Glossary

To execute the implementation of a precast concrete production cost-efficiently, the planning and execution phases are very important. You need to focus on the goals - the final total costs and a successful production. A precast concrete production is not a ready-made product and simply buying machines does not necessarily lead to a successful production of precast concrete elements.

These are the individual steps:

• Feasibility study (development of the basics – layout – investment costs – profitability calculation)
• Architecture – structural analysis – building services – assembly of precast concrete buildings (planning and implementation)
• Building system
• Set-up of the technical office
• Tendering and implementation of production
• Installation of production
• Coordination of production 
• Start-up of production

All the parameters for the future implementation of the precast concrete plant will be set in a feasibility study. All the requirements will be identified by determining the basics, i.e. which building system should be used, which products should be produced, estimation of the output, available budget, implementation time schedule, climatic conditions, etc.

The optimum concept will be developed based on these basic data in order to design and implement the right production plant. With an individually developed layout, the calculated investment costs, the time schedule, etc. there are no surprises at the final stage of the project.

A feasibility study is well-suited for presenting it to banks as well as to superiors.

The planning of a precast concrete building doesn’t differ too much from the planning of a traditional building. The most important difference is that the planning process is mostly finished before production starts. Therefore, the application of BIM (Building Information Modeling) is optimally suited for the production of precast concrete buildings.

If there has been no decision about the building system yet, it is important to consider which buildings and markets should be served.

Together with architects, structural engineers and an experienced consultant for precast concrete plants, the optimum building system, including connections of the precast elements, will be developed. Only with a well-thought-out building system are you able to build the required buildings and to produce efficiently. An important part of the building system are the connections of the precast elements, they need to fulfill requirements of the industrialized construction with regard to production and execution.

The technical office of a precast concrete plant is the central planning unit. All the data for production and assembly of the precast concrete elements are generated here. Therefore, an early set-up is very important, like for example setting up the personnel structure, CAD program with suitable interfaces to CAM, training of workers, etc.

The master plan is a key planning step in order to achieve an efficient workflow at the factory premises. It contains all the production halls, including the mixing plant as well as design of the stockyard and all the transport routes on the premises. In the master plan, the future development of production is considered, which can be implemented step by step. A master plan provides also information about the suitability of a plot of land for precast concrete production.

The development of an individual, supplier-independent layout for a precast concrete plant is the first step on the way to set up a factory, which meets the requirements of the client. The demands on the factory are developed together with the client in the feasibility study. All the machines, which are necessary for the production of precast concrete elements, are included in a layout. The individually designed layout guarantees the output, which was defined in the feasibility study. All the working paths and processes are defined as well as the employment of staff.

An efficient production can only be achieved with a well-thought-out layout.

Putting every individual machine out to tender guarantees finding the best and most cost-efficient supplier. An experienced consultant for precast concrete plants has in-depth knowledge of the industry and is able to make detailed specifications for the individual machines. He compares all the suppliers and finds the most-fitting contractual partner together with the client.

Many different companies work together on the implementation of a precast concrete plant, whether it concerns machine suppliers or the construction of factory halls. There needs to be a party (an experienced consultant) that has an overview of all the responsible companies. With the right coordination, the precast concrete plant can be put into operation in time.

The start-up is the final stage of the implementation process of a precast concrete production. A test run is important in order to reveal and remedy all occurring defects. Acceptance will be granted if every defect is remedied. An experienced consultant has an overview of the goals, like production output etc.

The production output of a precast concrete plant is the amount of precast concrete elements which are produced in a certain time period. Areal precast concrete elements are usually measured in square meters, hollow core slabs, special elements, stairs as well as columns and beams are usually measured in cubic meters.

With a feasibility study it is possible to compare the defined target values with the actual production output.

The employment of staff of a precast concrete plant defines how many workers are in production during a certain time period, i.e. one shift.

In the feasibility study the number and allocation of workers is defined. Fewer workers are needed if the automation degree is high than with a lower one. If labor costs are high in a country it is the aim of every precast concrete elements producer to employ as few workers as possible.

In the feasibility study, it will be assessed if the planned investment in a new precast concrete plant or in the extension of an existing precast plant is beneficial. In addition to that, it will be calculated at which sales volume break-even will be reached. It is possible to calculate different scenarios with different production outputs and different numbers of workers.

