A trio of Welsh schools have received major upgrades to their thermal insulation thanks to an integrated package of products provided by Sto Ltd. Ysgol Glan Morfa, Howardian Primary School and Ysgol Hamadryad in Cardiff have all had the company’s StoTherm Mineral external wall insulation system applied to significantly improve
Bosses at a Shropshire-based global firm today welcomed the £5billion investment to replace unsafe cladding on homes across England. Tim Sharman, technical sales director of Jesmonite based in Bishop’s Castle which exports their product across the world, said homeowners had worked desperately hard to see their views heard since the
Building our economy up, one curtain wall at a time For almost 2,000 years, elevators were powered by water wheels, animals or people. Elevator technology expanded hugely in the 19th Century, and the invention of an elevator safety device in 1853, by American inventor Elisha Otis, increased public faith in
The UK’s largest privately owned drainage contractors has over 80 roles up for grabs at its depots across the country. Employing over 2200 staff across 25 depots throughout the UK, Lanes Group is recruiting for a wide variety of positions within the drainage industry, including drivers, engineers and groundworkers. While
Timber and panel imports reached 1.08 million m3 in November 2020, which was the highest monthly total since the October 2007 volume of 1.04 million m3. This was the second consecutive month where imports of the main timber and panel products were above the 1 million m3 mark. The growth
Global building materials solutions supplier CEMEX is proud to present VIABASE, an engineered Asphalt Concrete specifically designed for use in the construction of housing estate roads. Perfectly timed to support construction companies as they strive to meet the government’s ambition to increase levels of housebuilding, VIABASE meets the challenges faced
The former Ottakar’s bookstore in High Wycombe has been given a new lease of life and brought back to its former glory as a pillar of the town centre, through a state-of-the-art regeneration project featuring bespoke cladding panels from Proteus Facades. The Proteus SC cladding panels are arranged in a
One of the South’s leading construction sector groups, The LGW Group, has recently acquired Mexboro Concrete based in Paignton, Devon. Trading for over forty years and specialising in the manufacture of pre-cast concrete, the recent acquisition of Mexboro takes the LGW Group’s combined annual turnover to over £25 million. The
High-performance curtain wall and door products feature on the refurbished ‘commercial to premium student accommodation’ development. Architectural glazing systems developed and supplied by leading UK manufacturer Kawneer successfully met a trio of criteria for the £50 million award-winning redevelopment of two existing commercial office blocks into premium student accommodation. A
The World Steel Association’s 2020 World Steel in Figures whitepaper reports the continued rise of annual steel production, up by 3% in 2019 from the previous year. The world’s total steel output is now ten times as much as it had produced 70 years ago. It also states that steel
A trio of Welsh schools have received major upgrades to their thermal insulation thanks to an integrated package of products provided by Sto Ltd. Ysgol Glan Morfa, Howardian Primary School and Ysgol Hamadryad in Cardiff have all had the company’s StoTherm Mineral external wall insulation system applied to significantly improve their thermal performance. “We had originally considered a different solution which proved to be outside the budget,” says Nick Langley of Stride Treglown Architecture. “Sto were able to suggest an alternative which was less expensive but which had already been tried and tested on a previous school project in Swansea. The practice had used Sto products previously so we were happy to consider their suggestion.” StoTherm Mineral external wall insulation system features mineral fibre insulation boards and combines unrivalled fire protection and high thermal performance with excellent impact resistance, making it ideal for both new-build and refurbishment projects. It was installed using Sto-Rotofix Plus, a unique and easily adjustable spiral fixing which can accommodate any unevenness in the substrate to create a perfectly smooth outer finish. “Using this system, we created a 20mm drained cavity between the insulation and substrate, thus optimizing the water management of the completed construction,” adds Andrew Lloyd of M&P Contractors Wales Ltd who oversaw the installation work. This also helped to create the correct building lines which were required for the walls. “This was the first time we had used this solution from Sto, and with the training and support we received, all the products provided an integrated and reliable insulation solution.” A layer of StoLevell DuoPlus mineral bonding and reinforcing mortar was applied to the insulation, which gives good adhesion and provides a durable, weather-resistant and vapour permeable base layer ready to receive the top coat. StoSilco K silicone resin render was then added to provide a protective and decorative finish combining a high degree of water repellence and excellent water vapour permeability. The breathable yet highly water repellant properties of the StoSilco K render make it resistant to dirt build-up and help reduce the growth of algae and fungus. StoTherm Mineral incorporating StoSilco K finish is an ideal façade where rugged and reliable protection is required. Pic caption: Three Welsh schools have received major thermal insulation upgrades thanks to an integrated package of products provided by Sto, which included the company’s StoTherm Mineral external wall insulation system.
