Formwork systems from Paschal-Werk G Maier have become a preferred choice for contractors in Bahrain who have been using them to boost efficiency on their various projects, says Amir Delghandi, general director of Paschal Concrete Forms, the Bahrain-based regional office of the German formwork specialist.

Paschal’s Deck system with H20 wooden girder has now emerged as a firm favourite for the construction of slabs as well as beams, while its Modular system continues to remain the formwork system these contractors turn to for the construction of columns and core walls, he adds.

Among such contractors is Kooheji Contractors, which is making good use of both these systems on several of its projects under way in the country. These include the Royal Wharf, comprising the 45-storey Towers A and the 40-storey Tower B, at Bahrain Bay; Canal View in Dilmunia, where it is constructing four mid-rise buildings that each feature a basement, lower and upper retail floors plus seven storeys; Marassi Boulevard, comprising four buildings of five to nine storeys with basements; and the Fontana Infinity, which consists of two buildings with ground, mezzanine and 43 and 44 levels respectively. Structural work is in progress at all of these projects.

Kooheji Contractors is close to completing other projects using the Paschal Deck and Modular systems. These include Juffair Square, an outdoor lifestyle and entertainment destination, Al Safra School at Diyar Al Muharraq, Seef Avenue, and the 35-storey Catamaran 1 building.

Kooheji Contractors had earlier used Paschal’s Modular systems to build reinforced concrete (RC) walls for water and fire tanks at the Ikea store in Bahrain, which opened last September.

Paschal’s Modular system is also being used by Dadabhai Construction for the construction of columns and core walls of the 11-storey Marassi Shores at Diyar Al Muharraq.

Another leading Bahrain-based contractor KMC Holding is using Paschal Deck system with H20 wooden girder for the slabs of three of its ongoing multi-storey projects. These include its 16-storey head office tower project in the Seef District, a 21-storey office building for the Royal Charity Organisation (RCO), and a mixed-use development in Hamala that comprises 12 blocks. The Modular system is being used along with the H20 system for the columns and core walls for the RCO project and Paschal Deck system with H20 wooden girder is being used for the slabs and beam of Hamala mixed-use development, where a climbing system is also being utilised for the construction of shear walls.

Meanwhile, having recently completed work on the Essence of Dilmunia using the Modular system for the construction of the columns and core walls of the luxury apartment complex at Dilmunia, local contractor Ahmed Qaed Contracting is now using the system for the columns and core walls of yet another development at the resort-style health island – the Hanging Gardens of Dilmunia.

Another contractor Kazerooni is using the Paschal Deck system for slabs and the Modular system for the columns and core walls for its Kazerooni Heights 2, a basement-plus-20-storey building at Amwaj Islands – having earlier used these systems on the recently completed Kazerooni Heights 1, also at Amwaj Islands.

Among the other successful contractors, Taitoon Contracting is using the Modular system for the columns and core walls at three residential buildings: the 33-storey RP Tower in Juffair; the 22-storey Juffair Gables and a seven-storey building in Adliya.  The contractor is also using the Modular system along with Paschal Deck system at the Layan project in Durrat Al Bahrain; and a shopping mall in Diyal Al Muharraq.

Other key projects where Paschal Deck and Modular systems are being used in combination are a seven-storey waterfront residential building (with two basement levels, a ground level and mezzanine) on the East Side at the Bahrain Financial Harbour, being built by Rapco; and another seven-storey building in Hidd being constructed by Tower Marketing.

Among major completed projects, Paschal formwork also helped shape key components of the prestigious Potline 6 expansion project at Aluminium Bahrain (Alba). These include the AHS blower room, GTC 1 and 2 blower rooms, electrical room, and the substation, which were constructed by Poullaides Construction. The contractor used Paschal Deck system and Modular system for the RC walls, columns and slabs.  Also, Chapo has recently completed the retaining wall of Bay City project in Bahrain Bay with the Modular system.

Paschal is a sought-after partner for concrete projects worldwide, with customers in more than 40 countries and 50 years of experience.

Paschal Concrete Forms, which was set up in 1997 as the main office for the Middle East, has since become one of the leading suppliers of modern formwork solutions to the construction industry in the GCC.

Based at BIIP in Hidd, it has an assembling facility for modular formwork and a stockyard in Bahrain. In addition, with branches in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and its Scientific and Technical Office in Dammam, Paschal is strongly represented in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) region.