Over the last twenty to thirty years the popularity of steel framed construction has grown the world over. This growth has manifested itself in New Zealand too, with structural steel growing from 15% in 1999 to represent 50% in 2008.

There have been a number of causes of this global growth including:

• Reduced weight: Steel is a lighter method of construction, relative to traditional alternatives, allowing for smaller foundation size and taller buildings.
  
  
• Manufacturing capacity: Production volumes of 500m² per hour, 24 hours a day if required.
  
  
• Short manufacturing lead times: Leading to faster delivery to site.
  
  
• Shorter construction time on site: Often months can be shared from construction time tables.
  
  
• Numerous advantages on restricted sites: Bundles can contain 110m² and can be loaded directly onto the structure ready for hand installation.
  
  
• Reduced craneage time: One truck can carry 900m² and individual bundles
  are approx. 50 m²
  
  
• Increased flexibility of construction methodology: Including ‘Up/ Up construction’, where several floors are constructed at once and ‘Top Down construction’, where ground level bracing floors are put in place then construction commences above and below ground at the same time.

For more information on the benefits of steel please call us on 09 271 1780.
Additional information can also be gathered at www.scnz.org