Bosses at a Shropshire-based global firm today welcomed the £5billion investment to replace unsafe cladding on homes across England. Tim Sharman, technical sales director of Jesmonite based in Bishop’s Castle which exports their product across the world, said homeowners had worked desperately hard to see their views heard since the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017. Mr Sharman said it should not have taken four years for the cladding removal programme and investment to be agreed but welcomed it and hoped work would commence immediately. Jesmonite, which was founded in Bishop’s Castle in 1984, has become the go-to material for designers looking for an environmentally conscious alternative to traditional building materials or resin-based products. Jesmonite AC730 is a water based, micro-concrete material. It is non-solvent, contains zero VOCs and achieves an A2-s1-d0 EN13501-1 Non-Combustible Fire Classification and has been used for cladding panels across the UK. The company’s success has seen Jesmonite being used in Buckingham Palace, London Zoo, many projects abroad including the Far East and India and regeneration projects across the UK. Mr Sharman said the Project Light, Canada Water multi-phased dockside regeneration scheme in Southwark was their largest Jesmonite cladding project to date and was a perfect example for the Government to follow and for homeowners to see to build their confidence that their homes could be safe again. The site, between London Bridge and Canary Wharf, includes approximately 9000m2 of Jesmonite AC730 external cladding panels specified as a lightweight alternative to traditional heavyweight concrete cladding. The award-winning technology behind Jesmonite AC730 allows manufacturers to create non-combustible large scale panels that offer major weight reductions whilst achieving high levels of impact resistance and flexibility. Mr Sharman said: “We are delighted that at last the Government have announced this £5billion investment. Homeowners across the UK have been left in limbo since Grenfell and I don’t think anyone can understand the true worry they have endured. “We have seen how flats have had security guards checking for any fire risks and that is no way for people to live. “Our non-combustible cladding solution has been available for 20 years but still developments have been built with cladding which we now know is unsafe. “We are looking forward to supporting the Government with the solutions they need to ensure people are safe in their homes. “We urge homeowners to keep the pressure on for the works to be carried out immediately. The announcement of the investment is not enough – we need to see cladding being removed and replaced as soon as possible.” Mr Sharman said the money was being invested in developments over 18-metres (6-storeys) high – however he said all buildings with unsafe cladding, regardless of the height, should be considered as part of the programme. The Government has offered a finance scheme for those in buildings between 11 and 18 metres high. Home Office analysis of fire and rescue service statistics shows buildings between 18 and 30 metres are four times as likely to suffer a fire with fatalities or serious casualties than apartment buildings in general.Lower-rise buildings, with a lower risk to safety, will gain new protection from the costs of cladding removal with a generous scheme offered to buildings between 11 and 18 metres. This will pay for cladding removal – where it is needed – through a long-term, low interest, government-backed financing arrangement. The Jesmonite Project Light cladding project can be viewed here https://jesmonite.com/case-study/project-light-canada-water/ Further projects and any developers looking to find out more about Jesmonite can visit www.jesmonite.com
Building our economy up, one curtain wall at a time For almost 2,000 years, elevators were powered by water wheels, animals or people. Elevator technology expanded hugely in the 19th Century, and the invention of an elevator safety device in 1853, by American inventor Elisha Otis, increased public faith in the technology. When his company then created an elevator brake, it opened up a new possibility — skyscrapers. Here Steve Parkes, key account manager at leading fastening and fixing supplier TFC, discusses the current drivers in the skyscrapers market and shares quick tips for curtain walling success. The first skyscraper was built in Chicago in 1885 — the Home Insurance Building. While it is no longer standing today, you can look across the skyline of almost any major city and see its successors. Picture London. Its skyline boasts a myriad of skyscrapers, including a host of distinctive glass towers; the Cheesegrater, the Walkie-Talkie, the Gherkin and the Shard, to name a few. Glass curtain walling is an attractive glazing option for building designers looking to create the memorable, attractive facades that we expect to join the skyline in the future. Flash forward The construction of glass-walled high-rise buildings is popular both for commercial and residential use. Construction was one of a few sectors that stayed buoyant throughout 2020, and