The profitability calculation is part of the feasibility study, which we will conduct for our clients at the beginning of a project. Learn more

The productivity of a precast concrete production is the ratio of production output to input used in the production process. You can calculate productivity for different input factors, like workers, capital or machines.

Man hours specify how many workers are necessary on average in order to produce one square meter of precast concrete elements per hour. Since the 1980s this value decreased continuously in Europe due to automation. Learn more

The management of a precast concrete plant is of particular importance. It can influence the efficiency and productivity of the plant because all the production steps take place inside one company. For that purpose, for example the number of workers in production needs to be checked critically because the workers will hardly complain if they are too many. The management also plays an important role in introducing automation in a precast concrete plant. It has to train the personnel how the new automated machines are to be used in order to use them profitably. These tasks are underestimated rather often but they can contribute significantly to the success of your business.

Costs are one of the fields that should be considered rather early. Information about the amount of costs helps you in estimating how large the investment can be and how closely you need to think about efficiency. Some of the costs that need to be considered are i.e. production costs, overhead costs, material costs, fixed costs and variable costs. We help you in determining these costs and estimating the costs for the planned investment. Also the sales price should be included in these calculations.

It is possible to produce precast concrete elements not only with grey concrete but also with colored concrete. In order to produce colored concrete, color pigments are added to the concrete in the mixing plant. This production method is beneficial if large amounts of precast concrete elements need to be produced in the same color. Otherwise painting the finished precast concrete elements is preferable.

For the production of exposed-aggregate concrete, the concrete surface is treated with special retarding agents. After the setting of the concrete, the cement paste is washed out and the aggregate is exposed. The surface structure and color of the exposed-aggregate concrete is therefore essentially affected by the type of aggregate, i.e. the aggregate size and the color of the used gravel.

Acid washing concrete means applying acid to the finished precast concrete element surface and therefore removing the topmost layer of the surface. The aggregates are exposed, similar to the production of exposed-aggregate concrete. However, the surface is more fine-grained after the treatment with acid because less cement paste will be washed out. Acid washed concrete surfaces look very similar to natural stones.

The surface of the precast concrete elements is honed with special grinding machines. A part of the topmost layer of the precast concrete element is removed and the aggregates are exposed.

In order to increase the shine and the color intensity of the concrete surface, the surface is polished. The polished surface is very smooth and dirt and dust do not adhere to it.

Another treatment method for precast concrete element surfaces is sand blasting. Sand is blasted to the precast concrete element with high pressure. This method only removes little of the topmost layer of the precast concrete element and leads to a brightening effect.

The aim is to make the motive of a photo visible on the concrete surface. For this purpose, a retarding agent is applied to the concrete surface in various degrees and washed out afterwards. On the areas where much retarding agent has been applied, the concrete is washed out to a higher degree and seems to be darker than the areas where less retarding agent has been applied. The motive of the photo becomes visible by the contrast of light to dark. Most of the motives are better visible from a larger distance due to this production method.

The surface of precast concrete elements can rather be designed at will by means of form liners. Prior to placing the concrete, the form liner is inserted in the shuttering and then the concrete is filled on top. During demolding of the precast concrete element, also the form liner is removed. This method is also applicable for i.e. colored concrete.

The construction material – precast concrete elements is divided into areal wall and ceiling elements. Precast concrete elements are produced in a factory, which means in a protected environment. The individual workflows can be controlled by a central unit. The quality of the walls and floors can be significantly increased by this without great additional effort. Also, the material utilization of concrete, reinforcement and small components is reduced to a minimum.

Apart from precast concrete walls and floors, columns, beams, stairs, fences, etc. are produced as precast concrete elements. Learn more

A solid wall is a monolithic reinforced concrete wall. On site, the solid walls are connected to each other. The walls need to be supported with props for the assembly.

Technical data (standard in Europe):

• Element height: up to 3500 mm
• Wall thickness: 100 mm to 300 mm
• Element length: up to 8000 mm
• Weight: 240 to 750 kg/ m²

Application in residential and commercial buildings

Advantages:

• Fast construction process because no in-situ concrete is needed on site
• Use of thinner wall thicknesses 
• Larger floor space in the buildings

Disadvantages:

• High weight for transport and assembly
• Sophisticated connections necessary
• Vertical transport required

The sandwich wall consists of two reinforced solid withes with a thermal insulation in between, i.e. made of polystyrene. The withes are supported with special connectors. The walls need to be supported with props for the assembly.

