Australian injection moulding company, the Holloway Group, has begun manufacturing an eco-friendly concrete void filler.
The Biax system is a new product that provides a framework and fills a void for concrete slabs in the construction industry.
Made from 100 per cent recycled polypropylene, it is connected using the keystone clips that form a grid. Products made from polystyrene have been used in a similar way in the construction industry for many years.
The Biax system has several advantages over its polystyrene competitors, including its compact nesting ability for freight and storage, and it is not as lightweight so does not blow around on building sites.
When foam is cut on site it also ends up in waterways and waste streams and the Biax system eliminates this issue.
Using a void filler also ensures that less concrete is used in the construction process which makes the end product lighter but also ensures the environmental impact is lessened.
The Biax pods weigh less than 3kg each and easily nests together for transport, cutting down on transport and storage costs which also lessens the environmental impact.
Holloway Group managing director, Matthew Holloway, said until recently the Biax Foundation was manufacturing this product in China and exporting it to Australia.
Holloway said the freight costs and blown out lead times made this difficult to sustain.
“Not only are we manufacturing the Biax product, but we’ve assisted with the improved design of the void filler. Next we will improve supply chain and distribution,” he said.
“Our engineers and industrial designers assisted with a Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and were able to simulate the product using CAD and produce real-time data.
“The second series design that will be supplied from Holloway Group is a much more innovative product, lighter and stronger than the incumbent design.
“The larger of the two moulds for the Biax product weighs eight tonnes and is one metre by one metre by 900mm, which gives an idea of the scope of this product.
“That mould, which has just been commissioned, will be used in our largest injection moulding machine to produce the void fillers.”
The Holloway Group-manufactured Biax Foundation pods will begin rolling off the production line in a few weeks.