Introduction
In our 20 years in working with concrete we are regularly asked to provide product at a price point. It is a very rare occasion that I am asked if the product is compliant to any specifications. This is especially the case when we see tenders which are heavily led and balanced towards price.
Vision2030, an ambitious goal that focuses on diversifying the Saudi Arabian economy past oil revenue, is looking to capitalize on tourism and keep in mind sustainability while supporting local companies to help deliver the Vision.
We at AIM Industries are super proud to have already worked on some great opportunities aligned with Vision2030 through PIF backed organizations such as Red Sea Global, Qiddiyah and NEOM.
The Problem
The procurement of concrete products is a difficult challenge for all parties concerned - it is almost always left towards the tail end of a project and not usually considered as important to remain to designs and set specifications because at the end of the day..."its only concrete".
It is common to find that Value Engineering takes place to save costs on the Hardscape and what would have been a classy, well executed look, is now a standard 20x10 "Interlock" block paving with no soul and no defining character.
When a product is specified, a lot of thought and effort has gone in to making this decision; from the Landscape Architects designs, the Developers vision and the Contractors capability to implement those designs effectively. Ignoring this to put a cheap product is a disservice to everyone's effort up to that point, and can often lead to issues not thought through, just to save money.
This is made even more challenging by the fact that many organizations will bend the truth and provide false evidence showing compliance where it is not true.
Grana-Lux
At the onset of setting a plant up in Khulais, on the West Coast of KSA, we noticed there was a gap in the market for high quality concrete paving and kerbstones. To differentiate AIM concrete products from the local market, we introduced the name Grana-Lux. dif
A Grana-Lux concrete product is a hydraulically pressed concrete tile, kerbstone, coping, cladding, step or riser that is a full body singular concrete mix, available in over 10 different textures and 100 different colours. All other manufacturers produce a 2 layer product, a body mix and a face mix, available in a smaller range of colours and almost no range in textures.
Grana-Lux Concrete Tiles are available in a variety of large sizes as well as small. Our page www.aimblock.com/concrete-paving has a comprehensive list of set moulds we employ to carry out our production. AIM also utilise a line of 8 cutting machines to achieve smaller sized products, keeping with our +/- 2mm for all dimensions, exceeding BS-EN 1339 requirements for compliance.
Grana-Lux Concrete Tiles exceed the standards set by BS-EN 1339 and Concrete Kerbstones (curbs) exceed BS-EN 1338.
AIM look to provide Saudi Arabia and indeed the wider GCC market with high quality concrete tiles and concrete kerbstones, with a 10 year guarantee for colour fastness and structural integrity. This is unmatched in the GCC and we aim to keep pushing the boundaries with our quality.
The Bottom Line
Using an AIM Grana-Lux product on a development will help reduce the overall ongoing cost of what is now common practice such as painting the face with a concrete water mix to hide blemishes, removing and reinstalling kerbstones on the same stretch of road because of deterioration, or in the case of paving, colour fading within 5 years.
An estimated 80% cost saving can be realised using a Grana-Lux products over 5 years.
You can find more information about our range on www.aimblock.com, www.aimblock.com/concrete-paving for finishes and colours.
Comments