Corus International, a leading European steel producer, is currently supplying substantial volumes of ComFlor 80, an innovative composite floor profile developed by Corus Panels and Profiles, to help build the Burj Dubai, the world’s tallest free-standing structure and the centrepiece of the Gulf most prestigious urban development to date.

More than 4,000 sq m of ComFlor 80 have been supplied to construct the top levels of the 800 m spiral structure of the Burj Dubai tower. Specified because of its 80-mm profile and higher grade 440 steel, ComFlor 80 will offer
“Originally, a 76-mm-deep deck was specified for the job but after highlighting the benefits of ComFlor 80, the client specification soon changed,” says Lubna Karim, contracts manager of building systems at Corus Middle East. “In addition to its high quality, the long span capabilities of this product reduces the number of structural steel components and so generates savings in the overall construction cost. ComFlor 80 is tested by Corus for both composite action and fire resistance for full-floor slab assembly to ensure that it meets all international standards.”
The iconic Burj Dubai project is being built by a joint venture of the South Korean company Samsung, Belgium-based Besix and the UAE-based Arabtec with Adrian Smith of Skidmore, Owings and Merrill as the architect. It will form part of the 2 sq km Downtown Burj Dubai development when complete early next year.
Haydar Ibrahim, general manager of business development and technical marketing at Corus Middle East, points out: “Corus International prides itself on its technical expertise and we were able to work closely with both the fabricator Eversendai Engineering as well as the consulting engineers to ensure that the ambitious decking arrangements could be realised. The imaginative design solutions will enable the installer to start laying the decking, floor by floor, at such a considerable height. The Dubai team is delighted to have played a part in such an iconic project.”
Corus is Europe’s second largest steel producer with revenues of £9.7 billion ($19.50 billion) and crude steel production of 18.3 million tonnes in 2006, primarily in the UK and the Netherlands. Its three principal divisions comprising of strip products, long products and distribution and building systems provide innovative solutions to the most demanding markets around the world such as construction, automotive, aerospace, packaging, rail and general engineering worldwide. Corus is a subsidiary of Tata Steel, the world’s sixth largest steel producer. With a combined presence in nearly 50 countries, Tata Steel including Corus has 84,000 employees across five continents and a pro forma crude steel production of 27 million tonnes last year.