News

Mixamate has announced the launch of its own in-house concrete testing lab, to be independently verified by an external testing company. The new lab is situated at the Mixamate headquarters in North London, providing technology that will also allow the company to carry out concrete and slump testing on-site.

Regular testing
The measure has been introduced to allow for more rigorous testing of concrete on a regular basis. With a growing fleet it is no longer considered enough to rely on the use of irregular external testing alone.

“With so many machines going out to sites on a daily basis it is important to have our own in-house lab to keep our quality control measures in order,” said John Macleod, Head of Quality Control at Mixamate. “External testing companies can be both expensive and sporadic, whereas our increasing quantity of deliveries means we need to stay on top of quality control on a daily basis. The new lab will allow us to do this, strengthening our ability to provide a quality product to all of our Clients on a consistent basis.”

Mixamate will continue to work with an independent testing company that arrives on site to collect samples and test externally twice a week. The modern lab is situated in a fully insulated room that allows the company to maintain the correct temperature for testing in cold weather conditions. The concrete cube curing tank is heated to temperatures stated in the British standard guidelines and can even be cooled during hot weather to ensure consistent variables throughout the year.

Additionally, 10 – 20 on-site test will occur every week, throughout London and the South East. Samples are taken in 100mmx100mm steel moulds, and all data is then transferred onto a graph known as a CUSUM Chart.

Raising standards
Mixamate has a rich history of innovation in the mix on site sector. The company’s unique Conqueror machine electronically weighs every material that goes into the mix, giving a quality of concrete superior to volumetric mixers and producing a printed ticket with every batch. In 2013 the company introduced a unique all-in-one concrete pumping truck, allowing for the delivery, mixing and pumping of materials from a single vehicle, removing the need for a separate concrete pump and reducing the number of vehicles on the road.