The Construction Agenda: OCTAGON- 2 million euro works for large scale infrastructure projects

Octagon Contracting & Engineering, one of the main constructors of special foundations in Romania is  working on three large scale infrastructure projects in Romania. The total value of the projects is around  2 million euro. Octagon will cash 600,000 euro for geotechnical works performed at the underground passage from Presei Libere Square in Bucharest.  Another important project is the rehabilitation of Brasov – Simeria railway,  Coslariu – Sighisoara section, Micasasa – Coslariu sector, worth 260,000 euro. "In this project we were subcontracted by the Greek contractor Aktor. We also executed bored piles for sections A, D and E of the second sector of  Lugoj – Deva highway, a  5 million lei (1.14 milion euro) project,  as the subcontractor of Salini Impregilo ", said Alexandros Ignatiadis, co-founder and shareholder of Octagon C&E.

 Poor management of public investments blocks the infrastructure development

According to the manager the main issue the local infrastructure and public works market is facing is the poor management, which triggers poor results in the area. "Delivery terms are extended three times on average and these delays generate financial loses. We have major delays in each stage of a project’s  development, starting with the feasibility stage and continuing with the launching of the specifications book, which is contested several times. A lot of time is wasted trying to solve the contestations, after which a new bid the results of which are contested again is announced.” said the shareholder of Octagon.

The new rules for the awarding of public contracts, voted by the European Parliament on January 15^th  2014, have not solved the issues of the Romanian legislation either. "Maintaining the lowest price as the main awarding criteria can significantly impact the quality of delivered projects. We need a more detailed approach and deep changes in this respect.”  explained Alexandros Ignatiadis.

Six students from UTCB have had the opportunity to practice their knowledge on OCTAGON construction sites

     Six students from the Technical University of Civil Engineering Bucharest (UTCB) practiced their knowledge for three weeks within the construction company OCTAGON.  

 Remus Anuta, Andrei Besu, George Dulama, Ioan Lazar, Valentin Nicolae and Maria Utu are students in the 4th year at the Faculty of Hydrotechnics and have had the opportunity to visit the company’s construction sites in Bucharest and see how works are being performed, but also spent a few days in the tendering department.

The students spend their first two weeks of practice on the site of the underground passage from Piata Presei Libere Square, where OCTAGON is executing diaphragm walls.  

The students were present to all the construction stages and asked questions whenever they needed clarifications related to the execution technique and the materials which were used.  

They were coordinated here by the Project Manager, engineer Dan Gerea, who explained to them the execution method of diaphragm walls within this project and the issues that can occur during execution.

The six students also visited Green Court Bucharest construction site, where OCTAGON is building the superstructure of building B, part of the office complex. The works started in 2014 and continued at fast pace.The building has already reached the 8^th floor of the total 11.  The students were accompanied by Mihaela Moraru, Quality Engineer, who indicated to them the most important stages of the execution of reinforcement and concreting works, which are currently performed on the construction site.  

 

In the last week some of the students, who expressed their interest to see how the tenders are being prepared within the tendering department, were coordinated by the company’s Technical Director, engineer George Visan.

Video: Execution of diaphragm walls, bored piles and concrete structure for residential complex Maresal Averescu 159

     2008 was the year when many construction companies started being negatively impacted by the decline of the real estate market.  But OCTAGON kept working on important projects in terms of size and value. One of these projects is the residential complex Maresal Averescu 159, located in Bucharest on the boulevard with the same name. OCTAGON built diaphragm walls, bored piles and the concrete structure of the three buildings within the complex.  Watch the video below to see images from various construction stages: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n29QhEzM6f4