SCAFFOLDING INTERNATIONAL
33
JULY-AUGUST 2013
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INTERNATIONAL
PILOSIO WINS MECCA CONTRACT
Italian formwork and scaffolding manufacturer Pilosio has won the contract to
supply formwork and scaffolding for a massive construction project in Mecca,
Saudi Arabia.
Pilosio’s local partner is Arabian Roots Scaffolding & Formwork. The
massive project is to extend and upgrade the entire area of the mosque. The
current area of the Great Mosque covers 365000 square metres and can
accommodate 770000 visitors. The development project will increase the area
to 465000 square metres and allow for up to 1.2 million visitors.
Dario Roustayan, Pilosio’s CEO, said; “This project is a great challenge
for our design and production capacity. It will be a great opportunity for
development in the Middle East region for the company.
The project was launched by the Saudi king, Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, to cope
with the enormous increase in the influx of pilgrims to the holy city.
Harsco mill refurb
Harsco Infrastructure has
provided scaffolding, shoring and
temporary roofing for the multi-
million UK£ project to refurbish
the Ditherington Flax Mill near
Shrewsbury, UK.
This Grade I listed structure
is recognised as the world’s first
iron-framed building. It was
originally built in 1797 to house
the process of transforming flax
into linen. Today, it is seen as the
forerunner of the modern steel-
framed skyscraper. However, the
building has lain derelict for years.
English Heritage acquired the
site in March 2005 and was able
to stem the deterioration that had
been caused by decades of neglect.
Harsco was selected to provide a
scaffold framework that secured
the building while solutions were
developed and funding sought for
refurbishment. It had to provide
access for the refurbishment work,
while also supporting the external
walls, all without imposing any
load on the fragile building.
The result was a scaffolding
and access system that was
erected around the building, plus
a temporary roofing solution that
covered the building’s 16m x 70m
span, and gave protection against
the weather so that refurbishment
work could continue unhindered.
“The old and decaying nature
of the structure meant that we
had to remain flexible enough to
adapt to the conditions we found
on site as the project progressed.
As with any project though, our
primary focus was on delivering
the maximum levels of safety for
the people who were going to be
working on the building,” said
John Deacon, Harsco project
manager.
AI
Lightweight from Layher
Layher has debuted a new,
lighter scaffolding solution.
Shown for the first time at
Bauma 2013 in Munich, the
Allround Lightweight modular
scaffolding system features
lighter components, increased
load-bearing capacity and an
AUtoLock function for wedge-
head connectors.
According to Layher, Allround
Lightweight can be assembled
10% faster than other scaffold
systems and transport is 12%
more efficient. “Since assembly,
dismantling and transport still
account for 80% of the costs
for scaffolding construction,
three factors are critically
important: design, functionality
and component weight,” said
Layher’s marketing director Franz
Greisinger. “Studies have clearly
shown that a significant reduction
in assembly and dismantling time
can be achieved by cutting back on
component weight.”
To get Allround Lightweight
as light as possible, Layher used
high-tensile steel to produce
thinner walls; the wall thickness
has been reduced from 3.2mm to
2.8 mm.
“Depending on the length
of the components, scaffolding
erectors have up to 14%
less weight to handle when
transporting components by truck
to the construction site and in
scaffolding assembly itself,”said
a company spokesman. “The
wall thickness has been reduced
in Allround O-ledgers LW as
well, saving up to 1.6 kg while
increasing bending stress capacity
by 24%.”
AI
Layher’s new Allround
Lightweight, introduced to the
market at Bauma 2013
