File: MC - Aktiv 1, 2014

THE MAGAZINE FOR
EMPLOYEES AND CUSTOMERS
OF MC-BAUCHEMIE
1-2014
MC Report
MC in Brazil:
A Success Story
MC Inside
Dr. Ekkehard zur Mühlen
Joins Executive Board
Page 3
MC News
Old Bridge
Given a Face Lift Page 6
Page 5
MC News
Pure Drinking Water
for Lower Austria
Page 9
MC Innovation
Heritage Conservation –
With Cement-Free Renders
Page 11
MC Editorial
Dear Reader,
2014 is a big year for sport, with
our company making its own modest contribution. Many MC products were used in the construction
of the sports facilities for the Winter
Olympics in Sochi, as reported in
our last issue of MC aktiv. And now,
as we approach summer, all eyes
are on Brazil with excitement building for the FIFA Football World Cup.
Here again, the technical expertise
of MC has been in high demand for the construction, repair and restoration of stadiums and infrastructure. Hence, in this issue, we are focusing
on the country famed for its Sugarloaf Mountain – with a special feature
on our Brazilian company and its activities.
production, sales, distribution and personnel, and will need to adapt our
structures accordingly. Dr. Ekkehard zur Mühlen has been appointed as
our new Commercial Director to further secure and extend the successful development of MC as we move forward.
As usual, you will find a range of interesting features in this issue concerning current MC activities and new products. We report on prestigious projects in Berlin and Equatorial Guinea and impressive undertakings in the Czech Republic, Austria and Germany. We also tell of exciting
technical developments such as our new surface coating for agricultural
structures MC-PowerPro HCR, our new cement-free “historic” renders, and
our MRT technology*.
I wish you continued success this year – and an enjoyable read!
Kind regards,
Last year saw our group of companies undergo further growth, a trend
that we aim to maintain. We shall be further expanding our capacities in
Dr.-Ing. Claus-M. Müller
Contents
MC Inside
3Dr. Ekkehard zur Mühlen Joins
Executive Board
… to secure the successful development of MC.
Cover photo
14
Fast Systems Required
MC and Botament work in tandem on demanding
refurbishment project for a REWE supermarket.
MC Report
6MC in Brazil: A Success Story
MC News
For over 12 years now, MC has been doing successful business in the country hosting the 2014
4Berlin Service Centre – Construction
Site Service in Germany’s Capital
Football World Cup.
In Berlin, too, MC is a trusted partner in the
support of major construction projects.
8
“Right Place, Right Time”
Interview with Jacques Pinto, MC Managing
5
MC product systems applied for the repair and
restoration of a pedestrian bridge in the Czech
Republic.
9
Pure Drinking Water for Lower Austria
High-tech surface protection from MC protects
potable water tank in Hinterbrühl tower.
12
Director in Brazil.
Old Bridge Given a Face Lift
A
utomatic Repair of Manholes
10
term protection of manhole shafts in Pulheim.
13
Mobile MRT* System for Hire
Concrete Additives for Equatorial Guinea
MC superplasticisers used in the expansion of
Mongomeyen Airport.
H
igh Chemical Resistance for
Agricultural Structures
concrete agricultural structures.
11 Conserving History –
With Cement-Free Renders
“Historic” for heritage-listed structures.
MC Personnel
15
Welcome to the Team
New employees at MC-Bauchemie.
Manhole rehabilitation “to go” with the MRT truck.
13
MC Innovation
A new surface coating system from MC protects
Fully automated application system for the long-
15
N
ew: Compliance Directive and
Compliance Officer
MC code of conduct provides orientation
for day-to-day activities.
*MRT = Manhole Rehabilitation Technology by HDT
2 | MC aktiv 1_2014
Our cover photo shows the legendary Estádio
Municipal do Maracanã, or Maracanã Stadium
for short, located in the Brazilian metropolis of
Rio de Janeiro. This venue, used for the final of
the 1950 Football World Cup, is one of the most
famous soccer stadiums in the world. Now it is to
be the principal venue for the 2014 World Cup –
with the final once again being played here. The
stadium was extensively expanded, upgraded and
refurbished for this special role, with MC supplying
tailored repair and protection systems to meet
the many and varied construction demands. Thus
MC, too, has contributed to making this famous
stadium fit and ready for its upcoming major
appearance on the world stage. (Photo: ME/Portal
da Copa).
Credits
Publisher:
MC-Bauchemie Müller
GmbH & Co. KG
Am Kruppwald 1-8
46238 Bottrop, Germany
Tel. +49 (0) 20 41/1 01-0
Fax +49 (0) 20 41/1 01-688
www.mc-bauchemie.de
[email protected]
Responsible for content/Conception:
Saki Moysidis
Editorial role and design:
mediengruppe essen,
Essen
MC
MC Inside
Inside
Dr. Ekkehard zur Mühlen
Joins Executive Board
Effective January 1, 2014, Dr. Ekkehard zur Mühlen joined MC-Bauchemie Müller GmbH Co. KG,
Bottrop/Germany, as its new Commercial Director with special responsibility for mergers & acquisitions.
Some of the countries in which the MC Group is active also fall under his directorship.
He was previously CFO of the
Renolit Group, a global leader in
the manufacture of high-grade
plastic film, sheeting and other
plastic products, where he held
executive responsibility for finance
and accounting, performance
management, legal affairs, IT and
mergers & acquisitions. “We are
delighted to have engaged Dr.
Ekkehard zur Mühlen as Commercial Director of MC-Bauchemie. He
offers an excellent combination
of technical expertise, financial
know-how and extensive experience as a CFO. With him on board,
I feel sure we can look forward to
securing the long-term, successful further development of MC,”
says Dr. Claus-M. Müller, Managing Partner of MC-Bauchemie.
“MC is an international group of
companies experiencing dynamic
growth that offers huge potential and an interesting range of
responsibilities. I am confident
of being able to make a tangible
contribution here with my experience and expertise,” says Dr. zur
Mühlen on surveying his new
challenge.
