Gulf Construction Online - Jeddah plant boosts Bomanite’s presence

Concrete Technology

Jeddah plant boosts Bomanite’s presence

01 April 2008

Bomanite Group International (BGI), a leading architectural concrete paving and flooring industry specialist, has just seen the completion of a new manufacturing facility in Jeddah.

The company, which has a global network of manufacturing and management offices, operates in Saudi Arabia as Bomanite Middle East, under the wings of Rabya Trading and Agriculture.
The new facility will manufacture many of the components used in the Bomanite process of concrete paving.
With projects specified throughout the region, Bomanite Middle East is now engaged in setting up a network of specially trained and licensed concrete contractors to a wide range of projects in the Middle East.
The Jeddah operation – which has already employed a number of skilled and specialised concrete craftsmen – will have access to the resources and experience of Bomanite franchise partners around the world. It will also receive manufacturing and technical support from Bomanite Corporation which has established a number of franchises in the US and around the globe, since its establishment in the early 1970s.
“The Bomanite process – which is the original cast-in-place, coloured, textured and imprinted architectural concrete paving – was developed in the mid-1950s in Monterey in California, US, by Brad Bowman who refined and expanded the process till the Bomanite Corporation was established in 1970,” says a spokesman for Bomanite Middle East.
Currently, Bomanite Corporation and its international manufacturing partners produce many of the components used in the Bomanite process, such as dry shake colour hardener, integral colour, release agents, imprinting tools, concrete overlayments, acrylic-based sealers and finishes. These products are distributed throughout the world and are available exclusively through Bomanite Corporation and the BGI. "The systems approach to consistent material and tools, combined with consistent craftsmanship, is an effective method of creating a quality finished product,” the spokesman adds.
Bomanite offers more than a hundred patterns as well as custom tooling options, which includes a wide variety of standard and customised colour choices for in-place concrete paving jobs, that are both aesthetically appealing as well durable enough to withstand extreme traffic loads and environmental conditions, he says. The client can choose from many natural textures including slate, granite, limestone, sandstone, cobblestone and used brick.
“The Bomanite toppings system can transform a basic substrate into an architectural masterpiece at a fraction of the time and cost normally associated with elaborate forming and design work,” the spokesman points out.
Some of the company’s innovative designs in paving technologies include:
• Patene Artectura, which offers one-of-a-kind paving and flooring options using special effects, multiple colours, highlights, decorative accents and custom designs;
• MicroTop, a cutting-edge technology that provides a varied colour palette through the use of a paper-thin concrete medium. This state-of-the-art system utilises a trowelled-on cementitious topping that tenaciously bonds to virtually any substrate, including concrete, wood, metal, plastic, or asphalt;
• Thin-Set, a specially-formulated polymer-modified topping mix that can bond to any stable or structurally-sound substrate. This system allows the installation of a thin, imprinted concrete topping when installed at 3/8-inch thickness and can be feathered to a zero edge.
“Bomanite’s patented customised polishing system provides a superior level of concrete floor finishing. The polish chemically reacts with the concrete to lock in the colour while the mechanical application closes the surface to keep out contaminants, resulting in a lustrous colour with a non-corrosive attractive shine. This system also offers exceptional resistance to slipping, abrasion and other strong impacts,” says the spokesman.
Another popular option offered by Bomanite is Grasscrete, a cast in-place, monolithic, porous concrete pavement that can be continuously reinforced to provide superior structural integrity.
Elaborating on this pavement he says: “After the concrete is sufficiently hardened, the voids are filled with topsoil and grass, providing a free draining pavement structure structurally capable of handling even heavy vehicle loads.”
Today, Bomanite projects can be found around the world and range from auto dealerships to casinos, golf courses and country clubs to healthcare facilities, restaurants and shopping centres to estates, single family homes and condominiums to theme parks, hotel and resorts, museums, municipalities and government projects.
“We take care of all our client needs from the basic conceptual and specification development stage right through to a customised maintenance programme, with a product line-up that can deliver the best possible combination of creative designs for a wide range of projects. Our professionals bring unmatched expertise right to the customer’s doorstep with superior Bomanite systems,” he concludes.
As a major leader in the architectural concrete paving and flooring industry, BGI now has a network of over 250 specially trained and licensed franchise and partners in more than 70 countries worldwide.