Platform 17 - Strong and lightweight, LVL is in form for the Olympic Games
truFORM, futurebuild's innovative LVL Formwork Beams, has been specially engineered for use in concrete formwork and is already proving to be a star performer in the lead up to the 2008 Olympic Games in China.
truFORM is engineered to be strong, straight and uniform so as to enhance productivity and reduce the costs of formwork. Painted bright orange for ready identification, truFORM is quality controlled and tested to meet all safety standards and is overall a more reliable and convenient alternative to conventional materials and other timbers.
Launched onto the Chinese market in 2004, truFORM was available in time for the peak of construction work leading up to the big event. Frank Qiu, Market Manager at futurebuild, says the strategy was to introduce truFORM and demonstrate its advantages in this booming market. He says:
"…the Games is a unique opportunity to showcase the value of truFORM on infrastructure projects the whole industry is watching. So we decided to focus on construction companies who are bidding for Olympic projects and target them…"
As a result, truFORM is being used in construction of the new National Stadium, which is where the Games' opening ceremony will take place. As Frank explains, a product like truFORM delivers significant advantages to large scale projects like the stadium:
"Form workers like working with truFORM because it's easy to handle and very precise which means it reduces on-site processing work for them. Its durability gives it a long lifespan, meaning it can be re-used many times, delivering cost efficiencies in a very competitive industry."
The other distinct advantage of truFORM in large scale projects is that it is available in four different spans, and these can span over the six metre length that is most often the limit for natural sawn lumber. These engineered LVL members can be made to order in up to 12 metre lengths. This offers flexibility in application and the spans still meet all of the technical requirements of the project.
"truFORM is literally setting the standard. We are finding that where there are two contractors working on the same site, if one is using truFORM the other will follow as they don’t want to be left behind. We are seeing repeat orders, which is the ultimate test," says Frank Qiu. Three years before the Games, it seems truFORM is already out in front and doing distances and staying true where its competitors can't.
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