During his first few months, he
visited the individual companies
of the MC Group, a number of
production facilities and various
specialist departments, familiarising himself step by step with his
new field of activity. “MC is a multifaceted and regionally diversified
organisation. So my task at the
moment is to listen, ask questions
and acquire as much information
as I can in order to gain an overview of the company’s situation
and understand the interrelationships that exist,” Dr. zur Mühlen
explains.
At the beginning of January, his
expertise and experience in the
field of mergers & acquisitions was
already in demand. He successfully completed the purchase of
shares in companies in the Middle
East. He also visited various MC
companies abroad.
His intention in the coming
months is to further consolidate
his knowledge base so that he
can engage more effectively in
his fields of responsibility and the
strategies pursued by the business units. The strategic objective
overall is to identify further growth
possibilities and then to apply the
appropriate measures in leverag-
ing that potential. He will thus be
actively involved in the organisational expansion of the MC Group
as well as in various financing
projects. “In the coming months, I
will also be subjecting our reporting system to an in-depth analy-
sis,” says Dr. zur Mühlen, adding:
“Applying the usual MC passion
to get things done, Dr. Müller
and I want to manage the Group
together with the aim of adding
further chapters to the MC success story.”
A brief introduction
Dr. Ekkehard zur Mühlen (46)
studied physics at the Universities
of Bonn and Newcastle/Australia,
gaining his PhD in experimental
physics. Having held posts in
sales and product management,
he joined a major rigid plastics
film manufacturer where he was
ultimately responsible for the
Treasury, Corporate Finance and
Investor Relations departments.
Over the same period, he also
completed a career-based Executive MBA course at a renowned
business school. Around the
middle of 2006, this father of
three children latterly moved to
the Renolit Group where he was
initially Head of Group Financial
Control, later to be appointed to
the position of CFO. His responsibilities included the creation of
administrative group structures
for this rapidly growing company,
managing global M&A projects
and assisting with the international expansion of the group
organisation.
Did you know that …
… MC started in Brazil with
15 employees in 2001, and
now boasts a workforce of
over 250 people?
MC aktiv 1_2014 | 3
MC News
Aktuell
CityCube Berlin
Berlin Service Centre
Berlin Service Centre –
Construction Site Service in Germany’s Capital
Germany’s capital city is experiencing an economic upturn –
with the construction industry
also benefiting. MC products
are currently being used in a
number of major construction
sites. Here, we report on a couple of selected projects being
supported by the CC business unit of our Berlin Service
Centre.
In Winter, the Berlin Service Centre again
held a number of specialist seminars for site
managers and supervisors, informing them
of the latest technical developments and
demonstrating practical product application
techniques.
Berlin is booming. Planning and
construction is happening everywhere. Trusted partners and good
products are therefore in high
demand among clients, architects, specifiers and contractors
alike. MC’s Service Centre in Berlin
is well known not just for its technical know-how and its high quality, innovative systems but also for
its first-class support capability. “We
see ourselves as a partner to our
customers on site, recommending
to them solutions that they require
in order to execute their projects to
optimum effect,” says Simon Stratmann, Regional Sales Manager at
CC. Good contacts with site managers and contractors are successfully further extended with each
beneficial collaboration. Product systems from MC are currently
being used for many construction
projects in Berlin. “Our concrete cosmetic products are still our breadand-butter business here in Berlin.
We have seen a significant increase
in demand for our Emcoril curing
agents. Also, our admixtures – particularly our PCEs* – are in very high
demand,” reports field sales representative Detlef Pfaff, who supports a number of high-prestige
construction projects in the greater
Berlin area.
CityCube Berlin
One capital project in every sense
is the CityCube Berlin. This multifunctional exhibition, conference
and events arena is being built in
order to upgrade the Berlin Exhibition Centre to enable it to compete more effectively for congress
business. It is designed for events
with up to 10,000 participants. The
site managers and contractors have
specified the releasing agent Ortolan SEP 711 for this major project.
As a classic separating product
for site usage, it is ideal for a wide
range of different types of formwork and shuttering, enabling
problem-free demoulding with
zero adhesion.
Bikini Berlin
In the case of the “Bikinihaus”, a wellknown, transparent retail and office
building with a roof landscape, the
project involved the restoration of
4 | MC aktiv 1_2014
extensive areas of fair face concrete.
MC-Rost-Ex, the cleaning agent formulated to remove rust stains from
concrete surfaces, and the polymer
additive Repacryl, designed to further upgrade the appearance of
the concrete cosmetic filler used,
together produced surfaces of radiant splendour. Prior to this work,
MC had familiarised the applicators
in a concrete cosmetics training
course. In the field of concrete cosmetics, MC offers not only cementbound, polymer-modified fillers of
various colours and grades but also
additives to improve certain properties, as well as especially developed application tools.
Federal Ministry for the Interior
MC supplied a range of concrete
cosmetic products for repair of the
fair face concrete and improvement
of the overall look of a new build
commissioned by Germany’s Federal Ministry for the Interior. Due to
particularly high security requirements, delivery proved to be a challenge. In addition to concrete cosmetic fillers of various grades, the
easy-to-apply and quickly loadable
screed mortar Estrifan SN 60 T was
used to satisfy the requirements
placed on the floor surfaces.
[email protected]
[email protected]
*PCE = Polycarboxylat ether-based admixtures
MC News
Old Bridge Given a Face Lift
After 70 years of use, a pedestrian bridge over the Czech river
Lužnice had to be completed refurbished. Product systems from
MC were used to ensure that the bridge is properly protected for
decades to come.
Located near the town of Harrachov is a reinforced concrete
bridge that takes foot traffic over
the river Lužnice. Since its construction in 1940/41, this bridge in
its idyllic, green setting – particularly popular with hikers – underwent only minimal maintenance,
i.e. a new coat of paint every now
and then. However, the tide of
time and heavy flooding in 2002
had weakened the fabric of the
bridge to such an extent that careful, extensive repair and restoration
became increasingly urgent. In
2013, the city of Tabor made monies available to enable the bridge
to be returned to its former glory.
