Concrete is part of nearly every structure, yet its quality is easy to overlook once it has been poured and covered. A structure is at risk if there are inconsistent mixes, unreliable supply, and untested materials. That is where the Concrete Products Business Unit (CPBU) under DMCI - Allied Services Group (ASG) comes in. The business unit tackles these concerns right from the start.

CPBU provides ready-mix concrete and precast products to internal and external clients across the construction industry. With batching plants in Meycauayan and Taguig, a fleet of transit mixers and concrete pumps, and an in-house laboratory, CPBU ensures the concrete is tested and quality-checked before it reaches the site.

This article introduces CPBU’s capabilities, batching plants, and equipment fleet; explains the technology behind its mixes, outlines how its products are tested for quality, and highlights external clients along with sample projects.

To inquire about ASG’s concrete products, contact ASG at asginquiries@dmcinet.com.

Sample clients include:

1. Nishimatsu - DMCI Joint Venture (NDJV)

2. Acciona - DMCI Joint Venture (ADJV)

3. Taisei - DMCI Joint Venture (TDJV)

4. Shang Properties, Inc.

5. Amani Corporation

6. China International Water & Electric Corp.

ONE UNIT, NINE CAPABILITIES

CPBU’s ready-mix and precast offerings can be categorized into nine capabilities, namely:

1. High-Strength Concrete - up to 83 MPa (12,000 psi)

2. High Early Strength Concrete

3. High Volume Fly Ash Concrete

4. Flexural Concrete

5. Lightweight Concrete

6. Self-Compacting Concrete

7. Precast Wall Panels

8. Precast Piles

9. Precast Blocks and Barriers

Here is a sample of CPBU’s equipment and precast products. The full list is available upon inquiry.

PLANTS AND EQUIPMENT FLEET

CPBU operates from two plant locations, which helps it supply materials to projects across Metro Manila. One site is in Meycauayan, Bulacan, and it runs two batching plants with rated capacities of 180 and 85 cubic meters per hour. The other site is in Taguig, and it runs three batching plants with rated capacities of 105, 90, and 77 cubic meters per hour. This setup allows it to produce the concrete needed to meet the demands of its projects.

Concrete is delivered and placed by a fleet of transit mixers and concrete pumps, deployed as follows:

• Tipas, Taguig City: 37 transit mixers, 7 stationary pumps, and 14 mobile pumps
• Meycauayan, Bulacan: 28 transit mixers and 4 mobile pumps
• Acciona, Manila: 13 transit mixers and 3 mobile pumps

Its fleet has a total of 78 transit mixers, 7 stationary concrete pumps, and 21 mobile concrete pumps. Among the mobile pumps are two units with a 58-meter boom reach and another two units with a 62-meter boom reach. This variety of equipment helps it get the job done efficiently.

PRECAST PRODUCTS

Beyond ready-mix, CPBU manufactures precast products: wall panels (produced using battery molds), blocks and barriers, concrete sleepers, post-tensioned girders, and both precast and pre-stressed concrete piles.

Precast wall panels by ASG’s CPBU

Precast concrete sleepers by ASG’s CPBU

Pre-stressed concrete piles by ASG’s CPBU

ENGINEERED AT THE MOLECULAR LEVEL

CPBU develops its concrete admixtures using a high-precision technology called Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC) to analyze and fine-tune polymer structures at the molecular level. This technology allows ASG to engineer formulations for specific concrete performance requirements, while also maintaining the batch-to-batch consistency, predictable performance, and reliable quality on site.

For quality control, GPC also measures the Polydispersity Index (PDI), which helps ensure uniform polymer chains and consistent performance across batches.

Admixture analysis using Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC) by ASG’s CPBU

LABORATORY TESTING

Every concrete product undergoes laboratory testing to verify its strength, durability, and compliance with industry standards. The laboratory is equipped with modern testing equipment and experienced technical personnel. Materials and apparatus testing follows these ASTM standards:

1. ASTM C-204

2. ASTM C-191

3. ASTM C-187

4. ASTM C-109

5. ASTM C-136

6. ASTM C-128

ASG is taking another step to strengthen its quality assurance through its partnership with TERMS Concrete and Materials Testing Laboratory, Inc., which supports reliable sampling, testing, and technical evaluation.

