SED 2008 roundup: Concrete Zone

Spread throughout the site, the exhibitors of concrete equipment at SED again created quite a buzz. Stands whirred with the sounds of new and improved machinery as visitors flocked to see the demonstrations and innovations on offer. With the show recording its best ever attendance, exhibitors were once again reporting a record year in terms of both sales and interest.

Mixing and batching

Anthony Reddington, director of Advanced Concrete Equipment, reported plenty of interest in the company's batching plants and concrete pumps. The firm is a dealer for manufacturer's Waitzinger Betonpumpen and Wiggert. "All I'm selling is German equipment," he said. "You can be assured of the quality." Waitzinger's range, with booms from 22m to 52m, will deliver 60 to 150m3/hr.

"It's been a very good show for us," reported Ronald Jackson of Xact. The company's volumetric mixers now include a printer which records everything that's been dispatched, providing traceability for both the supplier and user. "The onboard printer records all sand, cement, stone and admixtures and provides a detailed breakdown of everything despatched," continued Jackson. Other volumetric mixer attachments on offer include a fibre feeder and foam generator, both of which can be retrofitted to any manufacturer's machines. Suitable for void filling and road reinstatement, the foam generator produces cellular concrete, turning an 8m3 system into an 11m3 system.

Meanwhile, Mixamate's machines have also evolved over the years. The company, which says its volumetric machines create no waste, has retrofitted a fibre feeder and printer to its units. Not to be outdone, Armcon Cementech has also added printers and fibre feeders to its volumetric mixers, which are available to rent or buy.

The GKL Group, as sole UK distributor, exhibited the Zimmerman Industries Zim-Mixer volumetric concrete Mixer. The mixer exhibited was mounted onto a Volvo lorry chassis, but the mixers can also be mounted upon trailers, or stationery skid mounted to cover all requirements.

Pumping and screeding

On display for the first time, Putzmeister was exhibiting a truck mounted concrete pump on a 7.5t chassis. "It's a rotary pump," explained Paul Kimberlin, sales executive at Putzmeister. "This is better than a piston pump because it's easy to clean, accurate and has less pipeline pulsation. It's also lower pressure so it's easier to handle." Also on show was the firm's 760 sand and cement screed pump. The new pump has been designed to produce fewer emissions, and as a result is less greedy on fuel.

Nearby, first time exhibitor BMS Bau-Maschinen Service, was keen to talk to dealers and users alike. It's highly engineered screed pumps are water cooled. This means in hot weather they will continue to work at optimum performance.

Using SED as a springboard into the UK market, Flextool made its mark by exhibiting the PortaScreed. Sales director Robert Pasquilotto said: "It can perform a wide range of concrete work on both ground and suspended floors." The surface finishing screed can spread up to 2000m2 a day.

Helen Owen of Accra Screed explained that the company's screed rail for metal decking was developed as a result of customer requests. Shortlisted in the SED Awards, the screed rail controls concrete thickness, ensuring all rebar is covered and that the risk of overloading is minimal.

The latest models of the PowerRake and CopperHead laser screed were on show at Somero's stand. Visitors to SED were among the first to see the PowerRake 2.0 up close. Designed to work ahead of screeding equipment, it takes the back breaking work out of placing concrete, the company says. The four wheel drive, ride on mechanical raking has a laser controlled, double-sided blade that paces wet concrete as it is poured. Also on show was the recently launched CopperHead XD 3.0. It is capable of screeding 2,000m2 a day to produce level floors every time.

Handling and breaking

Belle Group once again displayed its full range of construction products. Among the innovations on show was a new selection of breakers which feature low hand arm vibration coupled with twice the force. "We have also had much interest in our new electric poker," explained Belle's Andrew Roberts. "The motor is in the head for optimum revs and it's also safer to sue and easier to maintain." He said the company sold numerous tubs of its 'easy clean' product which cleans dirty mixers, and has wowed the crowds with its new cutting blade, which was being demonstrated slicing through all kinds of construction materials.

Slane Trac Dumpers says that as the industry increasingly focuses on every aspect of health and safety, its machines are becoming more and more popular. The firm sold two of its one tonne capacity dumpers on the first day and Padraic Owens expects further sales to be made throughout the show.

Hamm, part of the Wirtgen Group, displayed its 1300-2 Vogele paver alongside its wide range of compaction equipment. The paver is highly manoeuvrable for working on minor roads but is equally capably of handing medium sized paving jobs.

Finishing

"Once again the SED has been very good for us," explained Wacker's Chris Pearce. "Our remote control compaction equipment in particular has been impressing the crowds." Being remote control the products deal with safety issues such as hand arm vibration, dust and noise.

Pearce reported that the firm's standard plates and upright hammers were also attracting interest. "We've made many sales," he added, "but people also come to learn. As a company we are not just a manufacturer and designer we also educate customers in how to use and maintain equipment."

Formwork

Visitors to Peri's stand had another chance to witness first hand its range of scaffolding equipment, Peri Up Rosett Flex. Designed on a 250mm module in all directions with common components in both the longitudinal and transverse direction, Peri Up is lightweight, easy to handle and store and resistant to corrosion. SED gave the company an opportunity to show the full range of Peri Up configurations including facades, stair towers, shoring, maintenance towers, scaffolds and falsework.

Designed for reinforced concrete applications, Anchor Bay's disposable column formers provide a wide choice of form and surface finish of concrete columns. The Monotub concrete formers, winner of the concrete innovation SED Award for Excellence 2008, are made from recycled materials, says chief executive Kier O'Donald. "The product is made from tetra-pak and is completely waterproof," he adds. "It's been used at high profile locations like Pinewood Studios and Twickenham."

Precast

With the floods of last year still strong in the memory, Carlow Precast Tanks was driving a lot of interest in its stormwater attenuation units. But it's not just in drainage where the company was turning heads. Its precast retaining and decorative walling, pumping chambers and effluent treatment tanks were also attraction attention.

Once again SED offered visitors to Young Black's stand the chance to try the latest of addition to the Max range of rebar tying tools. The Max RB655 offers fast and reliable tying of rebar up to 65mm diameter. The company also provided an early preview of its cordless framing nailer, offering users up to 13% greater power.