Hat-Trick for Buxton Cement in Merseyside Makeover
BUXTON Cement is playing a critical role in Liverpool's massive makeover.
The cement-making arm of Tarmac has been picked to supply bulk cement for ready-mix concrete on three key construction projects in the city's multi-million pound regeneration drive. These are a huge floating dock, which will draw cruise ships loaded with tourists right into Liverpool's historic centre; a new landmark skyscraper; and what's thought to be Europe's largest retail development, in the heart of the city.
Buxton Cement is known for delivering the right product at the right time. The Liverpool job, though, is a real feather in its cap.
"To be picked as the supplier of choice on these high profile projects is a supreme vote of confidence in our bulk cement capability," says Phil Richards, Buxton Cement's commercial director.
"It's also a vivid demonstration that the ready-mix industry is recognising the benefits of the improved strength of our cement."
Recent process upgrades at Buxton's new £110 million Tunstead plant mean the company's Portland cement is now stronger than ever - and that's at no extra cost to customers.
Its official strength class under the European cement standard has been raised, from a CEM I 42,5R, to a CEM I 52,5N. In practice it means the cement has excellent early and late strength characteristics, which make it well suited for enhancing ready-mix concrete.
Buxton Cement is supplying at a rate of more than 30,000 tonnes a year to three ready-mix plants in Liverpool. These are operated by Tarmac's ready-mix concrete, a sister business to Buxton Cement.
"For us it's a winning combination," says Andy Done, technical manager for Tarmac's ready-mix concrete. "Buxton Cement was the clear choice for these challenging projects."
The regeneration in Liverpool is creating the biggest change to its cityscape since the Second World War. Tourism is growing, and is expected to receive a further boost in 2008 when the city takes its turn as the European Capital of Culture.
The new floating dock, due for completion this year, has an important part to play in attracting more tourists. Currently cruise ships visiting Liverpool must anchor in the Mersey with passengers ferried to the quayside. But the new dock will form a massive extension to the ferry terminal, meaning passengers can disembark within walking distance of the city centre.
Balfour Beatty Civil Engineering, based in Northwich, Cheshire, is leading the project. It's building the 250m long reinforced concrete structure in sections at Liverpool's Canada Dock. Every day, Tarmac is delivering up to 24m³ of readymix concrete to the site, where it is craned deep inside the cavernous dry dock.
Forming the 150mm internal walls of the floating dock posed a challenge. Congested reinforcements mean it's difficult to get the machinery in there for the conventional compaction of concrete. So around 1000m³ of self-compacting concrete (SCC) is being used.
The second project, the sleek 41-story Beetham Tower West, is due for completion at the end of the year. A mixed use residential and office building, it will have spectacular views across the city. The Buxton Cement/Tarmac ready-mix team is supplying 50N and 60N high-strength post-tensioned concrete for the core and floors, and waterproof concrete in the basement
Contractor MPB knew the two were the right organisations to bring in. It previously used them for the 47-storey Beetham Tower in the heart of Manchester, which incorporates the Hilton Deansgate Manchester Hotel.
The third project is immense. The £920m Paradise Project by developer Grosvenor and construction partner Laing O'Rourke involves regenerating 42 acres in the heart of Liverpool. An old car park, hotel and shops have already been demolished. Replacing them will be 30 new buildings, six distinctive shopping districts and more than 1.6 million square feet of retail space - with it the creation of 4,400 permanent jobs.
So far, Tarmac has supplied ready-mix concrete to build a transport interchange at the edge of the main shopping area. It's also being used on a multi-storey car park, which will be linked by bridge to a new John Lewis department store. An underground car park with a further 2000 spaces is also planned. The Paradise Project, which will be known as Liverpool One, will be completed in 2008.
"The regeneration is an exciting job for everyone involved," says Buxton Cement's sales manager David Wilson. "It's a chance to show just what our new, improved cement can do."
Notes
- Bulk cement has always conformed to BS EN 197-1, with a classification of CEM I 42,5R. The upgrade to CEM I 52,5N means a higher recorded 28-day compressive strength.
- Cement is also tested at two days or seven days, depending on the required performance in order to establish and overall 'strength class' that codifies its standard strength and early strength.
- The Concrete Society defines self-compacting concrete (SCC) as 'a concrete that is able to flow under its own weight and completely fill the formwork, while maintaining homogeneity even in the presence of congested reinforcement, and then consolidate without the need for vibration.'
The Japanese developed techniques for this premium concrete nearly 20 years ago but they've been slow to catch on here. There's no mystery to SCC: it's made from the same constituents as normal concrete - in this case formulated by Buxton Cement and Tarmac's ready-mix. But the components are combined in a different manner and enhanced with superplasticising admixtures.
Construction is quicker and cheaper, there are fewer defects in the concrete and more complex shapes can be formed. It's also less noisy than conventional compaction and less strenuous on the workforce. Cement strength is classified on its performance at 28 days, under BS EN 196, Methods of Testing Cement. - Buxton Cement is the cement-making arm of Tarmac Ltd, Britain's largest producer of heavy building materials. Tarmac is owned by resources group Anglo American.
