for concrete projects worldwide, with customers in more than 40 countries and 50 years of experience.

Paschal Concrete Forms, which was set up in 1997 as the main office for the Middle East, has since become one of the leading suppliers of modern formwork solutions to the construction industry in the GCC. Based at Bahrain International Investment Park (BIIP) in Hidd, it has an assembling facility for Modular formwork and a stockyard in Bahrain. In addition, with branches in Dubai, and its Scientific and Technical Office in Dammam, Paschal is strongly represented in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region.