Technical data (standard in Europe):

• Element height: up to 3500 mm
• Base thickness: 140 to 250 mm
• Thermal insulation: 40 to 240 mm
• Shell: min. 70 mm
• Element length: up to 8000 mm
• Weight: facade element as well as load-bearing wall: 500 to 750 kg/ m²

Application in residential and commercial buildings as well as use as façade elements

Advantages:

• Fast construction process because no in-situ concrete is needed on site
• Use of thinner wall thicknesses
• Larger floor space in the buildings
• Very good U value of the wall

Disadvantages:

• High weight for transport and assembly
• Sophisticated connections necessary
• Vertical transport required

It consists of two reinforced concrete shells and an in-situ concrete core. Lattice girders, the Kappema or the Korbwand system connect the two precast concrete shells with each other and form a cavity. They already include the reinforcement which is required by the structural calculation. On site, the cavity is reinforced and filled with in-situ concrete. The finished double wall (on site) is a monolithic reinforced concrete wall. The walls need to be supported with props for the assembly.

Technical data (standard in Europe):

• Element height: approx. 3500 mm
• Withe thickness: min. 50mm
• In-situ concrete core: at least 70 mm
• Total thickness: 180 to 400 mm (standard thicknesses: 180, 200, 240, 250 and 300 mm)
• Assembly weight: 250 to 750 kg/ m²

Application as load-bearing and non-load-bearing internal walls as well as basement external walls and load-bearing external walls

Advantages:

• It is an earthquake-proof construction method because the connections are only implemented on site
• The elements are lighter than solid elements, therefore lighter cranes can be used 
• Both wall outer faces are smooth

Disadvantages:

• More work on site
• In-situ concrete on site
• Curing process of the concrete needs to be added to the time schedule

It consists of a thin concrete slab with reinforcement. The lattice girder serves as composite and/ or shear force reinforcement. On site, the required reinforcement and in-situ concrete are added. The lattice floor slabs need to be supported sufficiently with assembly props prior to concreting.

Technical data (standard in Europe):

• Element width: up to 3000 mm
• Slab thickness: 50 to 70 mm plus in-situ concrete
• Element length: up to 10 000 mm Transport weight: 125 to 175 kg/ m²

Application of lattice floor slabs in residential as well as industrial and commercial buildings

Advantages:

• Building floor plans can be designed freely, only limitations regarding production and transport can have an influence
• It is an earthquake-proof construction method because the connections are implemented on site
• The elements are lighter than solid elements, therefore lighter cranes can be used
• The underside of the floor has a smooth surface and few connections
• The costs for fit-out can therefore be reduced, especially for residential buildings
• All the fixtures for building services are integrated in the factory

A solid slab is a monolithic un-tensioned reinforced concrete slab. A special form of the solid slab is the DX slab. It is an un-tensioned hollow core slab.

Technical data (standard in Europe):

• Element width: up to 3000 mm
• Thickness: 100 mm to 300 mm
• Element length: up to 7000 mm
• Weight: 240 to 750 kg/ m²

Application as slab for residential buildings

Advantages:

• Fast construction process
• No props necessary
• All the fixtures for building services are integrated in the factory
• Due to the smooth surface no screed is needed

Disadvantages:

• The high weight has impacts on transport and assembly 
• Sophisticated connections are needed

The hollow core slab is a pre-stressed solid wall with voids. Due to the pre-stressing of the reinforcement larger spans can be realized.

Technical data (standard in Europe):

• Element width: 500 and 1200 mm, 2400 mm (pre-stressed concrete)
• Slab thickness: 160 to 500 mm (special form thickness: 1000 mm)
• Element length: up to 20 000 mm
• Weight: 230 to 630 kg/ m²

Application as slab in commercial or industrial buildings, can also be used in residential buildings

Advantages:

• Little reinforcement
• Larger spans are possible
• Shorter construction time (no in-situ concrete needed)
• High load-bearing capacity
• Optimal use of concrete and reinforcement
• Low transport weight

Disadvantages:

• Pre-stressing leads to slight warping
• On the underside, cracks in the plastering or the filling occur over time
• Prone to vibrating
• Regular floor plans are necessary in order to build efficiently

For the stationary production, the production tables are stationarily mounted on the floor and the workers move from one working station to the next working station. Sophisticated, complex and solid construction elements are still produced efficiently in a stationary production.

