Al Gurg Fosroc, a leading supplier of admixtures in the Gulf, is proud to have been associated with National Readymix Concrete since its inception in 1977.

"We established a close business relationship with National Readymix since it commenced operations in the UAE ,'' says M Ghassan El-Nahhas, regional sales manager - admixtures, with Al Gurg Fosroc. "Fosroc has jointly worked on major projects with National Readymix; the Union Properties' villas in Al Warkaa and Al Barsha, various development projects for Dubai Municipality and the upcoming headquarters of Emaar are few that come to mind."

He continues: "Though the market has been difficult in the past two years, both the companies have stood by each other and we look forward to continue to be the preferred supplier of National Readymix in the future, building on the trust and close cooperation between both companies."

Both companies continue to remain at the forefront of concrete technology and have recently undertaken trials on Fosroc's new generation admixture Structuro 335.

Structuro 335 is a new-generation superplasticiser, based on poly-carboxylic technology, which combines the properties of high workability and water reduction. This allows the production of high-performance and durable self-compacting concrete and other specialised mixes. When used in the production of self-compacting concrete, it not only enhances the durability and performance of the concrete but also reduces work-time, thus lowering associated costs. It is also environmentally friendly as it reduces noise pollution caused by mechanical vibration of concrete, he explains.

The precast industry is also showing a keen interest in Structuro 335, which imparts low w/c (water/cement) ratio, high early strength and high surface finish characteristics to concrete.

"The admixture has been used on two self-compacting concrete projects - a residential high-rise building in Sharjah and at the Dubai Internet City. It has also been used at the third bridge-crossing in Abu Dhabi, where high performance specifications were achieved using the product," says El-Nahhas.

Fosroc has also enhanced its range of waterproofing admixtures with the introduction of Conplast WP400, a hydrophobic, pore-blocking, waterproofing admixture. Its applications include structural and precast concrete, to be used on structures below the ground and reinforced concrete in marine areas as well as water-retaining structures and piling. The product will provide integral protection to concrete.

"Conplast WP 400 has already been used in major projects such as Citibank headquarters building, the Gulf News extension, the Grand Cinema complex, The Fairmont Dubai, Juma Al Majid residential complex etc, and has been widely specified on a number of mega projects under construction across the UAE," says El-Nahhas.

Some of the prestigious projects Al Gurg Fosroc has executed or is currently involved with include the Burj Al Arab, Emirates Towers, The Grand Hyatt, and the Dubai Marina development in Dubai, plus the Grand Mosque, ADIA headquarters, Ruwais petrochemical projects and the Taweelah power plant in Abu Dhabi.

Al Gurg Fosroc is now looking at expanding its market share outside the UAE. "Our market share in other Gulf countries, such as Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and Bahrain, is growing. The Qatar market is rapidly expanding and we are happy to be associated with the recent oil and gas projects there," says El-Nahhas.

"Fosroc products are well recognised across the region and we are looking to market growth with the addition of new and innovative products in our range of admixtures, waterproofing, protective coatings and electrochemical technology. We are organising specialised training and product-knowledge seminars for the industry with the purpose of creating an awareness of the various products and its uses."

"We at Fosroc, believe in working hand-in-hand with our customers with the continuous goal of improving the products and services we offer to add value to our customers' business. For Fosroc, it is the way to stay at the top," says El-Nahhas.