It’s time to pump up the volume in the concrete boom pump market, writes CHARU BAHRIThe boom pumps market is a small one in India, populated by no more than a handful of providers and buyers who are construction companies to reckon with. Demand has been fairly mild in recent months, no thanks to the slowdown in the award of infrastructure projects. Nevertheless, the construction of real-estate towers, power plants and metro rail projects are keeping the market alive while some players are taking comfort from the growth in export orders. As Sudhakar Waggh, Country Manager Service, Aquarius, tells us, “The market is dull; however, there is a steady flow of orders. Most large players have invested in machines in the past several years.”“The market for boom pumps is growing gradually,” opines Rajesh Kawoor, Vice-President (Concrete Business), Universal Construction Machinery & Equipment Ltd. “The year 2013 witnessed a slowdown in new infrastructure projects, which has adversely affected the growth of the boom pump market. Metro projects and technological upgrade in the RMC sector have kept things moving,” says Parminder Gabri, Sales Director, Putzmeister Concrete Machinery Pvt. Ltd. To further increase its market share, Putzmeister is ensuring customers get added value at each point of their investments through its unique technology and engineering. “We design machines from the perspective of easy maintenance, never from the ease of manufacturing point of view,” he adds.Major trendsMid-segment concrete pumps for use at 30-40 floor high-rise project sites, where concrete needs to be pumped 1-1.5 km, constitute 50-60 per cent of the Indian market for boom pumps. “Concrete pumps are a preferred, cost-effective solution for concreting within the reach of the boom; they provide better quality compared to placement by means of a tower crane,” observes BV Raisinghani, President (Purchase), Jaiprakash Associates Ltd. In some pockets, however, demand is growing for high-performance pumps. “Manpower shortages at concreting sites are increasing and time deadlines are a major concern for contractors,” says VG Sakthikumar, Whole Time Director - Operations, Schwing Stetter India. “Boom pumps can make a huge difference.”“We use boom pumps on most of our larger construction projects as they are capable of pumping at very high volumes and because of the labour-saving nature of the placing boom,” says S Ghoshdastidar, Technical Director, Simplex Infrastructures Ltd. “They are a revolutionary alternative to truck-mounted concrete pumps. Boom placers are also in demand for concreting work in piles foundation, raft foundation and other concreting works within moderate height.”Emerging opportunities“Most construction projects are time-bound and can be completed faster with boom pumps,” says Kawoor. “Also, the many mega cities coming up are growing prospects for boom pumps.” To this, Ghoshdastidar adds, “Demand is also emerging for floor-mounted placer booms and tower-mounted placer booms that have been introduced to overcome the height constraint of the tractor-mounted placer boom, which has a maximum length of 70 m. Floor-mounted and tower-mounted placer booms can reach any height with the support of building/structures.”Where type is concerned, Ghoshdastidar observes that Z-fold placer booms are gaining ground as they are more stable during concreting and suitable for executing higher capacity projects even though they need more space. RZ fold boom placers can be conveniently rolled and folded in low height-restricted areas; however, they lack stability.Another key variable to consider is money. The more advanced the technical specifications, the higher the cost. “Still, the higher cost of 43-m concrete boom pumps vis-à-vis 36-m models is justified where customers require better area coverage. Selecting a less expensive chassis for mounting the pump can help reduce the cost differential to some extent,” suggests Raisinghani. Evidently, cost-consciousness is spurring the use of boom pumps. And it appears construction companies are growing wise to ways to maximise the output from minimum spend on boom pumps.Trouble-free pumping“For trouble-free performance of concrete boom pumps and to avoid choking, keep a close watch on the quality of the mix,” advises BV Raisinghani, President (Purchase), Jaiprakash Associates Ltd. “To achieve high quality of mix, in turn, keep a close watch on the slump, on the harmoniousness of the mixing process and on the cement