India contract paves the way for massive investment in Rapidwall.
India contract paves the way for massive investment in Rapidwall.
Rapid Building Systems, after more than 15 years of research, development, production and building is on the cusp of realising the potential for its products internationally but especially in India and China.
The burgeoning economies of India and China have resulted in the unprecedented need for adequate new housing. In India alone investment in housing will run at between A$34 and A$45 billion per annum.
The cost of building methods is increasing exponentially and with traditional building materials degrading the landscape and adding significantly to CO2 emissions Rapidwall has become even more attractive.
The first Rapidwall building constructed in India was this two storey home built in Mumbai in 32 days using Rapidwall panels brought from Australia (12 days for structure and 20 days for finishing work including flooring, electrification, water supply, fittings painting and the like).
In India and in China industrial waste, in the form of phospho and flue gas gypsum, resulting from the production of agricultural fertilisers and the desulphurisation of coal fired power stations, is being produced at alarming levels. One manufacturer alone in China produces 12 million tonnes of phospho gypsum annually.
Rapid Building Systems has developed a proven manufacturing process that turns this waste gypsum into high quality plaster which in turn is used in the manufacture of Rapidwall, a patented load bearing walling system which has undergone extensive earthquake testing and has been approved in Australia, India and China for the construction of building up to 10 storeys high.
The first manufacturing facility in India is completing commissioning trials in Chennai and the company signed agreements to construct a larger plant in Mumbai in July.
The Mumbai plant, a 15 tonnes per hour Rapidflow calcination plant and two, three table Rapidwall plants, will be constructed for Rashtriya Chemicals & Fertilisers Ltd and will be commissioned in 2008. This facility will be able to produce 1.4 million square metres of Rapidwall which equates to some 14,000 dwellings per year. The factory will further produce 70,000 tonnes of the highest world quality standard wall plaster and plaster compounds.
Interest in Rapidwall in India has been heightened and further contracts for Rapidwall plant and equipment are expected.
Structural design of the earth quake resistant home was undertaken by University IIT Madras. Rapidwall was used entirely in the construction including second storey floors and roof and external and internal walls. It was supervised by Rapidwall personnel but built by a local contractor and construction workers.
Contact:
P.K. Gopinathan
Chief-Rapidwall Technologies Promotion for SWAsia & Director RBS India Pvt Ltd