World experts delivered technical seminars on all aspects of concrete industrial floor construction to capacity crowd of contractors, developers and logistics firms
The hall was filled with 150 attendees from the Middle East, Europe, Australia and America at the first Middle East Industrial Flooring Conference held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on 17 March, 2009. The full-day conference offered over a dozen seminars and interactive discussions with experts in concrete flat floor construction and finishing. This unique conference was organised by Construct-A-Slab, an alliance of four leaders of the concrete flooring industry; Somero Enterprises, Face Consultants, Multiquip and Permaban. Operating on a global basis, the Construct-A-Slab alliance brings together extensive experience using best practices in the design, construction and finishing of high tolerance concrete floors of the highest quality.
The attendance of prominent firms such as Fujairah National Construction Company (FNC), Core, DP World, Agility Logistics, Samsung Construction and the many positive responses from contractors, developers, engineers, architects and logistics firms, speak to the event’s success. Delegates commented enthusiastically on the excellence and relevance of the technical content presented, and the opportunity to understand the benefits in adopting best practices in industrial flooring construction. Each delegate received a copy of Technical Report 34 (TR34), the most up-to-date technical guide to performance based specifications in the construction of concrete industrial floors, produced by The Concrete Society.
Experts from Construct-A-Slab offered both general information on the history of industrial floor construction, and highly technical content regarding finishing processes, joint construction and performance based floor specifications and testing, based upon industry standards set forth in TR34. The conference was privileged to also feature presentations by others, including ArcelorMittal Wire Solutions on the use of steel fibres, and BASF Construction Chemicals speaking about concrete additives. Ashton Smith Associates, specialists in the design of large distribution logistics and industrial parks, offered the client’s perspective to the overall construction process, while UAE flooring contractor Amana Contracting and Steel Buildings spoke on the benefits of adopting the modern approach to industrial flooring. Stanford Industrial Concrete Flooring, one of the United Kingdom’s premier concrete flat floor specialists, brought all the information together and demonstrated with “real world” examples how the totality of the elements discussed fit together from a contractor’s perspective.
The presentations also addressed the importance and feasibility of overcoming the technical challenges to laying high quality floors in the Middle East. The benefits of adopting best practices in concrete floor construction—particularly in the current economy—are many. For the building developer benefits include increased rent ability, improved rates and a known quality of construction. The building operator benefits by receiving greater operating efficiency, reduced maintenance and minimized down-time. And the contractor is able to realise faster construction with greater consistency, minimal remedial and controlled injuries and costs.
The Construct-A-Slab alliance exists to promote the building of quality concrete floors, fit-for-purpose, and right the first time. Their mission is to foster on a global basis: best practice in construction of concrete industrial floors; performance based specifications based on industry acknowledged standards; and measurement with adherence to specification.
Information will be posted on their website www.construct-a-slab.com when plans are finalised to bring together other assemblages of industrial flooring experts discussing best practice methods at future conferences.
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