X-Tec, a Finnish specialist in the design and manufacture of high-performance machinery and equipment for the precast concrete industry, will be promoting its range of systems at this year’s Big 5 show.

X-Tec has in its over 10 years of existence, delivered complete production lines, factory systems and equipment to numerous clients around the world. In the Gulf, the latest name included in its client portfolio is Hard Precast Building Systems.
Says Raimo Juhantalo, director (customer service): “Hard Precast Building Systems is a powerful new player in the precast business in the UAE. The Dubai facility, owned by Al Shafar General Contracting Company – one of the leading contractors in the UAE – represents Al Shafar’s activities in precast production and business. The factory is located in Dubai Investment Park close to Jebel Ali Industrial Area.”
According to Juhantalo, three important things make the Dubai Hard Precast factory unique:
• It is a well-equipped, ultra-modern greenfield factory with a state-of-art machinery and facilities;
• The company enjoys the complete service of precast experts such as X-Tec and Avermann to provide comprehensive start-up and training as well as long-term technology service, which is essential to ensure practical detailed technical support
• Comprising four sheds, the factory is completely integrated. A boiler serves every part of the factory simultaneously: the façade line with curing chambers and hollowcore slab casting bed heating, whenever it is optimal to accelerate curing with water pipe heating. The remaining sections manufacture other precast members such as columns, beams and other parts of a building’s superstructure. Also the concrete manufacturing and the storage spaces for raw materials serve effectively for the whole plant. With two mixing plants sufficient production of concrete mass can be secured in all circumstances,” explains Juhantalo.

The facility
One of the four sheds of the factory is dedicated to the manufacture of hollow-core slabs, while another is for precast façade units, says Juhantalo. The hollow core slab line is delivered by X-Tec while the façade facility is provided by Avermann.
“Through close cooperation, Hard Precast and its two turnkey suppliers achieved a highly compatible relationship,” he comments.
In the first stage, X-Tec delivered four casting beds of 120 m each, with provisions having already been made for an additional five beds.
Hard Precast has invested in a full range of modern machinery, which includes two extruders with X-Tec IPP modular nozzle alterations, two sawing machines, as well as one multi-function machine (with cleaning facilities). Prestressing is arranged with a Paul single-strand prestressing system,” he adds.
Hard Precast has extruder facilities for the complete series of cross sections: 150-200-265-320-400 and 500.
Hard Precast currently manufactures facades and hollow core slabs for floors and the other parts of the superstructure of various building types for the UAE market in general and Dubai, in particular. The facility supplies components to a variety of projects, including residential, industrial, department stores and parking garages – both for Al Shafar’s construction projects as well as other contractors.

Hard Precast operations
X-Tec beat off stiff competition with other machinery suppliers, before clinching the deal to supply Hard Precast, says Juhantalo.
“Hard Precast has made a long-term decision by deciding to invest in high-performance machinery with the most modern properties and also a full range services – two areas where X-Tec is strong both in terms of strong references as well as excellent personal training staff. Both the technical knowledge and the skills to transfer the know-how to the customers’ specialists and operators are important attributes of a machinery supplier – and X-Tec’s references and the track-record prove its excellence in these areas,” he asserts.
In the Gulf region, the DDMCU-chain (developer-designer-manufacturer-contractor-user) has become well established, ensuring long-lasting market share of precast-based construction, says Juhantalo. This means that every party in the chain has a certain pre-understanding and readiness for taking full advantage of precast construction. This fact seems to be a highly important factor in the precast companies’ success globally, he adds.
X-TEC will be present in the Pavilion Hall, Stand H281 at this year’s Big 5.