Capital Equipment News January 2023

CONSTRUCTION NEWS

Reliable funding is key for construction SMEs

A boost in hydrodemolition South Africa’s construction sector has shown resilience post-pandemic. In 2023, the same resilience will be need ed, even during mass uncertaintly coupled with power supply and an economy that fluctuates. However, a recent report painted a positive outlook for the construction sector. It found the sector would stabilise at an annual average growth rate of 3% from 2023 to 2026, supported by investments in transport, renewable energy, housing, and manufacturing projects. “Growth over the past 11 months was largely supported by the restart of projects that were delayed due to the pandemic and its restrictions, together with an increase in the number of building plans passed in 2021,” says Tom Stuart, chief marketing officer at SME funding provider Lulalend. According to Stats SA, the total value of recorded building plans passed by larger municipalities rose by 28% year on year. Stuart says SMEs need to be ready to tap into the opportunities that exist in the coming months. A key aspect of this forward planning is securing one’s cash flow. Access to working capital allows SMEs in this industry to cover fixed costs and overheads. Water that cut shapes and removes concrete is becoming more popular, as advancements in hydrodemolition technology increase. Aquajet, a global leader in the design and manufacturing of hydrodemolition technology, announced the delivery of its 100th Aqua Cutter in North America. The milestone marks the growing demand for the hydrodemolition method in applications ranging from road and bridge repairs to dam and parking garage rehabilitation. Hydrodemolition equipment has evolved over the last 30-plus years. Aquajet’s first ro bot was built on the base of a small drilling rig and featured snowmobile tracks cut into two narrower tracks. At that time, the technology only worked horizontally. Today’s Aqua Cutter robots are highly sophisticated, with the ability to cut shapes, to remove material at different depths in the same pass and to reach horizontally, vertically, overhead, over bridge rails and more. Aquajet’s newest innovation, launched in 2022, is the Aqua Cutter 750 V with patented infinity oscillation. The lance moves the water in an infinity, or Figure 8, pattern that removes more concrete in a single pass than previous models while

renovation and need access to funds that will help them adapt and grow.” “It’s essential for small construction businesses to have access to a reliable line of funding that enables them to plan for future growth with confidence while being able to face any challenges that may arise,” says Stuart. b

The appropriate capital levels will also help increase opportunities for small and mid-sized construction businesses. They can then better grasp opportunities created by diversification, for example, when a compa ny decides to tap into the solar energy and renewables market. “Small construction businesses are under

North America and around the world.” “This is a memorable and important mile stone for Hydrodemolition in North America,” said Aquajet business development manager Keith Armishaw. “What once was seen as a niche appli cation has grown to be a viable solution for a variety of applications and industry chal lenges. Aquajet robots get the job done and help address the shortage of labor with state-of-the-art capabilities. We’re excited to see what the future holds.” b

significantly reducing the pipe hole effect. “We attended our first World of Concrete in 1989 as a young company with innovative new technology that offered a faster way to remove large amounts of concrete,” said Roger Simonsson, Aquajet managing director. “Over time, the use of the Hydrodemoli tion method has become more widespread and customers, including many from North America, have offered feedback to help the technology advance. It’s gratifying to see how the Hydrodemolition industry has taken off in

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