Materials and apparatus testing at ASG’s CPBU laboratory

WHAT THE BUSINESS UNIT IS ACTUALLY DOING

From looking at brochures to the actual construction site, here is where CPBU's concrete is being used today. It supplies the ready-mixed concrete and specialized concrete solutions that meet the project’s strict quality, performance, and sustainability requirements.

ONGOING PROJECTS

MMSP CP102 - Metro Manila Subway Project
Location: Quezon Ave, East Ave, & Connecting Tunnel, Metro Manila | Client: Nishimatsu - DMCI Joint Venture (NDJV)

Project scope:

• Guide wall - sets the exact alignment and stabilizes the upper soil before digging a diaphragm wall or secant pile wall
• Slabs - form the floor and roof deck of the station and tunnel structures
• Diaphragm wall - serves as an enclosure and protective barrier for underground metro stations, shafts, and tunnels
• Columns - carry heavy vertical and lateral loads downward to the foundation, keeping the soil above from collapsing
• Soldier pile wall - a deep-foundation earth-retaining system used in subway construction to hold back soil during excavations

Project highlights:

• High-grade concrete - up to 48 MPa (6,960 psi)
• Specialized mixes with up to 8 hours of retention time
• Strict quality control and testing requirements
• Timely and reliable supply
• Continuous concrete supply and pouring of 600 m³ of slab and 300 m³ of diaphragm wall

SCRP S02 - South Commuter Railway Project
Location: España, Santa Mesa, and Paco, Manila | Client: Acciona - DMCI Joint Venture (ADJV)

Project scope:

• Bored pile - a deep foundation element that transfers loads from a structure down through soil layers
• Pier head - distributes loads from the railway superstructure down into the vertical pier shaft and foundation
• Pile cap - ties the bored piles together and distributes loads from the superstructure, such as columns, evenly into the piles
• Column - a vertical structural support that carries loads from the upper superstructure and safely transfers them down to the piles
• Miscellaneous structures - essential or less predictable structural elements that are critical to keeping the project safe

Project highlights:

• High-grade concrete - up to 48 MPa (6,960 psi)
• Specialized mixes with up to 6 hours of retention time and a concrete temperature of 25-27 °C
• Strict quality control and testing requirements
• Continuous pouring of 300 m³ of pile cap

NSCR CP01 - North-South Commuter Railway Project
Location: Bocaue Station to Valenzuela Station | Client: Taisei - DMCI Joint Venture (TDJV)

Project scope:

• Bored pile - a deep foundation element that transfers loads from a structure down through soil layers
• Column and pier head - distribute loads from the railway superstructure down into the vertical pier shaft and foundation
• Portal beam - supports the superstructure, track slab, and trains, distributing those vertical forces evenly across the vertical legs into the foundation
• Box girder - a hollow structural beam that supports the track and carries train and superstructure loads between piers
• Parapet wall - a protective wall along the edge of a bridge or viaduct that enhances safety and helps prevent objects from falling off the structure
• Drainage - collects and conveys surface water and groundwater away from the railway infrastructure to prevent water accumulation and structural deterioration

Project highlights:

• High-grade concrete - up to 50 MPa (7,250 psi)
• Specialized mixes with up to 2 hours of retention time and a concrete temperature of 25-27 °C
• Fabrication of parapet walls
• Continuous pouring of 300 m³ of portal beam and CIS

Laya by Shang
Location: Christian Route corner St. Peter Street, Brgy. Oranbo, Pasig City | Client: Shang Properties, Inc.

