Could you tell us about the projects where you have used boom pumps?
We use boom pumps in all our projects, industrial and infrastructure. In piling projects, we use boom placers, especially for the larger diameter piles for faster placing of concrete. For high-rise buildings, we use the floor-climbing concrete boom placer. It has a flexible arm which can place the concrete all around.

We have recently completed some major projects across the country including the Metro projects in Kolkata, Bengaluru and Mumbai. We are now involved in the world?s tallest residential tower in Mumbai, the World One. We are using about 30 boom placers at this project while there are about 60 concrete pumps involved in the project.

What were the challenges in concreting and how did you overcome it with boom placers?
Boom placers and boom pumps are used for faster concreting. Once you bring a certain amount of concrete from a batching plant, you must place it as fast as possible, before the initial setting process of concrete starts. With boom placers, we can do the concreting much faster, even for small columns. If we are not using boom placers, we have to fix concrete pipelines in each and every place or bring the concrete near the place and put it inside manually. This takes a lot of time. Thus, boom placers are handier compared to pumps, even though they have their own limitations. The use of boom placers is gradually picking up and becoming popular. Today, most projects have at least three to four boom pumps and one placer. People are finding the use of boom placers much easier.

Which concrete pumps do you use for your projects?
We use all leading brands: Sany, Putzmeister, Schwing Stetter, etc. All are equally good in quality. Putzmeister and Schwing Stetter are German brands while Sany is from China, but Sany?s performance is as good as any other international brands. Now the question is suitability, price and after sales service.

Will you be using boom pumps for future projects?
Yes, of course, because we can do concreting faster with these boom placers, and with less wastage, which is a major advantage. If we use a boom placer, the quality of concreting will be better, segregation will not happen. If we pump the concrete at one place and again pour it manually, segregation of concrete will happen.

What challenges do you face while using boom pumps?
Proper planning before the use of boom pumps is essential. Whenever you use a boom pump, plan it well and handle accordingly, so that maximum work could be accomplished at one place. Maintenance is a major aspect. After every operation, you should immediately clean the pump. OEMs do periodical checks of the machines and help in the repairs and replacement of parts.

How do you view the trends in concrete pumps?
Nowadays, concrete boom pumps and placers are becoming very popular. We have to use more of such equipment in the future because the project completion period is getting shorter. The completion period has become 50 per cent shorter than what it was ten years ago. In this scenario, this kind of equipment is a necessity. Also, the technology used in these kinds of equipment is quite good. The reach of the pump is increasing day by day.

Till recently, the 36 and 37 m pumps were popular, now it is the 70 m ones that are popular.