Kwik RC Frames & Precast Modular Building Services is proud to be associated with the new National Children’s Hospital which is the most significant capital investment project ever undertaken in healthcare in Ireland.
As the concrete sub-contractor for the project, which is on the site of St James’ Hospital in Dublin, the Lucan-based company was responsible for building the enormous concrete frame which comprises 36,000 square metres of floorplate. Working in conjunction with the main contractor BAM, the project required 150,000 cubic metres of concrete, 25,000 tonnes of steel reinforcement, 25,000 square metres of decking equipment onsite, 30,000 props onsite, 1,600 formwork tables and 250 workers at its peak.
In addition, Kwik RC Frames designed, manufactured and installed over 3,200 precast columns for the 11-storey building which also required over 500 concrete slab pours and in excess of 500 concrete pump operations. At the height of the build, BAM had 10 tower cranes onsite and Kwik had two static concrete pumps working full-time which were supplemented by Kwik’s mobile concrete pump. The concrete was pumped up to 200 metres through a network of pipes to one of Kwik’s 12 concrete placing towers and four placing booms. The scope of works also included rerouting the existing road, while Kwik RC Frames are now involved in building a tunnel from the new Children’s Hospital to the nearby St James’ Hospital.
“The main RC structure is now complete and the internal fit-out is at full tilt,” explains Kwik RC Frames contracts manager Brian Kirwan.
“It was a great achievement to get the frame completed safely and to a very high standard. It was one of the biggest concrete frames in Europe which was made all the more challenging by the fact that it was built in a very constrained city centre location.
“It would be remiss of me not to mention Peter Bryant, who was the joint contracts manager, and the entire team who were instrumental in delivering such a vast and complex project. It’s something we’re all extremely proud of. It was the equivalent of 20 good-sized jobs in the same place at the one time.
“It is impossible to mention everyone, but special thanks also for their dedication to the project to Alan McNamara, Brendan Murphy, Dermot Early, Sean Keogh, Brian Hosey, Silviu Vedinas and Maria Pirtea amongst many others.
“We started working on the project in March 2018 and still have about 40 people onsite who are building the tunnel linking the new hospital to the existing one.”
The leading reinforced concrete specialist is also currently involved in two large residential developments in Dublin, both of which are for CAIRN Homes. Griffith Wood in Griffith Avenue is a high-quality 388-apartment development set within a parkland setting and includes residential amenity facilities, a creche and a new public park. The other development, The Quarter at CityWest, consists of 294 apartments, 123 houses and 42 duplex units as well as a creche and resident’s communal space.
Kwik RC Frames has successfully completed many high-profile projects for clients such as BAM, Durkan Homes, CAIRN Homes, PM Group, Sisk and Castlethorn Construction in both the public and private sectors. These include Hanover Quay, Marianella, Capital Dock, Covanta Waste to Energy, Microsoft Sandyford, Aviva Stadium, Monte Vetro, N11 Rathnew-Arklow Motorway, Lidl Headquarters, Dun Laoghaire Library and NCDF.
Kwik RC Frames & Precast Modular Building Services has been actively involved in delivering reinforced concrete frame turnkey packages and the manufacture of precast modular elements since its inception in 2010. Fronted by brothers Tom and Brian Molloy, and Joe Wall, it has grown to employ 450 people, including a large number of long-term sub-contractors. Services include RC Frames, Manufacture of Precast Elements, Formwork, Concrete Placement, Reinforcement and Site Management. Safety, Quality and Productivity are its core values.
The company’s offices are located in Lucan, Co. Dublin, while it has a storage facility / yard in nearby Ratoath, Co. Meath. The manufacture of precast elements for RC and modular buildings to ISO 9001:2015 and NSAI standards is carried out at a state-of-the-art facility in Abbeyleix, Co. Laois. Kwik RC Frames is committed to increasing its current offsite manufacturing facility for modular precast elements in order to reduce and streamline the client’s programme completion times and to reduce the inherent onsite safety risks for all vertical elements. Modular precast vertical elements are now its first-choice components in terms of both time and safety.
“Our precast factory is very busy. It’s vital to have it and its capability. It results in quicker turnaround times which is what our clients demand. We’re constantly adapting to the way the industry is going,” Brian says.
With safety being the main priority on all of its projects, Kwik RC Frames has policies and procedures in place which are in accordance with the current Health & Safety legislation and regulations to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all staff and contractors. The contractor has a dedicated team of Health & Safety officers who, in conjunction with the site management team of the work teams, chargehands, foremen, supervisors and project managers, monitor and implement all policies and procedures and ensure safety compliance.
The company endeavours to deliver a high standard of quality for the onsite RC works and the offsite precast elements. It self-delivers all the precast elements, including walls and columns, so that it isn’t dependent on any third-party product.
To ensure programme productivity, Kwik RC Frames has a team of professional and experienced personnel to programme, manage, organise, supervise and coordinate the direct and sub-contract work packages. All of the sub-contractors who work with Kwik are time-served, experienced and trusted due to the working relationships on many projects over the years.
Kwik RC Frames’ aim is to expand its services by continuing to focus on existing client relationships in tandem with their growth and expansion strategies. The highly-regarded contractor would like to take this opportunity to thank its clients and suppliers for their continued support.
Kwik RC Frames & Precast Modular Building Services
73 Hermitage Road,
Lucan,
Co. Dublin,
K78 WC64
Telephone: +353 (0)1 4447069
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.kwikrc.ie
This article was published in Building Ireland Magazine, October, Vol 7 No 10
Kwik RC Frames & Precast Modular Building Services
