Mekina Industries partnered with Daracon Group to replace Martinsville’s Owens Road Bridge, using durable, eco-friendly GRP panels to improve safety and efficiency. Lightweight and permanent, these panels cut labor, minimised waste, and withstand severe weather, ensuring long-term reliability.
As a vital component of Martinsville’s accessibility and infrastructure, the Owens Road Bridge required replacement to enhance its safety, durability, and overall structural integrity due to evident signs of wear. In response to this pressing need, Daracon Group, the main contractor, approached Mekina Industries to provide a suitable and long-lasting solution tailored to the project.
Mekina’s GRP Mek-Dek Formwork and GRP Cantilever panels were chosen to achieve these objectives. The Cantilever panel played an essential role, forming the deck edge, and serving as a permanent vertical shutter. This innovative approach reduced labour costs and improved safety during installation, which was carried out directly above the bridge – a critical aspect given the challenges of working over Dora Creek.
The successful implementation of Mekina’s GRP formwork resulted in a durable, efficient, and eco-friendly solution, enhancing the overall reliability of the newly constructed Owens Road Bridge, allowing vehicles and pedestrians to cross Dora Creek with confidence. The bridge replacement has also been designed to mitigate creek overflow risks through enhanced structural integrity and durability, accommodating higher water levels, in order to remain operational during severe weather or heavy rainfall.
Modular and lightweight, Mek-Dek Panels are highly manoeuvrable, requiring less manpower and fewer resources for transportation and installation. Since they remain in place permanently, there’s no need for dismantling or removal, saving valuable construction time. After determining the required panel specifications to support the concrete deck, Mekina initiated its custom manufacturing process. The bespoke panels minimise waste, contributing to the project’s overall sustainability credentials.
We collaborated closely with Daracon Group, providing solutions for any on-site challenges, ensuring both teams had a clear understanding of project requirements. By aligning strategies and maintaining open communication, we optimised resource use, minimised wate and cut costs, enhancing overall project efficiency.
I am incredibly proud of the success our products achieved on the Owens Road Bridge project with Daracon Group. This project showcased the versatility and efficiency of our GRP Mek-Dek Formwork and Cantilever panels, enhancing both safety and durability. Our team worked closely with Daracon, addressing challenges on-site and providing customised solutions. The lightweight, modular GRP panels reduced labour, transportation costs, and saved construction time. Manufacturing to order minimised waste, contributing to sustainability. We’re proud to have delivered a solution that exceeded expectations and improved accessibility for the Martinsville community.
Mark Johnson
Director of Manufacturing Operations
56 Owens Rd, Martinsville NSW 2265, Australia
Get to know the team behind Mekina Industries – who are dedicated to giving your project The Edge through the greenest GRP formwork in the industry and unrivalled technical assurance.
With decades of experience in GRP permanent formwork and other bespoke GRP construction products, I focus on providing exceptional service to our valued customers in the highways and transport industries.
Director of Sales Operations
Our GRP formwork panels offer a distinct advantage: the elimination of the need for access beneath the structure during installation. Our lower embodied carbon and recyclability gives us the Edge over traditional formwork methods.
Director of Manufacturing Operations
My expertise in composites engineering empowers me to navigate complex design challenges, ensuring that Mekina’s engineering support to clients achieves the highest standards of efficiency, quality and sustainability.
Head of Engineering
As a Structural Engineer, I’m passionate about prioritising the safety and integrity of the solutions we provide to clients in the highways and transport sectors. My particular specialism is in finite element analysis (FEA) of GRP composite materials.
Structural Design Manager
My skillset combines engineering expertise, a deep understanding of materials and proficiency in using computational tools for analysis and design. Load testing Mekina products is key to understanding their long-term performance.
Composite Material Engineer