Reliable systems
In April 2013, the old railings and
the paving were removed and the
substructure cleaned up and prepared using high-pressure water
jetting. CFRP panels were then
adhesive-bonded in place to provide reinforcement and stabilisation. The contractor Libor Ryba, a
long-standing MC customer, used
the duromer MC-DUR 1280 for the
job. This two-component epoxyresin-based adhesive develops
high mechanical strength very
quickly, even at low temperatures.
In order to select suitable systems
for the concrete repairs, trials were
also carried out with MC’s Nafufill product system, the results of
which appropriately impressed
both the client and the planning
engineers.
As a result, Nafufill KM 110 was
used to level the non-pedestrian
(i.e. unloaded) surfaces. The polymer-modified fine mortar offers
high water retention capacity and
application flexibility, making it
ideal for the job. It is also resistant to freeze/thaw and thermal
cycling. The bridge copings and
substructure were completely
reprofiled with Nafufill KM 250.
Further structurally relevant components were refurbished using
MC’s fibre-reinforced PCC concrete
repair and replacement. The system is resistant to de-icing salt and
chloride-proof and exhibits a high
degree of resistance to carbonation. It can thus be relied upon to
protect the reinforcing steel. It is
also fire-resistant and structurally
effective.
Excellent protection for the
coming years
Finally, Nafufill BS was also applied
as a surface protection coat. The
ready-to-use, pigmented system
is non-flammable, weather-resistant, UV-stable, and resistant to
acids, alkalis and salt solutions. It
is highly resistant to carbonation
and open to water vapour diffusion. It can also be used in the deicing salt spray zone. For the first
time in the Czech Republic, the
unique surface protection system
MC-DUR 2496 CTP was used for
the bridge deck, offering not only
high mechanical strength but also
excellent application properties.
These allow it to be brushed, rolled
or sprayed onto the recipient surface. MC-DUR 2496 CTP also exhibits a relatively long pot life yet
offers all the advantages of accelerated curing once applied, and is
particularly effective in the presence of moisture and low temperatures. The product is quickly overworkable and excels in terms of
its high scratch, scuff and abrasion
resistance.
Thanks to advanced technologies
combined with excellent coordination and collaboration, hikers using
the bridge with its brand-new
steel railings will be unaware of its
age. And, for the next 70 years or
so, they can be sure that it will take
them safely over the Lužnice.
Before and after photos that tell a story:
After 70 years, the reinforced concrete
bridge for pedestrians has been superbly
rehabilitated for the coming decades following a major repair and restoration project.
Did you know that …
… Brazil is around 24 times
the size of Germany?
[email protected]
MC aktiv 1_2014 | 5
MC Report
MC in Brazil:
A Success Story
The 2014 FIFA Football World Cup is almost upon us. Around the
world, all eyes will be on Brazil in the coming weeks and months,
with the beauty of this multi-faceted country also very much on
show. MC-Bauchemie recognised early on the potential of Brazil as
an emerging economic power and has been represented there by its
own company since 2001, giving more than 12 years of success to
look back on.
MC-Bauchemie Brazil was established in September 2001 with a
small production facility in Taboão
da Serra near São Paulo and a team
of 15 employees. Since then, the
company has undergone some
quite dynamic expansion. Today,
MC Brazil has two major production
facilities with their own sales teams
and more than 250 employees in
all. The two operations in Vargem
Grande Paulista near São Paulo
and in Vitória de Santo Antão
near Recife (see MC aktiv 3/2012)
produced more than 60,000 metric
tons of additives in 2013. Since its
inception, MC Brazil has gradually
expanded its product range and
has bedded in well with its sales
divisions attached to Protection
Technologies (PT) and Construction
Chemicals (CC). The growth of the
Brazilian economy led to a true con-
struction boom, particularly in the
infrastructure and energy sectors –
both of which require partners like
MC. Client trust in the company's
abilities quickly grew. As in other
parts of the world, MC is known in
Brazil not only for its high-quality
product portfolio and tailored
solutions but also for its application
know-how and first-class support
and advisory services. Its customers include ready-mix concrete
manufacturers, concrete precasters,
planning engineers, architects and
specifiers, property developers and
energy utility companies.
The MC Brazil recipe: competence
and customer focus
With applicator qualification training courses and a range of other
instruction events all available in
the local language, MC offers its
Who’s who at MC Brazil
MC Brazil’s management team numbers nine, of whom most have
been with MC for several years – with some even going back to 2001
when the company was founded. José Roberto Saleme is Head of PT,
Shingiro Tokudome manages the CC unit, Juan Silvano is responsible
for the Botament business in Brazil, Rafael Capella is Head of Finance,
Thais Alves runs Research & Development, Gabriel Castanho is Head
of Production, Samanta Miranda is responsible for Purchasing, Marcos
Eggers manages Logistics/Infrastructure and Vivian Luna is Head of
Human Resources.
6 | MC aktiv 1_2014
partners tangible added value
while also contributing to the high
standard of quality encountered in
the construction, protection and
repair of structures and buildings in
Brazil. The company's partnership
network is nurtured in an approach
seldom encountered in Brazil. Consequently, MC is highly regarded
and has grown its share of some
markets to as much as 25%. “These
achievements are down to the
entire team and its ability to work
together, from sales through to the
laboratory – ensuring that contact
people are constantly available, and
carrying out their responsibilities
with meticulous care and tireless
commitment,” says Jaques Pinto,
MC’s Managing Director in Brazil.
MC’s contribution to the Football
World Cup
This is also apparent in the extensive restoration work undertaken at
the legendary Maracanã Stadium,
one of the main venues of the
2014 FIFA Football World Cup and
showcase for the final (see MC aktiv
1/2013). Cooperating closely with
the construction consortium and
the planning engineers, MC found
solutions to a wide range of technical construction problems encountered in the project, convincing
those responsible of its extensive
competence in both the building
and repair of stadiums.
