Sika has started production of shotcrete admixtures at its main plant at Gournay-en-Bray, north west of Paris. The set accelerator is used primarily in tunnel construction.
According to Sika, the market potential in France and beyond is considerable – in western Europe alone, tenders have been issued for tunnel construction projects with a combined length of 900 kilometers, with these projects set to come on stream over the next few years.
Bonding shotcrete to rock and concrete
A crucial factor in shotcrete as it is applied in mining and tunneling is high early strength development. Admixtures in the form of a set accelerator ensure that the shotcrete bonds to rock and concrete, thus facilitating overhead spraying.
After having worked in large-scale projects such as the Gotthard tunnel and the Brenner base tunnel, Sika says that it can guarantee the durability of its technologies.
vo Schaedler, Regional Manager EMEA: "The infrastructure construction market is generally characterised by a high level of resilience in crises. Even in 2020 capital spending remains strong. With the commissioning of the new facilities at the Gournay-en-Bray plant, our aim is to tap into business potential in France and in north and western Europe and facilitate challenging shotcrete work in mining and tunneling projects with our specialty products. At the same time, we are strengthening our supply chain and competitiveness thanks to a sizeable reduction in logistics costs."