Growth and substantial investment in the Australian construction industry have led to an increase in the demand for industrial contractors. For new industrial contracting companies, this is the best time to seize the opportunity and sell their services to potential clients. Nonetheless, contractors have to prove their worth, or else property developers will not be interested in what they have to offer. The only way to stand out as an industrial construction company is to keep up to date with emerging trends. This article highlights key trends to explore in industrial construction in 2020.
Prefabricated Industrial Facilities
For manufacturing businesses, expanding operations to new markets is essential to preserving a grip on the sector. However, while market research can make a new geographical location look lucrative, the actual production, marketing and selling of products can prove challenging. Therefore, rather than take the risk and construct permanent facilities, the trend is moving towards prefabricated plants. These allow a business to test the market by producing manageable quantities. Since the cost of building prefabricated plants is low, companies can test different markets without risking significant investments.
Self-Healing Concrete Panels
Constructing an industrial plant is no easy task as far as cost, time and resource utilisation are concerned. Therefore, rather than stick to traditional construction methods such as laying bricks or joining stainless steel bars, contractors are using concrete panels. Pre-constructed panels of varying sizes are raised and anchored to the ground to form a strong wall. However, concrete panel walls can be very high, which means maintenance can be a problem. Therefore, contractors are turning to self-healing concrete panels. These panels biologically seal any developing cracks through the action of special limestone bacteria. It results in an industrial facility that is easier to maintain and more durable than other construction materials, which is necessary considering the toxic environments of some industrial facilities.
Exoskeletons
The construction industry is responding to emerging know-how. For example, advancements in technology have made robotics part and parcel of construction activities, especially in the industrial sector. Construction engineers have not stopped at that, and exoskeletons are a testament to this growth. Exoskeletons ensure that labourers can carry much more load than their natural bodies can handle. For instance, rather than hire a crane to lift stainless still beams, labourers can wear exoskeletons and carry these beams with relative ease. Consequently, construction companies will spend less on labour and equipment. Additionally, exoskeletons prevent injuries sustained by carrying heavy loads repeatedly.