Precast concrete walls and floors are produced on beds with a length of 50 to 100 meters and a width of 2.80 meters. The compacting of the concrete is either done by vibrators installed under the beds or by a vibration car pushed under the beds or a vibration arm fastened to the concrete spreader.

Precast concrete walls and floors are produced on tilting tables. Special elements can also be produced with this production method. During the production process of the elements, the tables are in a horizontal position. After curing of the concrete (of the precast concrete walls), the tables are tilted. A crane lifts the walls from the tables and moves them to the stockyard.

The required space for this production method is very large (production area to floor space).

Battery molds are perfectly suited for the production of internal walls with smooth surfaces or precast concrete fences. Walls with windows/ doors or walls with a high degree of reinforcement are not suited for this production method.

Disadvantages of this production method:

• Working conditions because all the works are carried out in a vertical direction as well as high heat generation
• No automation possible
• The production output gets very low if the dimensions etc. of the product changes. Modifying the molds is very laborious.

One advantage of this production method is that you get two perfectly smooth wall surfaces because there are two steel molds.

Stationary steel formwork is available for stairs, columns and beams. For columns and beams they consist of two steel formwork parts which are movable and make it possible to adjust the thickness of the columns and beams. One element can be produced per day.

“Pre-tensioned concrete“ means that the reinforcement (tensioning strands) is tensioned before placing the concrete. The concrete is then poured and hardened. Therefore, tensioning strands and concrete form a composite and the tension of the strands can be reduced. This allows producing wider spans with lower slab thicknesses.

Over the years, the pallet carousel system was invented due to increasing labor costs and higher quality requirements. This production method is characterized by moving production tables (pallets) and each worker stays at his permanent working station. This production method is similar to the automobile production and can therefore accomplish a high degree of automatization. The pallet carousel system is the most efficient production type for walls and floors. Health and safety is significantly increased with this production method.

Steel pallets with a size to be defined (in the feasibility study), depending on the requirements of the finished products, serve as forming area. These pallets are transported with friction wheels on rollers in longitudinal direction and moved in transverse direction between the roller conveyors by means of cross lifting trucks. The pallets are thus transported from one station to the next. The plants are individually planned according to the requirements of the manufacturer.

Fixed carousel (single line principle) for simple products with high output. This production method is standard for the production of floor slabs.

It is characterized by its simple layout, economic advantages and the limitation regarding other products.

With the central transfer car it is possible to transport the pallets without restriction to the different stations of the carousel system and to pick them up again. The production process is therefore as flexible as possible and independent of the cycle times of the individual elements or products. In addition to precast concrete walls and floors, special elements can also be produced, e.g. columns, beams and façade elements (depending on the length of the pallet and the height of the central transfer car).

A pallet carousel system with one or more lines combines the advantages of an inflexible carousel system with those of a central transfer car.

This system allows the clear separation of working and transport areas. The working areas are divided into manual work and automatic areas in which machines work in an automated manner. The pallet carousel system is characterized by a high output and high profitability. Compared to other types of production with the same capacity this plant can be planned very streamlined and accelerated. Depending on the requirements, a pallet carousel system can have a high or low degree of automation. In the feasibility study the design of the individual layout will be developed.

All documents for the production of precast concrete elements are generated in the technical office. This is done with a special CAD program, designed to meet the requirements of the precast concrete industry. This data is then forwarded to the production according to the delivery date. The planning of the precast concrete elements (dimensions, installation parts, reinforcement, etc.) must be adapted to the existing parameters of the plant.

In order to be able to work with automated machines in the production plant, it is necessary to generate the required data in a suitable CAD system (CAD = Computer Aided Design). The generated data is then forwarded to the master computer in production. The master computer filters the data and assigns it to the corresponding automated machines.

This has the advantage that no errors can occur as a result of repeated manual entries or human interpretation. Another advantage is that man-hours per m² can be reduced dramatically by using automated machines.

Depending on the requirements, a precast concrete plant can have a high or low level of automatization. Automatization means that single steps in the production of precast concrete elements are carried out by robots, similar to the production of automobiles. This was developed in countries with high labor costs.

A system with machines controlled by the master computer is called a CAM system (CAM = Computer Aided Manufacturing).

The data sets generated by the technical office are transmitted to a production file server via network or data medium. The master computer of the pallet carousel system collects the production data from this file server and carries out the production planning automatically or manually supported.

