Innovative paneling solution responds to industry shortages and rising labour costs

Founded in Melbourne, Australia, Preformed has successfully conducted worlds first trials of forming AAC compound panels up to six metres in width from a plurality of panels. These larger panels are formed off site at Preformed’s Innovation headquarters, where it has been conducting Research and Development into this Patent Pending method of construction.

Creating an innovative panelling system, Preformed focuses on the capability and necessity of forming large scale AAC panels off site. The panels delivered to site are completely independent of any steel/stud framing.

The key to doing so first began with the engineering of a specifically designed storage racks that enabled panels to be stacked and moved to site. The panels are brought onto the manufacturing site individually and are then loaded onto the engineered storage racks. Ten of these panels are then formed together whilst in the rack and are then shipped and loaded onto site. 

The panels are then placed into position via a purpose-built mobile gantry that drives over the top of the storage rack. The gantry with one of its multiple hoists, lifts the panels into place and locks it into position to form a large composite wall.

The System was developed for the growing multi family homes segment where dividing walls are needed for their fire and acoustic ratings. Another benefit is the system can also be applied to Torrens titled zero boundaries where there is a need for each dwelling to have their own independent exterior wall, typically referred to as a zero-boundary wall.

The Pilot trial of this system saw over 1,000m² of precast AAC panels installed on site in a day and a half. 

Founder and Managing Director Robert Czerkas prides Preformed for its modern methods of construction and believes that the need for the new system will only increase.

“There has been a lot of engineering and innovative design to not only make this system work, but also make it a long-term viable system.”

Preformed works towards creating solutions that preformed panels enables: faster build times, less waste and forming of these panels in a controlled environment that is not being impacted by weather.

Czerkas also understands that the sector is enthusiastically searching for solutions that have a wider sustainability impact. 

“Our approach means zero waste on site, a lesser footprint taken up for materials on site plus the added benefit of that footprint being a fraction of the time than traditional methods.”

With Preformed successfully completing pilot trials, they are far from done on the innovation front, with many more systems and applications to be trialled over the coming years.

“Whilst the system is developed for the multi-family homes segment, we can do external walls, we're looking to do factory walls, highway barrier walls. We see a growth for this kind of system and we’re ready to go.”