Growing demands concerning quality
and long-term performance

For the third time, Ferdinand Leopolder, the ­founding president of The South East Asia Drymix Mortar ­Association SEADMA (a Singapore Association), organized the ­annual SEADMA Conference on August, 28th 2008, this time in Kuala Lumpur/Malaysia. On this occasion, Mais ­Haddadin (Fig. 1) interviewed Ferdinand Leopolder about the background of the conference (Figs. 2–3). Mais Haddadin works as a consultant at the PRA Coatings Technology Centre (www.pra-world.com) in London/GB. Ferdinand Leopolder acts as executive director of drymix.info and heads the operational SEADMA office in Munich/­Germany.

Mais Haddadin: Mr. Leopolder, can you give us a general introduction to SEADMA and its role in the Southeast Asia drymix mortar market?
Ferdinand Leopolder: SEADMA’s main purpose is to promote drymix mortar technology throughout the area of the ten ASEAN nations, see to the use of this technology to its full potential and introduce new applications to the benefit of the nations and individuals in this region. This is being achieved by organizing conferences, initiating government contacts (such as the Malaysia Executive Forum on Drymix Mortars in June 2008), encouraging scientific research (e.g. the SEADMA master studies grant at NUS – National University of Singapore), establishing industry specifications (e.  g. the SEADMA specification for skim coats TP-02), quality certifications (e.  g. the SEADMA Seal of Quality) and publishing technical information (our Technical Bulletins 01–03). But SEADMA also plays an important social role in bringing together quality-minded drymix mortar manufacturers and initiating discussions on how to raise the overall quality in the complex markets of ASEAN. SEADMA supports the development of drymix mortar applications in the ASEAN Nations by providing expert opinions from the international markets and adapting existing practices in the region to them.
 
Mais Haddadin: In your opinion, how do standards of drymix mortars in Southeast Asia compare to the international markets? And how can these standards be improved in this region?
Ferdinand Leopolder: The situation on the standards in the ASEAN region is complicated, to say the least. There is a considerable public sector that relies sometimes on specifications (e.g. from Singapore Housing and Development Board HDB), but there are very few recognized (and legalized) standards implemented. The large private sector adheres to no standards at all, so the safety of an investment only hinges upon the professional advice of consultants, which in many cases are not well informed about the specification of the finishing materials such as drymix mortars. The few established standards that we have found so far are obsolete and need immediate correction (e.  g. Standards in Malaysia about Tile Adhesives, CTA). In the Philippines and Vietnam, we hear, initiatives exist at least to implement an internationally recognized standard on tile adhesives (ISO 13007).
 
When compared with European markets, the current ASEAN status is not sufficient, of course, but organic growth was the result of this situation. The ASEAN markets are now in a phase where increased regulation of the applications becomes necessary in order to satisfy the growing demands concerning quality and long-term performance by the developers and end-users.
 
From a technical standpoint, the current situation cannot anyway be tolerated by drymix mortar experts. SEADMA has taken immediate action to improve it. For CTA, the Technical Committee (TC) of SEADMA has decided to push ISO 13007 in all nations of ASEAN and to give expert advice on implementation issues. SEADMA also sees the need for urgent action in the field of skim coats, where currently a lot of damage is being done to the reputation of drymix mortar overall: backyard producers bring inferior products into the markets which in turn gives a bad image also to quality mortar producers. The SEADMA TC has postulated the SEADMA TP-02 Specification for drymix skim coats (exterior and interior) and will complete this proposal by the end of the year. This generic specification is intended to replace eventually existing governmental regulations and could become an internationally accepted standard in the long run.
 
Mais Haddadin: Please share with us the purpose of this conference? How has it grown and what changes have been made since the first SEADMA conference?
Ferdinand Leopolder: Our 3rd Conference here in Kuala Lumpur was indeed the most successful one we have had in this region so far. We had over 170 participants and presented twelve expert lectures here, grouped in four sessions. For the first time, Continuous Professional Development Points (CPD Points) are being awarded to the delegates. In close cooperation with the Construction Industry Development Board CIDB, our conference was also made part of Malaysia’s International Construction Week (ICW). These facts reflect in the attendance: over 10  % were government officials and over 7 % were contractors and consultants. For the first time, the number of drymix mortar manufacturer’s delegates (over 35  %) superseded the number of industry suppliers (30  %).
 
It can be said, that after our conferences in Singapore in 2006 and Bangkok (2007), SEADMA’s reputation has considerably increased this year. This can in part be attributed to the fact, that the Executive Committee of SEADMA decided in October 2007 to put the emphasis on Malaysia in 2008. A similar process can be foreseen for Indonesia in 2009, our fourth conference will take place in Jakarta in October next year.
 
Mais Haddadin: From your perspective, what can be done by inter­national suppliers to the construction chemical industry in this ­region to help in developing new standards and enhance the ­quality minded approach to the drymix industry in the nations of the ASEAN region?

Ferdinand Leopolder: I think the supply industry in general –
and the construction chemical industry in particular – is on a good path in supporting its customers in launching high-per­formance products. This is of course their key interest, too. ­How­ever, there are many non-enhanced products and applications (e.  g. masonry mortars, basic renders), and it is our joint responsibility to overcome the traditional methods of jobsite mixing. After all, advice of the international players is highly appreciated by the governments of the ASEAN Nations. Not only do they lack the experience with our new materials, their institutes and offices are mostly understaffed and thus dependent upon exterior consulting. The other lingering macro-question is of course the education of drymix mortar professionals, be it consultants that really know how to specify these products or capable foremen on the jobsite itself. Here, the various technical centres of the chemical suppliers could assist in offering training sessions. SEADMA is trying to coordinate these efforts and is thankful for any help offered by the industry. And I am absolutely sure, that immediate results can be seen if these training measures are supported by the entire industry: the market will grow and more and more applications will be gained from the jobsite-mix sector. ­Finally the end-customer will get more and more confidence in modern and efficient drymix mortar products.
 
Mais Haddadin: Thanks a lot for this interview, Mr. Leopolder.

www.drymix.info    www.seadma.org

Fotos © 2008, Cyrus Chang, Kuala Lumpur/Malaysia