ICCX CONFERENCE AND TRADE FAIR SCHEDULED FOR FEBRUARY 2008:

ICCX Sun City promises to eclipse Cape Town’s event, which was the largest construction fair on concrete technology ever held in sub-Saharan Africa. Comprising a technical conference featuring several themes on concrete technology, it will also include a trade fair for concrete-related technology and machinery. And a technical course aimed at architects and engineers, on the design of precast frame buildings, will precede the conference on Monday, February 18th .

Conference organiser, Dr Hans-Dieter Beushausen of the University of Cape Town’s Civil Engineering department, says that the increasing demand for modern and efficient concrete technology and manufacturing techniques, requires frequent exchanges of knowledge and expertise between cement producers, precast concrete manufacturers, engineers, architects and researchers, as well as machinery and material suppliers.

“ICCX Sun City will expose its visitors to the latest developments in concrete technology, and provide excellent opportunities for networking and the interchange of technical data,” says Beushausen.

Several overseas speakers will deliver papers including Martin Clarke from the UK, Belgium’s Arnold van Acker and Patrick De Clerc, Germany’s Frank Dehn, Christian Prilhofer, Helmut Ehnes and Steffen Mothes, as well as Brian Shackel and Don Hume from Australia, Michael Khrapko from New Zealand and Spain’s David Fernández-Ordonez.

Local speakers will include Ian Thoms, Andrew Rowe, Hugh Fraser, Bryan Perrie, Gideon van Zyl, Mark Alexander and John Cairns, and topics such as Gautrain, World Cup 2010, developments in architectural concrete and precast solutions for affordable housing, will be covered.

At least 70 exhibitors are expected to participate, among them leading equipment and material suppliers as well as associations and institutes from Europe, North America and South Africa. They will present a range of products in the fields of concrete materials, plant technology, mixing and formwork technology, transport and handling systems, special concrete products, cement extenders, admixtures, pigments, construction chemicals, connection and fastening systems, placing technology and reinforcing steel.

Recreational activities will include a golf day, game drives and a bush dinner, as well as the resort’s various entertainment offerings such as water sports and the casino, among others. A site visit to Africa’s largest precast yard, specifically established for the Gautrain project will round off the programme on February 21st .

ICCX Sun City is being sponsored by the Concrete Manufacturers Association (CMA), the Cement and Concrete Instititute (C&CI), the Concrete Society (CSSA), the South African Ready Mix Association (SARMA), SIKA South Africa, BASF, and PPC Cement.

The conference is being held against the backdrop of a local construction boom which has witnessed concrete production running at full capacity for the past three years and growth rates within the industry exceeding 20%.

Besides the construction of new stadiums for the 2010 Soccer World Cup, several large infrastructural projects are currently being planned or executed. These include the construction and enlargement of major airports, the extension of road and railway networks, new power supply facilities, as well as the construction of hotels, parkades, shopping centres and offices. In addition, the residential housing market and the development of low-income housing projects are booming, resulting in increased demand for modern concrete technology and time-efficient, high-quality building systems.

This stadium highlights how precast concrete technology can be used for both architectural and structural applications.

A modern road under construction demonstrating one of the many uses of specialised concrete technology.