Satisfying the hunger for energy
The Brazilian energy sector is also
booming. A major portion of the
electricity required in order to
satisfy the growing hunger for
energy encountered in Brazil’s
economic centres is generated
in the water-rich regions of the
country. MC is working for a
number of renowned energy
utilities, helping with construction
and restoration work at various
power plant megaprojects. The
company’s expertise and large
quantities of MC additives, specifically aligned to the prevailing
climatic, geological and technological conditions encountered,
have been utilised, for example,
for the huge Jirau Dam project
(see MC aktiv 1/2013). In addition,
numerous “old” reservoir dams
have been rehabilitated using
MC product systems as part of a
major governmental investment
programme. MC Brazil is able to
offer precisely the pool of projectspecific know-how required; both
the CC business unit and PT have
corresponding specialist teams,
each led by a manager who acts
as the key point contact for customers throughout the country.
There is also extensive knowledge
and experience exchange at the
international level between all
MC’s experts from which customers in Brazil likewise benefit.
MC Report
Strong growth in wind power
Wind power is currently the
energy source exhibiting the
highest rate of expansion. Wind
generator capacity has multiplied
and continues to grow rapidly.
MC has consistently beaten off its
competitors in this sector – with
a better product range for the
construction, protection and repair
of the sky-scraping masts, and with
everything from anti-graffiti coatings to suitably tailored additives
(see MC aktiv 2/2013).
The Trairi wind park constituted
the biggest project handled by the
PT business unit in 2013. Siemens
Solutions awarded MC the order
to repair all the turbine propellers
of the coastal wind farm and to
provide the blades with protective coatings. The work was only
completed at the beginning of this
year. It involved 1,620 metric tons
of the hydraulically bound grout
mortar Emcekrete 80, 96,000 litres
of the surface protection system
EmceColor-flex and 5 metric tons
of the PCC-concrete replacement
system Nafufill KM 250.
Good prospects,
with MC “in the mix”
MC Brazil also serves a wide range
of different areas of application
beyond its core business segments. MC products are used for
floor coatings in the food industry,
and many CC products are being
used for the new, modern cement
factory of the Elisabeth Group, one
of the largest industrial companies
in Brazil, which is located in Paraíba.
MC expertise, products and service
are likewise in high demand for
infrastructure projects such as the
construction of bridges and tunnels. MC Brazil intends to further
develop its business activities in
the future and has expanded its
structures accordingly: Teams from
Research & Development, Production, Finance, Human Resources
and Marketing work closely
together with MC’s corporate
headquarters in Bottrop, Germany.
And a new, fully automatic powder
tower is scheduled to be commissioned soon in Vargem Grande
Paulista for the production of
further MC products, increasing
the powder output at the site from
a current 30,000 to 100,000 metric
tons per year. This will provide an
excellent platform for further growing the business.
MC expanding
A few years ago, Botament also entered the Brazilian market and has
since developed its business and
built up a good reputation for itself.
With home construction currently
flourishing, it has excellent potential
for further growth.
MC Brazil covers a wide range of applications. The company offers expertise for the energy
sector, as exemplified by its activities for and on behalf of the Trairi wind park (photo top left).
MC is also involved in the construction of the high-tech cement factory of the Elisabeth Group
(photo top right) and the Maracanã Stadium (bottom photo).
Nicolaus Müller, son of the managing partner Dr. Claus-M. Müller,
has been in Brazil for the last three
years and is currently working on
Botament’s range of waterproofing barrier, sealing and tile adhesive products. As product manager,
he is in close contact with the inhouse R&D laboratory, enabling
the technology developed in Germany to be effectively adapted to
the Brazilian market. He is also developing appropriate marketing
strategies together with the sales
team and orchestrating the overall strategic alignment of the Brazilian company across its various
departments and divisions. In addition to driving such plans forward,
MC is also looking at the promising
wider aspects of the Latin American market. A trading company
was established in Chile at the beginning of 2014 and a similar entity
is also to follow in Colombia (see
Interview, page 8). So things are
looking good for MC Brazil.
[email protected]
www.mc-bauchemie.com.br
MC aktiv 1_2014 | 7
MC Report
Although delighted with how MC Brazil has
developed in the past, Brazil’s Managing
Director, Jaques Pinto, continues to look to
the future, confidently setting his sights on
the wider Latin American market.
“Right Place, Right Time”
Jaques Pinto, MC Brazil’s Managing Director, has been part of
the development and success of
MC in Brazil right from the start.
MC shows appreciation of Brazil’s
beauty
MC Brazil is a sponsor of the “Brasil da Copa”
project, which encompasses a series of exhibitions and an impressive illustrated book,
highlighting the beauty of the venues chosen for the 2014 Football World Cup from a
cultural, historic and geographic perspective. The first exhibition was opened in Pernambuco where it could be seen through
to the end of March. It then moved to São
Paulo, near the Pacaembu Stadium, where it
will remain until June.
8 | MC aktiv 1_2014
Mr Pinto, how do you explain
the rapid growth of MC in Brazil?
MC was in the right place at the
right time. We have benefited from
the solid economic development
that the country has undergone in
the last 12 years, but we have also
had the right strategy, the right
products and the right personnel to
drive our own dynamic growth. Our
competitors such as Fosroc, BASF
and Sika have either been sold or
have changed their strategy, providing us with an opportunity to move
into spaces they have vacated –
something that we have done with
some considerable success.
How important are contacts with
MC in Germany?
We work very closely with our
headquarters in Bottrop. The
majority of our management team
were trained at least for a period of
time in Germany and we maintain
direct contacts with colleagues in
similar positions there. This ensures
that we receive all the support we
need and get all the updates on
new products, solutions and technologies as and when they become
available.
How are the future plans and
prospects of MC Brazil looking?
Looking forward, the Brazilian economy is unlikely to grow at quite the
speed we have seen in the past.
However, Brazil will continue to
invest heavily in expanding its infrastructure. Demand for MC products
will therefore be correspondingly
high. There is also huge growth
potential in the home building sector, which we serve with our Botament unit. Our aim over the next
few years is to consolidate MC’s
market share, to further develop
our Botament business and to
expand into other countries of Latin
America.
