Megawide Construction Corporation (“Megawide” or “the Company”) is partnering with German concrete technology developer MultiCON to bring in its patented mixing innovation to the country. This is part of Megawide’s continued commitment to engineering innovation, bringing further construction efficiency and better value for clients.
The venture will allow Megawide’s exclusive use of MultiCON’s advanced concrete mixing system, OptiCon, for its own projects as well as commercially. Opticon is currently being used in Europe for various horizontal and vertical developments.
“As part of our thrust of helping build a First-World Philippines, we are always looking for First-World expertise and technologies that we can introduce and utilize for our operations, projects, and products. We chose MultiCON because we have examined firsthand the numerous advantages of its concrete mixing technology for our business and the environment,” said Edgar Saavedra, Megawide Chairman and CEO.
Better concrete performance, less greenhouse gasses
“Aside from promising higher concrete performance, the technology also has financial and environmental advantages. We plan to introduce a new way to manufacture concrete in the Philippines that has a more efficient and durable quality,” Saavedra added.
MultiCON Managing Director Dr. Leopold Halser explained that its system uses a specialized equipment that mixes concrete components using two phases at a much higher speed compared with conventional mixing, enabling the cement to be more “activated”, resulting in cost and process efficiency.
“The system uses less water, less cement and additives, so it releases less carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, which is beneficial to our environment. Since the cement reaction is more activated, it becomes more cost and process efficient,” Dr. Halser added.
He said that the technology could reduce raw material costs, as well as bring down carbon dioxide emissions by up to 30% during production. Megawide intends to use the technology internally in its precast plants, as well as make it available to all contractors via the company’s ready-mix plants in the future.
“This initiative benefits not only Megawide, but also its sub-contractors and the industry itself. If we can produce stronger concrete with better performance, this could translate to improved margins and reduced emissions. This is a step towards promoting the advancement of the local concrete and construction industry, which is in line with our mission of inclusivity towards a First-World Philippines,” Markus Hennig, Megawide Executive Vice President, said.
Engineering innovator
Megawide has consistently introduced new innovations to Philippine engineering. The Company was the first to use proprietary German formworks systems and precast technology from Japan in its early high-rise projects, making it into a leading player among Philippine contractors. These technologies helped Megawide to diversify into significant infrastructure projects for the Philippine government, such as classrooms, airports, and transport-oriented developments.
Megawide once again shook traditional construction by being the first to use glued-laminated timber (Glulam) rather than steel for the full roof structure of the now multi-awarded Mactan-Cebu International Airport and the Clark International Airport, recently a finalist for the 2021 Prix Versaille awards for architecture and design. MCIA was the first airport in the Philippines and Asia to have a full roof structure made out of Glulam. Megawide operates its own precast facility, considered one of the largest and most advanced in Southeast Asia, in its Industrial Facility located in Taytay, Rizal and seven other satellite precast plants in Luzon and Cebu.
