Construction building

Trends in the construction industry: chemical anchor innovations.

Construction work in Australia is forecast to increase by 2.8% in 2023, generating over $256B of opportunities. Of this increase, engineering construction activity is set to surge amid a massive pipeline of projects across infrastructure, residential and mining sectors. With this upswing comes the sector-wide challenges of addressing material shortages, logistics and rising construction costs.

“2022 saw infrastructure projects stimulate the economy and employment, which in-turn, supported residential and commercial projects. In a 2023 COVID normal environment, we anticipate higher ‘work done’ volumes than previous recent years and see an effort to play catch-up to reign-in the delays in construction timelines from 2022,” says Jason Woods, National Training Manager, Anchors & Fastening, Stanley Black and Decker. “Hopefully next year we will see the industry getting back on its feet and the fast-tracking project starts that will serve the years ahead.”

Whilst material shortages, logistics, and rising costs are some of the issues facing the wider construction industry, the anchoring segment of the industry faces many of the same issues.

Supply chain

Some projects will continue experiencing sourcing delays. In the medium-term, supply chains will recover as approvals and project starts, as the government stimulates investment that supports the construction and renovation segment.

“From the outset of COVID, DEWALT ®Engineered By Powers has worked intensely with global supply chains to ensure we can achieve the best supply rates to support the industry with core products through these fluctuating times. Suppliers will continue to play a major role in building businesses and influencing success and profitability. It is critical to use trusted suppliers, ensuring that a mutually beneficial relationship is established,” says Woods.

Safety and productivity solutions

Safety is always a concern, and meeting compliance and transparency standards is an obligatory requirement when it comes to working on major construction projects. In the post COVID-19 environment, health and safety is still the priority. “DEWALT is constantly pushing the boundaries to create innovative, highperformance tools for the construction professional, that provide on-site performance and user protection,” said Woods.

With this in mind, there’s been an identifiable progression in the market regarding anchoring compliance and ensuring that anchors used in certain applications are complying with the relevant standards, like the National Construction Code, as an example. “We have also seen research and development regarding anchors being fit for purpose when subjected to seismic activity. DEWALT will continue to meet the ever-growing demands of the construction industry to provide solutions that improve efficiencies, are code compliant and provide safer practice solutions with a focus on performance.”

Infrastructure projects driving chemical anchor usage

The construction industry’s demand for tried, tested and trusted products constantly raises anchor benchmarks. This is especially so in Australia’s growing infrastructure segment of the industry which is currently experiencing a record level of investment - known investment is set to peak at $52b in 2023. Infrastructure projects predominantly use chemical anchors due to the need for robust products which deliver as expected. With superior performance as the key marketdriver, chemical anchors often have the edge on mechanical anchors due to their advantages across a range of applications. When selecting an anchor’s suitability, load requirements, base material (type and strength), fixture material and thickness, and environmental conditions anchors will be subjected to, are key considerations. Mechanical anchors can be quick to install and convenient to use for a number of applications which are time-critical. Chemical anchors generally will give more load capacity as opposed to mechanical anchors and can be used when deep embedment is required or a thick base plate will not accommodate a mechanical anchor. Chemical anchors can be used close to slab edge as they are not as intrusive as mechanical anchors which can cause concrete blow out when used close to a slab edge.

Chemical anchor compliance through innovation

DEWALT is continually innovating and continually keeping abreast of market and industry trends by engaging with end-users globally. Like other construction industry segments, compliance drives chemical anchor research and development. Anchors that continue to comply with building codes are the benchmark of the industry, while anchors that hold certifications such as a 100-year design life are also pushing the segment forward. Ideally, innovation delivers increased productivity, user-protection, and performance.

Along with compliance and European Technical Assessment (ETA) approved products, DEWALT Engineered By Powers consistently develops innovative solutions for the construction professional. An example of this is the new DEWALT Engineered By Powers PURE500+ and EA70-Pro.

PURE500+ comes with a 100-year design life, extensive seismic C1 & C2 approvals for threaded rod and rebar applications, and fire resistance approvals, while EA70-Pro comes with new European Technical Assessment (ETA) approvals for use in hollow and solid brick and substrates such as aerated concrete solutions. dewalt.com.au