What specific measures do you
have in the pipeline?
We will shortly be commissioning a new powder tower near São
Paulo, increasing our capacity and
enabling us to manufacture new
products. We will also be concentrating more and more on expanding into the wider Latin American
market. We took the first steps
down this road with the establishment of a trading company in
Chile at the beginning of this year.
We are also planning to start a further trading company in Colombia, and the markets of Argentina,
Peru and Mexico are destined to
become of increasing interest to us
in the future.
On a more personal note, how
have you enjoyed your time
with MC?
I am very much enjoying being the
Managing Director of MC in Brazil. It’s been a pleasure right from
the start. I had a unique opportunity to develop a company from
small beginnings and to guide it
through a period of rapid growth
– with all the associated challenges. I am very proud of the gratifying development undergone by
our company and the successes
achieved by our employees. It is
a delight to be able to work with
a team that is so motivated and
committed. Together, we have
accomplished a great deal over the
last 12 years, and as I cast my eyes
into the future, I can see plenty of
still untapped potential to fire my
motivation.
[email protected]
MC
MC
Aktuell
News
before
after
The internal surfaces of the main chamber of the Hinterbrühl drinking water tower are now ideally
protected by anti-corrosion coatings from MC, giving an exceptional seal combined with outstanding chemical and abrasion resistance, plus a smooth, almost mirror finish in the wall area.
Pure Drinking Water for Lower Austria
The local drinking water tower serving Hinterbrühl in Lower Austria had become unstable due to corrosion in its steel reinforcement. Rehabilitation was urgently required. And for this work, the contractor
opted for the reliable and durable surface treatment technology available from MC, backed up by the
experience and expertise of its coating specialists.
In 2012, the specialist construction company MM Kanal-RohrSanierung GmbH from Hartl near
Kaindorf, Austria, was awarded
a project by the regional water
board WLV to repair and refurbish the Hinterbrühl water tower
built in 1973. The work was to
be carried out in accordance
with a concept elaborated by
the contractor. Corroding steel
reinforcement meant that this
single-chamber water tower with
a useful capacity of 2,000 m3 was
in danger of becoming structurally
unstable. Only materials approved
for potable water were permitted
for use on the restoration project.
The regional water board decided
in favour of the purely mineral
product system MC-RIM-PW,
which met in full the requirements
of the ÖVGW (Austrian Gas and
Water Association). MC-RIM PW
10 and PW 30 exhibit exceptional
properties in terms of sealing
performance and chemical and
abrasion resistance. The coatings
offer values far below the specified
limits in relation to the watercement ratio for lining mortars,
fresh mortar air void content
and total air void content. These
exceptional characteristics are the
result of the DySC® technology
developed by MC which causes
coatings to actually improve in
terms of their sealing performance
and resistance after they have
been applied, with overall porosity
actually decreasing with usage.
High-tech in the drinking
water tank
After the old coatings had been
removed, the reinforcing steel was
cleaned of rust and then provided
with the mineral, cement-bound
and potable-water-approved corrosion protection coating MC-RIM
PW CP, with gaps being refilled with
the concrete replacement system
MC-RIM PW 20. The first coating
was then manually covered using
the mineral, cement-bound and
potable-water-approved bond coat
MC-RIM PW-BC. Finally, the surface
protection system MC-RIM PW 10
was applied in two layers over the
walls and ceiling area using wet
spraying technology. The surface
protection system used for the floor
area, MC-RIM PW 30, was manually
applied and compacted. As in the
case of the walls, the surface was
smoothed to provide a mirror finish.
However, the ceiling surfaces were
left rough as sprayed to enable
condensate to drip more easily.
As a result, the main chamber of
the Hinterbrühl water tower now
boasts a well sealed, durable and
exceptionally reliable coating
system, proven around the world
as one of the most advanced of
its type for drinking water storage
applications.
[email protected]
Successful partnership
MM Kanal-Rohr-Sanierung GmbH
and MC-Bauchemie have been
working successfully together for
more than 14 years now, with MM
using the innovative MC-RIM PW
system since it was first introduced.
The shared vision of the two partners
is to achieve optimal quality in the
repair and restoration of drinking
water storage facilities. Going far
beyond the minimum requirements
specified in the relevant standards,
they specifically aim to increase the
service life of such systems while also
reducing their lifecycle costs. To this
end, MM employees are regularly
trained each year by experts from
MC in the fields of concrete repair
and injection technology.
Did you know that …
… every fifth person in
Brazil lives in one of its metropolises and that, with
17 million inhabitants, São
Paulo is the largest city in
South America?
MC aktiv 1_2014 | 9
MC Innovation
Slurry, liquid manure, silage effluent: In
agriculture, concrete structures are exposed
to attack from a wide range of aggressive
chemical substances.
High Chemical Resistance
for Agricultural Structures
With MC-PowerPro HCR, MC
has developed a new coating
system for the long-term protection of agricultural concrete
structures against chemical
attack from substances such
as slurry, liquid manure, silage
effluent and biogenic sulphuric
acid corrosion.
The fermentation process that
takes place in clamp silos gives
rise to organic acids – known as
silage effluent – with pH values as
low as 2. Unprotected steel-reinforced concrete is unable to withstand this kind of attack for long. In
biogas facilities, and particularly in
the gas contact zone, the concrete
has to withstand the highest exposure class XA3 and/or biogenic sulphuric acid corrosion (BSAC) with
pH values down to <1. MC-PowerPro HCR serves to protect agricultural concrete structures, lengthening their useful service lifetimes.
HCR stands for “High Chemical
Resistance”. This flexible, duroelastic surface coating exhibits very
good resistance not only to BSAC
and silage effluent (in compliance with DIN 11622-2), but also
to a large number of organic acids,
salt solutions and alkalis. The product system also offers very good
scuff/abrasion resistance, allowing access with pneumatic-tyred
vehicles. It likewise has good crack
bridging properties (in accordance
with EN 1504 Part 2, crack bridging class A2). That means substrates susceptible to cracking or
areas with cracking already pre-
10 | MC aktiv 1_2014
sent close to or at the surface can
be effectively protected, avoiding
contamination of groundwater by
chemical substances.