could be a key way to build economic growth. As the work from home boom quietens down, millions will return to city-centre offices. And they won’t just be in London — recent growth in Northern business, fuelled by HS2, is seeing major firms like HSBC and KPMG open offices in cities including Manchester, Leeds and Birmingham. The public sector is also contributing to the levelling up of the country — the Government plans to shift 22,000 civil servants out of London by 2030. In the residential high rise market, the UK housing market remains strong and in cities with a high population density, continuing to build up means we can house more people while using up less green space. A 2019 estimate found that London had 541 towers in the pipeline, 90 per cent of which were residential. Growing student populations are also increasing demand for purpose-built accommodation, which must be well-located and high-quality to attract students. This cocktail of driving factors means we are likely to see new entrants to the skylines of many British cities in the coming years. Building up efficiently Construction companies and glazing professionals are well versed in the importance of efficiency and work hard to avoid project delays. However, there are still some sticking points — rework remains one of the highest costs to construction businesses. In curtain walling projects, accuracy is key — glass is an unforgiving material, which means it has to perfectly line up with the fixing brackets in the building’s structure. If you find yourself in the unfortunate situation of misalignment, there are limited options. You can either modify your fixing bracket and/or re-drill the anchor positions to compensate, both of which are time consuming and therefore expensive. The good news for installers and construction companies is that there is another way available. The alignment washer; a fast, simple, low-cost product that enables flexible on-site fixing for M10, M12, M16 and M20 bolts. It has oversized or slotted holes to provide leeway when lining up the bracket and anchor location as well as a mechanism, to tighten it down before locking off. Its clever design means it can even be used upside down! Once in position, the washer can be permanently locked into place with a high-strength, rapid setting construction resin. Due to the efficient locking off process, some contractors use alignment washers to lock off all brackets, whether there are alignment issues or not. There are two types of alignment washer available. The first is rectangular — for use with cast in channels, using a slotted hole to provide ± 25mm adjustment in one direction. Alternatively, circular washers are suitable for a variety of applications including stick curtain walling, balustrades and balconies, offering a ± 15mm adjustment in either direction. Both are hot dip galvanised for long term corrosion protection. A number of prestigious developments across the UK have alignment washers at the core of their design. Once again, picture the London skyline — many of these offices, hospitals, apartments, universities and Government buildings have benefitted from this unique solution. As UK construction works hard to build back better, it is good news for designers, project managers, architects and structural engineers, who, armed with this knowledge, can easily solve a common cause of project delays. For more information on construction fasteners and fixings, visit https://www.tfc.eu.com/products/fasteners-fixings/construction-fixings/.
The UK’s largest privately owned drainage contractors has over 80 roles up for grabs at its depots across the country. Employing over 2200 staff across 25 depots throughout the UK, Lanes Group is recruiting for a wide variety of positions within the drainage industry, including drivers, engineers and groundworkers. While previous drainage experience is beneficial, it is not essential with extensive on the job training provided. “We are always looking for new talent to join our team and want to hear from people who are genuinely interested in building a career in the UK drainage industry. It might be messy at times, but it is a hugely rewarding industry in which to work. Our team has joined us after hugely varied careers, working in everything from hospitality and accountancy to car sales, you’d be amazed at the variety of past roles our team have held,” said about the roles on offer, Debi Bell, Head of HR Services and Lanes Group. Lanes Group are willing to consider candidates with a broad range of past experience and recognise the value of transferable skills. Some skills the team look for when recruiting, include being polite, respectful and willing to observe all health and safety procedures. The nature of onsite work means that hopefuls must be comfortable working outside, willing to deal with drainage issues and happy to work shifts. Roles are available everywhere from Plymouth and Slough to Manchester and Sheffield, and jobseekers across the UK are encouraged to apply. With a turnover of more than £200 million, Lanes Group provides long-term employment and career development opportunities for employees at every stage of their career.
