Abu Dhabi: The UAE precast concrete industry is estimated at Dh6 billion and it's playing a vital role in the country's construction projects, Khalfan Al Kaabi, a senior executive of the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said here Tuesday at a conference.
Precast concrete is produced by casting concrete in a reusable mould or form which is then cured in a controlled environment, transported to the construction site and installed.
In contrast, standard concrete is poured into site-specific forms and cured on site. Precast stone is distinguished from precast concrete by using a fine aggregate in the mixture so the final product approaches the appearance of naturally occurring rock or stone. There are about 20 companies operating in the UAE precast industry.
Thirty per cent share of market
"Precast concrete comprises roughly 30 per cent of the UAE construction market and its share is increasing," Abdul Razzaq Dajani, a spokesperson for the precast seminar. The competition for precast is from readymix, steel structures and building blocks, he said.
"However, precast is about 10 per cent cheaper than other alternatives," he said. "As well, the cost of labour for precast is cheaper. This is also a reason why the share of precast as a building material of choice is increasing."
