Products supplied by a.b.e.® are playing a major role in the construction of the façade of The Leonardo, Africa’s tallest building currently being built in Sandton.
a.b.e.® is part of the Chryso® South Africa Group.
The products a.b.e®. has supplied to the glazing sub-contractors, PAM Fabricators and Diri Aluminium, for the 234 metres-high The Leonardo are:
* Dowsil 993 structural glazing sealant.
* Dowsil 896 panel bonding silicone.
* Dowsil Panel Fix load support tape.
* Dowsil 1200 and Dowsil P primers.
Jeandré Myburgh, a.b.e.® National Manager: Silicones, Sealants and Adhesives, says Dowsil (formerly Dow Corning) is the world’s leading brand in silicone adhesives and sealants and silicone-based technology. a.b.e.® has been sole South African distributor of the globally respected range produced in Belgium for decades.
“Dowsil 993 is a two-component, neutral curing silicone formulation specifically developed for the structural bonding of glass, metal and other building components. It has an exceptionally high level of mechanical properties and can be effectively used in impact-resistant window systems. Available in black and white, Dowsil 993 allows for maximum energy efficiency in construction as it provides total vision glass without thermal bridges, and is resistant to ozone and UV radiation.
“Dowsil 993’s high structural capability and general performance comply with stringent overseas standards and the odourless sealant retains stability in temperatures as high as 150 and low as -50 degrees Celsius. The cured sealant has excellent weathering characteristics and a high resistance to ultra-violet radiation, heat and humidity,” Jeandré adds.
Dowsil 896 is a one-part high-strength silicone sealant with immediate initial strength for panel bonding applications. It is also suitable for a wide range of substrates and has temperature stability up to 150 degrees Celsius, as well as UV- and weather-resistance. The sealant enables safe assembly because of its fast “green strength”.
Jeandré says Dowsil Panel Fix tape provides temporary load support for panel bonding applications. The 3.2mm thick glazing tape allows for direct application of façade panels without the need for unsightly temporary retainers.
a.b.e.® is also supplying Dowsil 1200 primers for The Leonardo project.
a.b.e.® has during 2018 and 2019 supplied about 15 000kg of the Dowsil products for the 55-storey The Leonardo which has as main contractor, Grinaker-LTA, with over 2 000 people working on site. The architects are South Africa’s Co-Arc International Architects. The R3 billion building will offer a mix of residential and commercial space: 230 apartments, 15 000m2 of office space, a hotel, and three-storey penthouse.
Dowsil sealants have over the years been supplied by a.b.e.® for diverse structural glazing applications in Sandton including 11 and 15 Alice Lane, 4 Stan Road, 72 Grayston Drive, Sandton Skye Apartments, and Protea Place, among others. Dowsil sealants have also been supplied for Portside which, at 139m, is the tallest existing office block in Cape Town, as well as the ICC in Durban. Outside South Africa, the products have been used for prestige projects such as the Bank of Mauritius and Reserve Bank of Mozambique.
Jeandré says the popularity of Dowsil structural silicone sealants is strengthened by the Dowsil Quality Bond Programme which provides assurance to specifiers and developers that both the products and their applicators meet Dowsil’s most stringent rules of compliance.
Dowsil markets and promotes the services of Quality Bond members among specifiers worldwide and offers technical expertise to ensure that projects are carried out according to the company’s strict quality control system. Laboratory testing on substrates to check adhesion, compatibility and staining enable Dowsil to make formal recommendations for the product selection and use.
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