Market boom for Precast business

Mr. C N Shridhara speaks on how the PEB & Precast technologies reduce the workforce as well as the construction time drastically.

With developers and government establishments needing to complete projects faster, how has the Indian market adapted to Precast?

If the government brings stringent rules on the project completion dates, the Indian market boom for the precast industry is definitely there. Many precast industries are already well placed in India, and many investors are ready to invest in the precast sector if market demand increases. So many developers have their precast plant to deliver their projects. The only thing is that Indian people’s mindset should change to accept the precast technology.

In precast plants, what automation techniques are used to reduce labour consumption?

In precast construction already, automation exists. Even in other countries, some factories replace workers with Robots. But in India, it requires a lot of time to come for this Robotic automation. Lots of manpower requirements can also be reduced by using non-robotic automation. At present in India some vendors have already provided automation like casting pallets movement as per production sequence, Concrete shuttle bus to transfer concrete, Automatic Curing chambers etc.

How can PEB and prefab play a vital role in making projects more green and sustainable?

Both PEB & Precast technologies produce the building elements offsite and bring them to the site and connect to give the building shape. PEB technology will use structural steel, and Precast technology will use concrete products. Also the construction time will reduce drastically compared to conventional construction, and workforce usage will significantly reduce. Both technologies will construct green buildings because they avoid many environmental pollution impacts like dust pollution, noise pollution etc. The only challenge in PEB, elements are more prone to corrosion when compared to Precast concrete products. The PEB vendors are using new technologies to control corrosion. The buildings will get more green building council credits in both technologies compared to conventional construction. This will prove buildings are more green and sustainable.

What role does 3D printing play in helping precast offer custom-designed solutions?

3D printing will be another technology of construction. It will be another vertical in the construction industry like precast construction. 3D printing will print the total building at the site. This technique may very useful in precast 3D module construction. At present precast modules produced in proper moulds by spending lot of money on moulds. By using 3D printing they can produce this precast modules easily. 3D printing may reduce the construction time drastically. But we have to wait and see how it will accept in the Indian construction sector and how it will work. It is still beginning and yet to grow in the market.

17