Resistant even to pH
values close to 0
The construction materials testing company Kiwa MPA Bautest GmbH has found in its investigations that concrete surfaces
coated with MC-PowerPro HCR
remain free of damage even after
six months of immersion in sulphuric acid-containing media with
a pH value close to 0. By contrast,
unprotected concrete exposed to
the same conditions suffers very
marked attack.
Wide range of applications
The range of applications for
which this surface coating is suitable is extensive. Thanks to its outstanding chemical resistance, particularly with respect to BSAC and
acids, it is ideal for use in, say, the
gas contact zone of covered facilities or digesters. It is equally effective in slurry tanks, liquid manure
cellars, slurry channels, fodder fermenting silos, clamp silos, biogas
tanks, biogas fermenters and composting plants.
Fast and simple placement
The new surface coating system
consists of an epoxy resin primer –
MC-PowerPro HCRprimer –
and the two-component,
pigmented polymer combination
MC-PowerPro HCR. Both are easy
and quick to apply. MC-PowerPro
HCRprimer can be brushed, rolled
or sprayed onto the recipient
surface, while MC-PowerPro
HCR can be applied by rolling
or trowelling. The system can be
installed on either cementbound substrates such as
concrete, reinforced concrete
or mortar, or straight onto steel
surfaces. The only prerequisite
is that the substrate be suitably
prepared for the coating.
[email protected]
MC Innovation
Conserving History –
With Cement-Free Renders
When it comes to preserving time-honoured buildings, heritage conservators frequently demand the
use of building materials that are as close as possible to, and compatible with, their historic predecessors. The new cement-free “historic” renders developed by MC meet these requirements, offering high
quality together with very good technical properties.
From time to time, historic buildings need to be rehabilitated in
order to prevent them from falling
into irreversible decay. Building
materials that match their historic predecessors and yet offer a
functionality in line with modern
requirements are therefore very
much in demand in the field of heritage conservation. The cementcontaining moisture-regulating
render Exzellent from MC has
already been used on structures in
the Israeli town of Akko and in Jerusalem – and with very good results
indeed. The optimised salt transfer
of this moisture-regulating render
provides for maximum reliability in
the conservation of historic monuments and structures.
However, there are many structures,
such as Magdeburg Cathedral, on
which modern cement-based renders cannot be used. In such applications, heritage authorities require
the use of renders that correspond
to their historic predecessors – and
these were cement-free. In order
to meet these authenticity requirements while still offering conservators top-class products, MC has
now developed Exzellent historic,
the first cement-free moisture-regulating render, and Oxal NHL 3 historic, a lime render suitable for both
internal and external applications.
Optimal moisture regulation for
ancient masonry
The machine and manual render
Exzellent historic is the first cementfree, highly functional render to be
developed for the long-term moisture regulation of masonry of all
types, whether internal, external or
in the dado/splash zone. It is particularly suitable for areas heavily
exposed to salt attack and moisture
penetration. Instead of cement,
the binding agent used is natural, hydraulic (Roman) lime, a traditional building material of very
high quality. Exzellent historic
cures reliably even on damp walls
and external masonry, and can be
used without the need for complex drying measures. The render
exhibits low shrinkage and a low
cracking tendency. Moreover, its
intrinsic lightness of weight contributes to a high level of basic stability. The mortar is also mouldinhibiting.
Historic render for cement-free
refurbishment
While Exzellent historic is ideal for
masonry areas exposed to heavy
salt and moisture attack, Oxal
NHL 3 historic is suitable for use
on internal and external masonry
and façades subject to no more
than minor salt attack. Likewise
absolutely cement-free, this mineral-bound lime render is open to
water vapour diffusion and can
therefore be relied upon to create
a pleasant interior climate. On
façades and dado/splash areas it
offers the advantages of high resilience, can be felted and can also
be mechanically applied with
the usual plastering machines. In
order to meet aesthetic requirements when used in conjunction
with Exzellent historic in a resto-
ration project, Oxal NHL 3 historic
can be provided with the same,
high-quality limestone aggregate
grading curve.
The two products are therefore well matched for use within
a single system, both helping to
return historic structures to their
former glory.
[email protected]
Did you know that …
… Brazil’s Atlantic coast is
7,400 kilometres long?
MC aktiv 1_2014 | 11
MC News
Aktuell
View of Brauweiler Abbey, Pulheim
The sewerage manholes of the estate were automatically refurbished by units centrally lowered
down the shaft.
Automatic Repair of
Manholes in Pulheim
Faced with the need to rehabilitate all the sewerage manholes
within the grounds of Brauweiler
Abbey in Pulheim, the Rhineland Regional Authority (LVR)
opted for the MRT* automatic
repair system developed by HDT
of Bottrop (Germany), combined
with a high-tech coating system
from MC.
*MRT = Manhole Rehabilitation Technology
View of the spinning head.
12 | MC aktiv 1_2014
The work was carried out between
July and September 2013 by Heikaus KS Kanalsanierungen GmbH,
a Krefeld company with a longstanding tradition in the sewerage
rehabilitation field that also offers
many years of experience with
MRT technology and the speciality ombran mortars involved. The
team started by blasting the walls
of the manholes down to a “sound”
base, ensuring optimum preparation of the substrate for the subsequent repair coating. The blasting
pressures applied in this operation
need to be in the region of 350 to
500 bar. The MRT system generates
these through a vertically traversing
water/granulate blasting unit centred within the manhole. This eliminates the need for a human operative to be located in such a confined and dangerous space.