Timber and panel imports reached 1.08 million m3 in November 2020, which was the highest monthly total since the October 2007 volume of 1.04 million m3. This was the second consecutive month where imports of the main timber and panel products were above the 1 million m3 mark. The growth in the imports of the main timber and panel products in November 2020 of nearly 37% is in stark contrast to the 39% reduction in volume in April 2020. David Hopkins, CEO of the Timber Trade Federation, said: “This demonstrates that the timber supply chain has been working at full steam trying to meet the unprecedented demand. Record volumes of timber are being brought in and absorbed by the market as quickly as they are coming off the dock, often by previous allocation. “We can expect construction and renovation to play a large role in these plans, putting extra pressure on supply chains in terms of availability and inflation. “This has caused problems across the supply chain, particularly the merchant-to-builder route, causing strain and shortages in certain areas.”
Global building materials solutions supplier CEMEX is proud to present VIABASE, an engineered Asphalt Concrete specifically designed for use in the construction of housing estate roads. Perfectly timed to support construction companies as they strive to meet the government’s ambition to increase levels of housebuilding, VIABASE meets the challenges faced by roads on housing developments, where the final surface course is only laid once all building work has been finished. While the use of standard materials can run the risk of damage to the asphalt as they are exposed to the rigours of construction traffic, VIABASE uses carefully graded aggregate and a high binder content to ensure it is more able to resist the impact of these heavy vehicles. Providing a smooth, dense surface finish, VIABASE is resistant to deformation and less prone to fretting & ravelling. Additionally, the product’s close surface texture allows for easier cleaning once construction has been completed prior to the final application of surface course. VIABASE will also help housing developments to meet the requirements detailed by the government in its construction playbook, which has asked for the industry to move towards sustainable solutions that are high performing, with longevity at the core of decisions when specifying. As well as roads on housing developments, VIABASE is also ideally suited to other areas that are used by heavy duty vehicles, such as farm roads and tracks, large parking areas and industrial construction sites. “The government has been clear that housebuilding levels need to increase, with an aim for 300,000 new houses a year to be delivered. To meet this demand, our construction customers need quality, resilient products that offer solutions to specific issues that arise at these developments,” said Carl Platt, Director of Asphalt, Paving, and Building Products for Europe. “With VIABASE, we are pleased to offer a way to ensure the longevity of housing development roads, which standard materials struggle to provide if the surface course is not placed soon after. VIABASE provides a highly durable, low maintenance surface which will meet the challenges presented by heavy duty vehicles and prevent long term problems in the overall pavement construction.”
The former Ottakar’s bookstore in High Wycombe has been given a new lease of life and brought back to its former glory as a pillar of the town centre, through a state-of-the-art regeneration project featuring bespoke cladding panels from Proteus Facades. The Proteus SC cladding panels are arranged in a striking half-hexagon design that appears to float outward from the main structure. The 6 metrehigh façade, where the panels themselves are embellished by intricately designed, leaf-shaped perforations, has the ability to stop people in their tracks while they gaze at the intriguing, shimmering aesthetic. Prior to the refurbishment, the original building, which once stood proud on the corner of Queens Square fell into disrepair after being left unattended by its previous owner for quite some time. In 2019 however, as part of an ongoing initiative to acquire, regenerate and re-let vacant shops to independent businesses, Wycombe District Council purchased the building and invested in a state-of-the-art refurbishment project. This included a complete redesign of the interior and an external upgrade to improve aesthetics and add more versatility to the town centre. During the initial stages of the redevelopment, main contractors, Abbeymead Building Ltd. found that the glazing to the upper levels would need replacing, along with limited structural support positions where the perforated cladding could connect. This resulted in a complete redesign of this section, with full replacement of the windows and the spanning solution of the Proteus SC, lightweight perforated anodised aluminium panels, manufactured by Proteus Facades. Proteus SC is an engineered panel system that is offered in either solid, perforated or mesh panel formats. By utilising an extensive range of metals, colours, textures and forms it can add another dimension to any façade cladding project. The system can be manufactured between 1mm and 5mm in thickness and an acoustic insulation layer encapsulated within the panel. Installed by J & PW Developments Ltd,the Proteus SC panels at White Hart Street, were fabricated from a 3mm J57Up aluminium alloy with a brush polished, mirror effect finish, anodised to Anolok 543. The bespoke laser-cut leaf pattern on the panels, visible both inside and out, also provides further visual appeal to the façade, offering a delicately designed brise soleil within and a striking external aesthetic for passers-by. Each Proteus SC panel is secured in place using a bespoke aluminium support system, also manufactured by Proteus Facades, with a matching anodised coating. The brackets are fixed back to the original structure with a 200mm x 50mm aluminium extrusion at panel joints, spanning approximately 3700mm between the floor and slabs, and with 1100mm cantilevered upper and lower sections. Further external works carried out during the redevelopment, completed in December 2020, include replacement of the flat roof and installation of a new shopfront set back from the pavement to create a covered seating area. Internally, the building has been completely restructured to offer a ground floor space ideal for use as a restaurant and shops, along with first floor studio-style offices. All of which have great potential to attract some of High Wycombe’s up and coming businesses, which in turn is expected to boost footfall and improve the overall experience for visitors to the town. For further information about Proteus SC or to view more inspirational rainscreen facades from Proteus Facades, visit: www.proteusfacades.com or call: 0151 545 5075.