The pallet carousel system is comparable to a machine that extends over the whole area of the production hall. For the controlling and monitoring of all pallet movements, a carousel control system is necessary. It is responsible for the pallet transport in the given sequence in the automatic areas. The control system is an essential element for the operability and availability of the production plant.

The PPC system is used for planning, controlling and monitoring of the production. It is divided into production planning, in which the production processes are planned and in production controlling, in which the planned production orders are released, controlled and monitored.

The ERP system is used to plan and control human and financial resources of the production and is able to integrate PPC systems.

A precast concrete plant provides a high level of health and safety for the workers. The automatic area is protected by safety fences or light barriers. The workers have very good working conditions since production takes place in a weather-independent environment, the production hall.

In the production halls there are the necessary machines and equipment for the production of precast concrete elements. The size and equipment of the production halls depends on various factors which must be precisely defined in the planning phase (feasibility study). Only with a pre-defined planning target is it possible to guarantee that the required output is achieved and the estimated investment is kept.

The hall cranes can be used to carry out any kind of material handling in the production hall. After hardening, the precast concrete elements are lifted with the hall crane from the shuttering and transported into transport racks. Precast concrete slabs are stored in stacks.

The pallets are steel structures on which the precast concrete elements are produced and transported through the production plant. The dimensions of the pallets are defined together with the client in a layout during the planning phase. This is done in the feasibility study phase.

The rollers are used to transport and support the pallet in longitudinal direction. The cross lifting trucks are used to move pallets in cross direction to the normal transport direction. The cross lifting trucks operate fully automatically.

During the cleaning process, the pallet is either cleaned manually or automatically with brushes and brooms to remove the remains of previously produced elements. In order to be able to demold the precast concrete elements to be produced on the pallet without leaving any residues, it must be oiled after it has been cleaned of dirt. This process can also be carried out manually or automatically.

Based on the CAD data from the technical office of the precast concrete plant, the shape of the geometry as well as recesses and fixtures are drawn or projected onto the pallet by means of a plotter or laser. These markings are used for placing the shuttering and fixtures according to plan.

The shuttering system consists of magnetic clamps and steel shutterings. These can be placed on the pallet either manually or by means of a shuttering robot. The shuttering system is necessary to form the geometry of the concrete elements on the pallet.

The shuttering robot places the shuttering according to the CAD data from the technical office, activates the magnets and thus generates the geometries of the elements to be produce.

In order to achieve a high degree of prefabrication, as many operations as possible are carried out at the plant. This means that fixtures such as windows, doors, empty conduits for water and power supply, as well as recesses for sockets and other installations, etc. are installed in the factory.

The data for the fixtures are generated by specialist planners such as architects or building services engineers. By means of a CAD program, these data are drawn into the wall and floor plans and transferred to the precast concrete plant. The precast concrete elements are produced according to these data.

Reinforcement is understood to be steel bars placed in the concrete in order to increase the tensile strength of the precast concrete element, because concrete itself provides little resistance to tensile forces. The combination of the compressive strength of the concrete and the tensile strength of the reinforcement (reinforced concrete) results in an optimum protection against high loads.

Precast concrete elements are well protected against corrosion, provided that the reinforcement is covered sufficiently with concrete. A minimum concrete cover is required by law in Germany.

The reinforcing robot uses the CAD data calculated by a structural engineer with regard to amount, type (meshes, cages or lattice girders) and position of the reinforcement and places it automatically on the pallets.

An automated mesh welding plant produces steel meshes for the reinforcement of a precast concrete element according to CAD data.

A straightening and cutting machine produces the longitudinal and transversal bars, which are required for the production of a reinforcement mesh. The straightened and cut bars are positioned on an infeed table in front of the welding machine. The welding machine automatically welds the bars together to form a steel mesh. The mesh crane transports the finished meshes to the mesh buffer and then to the pallet.

The first step in the production of a double wall is to produce two separate concrete shells. To connect the two concrete shells, they are put together with a lifting and turning device.

On this station, the partly pre-fabricated thermal insulation is placed in the precast concrete elements. Insulation is important to meet current requirements regarding thermal insulation of buildings.

The concrete produced by the mixing plant is transported to the concrete spreader by means of a concrete shuttle. The concrete spreader spreads the concrete evenly over the prepared pallet.

