The history of concrete can be traced back to as early as 200 BC when Romans made the first mortar mixture to bind their housing structures. Much of the Roman technology depleted after the end of its empire, but the modern portland cement reemerged in English civilization, where small concrete blocks became popular construction materials. Since then, modern concrete blocks have come a long way, finding their usage in diverse applications like street pavements, house construction, bridges, and many more. In Nepal, Modern concrete blocks have been pioneered by Asian Concreto, with its state-of-the-art German technology.

The European technology at the heart of the Asian Concreto Manufacturing plant encompasses quality as the fundamental design principle at its core. While most locally manufactured concrete construction products – blocks, tiles, pavers, and tactile use either manual or semi-automatic block manufacturing process, Asian concreto uses an automatic manufacturing process that doesn’t require manual operation. It is the nation’s first and only fully automatic concrete block manufacturing plant. It is amongst only a handful of companies with automated machinery in entire South Asia.

Fig: Manual Process

There are four basic processes involved in the production – mixing, molding, curing, and cubing. In the manual process, the aggregates (sand, cement, water, additives, pigments, etc.) are mixed manually into a mortar and then poured into molds manually, making the blocks inconsistent and ultimately of lower quality. The semi-automatic process improves this with a concrete block-making machine wherein the conveyor belt lets the mortar flow into the molds at a calculated flow rate. Compaction – compression at tremendous pressure –  with the hydraulic press and vibration provides a higher quality of blocks. A highly consistent feed into the system with an automated mixing process results in short mixing times and faster quality production in automatic plants of Asian concreto. Mixing is also the process where admixtures like pigments bring forth the myriad collection of colorful and radiant tiles from Asian Concreto. The tiles are as tantalizing to the eyes as it is highly functional in the modern-day lifestyle. Compaction with tremendous pressure from hydraulic technology makes the quality Asian bricks and kerbstones truly shine in harsh and rugged environments.

Fig: Semi-automatic process

Fig: Automatic conveyor for the automatic plant at Asian Concreto

While automatic may sound impressive, the Asian Concreto factory uses fully automated german machinery refined enough to negate even the need for human operation. At an Asian Concreto plant, the sophisticated network of machines for mixing, molding, curing, and curbing can be controlled and monitored via a console that provides the interface for the clever software that imbues life into the machines. The high degree of automation and sophistication culminates into intricate designs like the interlocking Behaton pavers, whose superb interlocking strength translates into damage-resistant pavers that are unrelenting to even heavy-duty vehicular traffic.

Fig: Mixer at Asian Concreto

The curing process at Asian Concreto consists of racks of blocks placed into a ventilated curing chamber at regulated temperature and humidity. This high-end curing technology supplements the build of sturdy and reliable products like the hollow blocks from Asian Concreto. Asian Concreto design begins with the end in mind, and its excellent cubing machinery is no exception to that. Albeit the end of the process, the automated machinery designed with utmost care for high-speed cubing brings to life the best quality concrete products in all of Nepal.

Fig: Console for the automated plant at Asian Concreto

The attention to detail from the experts of Asian Concreto is unprecedented compared to any other block manufacturer in Nepal. It is reflected by its rigorous testing of aggregates – ingredients for the mortar – to ensure only the highest quality feed into its plant. The scientific dosing system that scales and measures weight, moisture content, and other vital parameters of the aggregates guarantees optimum and efficient feeding. Its meticulous approach to concrete making has led Asian Concreto to become the only Nepal Standard certified block manufacturing company. The unmatched quality directly correlates with its engineered bricks that are unmatched in strength, durability, and dimensional accuracy resulting in the longevity of stunning concrete structures.

While most manufacturers stop with the four basic processes, Asian Concreto takes it further with an additional step – surface treatments wherein refinements are made such that luxury tiles from Asian Concreto are no different from modern pieces of art. Another of their excellent products, called Asian Tactiles, has robust ridges and dots at its surface to guide the visually impaired safely to their desired destination. Following international standards, it is pigmented yellow to aid its use in diverse applications.

Fig: Asian Romba 3d 

Powered by decades of German industrial innovation, automated machines all in sync create an unlikely symphony filling music into the concrete. Superlative technology employed by Asian Concreto enables it to build marvels like the Romba 3d pavers that can even elude the human eye by creating beautiful multi-dimensional optical illusions. Where other pavers are mundane, light gray colored, and off-putting, luxury pavers like Asian Arena break the monotony with the most aesthetically pleasing designs. Where we are accustomed to dull pavers that tarnish the luscious beauty of our historical monuments, temples, and durbars, Asian Concreto only emboldens her beauty with the natural surface of Asian Matrix pavers. Asian Matrix Pavers are no different in texture from their traditional stone-faced counterparts, but only slightly better with modern technology.

Fig: Freshly produced concrete slabs at the end of production

As Nepalese, we are truly blessed to have a rich history. We are proud of our ancestors who built magnificent monuments and enabled us to bathe in all its mesmerizing glory. At Asian Concreto, we hope to not tarnish but add to that glory with top-notch technology. Here, technology meets tradition and, we hope to not dilute, but add rich colors to our vibrant culture and pave our way into adding a few beautiful pages of our own in history.