The German consortium of Vollert, Unitechnik, and Weckenmann is currently focusing on promoting precast concrete as the most suitable technology for the construction of labour camps in the Gulf, given the high demand for accommodation due to the influx of labour to tackle the current construction boom.

The consortium is a world market leader for high-performance precast concrete plants and will be promoting its innovative precast concrete building systems for the construction sector at the Big 5 show in Dubai this month at Zabeel Hall, Stand B23.
“The best way to build sizeable housing facilities for a large number of people within a short period of time is to use a prefabricated system. The efficiency of a production in a closed hall with an automated plant is much higher than the work on site,” says Wolfgang Cieplik, spokesperson for Unitechnik.
“The precast concrete elements include the insulation and they are already prepared for electrical installations. The assembly crews are able to erect one storey per day. The existing manufacturers are already specialised in supplying the big contractors with precast concrete elements, but we are sure that many will follow them,” he adds.
“With the economy booming in the GCC countries, the building contractors of the region are on a mission to beat one world record after the other with the highest building in the world, mega island projects and huge airports in the desert. The best experts in the world are involved in project designing and management. The huge amount of construction work carried out on site is done by thousands of workers, coming from Pakistan, India and other Asian countries. The living conditions are not satisfactory for these labourers with up to eight people sharing one room and the recent labour strikes in the region shows how strained the situation is. There is a high demand for labour camps in the region that offer decent facilities and this is where manufacturers of precast concrete buildings can help in the accommodation of staff,” he comments.
Unitechnik is one of the leading suppliers of industrial automation and information technology for over three decades. Based in Wiehl, near Cologne in Germany, Unitechnik is staffed with a team of 300 engineers, technicians and skilled workers at four sites in Germany and Switzerland and specialises in solving complex tasks in instrumentation and process control technology for machines, plants and logistics systems.
Its partner Weckenmann Anlagentechnik is a leading supplier of automation solutions for the precast concrete industry. It employs a team of about 80 employees and has plants in operation in Europe, Middle East, Asia, US and Australia. For the precast concrete manufacturing sector, the company offers machines and systems for the production of precast concrete elements as well as prestressed concrete sleepers.
Vollert Anlagenbau, the third member of the consortium, is a specialist in system solutions for the automatic handling, transport and storage of heavy and large-scale parts, focusing on the flow of materials for both the construction as well as the metal producing and processing industry.