Cutting-edge Construction Research Centre in Colombo
View(s):Tokyo Cement Group recently declared open its newly upgraded Construction Research Centre as an independent laboratory to cater to concrete and cement testing requirements of the industry.
Equipment at the upgraded Centre
Located at 865 1/1, Dr. Danister De Silva Mawatha, Colombo 9, the Research Centre will test and certify cement, concrete and dry mortar products, according to local and international standards. This ISO 17025 certified Construction Research Centre is equipped with latest scientific equipment that can conduct accurate and timely tests on concrete mix designs used in the construction of high-rises and mega infrastructure projects, Tokyo Cement said in a media release.
The Research Centre will also be Tokyo Cement’s innovations hub that will invent, test and fine-tune new introductions to its product portfolio. Manned by an expert research team comprised of qualified chemists, the laboratory will be the main incubator where the company will conduct new product development as required by demanding customers, and enhance the range and utility of its dry mortar and value-added innovations product range.
M. Ono, Executive Officer / General Manager of Planning and Control Department in the Cement and Construction Company of UBE Industries Ltd., Japan inaugurated the Centre, with Dr. Harsha Cabral PC – Chairman; S.R. Gnanam – Managing Director; Christopher Fernando – Group GM/Executive Director; M. Thayananthan – Actg. General Manager, and Dr. M.G.M.U. Ismail – Director- Research and Development of Tokyo Cement Company (Lanka) PLC who graced the occasion with the management and staff of the company. UBE Industries Ltd., the Japanese business partner of Tokyo Cement, was actively involved in providing guidance for the upgrade, with latest technology inputs to make it future-ready to provide laboratory services to the industry.
Facilities at the newly upgraded Research Centre include a modern wet concrete lab and mini plants to test different blends of cement. The equipment includes cutting-edge testing equipment such as Blaine, Vicat, Le-chatelier apparatus and strength machines that can verify fineness, consistency, setting time, soundness and compressive and flexural strength of cement.
Tokyo Cement Company has invested heavily in the field of concrete and cement testing in 2012 by setting up a modern R&D Laboratory at the A.Y.S. Gnanam Construction Training Academy in Dambulla. This laboratory was the first of its kind to receive ISO 17025 accreditation in 2015, for testing concrete materials and mechanical properties of concrete. In view of the construction boom, last year the company decided to shift the laboratory to Colombo to bring it closer to its growing customer base.