Fast and reliable application
The substrate preparation stage
was followed by the coating operation, performed by a spinning unit
working its way down the manhole shafts to depths of between
2.0 and 3.5 metres. Its rotating
head “slings” the high-tech ombran
MHP-SP mortar – specially formulated for spray and spinning application methods – onto the prepared surface. Within the spinning
unit, the material is accelerated to
such a speed that it compacts on
impact with the manhole wall. The
DySC® technology of the reprofiling and coating system promotes
further consolidation of the mortar
matrix during the service lifetime
of the coating, extensively preventing the penetration of aggressive
substances. Within three minutes,
the MRT system had created a new
layer of 15mm per square metre
with no spray shadows or unevenness, greatly reducing the time conventionally required to rehabilitate a manhole shaft. And because
the coating is not only easy and
quick to apply but also water-resistant after just three hours, the sewerage system downtime was likewise kept to a minimum. To ensure
effective protection of the manholes against biogenic sulphuric
acid corrosion, LVR chose the high-
tech coating ombran CPS from MC
for the Pulheim project. A special
accessory in the form of a coating
head meant that this hybrid silicate
coating could also be applied with
the MRT system.
The entire rehabilitation process
was computer-aided with closedloop control. An integrated position measuring system monitored
both the substrate preparation
stage and the coating process. Thus
the Pulheim manholes were efficiently repaired and provided with
long-term protection in a fully automated process.
[email protected]
[email protected]
About HDT
HDT Hochdruck-Dosier-Technik
GmbH is a sister company of MC
and one of the leading machine
construction and service companies
for high-pressure application and
metering technology in Germany. In
addition to manual sealing systems
for double-glazing production, it
also offers mobile, automated manhole rehabilitation technology (MRT)
in the form of machines that are
unique in the restoration industry.
www.h-d-tec.de
MC
MC
Aktuell
News
Concrete Additives
for Equatorial Guinea
Mongomeyen International Airport, completed in 2009, is located in the middle of the jungle in the West
African state of Equatorial Guinea. As part of an expansion project, further infrastructure construction
works were undertaken in 2013, with MC superplasticisers among the materials used.
The national government of Equatorial Guinea is currently having a
new city built in the middle of an
undeveloped tropical forest. Eventually, this will become the country’s
seat of government. The new international airport at Mongomeyen
has served to open up the hinterland close to the border, connecting
it with the new metropolis. Recently,
the government announced that
infrastructure expansion measures
needed to be carried out at Mongomeyen International Airport,
which was built in 2009, in order to
provide new drainage channels and
concrete aprons for aircraft parking.
The Portuguese general contractor,
ZAGOPE, which belongs to the Brazilian Andrade Gutierrez Group and
specialises in public sector construction projects, awarded the order for
developing the concrete formula-
tion to renowned concrete expert
Ana Maria Proença of the Faculty
of Construction Engineering at the
University of Porto, Portugal. The formulation had to meet the specific
demands and conditions encountered in the construction project in
Equatorial Guinea. Factors prevailing
in central west Africa that needed to
be taken into account included the
site’s position in the middle of the
rain forest, the level of qualification
of the personnel on the ground, the
local cements and aggregates available, the equipment to be used
and also, in particular, the tropical climate of the area. Proença had
already collaborated successfully
with MC and, for the specified consistency class F4, she recommended
the high-performance superplasticisers MC-TechniFlow 91 and 95.
These have been especially devel-
oped for ready-mix concrete used
in highly demanding applications.
“We have maintained a very good
relationship with the University of
Porto for many years now. In the
Baixo Sabor Dam project, for example, we worked together on developing a tailored solution to ensure
that the concrete retained its flowability despite impeding factors such
as the use of extremely hydrophilic
aggregates,” recounts Diana Boulhosa, Head of Sales at the CC business unit of MC in Portugal (see also
MC aktiv 1/2013). Thanks to their
long-lasting plasticising and delaying effect, the high-performance
superplasticisers were able to
deliver impressive results, reducing
the time and effort required on site
to pour, distribute and compact the
homogeneous concrete provided.
The current infrastructure expan-
sion activities are now close to completion, with a total of 63,375 m3 of
concrete containing MC additives
having been installed in the course
of construction.
[email protected]
Mobile Manhole Rehabilitation
MRT truck ensures easy application and great time savings combined with high reliability, safety
and quality.
Collaborating with the ombran
business unit of MC, the company HDT has launched an innovation that adds mobility and fast
and simple application to its MRT
technology. After a year of development work, a 7.5 metric ton MRT
truck has been launched in which
all the equipment and components needed for the automated
rehabilitation of manholes have
been professionally integrated.
Engineers, sewerage system operators and applicators can rent the
MRT truck on a daily, weekly or
monthly basis.
This mobile unit contains a complete MRT assembly together with
a machine room featuring a standalone power generator, a highpressure water jetting system with
compressor, and a mortar mixing
zone with plate mixer and mortar pump. The integral hydraulic
boom reaches beyond the tail lift,
enabling simple yet very accurate
operation with maximum flexibility. In addition, the MRT truck has
a mini staff room with microwave
oven, coffee machine and seating area for two people, a laptop
workstation, a toilet and a washbasin, and its own water storage tank
with a capacity of 500 litres. Once
an applicator’s personnel have
been properly familiarised with
the operation of the system, they
are able to use all its functions and
facilities unsupervised.
[email protected]
MC aktiv 1_2014 | 13
MC News
Fast
Systems
Required
Seven days – that was the time
window allowed for the refurbishment of a large sausage
and cured meats kitchen with
its three cold storage rooms in a
REWE supermarket in Bochum,
Germany. A “fast” surface rehabilitation solution for floors and
walls approved for the food
industry needed to be provided.
MC and Botament came up
with an integrated concept that
ticked all the boxes.
Contracted by the property investment company VBW Bochum, construction engineering firm Immel,
also of Bochum, carried out a
number of analyses on drill cores
taken from a commercial sausage and cured meats kitchen.
These revealed structural and
hygienic defects that made a complete refurbishment necessary.
