Concrete Slipform Pavers return to Southern Africa
4th August 2008
The recent groundswell of infrastructure creation and enhancement in the Southern African region has seen contractors pursuing innovative ways of solving complex engineering problems.
The project involving the lengthening of the runway and other expansion tasks at Sir Seretse Khama International Airport (SSKIA) in Gaborone, Botswana is such a project.
Faced with stringent and complex design parameters, restrictive operating windows (as the airport remains operational during the entire project) and tight timescales, the contractor awarded this project was going to have a tough task ahead of them.
During the tender preparation process, Meckow International (Southern African dealer for the GOMACO Corporation, worldwide leader in concrete paving technology), was one of many service providers called upon to assist in the sourcing and supply of a possible solution to this challenge.
Our proposed solution involved the utilisation of a concrete slipform paver, which allowed the involvement of technology and new generation concrete machinery, enhanced by significant labour involvement.
Fortunately, the tender was awarded to the contractor who had consulted with Meckow International. After long careful consideration they selected the versatile GOMACO Commander III concrete slipform paver and the Texturing and Curing Machine TC 600 as their equipment of choice for the Gaborone project.
The training and preparation phase is underway and paving will begin in the last quarter of 2008.
Meckow International is proud of its association with both the GOMACO corporation and the successful contractor. We are specifically proud to be associated with the re-introduction into Southern Africa of the concrete slipform paver, after and absence of some three decades.
