Birmingham’s Snow Hill is no problem for Aggregate

15 Dec 2017

Aggregate Industries has provided almost 6,000 cubic metres of concrete for the ambitious redevelopment of Snow Hill station in Birmingham.

The 420,000 square foot rejuvenation project to transform the city’s main business district has benefitted from Aggregate’s WeatherMix® concrete.

Plans to revamp the bustling transport hub right in the heart of Birmingham will see new office buildings replace the station’s multi-storey car park, all part of creating what has been colloquially referred to as ‘Birmingham’s Canary Wharf’.

Upon completion, the Snow Hill refurbishment will dramatically alter the city’s skyline, transforming the front of St Chad’s Queensway, one of the most prominent gateways to the city centre.

Aggregate Industries was awarded the contract to supply its ready-mixed concrete by Thames Formwork under main contractor, BAM Construction.

An important challenge to overcome for the £90 million project was the task of completing the work in the midst of the colder months; therefore, the decision to opt for Aggregate Industries’ WeatherMix was an obvious one, with it being a concrete solution designed to withstand colder conditions far better than standard mixes.

As well as WeatherMix, almost 11,000 cubic metres of Strike®, one of Aggregate Industries high early strength concrete mixes, was also used in the project throughout the winter

WeatherMix accelerates the setting time, providing early protection against freezing, thus allowing the placement of concrete across a range of ambient temperatures down to zero, guaranteeing contractors can work against time, yet still work with a quality product.

The revolutionary WeatherMix, with Strike, resulted in the on-site contractor extending the construction season and work throughout January and February, during which Birmingham saw 24 working days in which temperatures dropped to below 4°C degrees.

Daniel King, Aggregate Industries General Manager for the Midlands & North, commented: “It is the latest in a series of projects we are working on to provide concrete for the city’s construction boom, set to transform Birmingham’s skyline. With our innovative WeatherMix solution, we were able to support the contractor to meet their tight deadline by keeping the concrete supply and the project on schedule.”

Wayne Rock, Construction Director at Thames Formwork, said: “With a project as difficult and complex as this, it was very important for us to work with a concrete supplier that could help us work through the winter months and stay on track for completion.

“The team at Aggregate Industries didn’t disappoint, and without their customised WeatherMix solutions and just-in-time deliveries, we would’ve had to stop work on the project during the colder temperature months, putting the timescales of the project in jeopardy.

“We were genuinely impressed with the seamless service you’d expect from a market leader; we look forward to working with the business again in the future.”

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