content in the concrete. Also, concrete pumps should preferably be fed with transit mixers; dumping by trucks should be avoided.”CASE STUDY 1High-performing pump: Putzmeister BSA 1408HDUsed by: Muscovite Group, a leading contractor of high-rise projects in MumbaiProject site: Lodha Bellisimo in Mahalaxmi, MumbaiDetails of usage: Constructing a 200-m tower with 60 floorsKey challenges: Layout of the pipeline, positioning the pump and subsequently getting the right concrete mix for pumpingSolution: Putzmeister engineers supported and established the layout of the pipeline, the positioning of the pump, the placing of the hydraulic shut-off valve, the right combination of high and low pressure pipeline, and the supporting of the pipeline. To ensure an efficient work plan and the best outcome, Putzmeister also involved its own concrete specialist, who worked in close coordination with the client’s quality manager.Techno-commercial benefits: According to Parminder Gabri, Sales Director, Putzmeister, “Putzmeister meets the demand of machines that can drastically cut down construction time while ensuring the highest possible quality of work. We assure customers of speeding up work two to three times. With less wastage of concrete, economies are realised. Using Putzmeister pumps’ big mouth cylinders, efficiencies can be achieved even while working with harsh concrete.”Prospects for this model: “BSA 1408HD is a very popular and reliable concrete pump for high-rise projects,” says Gabri. “It has completed various projects successfully all across India and particularly in Mumbai where most new buildings are of +200 m height. Every component of this pump is suited for high-rise application. So far, we have achieved 280-m height with M40 grade and 205-m height with M60 grade, with reserves still available to better this performance. With more buildings gaining height up to 100 m, we expect demand for this pump to grow.” Other major applications: Talwandi Sabo Thermal Power Plant 2640 mw (660×3 mw), Village Babawali, Mansa (Punjab) to construct a 280-m chimney using concrete of grade M 40; DB Power Project in Raigarh, Chhattisgarh, to construct a 240-m chimney using concrete of grade M40; and several towers in Mumbai such as IndiaBulls Skytower; Orchid Woods, Goregaon; Ruby Dadar; Palaise Royale, Worli.Client’s take: “We have been using Putzmeister’s high-pressure concrete pump model BSA 1408HD since 2008,” says Shantilal Rangani, Director, Muscovite Group. “We are very pleased with the work methods involved and with Putzmeister’s efficiency in engineering advice and after-sales service.”CASE STUDY 2High-performing pump: S36X Concrete Boom PumpUsed by: Larsen & Toubro (L&T)Project site: Hyderabad Metro Rail ProjectDetails of usage: Constructing sections of the metro rail. As the world’s largest elevated project, its construction necessitates the use of a boom pump.Key challenges: The biggest challenge was the pumping of high-grade concrete containing a Glenium-based admixture, concrete that is stiff because of the presence of 100 per cent RoboSand, a substitute for river sand. Another challenge was the space constraint at the site, because of heavy traffic on surrounding roads.Solution: Explaining why Schwing Stetter’s S36X model was the best solution for this application, VG Sakthikumar, Whole-Time Director - Operations, Schwing Stetter India, says: “It features rock valve technology, the capacity to handle special concrete designs. Its parts are endurable with low wear and tear. S36X has the smallest footprint in its class. Schwing’s integrated Super-X stabiliser in the front and right-angled telescopic stabiliser in the rear make it easy to stabilise and position the machine in narrow locations such as the Hyderabad Metro construction sites.”Techno-commercial benefits: S36X has a reach of over 35.2 m vertically and 31.3 m horizontally and a pumping capacity of an average 90 cu m per hour. Schwing’s patented rock valve guarantees the lowest operation cost per cu m. As the machine is made of lightweight components and designed to be mounted on a three-axle truck, it offers high fuel efficiency. Its vector control system features user-friendly graphics and plain text menus. The machine is easily operable with just three joysticks on the radio and cable remote control. This ump gives higher deliveries in fewer strokes resulting in long service life. The open oil circuit reduces stress on hydraulic components, thus increasing their life