New equipment for the manufacture of manhole components in Vilnius
The precast company Vilniaus Gelzbetoniniu Konstrukciju Gamykla No. 3 has recently commissioned two machines that were supplied by the equipment manufacturer Schlüsselbauer to produce manhole rings, cones, adjustment rings and covers. For the well-established Lithuanian precast business, key arguments in favor of this investment were the flexibility of the new production equipment and the opportunity to improve the quality of its products.
The company with the remarkable name “Vilniaus Gelzbetoniniu Konstrukciju Gamykla No. 3” was established already in 1955 and is one of the largest producers of precast concrete elements in Lithuania. In 1992, the company was reorganized as a stock corporation, and is now 100% privately owned. The site encompasses a total area of 22 hectares and is situated in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania. The central location of the business is one of the reasons for the relatively wide product range offered. Products supplied by this company are used in almost every major construction project, as a quick tour through the city demonstrates, which is also the 2009 European capital of culture. The premium quality of these products becomes apparent in buildings such as the Sejm, Hotel Lietuva, and the television tower, as well as in many public and cultural projects.
However, the demand for top-class products requires a strong production base. This is why the members of the management are continuously working on upgrading and improving existing technologies and introducing new solutions. In 2004, the company was certified to the ISO 9001 quality management standard. The continuous investment in new technologies not only results in a better product quality but also enables the significant enlargement of the product range in line with existing demand. As the owner and operator of state-of-the-art equipment, the precast business is now able to supply all required precast elements to any project or structure at very short notice. The following are just some examples of the great variety of products and of the outputs achieved:
» Autoclaved aerated concrete masonry blocks: approx. 90,000 m3 per year
» Hollow and solid concrete blocks: approx. 40,000 m3 per year; production line supplied by Hess
» Concrete blocks for basement walls and foundation blocks: approx. 35,000 m3 per year
» Reinforced concrete elements, including hollow-core floor slabs: approx. 145,000 m3 per year, production line supplied by Elematic, German line supplied by Weiler
» Following the commissioning of two concrete mixing units supplied by Stetter and Wiggert, as well as an upgrade of existing equipment, up to 500 m3 of concrete and sand mixes are produced per hour. In addition, the company produces 600 m3 of lime and mixed mortars per shift.
» Paving blocks: approx. 1.500 m2 per shift, Hess system
» Manhole components made of reinforced concrete: approx. 150 to 200 items per shift, Magic line supplied by Schlüsselbauer Technology.
» Reinforced concrete grade rings (height 5,10, 15 cm): approx. 200 products per shift Magic line supplid by Schlüsselbauer Technology.
The Lithuanian business places special emphasis on its company-wide logistics system. The premises include three rail tracks that make it possible to deliver raw materials by rail and to supply finished products by rail as well. This option reduces transport costs but requires a sophisticated management of unloading processes on construction sites. An own fleet of vehicles, mixers and concrete pumps complement the assets used by the company.
Vladimir Zhuravlev, the owner and, for the past couple of years, General Manager of Vilniaus Gelzbetoniniu Konstrukciju Gamykla No. 3, makes the following comment on the decision to procure the production line from an Upper Austrian supplier after thorough investigations and analyses: “The Schlüsselbauer Magic line meets all our criteria we defined beforehand, and ranks among the best in its class. It is a high-performance, compact, absolutely safe and universal system. The Ringmaster system used to economically produce small elements is a useful addition to our production equipment. Schlüsselbauer is a reliable partner, and the cooperation has always been very pleasant. We have developed a thorough mutual understanding, and I am convinced that we made the right decision.”
Manhole ring production
The Magic line is used to produce manhole rings, cones and covers. This machine has proven its worth on a worldwide scale for many years. It combines a high degree of flexibility in terms of the products to be manufactured with a reliable output in day-to-day operation. A specially designed quick mold change system enables a quick changeover to other designs or dimensions of a product, or to another product type. The range of manhole rings with rebated joints produced by the Lithuanian business includes nominal sizes of 700, 1,000 and 1,500 mm and various heights. The range consists of manhole rings with climbing elements embedded directly during compaction but also includes manhole covers. Products are transported to the curing area and to subsequent handling by an electrically operated transfer carriage.
Whereas the production line of Vilniaus Gelzbetoniniu Konstrukciju Gamykla No. 3 had previously been operated to manufacture only one product per cycle, the Magic program is suitable for the manufacture of up to six items per cycle, depending on the element dimensions. Beyond the manhole components mentioned above, the products that can be manufactured on the line also include pipes, branches, adapters, road inlets, palisades etc. The production line can be gradually automated depending on the precast elements to be manufactured. The machine can be installed both as a stand-alone version and as part of a fully automatic production setup.
Top ring production
Schlüsselbauer also delivered a Ringmaster system for the economical production of manhole top rings. This relatively compact machine has no own foundation. It is used to manufacture precast elements with outside diameters of up to 1,100 mm. The machine is normally used to produce relatively simple elements such as adjustment or top rings. The product range offered by the Lithuanian business includes adjustment rings with both smooth and antiskid surfaces and in different heights. In addition, the Ringmaster system can be used to produce round-shaped and rectangular elements with or without bottom pallet, up to a height of 300 mm and a weight of up to 250 kg, in a quick process requiring only a low amount of labor.
The Technical Director of Vilniaus Gelzbetoniniu Konstrukciju Gamykla No. 3, Kjastutis Zvirblis, summarizes the significance of the current investment as follows: “I’ve dedicated my whole life to this company. You can imagine each day of my life as a single concrete block forming part of a high tower structure. My colleagues and I cannot stop building this tower, and our thoughts and ideas are always related to the construction of these walls. Due to the state-of-the-art equipment operated, and thanks to our joint efforts, we can now be truly proud of the results achieved by our business. The reinforced-concrete manhole rings and components we are currently producing conform to all European and national standards. We hope to be able to retain and further develop the high degree of technical expertise of our company also in the future. In this regard, we can truly rely on our partner, the Austrian company Schlüsselbauer Technology. A strong customer focus, a proven track record in implementation and installation, and no unnecessary bureaucracy – these are the attributes that best describe the work of all team members. A high degree of personal responsibility and the drive to achieve results – these are the cornerstones for both Schlüsselbauer and our business.”
Address/Anschrift
„Vilniaus Gelzbetoniniu Konstrukciju Gamykla Nr. 3“ Paltupio g.3
LT-2642 Vilnius/Lithuania
Tel.: +370 5 264 76 66
Fax: +370 5 264 13 26
info@gkg3.lt
www.gkg3.lt
Schlüsselbauer Technology GmbH & Co. KG
Hörbach 4
4673 Gaspoltshofen/Austria
Tel.: +43 7735 71440
Fax: +43 7735 714455
sbm@sbm.at
www.sbm.at
www.perfectsystem.eu
Representative for Russia, Bulgaria, Baltic states and CIS
St. Petersburg/Russia
Tel.: +7 812 730 60 61 Fax : +7 812 730 60 61 Mobil +7 921 949 90 91
tatiana.egorova@sbm.at