One of the South’s leading construction sector groups, The LGW Group, has recently acquired Mexboro Concrete based in Paignton, Devon. Trading for over forty years and specialising in the manufacture of pre-cast concrete, the recent acquisition of Mexboro takes the LGW Group’s combined annual turnover to over £25 million. The addition of Mexboro complements the other LGW Group companies, namely Wright Minimix, Bristol & Bath Concrete, Prodeck-Fixing and Chris Brown Concrete Pumps – giving the Group an even stronger foothold in the South West of England and Wales. “Mexboro has a fantastic reputation in the industry as a company with well-established values and quality products so to bring them into the LGW Group was a fairly easy decision to make. They are the perfect fit for us” remarked Len Wright, MD of the LGW Group. The company will continue to trade under the Mexboro Concrete name in Paignton and the majority of their twenty plus workforce will be staying on with a handful of administrative functions moving to the LGW Group headquarters in Bristol. Mexboro MD Matthew Vallance will also remain with the business in a part-time capacity bringing his years of experience in the industry to the Group. The addition of two new apprentices, already being advertised for, and the potential for more recruitment into the business will grow the pre-cast concrete division of the Group. Further investment for the Group is forecasted with the potential addition of a new concrete plant to make this new area of the business more efficient, as well as giving them a more varied product offering by utilising the skills of the other Group companies. The LGW Group companies provide a one-stop shop for both commercial and domestic construction projects across Southern England and Wales with services ranging from the production and sale of ready-mix concrete and concrete blocks; concrete pumps for hire, including the UK’s largest M60 and M62 boom pumps; metal decking and now pre-cast concrete and architectural cast stone.
High-performance curtain wall and door products feature on the refurbished ‘commercial to premium student accommodation’ development. Architectural glazing systems developed and supplied by leading UK manufacturer Kawneer successfully met a trio of criteria for the £50 million award-winning redevelopment of two existing commercial office blocks into premium student accommodation. A large part of the façade at Crown Place, formerly St Stephens Towers, in Norwich, features Kawneer’s AA®100 curtain wall system with 50mm sightlines and AA®720 top-hung glazed-in and AA®720 standalone windows. Two types of Kawneer commercial entrance doors also feature – the thermally superior AA®720 and the heavy-duty 190 series – to meet the required thermal, acoustic and aesthetic performance. The two eight-storey towers now feature an additional floor and a new link building between them, providing 705 premium student accommodation units including “twodios” (for two people sharing a kitchenette) above live retail units. Main contractor RG Carter Ltd initially built the office blocks in the early 1970s and they returned to refurbish them to ease the high demand for purpose-built student accommodation in Norwich city centre. Crown Place also features high-specification communal spaces including games rooms, cinema, gym, roof terrace and café. The entire building was re-clad in Kawneer’s AA®100 curtain wall system, fabricated and installed by a team of six from approved specialist sub-contractor and Kawneer dealer Drayton Windows on a logistically challenging site next to a high-traffic city centre location and above busy occupied retail units. Architects ECE Westworks were appointed by client Crown Student Living to transform the prominent and unoccupied towers and ancillary buildings into a justified gateway building that provides part of a major investment and regeneration to the local area. As well as the addition of a new storey to each tower, their design incorporated additional storeys to the existing wings of the steel-frame building and two new atria opened up, down to the level of the double basement which comprises a large part of the 0.476 hectare site. ECE Westworks associate Andy Bremerkamp said the Kawneer systems had been chosen by RG Carter Ltd and approved by the client and the practice which has used them on previous office and residential projects. “They met the required thermal, acoustic and aesthetic performance for a variety of curtain wall sizes and have been used to articulate the façade as a response to the large monolithic existing building form,” he said. “The curtain walling interfaces with the metal cladding, with powder coated metal reveals. It was important to make the building of this scale as sustainable as possible. The client is very happy with the finished building.” Crown Place, Norwich won ECE Westworks a RICS Social Impact Award 2020 and a shortlisting in the Student Accommodation Conference and Awards 2019 as well as RG Carter Ltd a gold award in the 2020 Considerate Constructors Scheme.
