Chemical specialist Sika has developed a special high-end concrete admixture, which delivers strength of more than six times higher than normal concrete, for various skyscraper projects. Raising concrete strength from 30 to 200 megapascals, the new product has revolutionised construction technology, allowing the building of taller but thinner concrete columns. "We work directly with our customers to provide them with innovative solutions," says Sika Japan president Koichi Oba. "We use our technical expertise to help them cut costs and increase productivity. That is Sika's philosophy." Sika in Japan became the third largest among the 76 subsidiaries of Switzerland-based Sika Group, a leader in processing materials used in sealing, bonding, damping, reinforcing, waterproofing and protecting load-bearing structures. It leverages the group's supply network and nine research and development centres worldwide to provide clients with novel solutions. The company has played a major role in Japan's infrastructure development. It waterproofed the Kurobe Dam and the tunnel running beneath Tokyo Bay. Sika Japan also specialises in a one-component polyurethane sealant, which is used as an adhesive for windows in half of the train carriages and buses in Japan. The sealant allows for larger and more stable windows. Sika's expertise in infrastructure will further grow with its acquisition in 2010 of Dyflex, Japan's waterproofing market leader. With the technical help from a sister company in Britain, Sika has developed a new one-component polyurethane waterproofing product. To manufacture this new line, Sika has opened a factory in the Yamaguchi prefecture. The new technology allows higher productivity and easy handling as there is no more need for mixing at the job site. The product is also more environmentally friendly than the conventional items available in the market. "We are a company with thousands of experts," Oba says. "We invite companies to tap into this wealth of expertise." Sika http://jpn.sika.com/
