MEVA strengthens its new site with a world first

On the outskirts of Dunakeszi, close to the M0 motorway, the MEVA Zsalurendszerek Zrt. greenfield investment has been completed, marking a significant milestone in the company's history. The company, which has been operating in Hungary for 30 years, intends to establish a regional logistics centre at its new site, which could enable it to become a high-quality supplier for Western European projects during peak periods. As Mihály Botta D., CEO of MEVA Zsalurendszerek Zrt. in Hungary, put it:

"Whether we look at the design and construction of the site or its operation, every element is in line with the company's decades-long philosophy, which has resulted in the market-leading, recyclable, environmentally friendly plastic shuttering shell that has been a market leader since its inception."

"Our goal," he said, "is to set an example in the Hungarian economy by operating with the lowest possible energy consumption and ecological footprint, while taking sustainability principles into account to the greatest extent possible."

A modern site for long-term success

The site represented a net investment of around HUF 3 billion for MEVA, which is also a future-oriented project to build and operate. The centre, which covers 25 000 m², has a 3000 m² hall, offices, a 400 m² showroom suitable for training, a locksmith's shop, a small parts warehouse and a 1400 m² washing hall. Flexibility of service is enhanced by 18 000 m² of paved storage space.

In addition to ceiling and underfloor heating in the offices, a curiosity is that underfloor heating has also been installed in the halls.

Soil probes and water-to-water heat pump systems provide the building's cooling and heating energy. To minimise the use of electrical energy, state-of-the-art LED lighting and energy-recovery air-circulation systems have been installed.

The storage area has also been optimised, allowing trucks to move around the site in a one-way system. To further reduce emissions, the replacement of the internal combustion forklift trucks with electric forklift trucks is underway. The energy generation required for this will also be supported by the installation of solar panels on the entire roof surface, which will be connected to high-capacity energy storage systems.

A world first for the construction industry

The new regional centre will be equipped with the most advanced formwork cleaning technology in Europe. The design of the washing hall has been carefully planned to ensure the purification and recycling of the water generated during washing.

A completely unique innovation, MEVA has developed the only fully automated, manpower-less washing machine in the formwork industry, which has been in operation at its headquarters in Germany for 2 years. This system will also be installed at the new site in Dunakeszi, where preparations are already underway for its installation.

To power it, a transformer station capable of handling 3×1000 Amps had to be built. The formwork cleaning technology has been improved in many ways compared to the previous site: the surface of the formwork slabs is repaired on a 40-metre long roller conveyor, the main unit of which is a high-pressure washer at 1350 bar, which removes all burnt-on concrete from the formwork with impressive efficiency.

Also new is the polishing of the plastic composite shuttering panels used in the MEVA framed shutter systems by a fully automatic grinding machine, of which there are only a few in operation in the world.

Capacity to supply Europe

The company has significantly increased its cleaning and repair capacity, which already reaches 350 m² per shift. Following the trial run, the service, which is becoming increasingly popular with construction companies, will be available to even more.

"In order to be able to undertake repairs even faster, the locksmith hall features a combined (steel/cast iron) particle extraction system to the highest standards, four bridge cranes and a total of six locksmith stations equipped with special tools," said the CEO.

With the 400 m² demonstration hall, the company's long-standing dream of creating a state-of-the-art classroom to train the next generation has been realised. The need for this is demonstrated by the growing popularity of training courses on the latest techniques for applying formwork, including the welding and polishing of plastic formwork shells, which are increasingly used for exposed concrete surfaces.