The World Steel Association’s 2020 World Steel in Figures whitepaper reports the continued rise of annual steel production, up by 3% in 2019 from the previous year. The world’s total steel output is now ten times as much as it had produced 70 years ago. It also states that steel will remain the backbone of cities and communities of the future for its durability and recyclability. It’s incredible to know that a material created somewhat by accident is now everywhere, from cars to skyscrapers. Had the steel we know and use today existed during the times of great conquerors like Alexander the Great, the landscape of the globe would’ve been much different. Even the first forms of steel—wrought iron, for instance, had made ancient armies for a time unstoppable. Technology is continuously improving how to make steel. Some steelmakers are now looking into creating ‘green steel,’ burning hydrogen instead of coal to reduce their carbon footprint. If it works, steel production might reach record highs, as a chance to cut back on the industry’s 8% global CO2 emissions is too good to pass. One thing that has barely changed about steel is its use. The World Steel Association’s report cited these five sectors as the most extensive applications of steel. 1. Building and Infrastructure (52%) From the humble single-story house to history’s megastructures, steel has contributed significantly to the building and infrastructure sectors. Fabricators such as Steelgram Fabrications manufacture and supply steel beams and frames to various construction projects. It can be formed to any shape the project requires, allowing for a wide range of approaches to tackling the project. Over the years, steel has tackled countless engineering challenges and surpassed them. The 50-km Channel Tunnel connecting the U.K. and France, for example, is an engineering marvel of concrete and steel. Together, these materials are strong enough to withstand the pressures exerted by being built underneath the English Channel’s seafloor. 2. Mechanical Equipment (16%) It’s not only the infrastructure itself that uses steel but also the heavy equipment that built it. From excavators to lofty cranes, steel is the preferred choice for the same reasons as construction. Steel can be molded into any shape or form, yet maintaining its rigidity. Fabricators with contact details on sites like engineeringarena.co.uk also make steel for such applications. The Channel Tunnel wouldn’t have been possible without the help of boring machines. Weighing in at 1,100 tonnes and 8.8 metres in diameter, the machines cut through marl from both the British and French sides. High-alloy steel was used to fabricate the cutter heads that led the way, allowing them to cut away at soft or hard rock. 3. Automotive (12%) Although lighter materials like carbon fiber see widespread use, steel is still a crucial component in every new car that rolls off the assembly line. The World Steel Association estimates that every car uses 900 kg of steel, namely advanced high-strength steel (AHSS) that’s lighter than traditional steel but just as strong. With AHSS making up at least 60%, a car’s gross weight can be reduced by as much as 10%. The lighter the vehicle, the less drag it experiences on the road, which also translates to less fuel used. As regulations regarding new cars are stressing more on fuel economy, steel will help automakers meet them without sacrificing quality. 4. Metal Products (10%) Chances are nearly all your things at home are, to an extent, made out of steel or one variant of it. For instance, cookware such as pots and pans are mostly made using stainless steel. Aside from its high heat and corrosion resistance, stainless steel also makes cleaning a breeze. Just remember not to use an abrasive brush for cleaning. Another example is tool steel, specifically designed for making into tools like hammers and pliers. The steel needs to withstand the rigors of everyday use, mainly wear-and-tear and softening when exposed to heat due to friction. 5. Other Transport (5%) Motorcycles, bicycles, trains, ships, and planes all fall under this category and for the same reasons as automotive. However, the base material used for this purpose can vary from the traditional iron. This gives steel properties that make it suitable for specific conditions. For shipbuilding, it uses aluminium-based steel to make the ships highly resistant to sea corrosion. It’s also applied to building high-speed trains for its lightweight property, allowing trains to cover vast distances in hours. In recent years, the aerospace sector is slowly replacing aluminum-based steel in favor of titanium-based one. Lighter than aluminum but stronger, titanium is the ideal choice for commercial planes and military jets. This steel is also better at withstanding extreme temperatures at high altitudes.
