Precast concrete cladding panels for the external sea-facing elevation of the Le Meridien Al Aqah Beach Resort were supplied by Juma Al Majid Concrete Products Plants (JAMCPP).

"We manufactured and supplied 560 precast concrete cladding panels, including the decorative boundary wall, 500-m-long decorative precast concrete curved capping units, precast showers, planters and structural slabs for this prestigious project," says Sherif Ezzat, engineering manager at the firm's precast concrete division.

Established in 1974, JAMCPP merged with the Juma Al Majid Group of Companies in 1979. Today, JAMCPP says it enjoys a sound reputation in local and regional markets for delivering high-quality products at the most competitive prices.

The company says it aims to keep abreast of the latest developments and innovations in concrete manufacturing, and has always embraced the latest hardware and software technologies.

JAMCPP maintains strict quality control by monitoring all phases of production, from the selection of raw materials to casting of the end-product. Also, manufactured products are subject to strict quality tests in accordance with the relevant local and international standard specifications, he says.

Its main products include: washed sand, masonry blocks, paving blocks, hollowcore prestressed slabs, precast concrete products, glass reinforced concrete (GRC), Jamcrete (stamp textured concrete) flooring and Tensar blocks for retaining walls.

Tensar retaining wall systems, manufactured in collaboration with UK-based Tensar International, comprise a soil mass, reinforced with Tensar RE uniaxial geogrids and finished with facing units selected by the designer to meet the client's requirements.

Describing the product, Ezzat says: "A Tensar retaining structure is a block of reinforced soil, where internal stresses are carried by Tensar geogrids. The facing contains the fill and also provides erosion protection, side form and an attractive appearance."

According to Ezzat, the retaining wall system's advantages include:
* Simple and rapid construction;
* Flexible construction which can tolerate local settlements;
* A variety of facings can be applied;
* Various fills can be used;
* Minimal maintenance during service life; and
* Costs savings compared with traditional structures.

Jamcrete decorative paving for flooring, meanwhile, is available in a wide range of colours, and is suitable for paving virtually any site - driveways, walkway, swimming pool deck and entrances.

JAMCPP's GRC products include decorative arches, columns and cornices and other decorative elements while its precast concrete products include cladding elements, decorative boundary walls and structural components for buildings.

Elaborating on the benefits of precast products, Ezzat says: "Precast cladding allows rapid construction, reduces site work and eliminates the need for scaffolding, in-situ concrete works, finishes or paints.

"All precast units are inspected before final erection. Shapes and finishes that may be impossible with in-situ concrete can be achieved with precast concrete."

The company can also mass-produce products such as precast cable troughs and manholes, road barriers and box culverts.

Its hollowcore prestressed slabs plant manufactures sections suitable for spans up to 17 m with variable thicknesses ranging from 150 to 400 mm. These slabs also reduce in-situ concrete works, eliminating the need for scaffolding, shuttering or temporary support, while reducing wet work and labour at site and import of local raw materials.

JAMCPP's state-of-the-art plants are located off the Shaikh Zayed Highway, 12 km from the Dubai World Trade Centre. The plants, set up with a capital investment of Dh73 million ($19.9 million), currently employ around 300 skilled people.

Some of the prestigious projects to which the company has supplied in Dubai include the Holiday Inn, Al Moosa Tower, Dubai International Airport, Rashid Hospital, Emirates Hills, Dubai Internet City, Metropolitan Hotel, Le Royal Meridien Hotel, Ritz Carlton, Taj Palace Hotel, Dubai World Trade Centre, Deira City Centre and Al Mamzar Park.

It has numerous projects ongoing such at the Al Noor Tower in Sharjah, Emaar headquarters and other Emaar projects, Fujairah Academy, Ministry of Public Works schools, Ajman corniche and Mushrif Park.