Project scope for the 66-floor tower featuring 1,283 residential units in total:

• Slab and beam - support a building’s floors and safely transfer those weights down to the vertical columns and foundation
• Column - carries the weight of a building’s roofs, floors, and beams
• Transfer girder - gathers the concentrated weight of multiple upper-level columns and funnels those heavy forces into fewer, wider-spaced structural supports or pile caps below
• Wall - supports structural loads, encloses or divides spaces, and shields the interior from the external environment
• Stair - provides a safe, reliable means of vertical circulation between floors or levels

Project highlights:

• High-grade concrete - up to 69 MPa (10,000 psi)
• Specialized mixes with up to 4 hours of retention time
• Strict quality control and testing requirements
• Continuous pouring of 1,500 m³ of transfer girder

Amani Tower
Location: 32nd St. corner 4th & 5th Ave., Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City | Client: Amani Corporation

Project scope for the 35-storey LEED Platinum-targeted commercial and office building:

• Slab and beam - support a building’s floors and safely transfer those weights down to the vertical columns and foundation
• Column - carries the weight of a building’s roofs, floors, and beams
• Mat foundation - supports an entire building or structure with a single, continuous reinforced concrete slab that spreads the total structural load over the entire footprint
• Wall - supports structural loads, encloses or divides spaces, and shields the interior from the external environment
• Stair - provides a safe, reliable means of vertical circulation between floors or levels

Project highlights:

• High-grade concrete - up to 69 MPa (10,000 psi)
• Specialized mixes with up to 6 hours of retention time
• Strict quality control and testing requirements
• Continuous pouring of 4,000 m³ of mat foundation

St. Luke’s Medical Center
Location: Quezon City | Client: St. Luke’s Medical Center, Inc.

Project scope:

• Mat foundation - supports an entire building or structure with a single, continuous reinforced concrete slab that spreads the total structural load over the entire footprint

China International Water & Electric Corp.
Client: China International Water & Electric Corp.

Scope for three projects:

1. Augmentation of Lagoon 3 and 4 at La Mesa - expands the overall water storage capacity to roughly 200 million liters

2. CAMANA Conveyance System Project Part 2 and 3 - a 77 km network of sewer pipelines designed to gather used water and sewage from homes and businesses in CAMANA

3. Expansion of Maynilad Bagbag Reservoir - improves service reliability for roughly 4 million customers across Quezon City, CAMANA, Manila, Makati, and Pasay

COMPLETED PROJECTS

CPBU has also supplied concrete for the following completed projects:

1. SM MOA Block 4 IKEA,Mall of Asia, Pasay City

2. Manila Doctors Hospital, UN Avenue, Manila

3. Rockwell Business District, Rockwell, Makati City

4. Solaire Resorts and Casino, Aseana Avenue, Parañaque

5. Skyway Stage 2 & 3, Bicutan to Alabang and Buendia to Balintawak

6. LRT 2 East Extension Project, Pasig to Antipolo

7. Connor at Greenhills, San Juan City

8. The Imperium at Capitol Commons, Pasig City

9. Maven at Capitol Commons, Pasig City

10. Empress at Capitol Commons, Pasig City

11. The Atherton, Parañaque City

12. Fairlane Residences, Pasig City

13. Kai Garden Residences, Mandaluyong City

14. The Orabella, Quezon City

15. Prisma Residences, Pasig City

16. Infina Towers, Quezon City

17. Oak Harbor Residences, Parañaque City

18. Calathea Place, Parañaque City

From a 66-floor residential tower to a 77 km sewer network, and from a subway diaphragm wall to a mat foundation poured continuously with 4,000 m³ of concrete: different clients, different industries, different specifications. Yet, it is all CPBU, delivering engineered mixes project by project.

WHY THIS MATTERS MORE THAN IT LOOKS

When concrete is placed, it can no longer be inspected or corrected, so it’s crucial that the quality be confirmed before it leaves the plant. That is the premise behind CPBU: engineered mixes, plants and a fleet to deliver them, and testing that ensures every product meets its standard of quality.

With ASG’s CPBU, every product is verified before it reaches your site.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Christine Ave V. Tragura, MBA, CLSSYB

Ave is a licensed Civil Engineer with over 16 years of international engineering and infrastructure experience across the construction, oil and gas, mining, manufacturing, and energy sectors in the Philippines and Singapore. She is currently serving as Digital Communications Senior Supervisor at D.M. Consunji, Inc. (DMCI).