Afterwards, the concrete must be compacted to create a homogeneous surface and for the concrete to distribute evenly in the shuttering. There are two different ways of compacting concrete. The first possibility is the shaking technology, where the whole pallet is shaken. The second option is a compacting device with high frequency vibrators.

The batching plant in the precast concrete plant is used to produce and supply concrete. Cement, water, aggregates and admixtures are mixed according to fixed recipes. Depending on the requirements, different types of concrete can be produced and supplied to the production plant. The supply of concrete to the precast plant is ensured by concrete shuttle, concrete buckets or concrete pumps.

The rack operator is an automated device that stores the pallets in the curing chamber. It is operated by the control system and opens only the required compartment to move a pallet in or out. The pallets are stored in the designated compartments like "drawers".

The curing chamber is used for controlled hardening of the precast concrete elements and consists of a certain number of stories and compartments. The capacity of the curing chamber is defined in the feasibility study. The casing of the curing chamber consists of insulating panels.

The pallet is stored in the curing chamber for several hours at a constant temperature and humidity to ensure a controlled curing process of the concrete.

The surface of the precast concrete elements is finished at the smoothing station with a helicopter system in order to achieve the most even and smooth surface possible.

The rotating helicopters move either automatically or manually over the surface of the precast concrete element and level out unevenness.

The tilting station is used to move a pallet with a finished precast concrete wall from the horizontal to an almost vertical position (85°). The pallet is moved to the station by means of rollers and friction wheel drives, fixed with clamps and the station is tilted from 0 degrees to 85 degrees. After removing the finished precast concrete wall, the pallet is tilted back to its original position and released.

The tilting station is equipped with a hydraulically movable supporting beam, which secures the wall elements against sliding down.

The lifting crane lifts the cured lattice floor slabs by attaching it to the lattice girders with hooks. The floor slab is suspended at many different positions, thereby reducing the load at the individual suspension points. Afterwards, it stacks the floor slabs on top of each other with the reinforcement facing upwards on a set down rack/stacking place at the storage area.

The shuttering robot can also serve as a de-shuttering robot. For this purpose, a second Y-axis with its own gripper is installed on the robot's X-axis. The position of the shuttering is identified by a laser scanner and then removed by the robot and placed on the shutter-conveyor.

On this station, necessary work can be carried out after concreting. This includes, for example, the finishing of surfaces, the installation of windows and doors as well as the painting of façade elements.

The whole processes in a precast concrete plant are subject to constant internal quality control. In addition, third-party monitoring is carried out by independent test laboratories. Many precast plants also have a CE marking on their products in order to prove the quality of the precast elements.

The run-off truck is used to transport the finished transport units of precast concrete elements such as lattice floor slabs and/or double walls from the factory hall to the outside area. It can move in longitudinal and cross direction.

After curing, the stacks of walls and floor slabs are stored on set down racks in the factory building and the run-off truck picks them up. It moves the elements outside the building. There are again set down racks where it places the elements. A fork lift truck or crane picks up the stacks and stores them at the storage area.

The precast concrete walls are stored in the transport rack and thus protected from damage. The transport racks are transported from the precast plant to the storage area and then to the customer. Precast concrete walls must be transported in a vertical position.

The finished precast concrete elements are stored temporarily in the stockyard until the time comes to transport them to their respective delivery location.

Most plants try to produce "just in time" in order to minimize the required storage area. The stockyard is usually located directly next to the precast concrete plant and the elements can be moved by different means of transport, such as stockyard cranes, inloaders or forklifts. The transport units of the precast concrete elements need to be stored according to delivery time and place of delivery in order to ensure efficient handling. There are different possibilities to store the elements efficiently at the stockyard. A property can be used in the best possible way with a detailed planning.

Stockyard logistics deals with the arrangement and transport of the precast concrete elements at the stockyard. There are different systems for arranging the elements in the stockyard. The choice of a suitable system depends on several factors, such as the average length of stay at the stockyard. It is of utmost importance that the required precast concrete elements can be found quickly and reliably.

Precast concrete elements stored in the stockyard can be lifted from one location and transported to another one by means of stockyard cranes. The advantage of this solution is that there are no transport routes between the stored elements. This means that finished elements can be moved from virtually any position.

The inloader is a semi-trailer that does not have continuous axles between the wheels. With this design, the inloader can efficiently pick up special transport racks for precast concrete elements and transport them to the construction site.