despite working continuously for long hours.Prospects for this model: According to Sakthikumar, “Leading infrastructure and real-estate developers are aware of the utility of high-capacity, high-performance pumps. Their keenness to improve productivity and profitability at project sites is driving the adoption of this advanced pumping technology. S36X is already one of the most popular machines in the Indian market and has a bright future.”Other major applications: Various metro projects, power projects, airports, roads and bridges.CASE STUDY 3High-performing pump: Aquarius model 43.09Used by: Vishwas Concrete Products Pvt LtdProject site: Bengaluru at various construction sitesDetails of usage: RMC purposeKey challenges: s Vishwas Concrete is a supplier of RMC to various construction sites like commercial buildings, residential projects and high-rise building projects. Additionally, it provides concrete placing services, for which it has been successfully using Aquarius’s 36-m boom pump. Solution: In 2013, Aquarius launched the 43-m boom pump. Vishwas Concrete procured this pump to augment its concrete placing capacity substantially. Vishwas Concrete is one of Aquarius’ important corporate clients. According to Sudhakar Waggh, Country Manager - Service, Aquarius, “Vishwas Concrete has achieved pumping of 6,000 cu m per month using this model and been able to improve efficiency at various sites.”Techno-commercial benefits: Aquarius 43.09 has a reach of over 43 m vertically and a pumping capacity of an average 90 cu m per hour in ideal conditions. Its S-valve concrete pumping technology helps in trouble-free handling of large pours with reliability. It can be mounted on a local/Indian truck chassis.Prospects for this model: “Aquarius 43.09 incorporates the latest Z-fold boom design, which results in lesser unfolding height and makes the boom employable in congested areas or sheds where height is a constraint,” says Waggh. “Additionally, all Aquarius boom pumps models come with standard core pumps, which result in low inventory cost and reduced spare parts for customers. We foresee the scope for our range of pumps widening as they are technologically advanced yet simple and easy to operate through cable remote control or optionally by means of a radio remote.”Client’s take: “We introduced the use of 43-m boom pumps in Bengaluru,” says Suresh N, Plant Manager, Vishwas Concrete. “Aquarius’ model 43.09 is an automated, fast pumping system. We prioritise the use of technologically advanced equipment to achieve efficiencies in construction and, consequently, in servicing customers. Being at the forefront of technology is the hallmark of expansive construction companies.”CASE STUDY 4High-performing pump: Universal Zoomlion HBT 40.10.48 RSUsed by: Mfar ConstructionsProject site: Super Stone Apartment Project, CalicutDetails of usage: Constructing a high-rise buildingKey challenges:  Concrete had to be poured nonstop at one go, as per the client’s requirementSolution: According to Rajesh Kawoor, Vice-President (Concrete Business), Universal Construction Machinery & Equipment Ltd, “The personal attention of a company representative on site during the concrete pour helped ensure the optimal performance of the pump.”Techno-commercial benefits: It has a reach of 110 m vertically or 450 m horizontally. It features ‘S’ valve technology, which is the most successful technology for high-rise concrete pumping worldwide. It is fitted with an accumulator that can boost operations wherever extra pressure is required for smooth pumping. It is reasonably priced vis-à-vis equivalent pumps available in India.Prospects for this model: “In recent years, most buildings coming up in cities are 60-100 m tall,” opines Kawoor. “This requirement will make our concrete pump model HBT 40.10.48 RS very popular in the near future.”Other major applications: Mumbai Metro, Delhi Metro, Bangalore Metro, high-rise building projects, RMC sector.Client’s take: “We find the performance of Universal Zoomlion concrete pump HBT 40.10.48 RS amazing and better than other concrete pumps, especially the European makes, available in India. Even during the placement of concrete for the top slab, proposed to be used as a helipad, the pump was operating smoothly with normal performance and sufficient output,” shares KS Ravikumar, Head - Logistics (Corporate), Mfar Constructions, Bengaluru.To share your views on the market for Concrete Boom Pumps, write in at feedback@ASAPPmedia.com