VBW Bochum then commissioned
Immel with the planning and rehabilitation work, for which the engineering firm was given just one
week, as the supermarket had to be
completely closed down. The project therefore required very close
collaboration between all parties involved and – of course – full
mutual compatibility between the
products used. These also had to
meet the usual strict specifications
applicable to food and beverage
processing facilities, which meant
they needed to be physiologically
harmless, hygienically cleanable
and also exhibit high resistance to
thermal, chemical and mechanical
stressing/attack. And for health and
safety reasons, the floors had to be
non-slip.
Relationships based on trust
VBW wanted to leave nothing to
chance and therefore commis14 | MC aktiv 1_2014
Time was of the essence. But thanks to careful coordination, close collaboration, short curing times and the speed with which the products of
MC and its sister company Botament became overworkable, the job was successfully completed within the tight schedule specified.
sioned the Bochum building surveyors Fröhlich to supervise the
work. Experienced PT sales representative Luzian Haida presented
the client and supervising surveyor
with an integrated concept comprising well matched systems from
MC and its sister company Botament. He also asked Marcel Neumann of Botament Sales to join the
project team. The concept offered
the client fast, reliable and smooth
project execution with a de facto
single-source supply arrangement,
and the results did not disappoint.
Solution-providers for strict
schedules
Aside from the required quality, maximum time efficiency was
essential. Consequently, particularly
fast systems from MC and Botament were used, offering short curing times to enable early overworking and loadability. The fast-setting epoxy resin screed MC-DUR
1200 VK was selected with the special sanding product SK2 to prepare
and level the floor. Accessible just
one day after its installation, this liquid-tight screed provided an initial barrier layer of high mechanical and chemical resistance. Thanks
to its rapid curing action, it also
allowed early application of the
porosity filler/leveller and scratch
coat in the form of MC-DUR Rapid
Primer, which further increased
both the mechanical and chemical resistance of the floor covering. Because of its fast reaction, this
system is also often used in industrial applications for tight-scheduled “weekend jobs”. The next stage
of the work involved products from
the Botament range. The sanded
Rapid Primer coating was covered
with crack-bridging, highly flexible
and chemically resistant Botament
AE-Bahn, a sealing and decoupling membrane that is particularly suited to surfaces likely to be
exposed to the effects of water and
chemical attack – as commonly
encountered in commercial kitchens, for example. The adhesive chosen was the quick-acting and flexible Botament M10 Speed, considered the fastest adhesive of its kind
on the market. Within 90 minutes,
the waterproofing membrane was
both trafficable and overworkable.
The tiles were then laid using the
thin-bed method. The tile adhesive
selected was the highly chemically
resistant epoxy joint and stoneware
mortar, Botament ES 500, the only
product of its kind on the market
with potable water and swimming
pool approval based on the latest
criteria. The walls were prepared
with cement plaster and Botament
D11 depth primer prior to the laying of the AE-Bahn membrane, and
the wall-to-floor joints were sealed
with Botament SB 78 sanitary tape.
Through their ability to put
together a well-planned concept
and their commitment to close
cooperation, Luzian Haida and Marcel Neumann were able to satisfy
in full the requirements specified
by the planning engineers and the
supervising surveyor. Despite the
tight timeframe, the product system proved to have the quality, reliability and compatibility required
for the job, much to the delight of
the client and its consultants.
[email protected]
[email protected]
About BOTAMENT
Botament® Systembau GmbH &
Co. KG, Bottrop, Germany is a sister
company of MC with more than 20
years of experience in the manufacture and sale of building chemical product systems for the tiling
and construction materials trade.
www.botament.de
MC Personnel
Welcome to the Team
New employees at MC-Bauchemie
Desmond Ng, 42,
is the Managing
Director of the MC
company newly established in Singapore last year, which
he joined on 1 November 2013. He has extensive experience
in sales and had previously spent six years as
a business manager in the cement additives
segment, working for a renowned chemicals
manufacturer in the Asia-Pacific region.
Richard Tsai, 52,
joined MC in Taiwan as its new
Managing Director
on 1 March 2014.
A construction engineer, he also has
extensive experience in marketing, product
management and sales, having spent the previous five years as a sales manager for a major
building chemicals producer.
Joana Miranda,
24, from Espinho,
Portugal, successfully completed her
construction engineering studies before joining MC in Bottrop for her two-year
trainee programme on 1 January 2014. She
will eventually represent MC’s interests in Portuguese-speaking countries.
Luis González, 25,
from Murcia, Spain,
took a construction
engineering degree
and then worked as
the site manager of
a concrete production facility in Algeria. He
also joined the trainee programme on 1 January 2014 for the purpose of representing MC
in Spanish-speaking countries.
Sören Gems, 31,
from Duisburg, Germany, gained an International Masters
degree in tourism
management and
leisure industries,
and previously worked as a personnel consultant. He joins MC as part of its Human Resources team.
New: Compliance Directive
and Compliance Officer
The new Compliance Directive issued by
MC-Bauchemie is intended as a practical
guide for all employees of the MC Group
in the conduct of their daily activities. It
provides support in all kinds of decisionmaking situations so as to ensure compliance with established ethical principles and
statutory requirements. At the moment, all
employees in Germany are being successively familiarised with the contents of
the newly introduced directive through
a specifically developed information and
training programme. This will then
be extended to employees of the
foreign companies of the MC Group.
Michael Reisen has been appointed
as the Compliance Officer of the MC
Group. In addition to performing his
functions as HR Manager for Further
Training and Personnel Development,
he is therefore now also the first point
of contact for compliance issues.
[email protected]
MC aktiv 1_2014 | 15
Sometimes no cement is
the best solution.
Cement-free render system for heritage conservation
EXZELLENT historic: cement-free render for the moisture-regulating
repair of heritage structures.
Based on Roman lime and special treatment additives, EXZELLENT historic
combines “monumental” efficacy with proven heritage compatibility. Its
outstanding moisture-regulating effect and optimised salt transfer ensure
maximum reliability in the conservation of historic buildings and monuments. 100 % heritage suitability thanks to 0 % cement content!
Talk to us!
Innovation in Building Chemicals