The Holding unites Russian and foreign SOVBI companies that have been specializing in development and implementation of leading-edge Russian technologies since 1989. Vsevolod Dmitrievich Vasiliev, Doctor of Engineering and author of more than 80 inventions, has been the head of the company from the date of its foundation.
   SOVBI Holding pioneered mobile equipment and technology for onsite production of virtually new insulation material, namely ultralightweight non-autoclave cast-in-situ foam concrete (CFC) SOVBI having a density of 130-300 kg/m³, using common cement. All manufactured plants have been tailored for operation both in Russia and abroad and they allow to carry out works even in winter, at temperatures up to -25 ⁰С. The equipment is easy-to-operate and tolerant to voltage swings; it offers long-term performance and delivery of high-grade SOVBI CFC from ground onto the roof of a 24-storeyed building as well as horizontal delivery at no less than 250 m. All this allowed to develop and implement radically new solutions patented in Russia and abroad, which are meant for shielding of envelopes, upper stories, roofs, attics of high- and low-rise buildings, industrial and sports facilities using cast-in-situ foam concrete branded SOVBI. Our technologies have been used in more than 140 cities in all climatic zones of Russia, in the Caucasus, in Belarus, Kazakhstan, Moldavia, Czechia, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Mongolia, Ukraine and other countries.
   Since 1997, the company’s major priority has been finding a solution to the problem of ultralightweight non-autoclave cast-in-situ foam concrete production directly on low-rise and high-rise housing construction sites. These activities were accompanied with commencement of work on production of foam concrete pieceworks used as permanent formwork. Thereafter, the range of works was considerably extended.
   Currently, the Holding conducts various activities allowing to totally replace non-durable and flammable foamed polystyrene as well as insulating mineral wool that soddens and sags over time.
1. High-rise construction – thermal covering of flat roofs, attics, upper stories, envelopes.
2. Construction of sports facilities, industrial buildings, etc.
3. Low-rise construction – quick framed-wooden house construction, with wooden or metal frame, with durable ‘Warm contour SOVBI’, containing no cold joints and made from ultralightweight foam concrete. Other thermal shielding techniques include foam concrete pouring in the grouted brickwork, use of vibrocompressed blocks and other similar materials.
4. Shielding of hot water supply systems, air/steam pipelines and equipment with cast-in-situ foam concrete is one of the most recent activities. We have developed a plant standard and standard drawings package related to thermal shielding of pipelines and equipment for various applications.
5. Road construction. We have developed a concept for foam concrete use in the road construction, which makes it possible to eliminate the need of chippings use. Foam concrete is used as a heat-insulating layer for protection against frost heave instead of conventional methods. Our tests have shown that the production cost of 1m² of road dressing is significantly lower when cast-in-situ foam concrete is used, as compared to the current conventional methods. The standard for foam concrete use in road construction was developed and the Road Committee of the Leningrad Region, Russia, approved the pilot use of foam concrete for ring road construction. Primary design solutions for numerous streets of St. Petersburg are under development.
6. Engineering, equipment manufacturing and setup of plants for production of foam-concrete wall and partition blocks, façade plates and dry mixes in Russia and abroad. Our technologies enable installation, commissioning and optimization of technologies and their adaptation to local materials.
   Apart from construction firms established in Russia and other countries, the Holding comprises the following St. Petersburg-based business units.
1. Industrial production unit is provided with state-of-the-art equipment enabling manufacture of various mobile and fixed plants for foam concrete production, machine complexes for production of blocks and dry mixes, products required for thermal shielding of pipelines.
2. Research and development unit has an up-to-date laboratory and pilot testing equipment. The conducted studies are aimed at developing new equipment and improving the existing one as well as advancing the technology for making and using foam concrete in housing and road construction, pipeline shielding, etc. Certain work is conducted in the field of creating new construction materials, using industrial waste of Siberian thermal power plants, using ash derived from sewage sludge combustion in St. Petersburg, where dry mix production equipment was designed and manufactured for ZAO Vodokanal.
3. The Holding-based International Center for Foam Concrete Technologies (IFCTC) was established on the initiative of St. Petersburg construction companies. Due to the fact that starting from 2008 many state functions will be transferred to self-regulating construction organizations, Russian Builders Union has approved MTsPT as its expert-and-consulting body for performing the following functions:
   - to develop draft technical regulations and standards applicable to production and use of cast-in-situ foam concretes in residential construction and civil engineering, pipeline thermal shielding and road construction in the Russian Federation;
   - to conduct expert examination of projects and executed work involving the use of foam concrete and other cellular concretes in high- and low-rise construction, road construction as well as laying new pipelines and reconditioning old ones;
   - to render assistance to the regions in implementation of the national project "Affordable and Comfortable Housing" through the use of advanced construction technologies;
   - to provide training for specialists from design and construction companies;
   - to elaborate guidelines for use of various additive agents for foam concretes, pieceworks, sheet materials, metal sections, waterproofing and other materials used in foam concrete production and application;
   - to arrange Russian and foreign seminars and conferences in foam concretes;
   - to manage tests of foam concretes in its own and other testing centers.

 

   The Center comprises Scientific and Technical Council, whose members are top specialists from Russia and abroad. For information about membership conditions, please, visit WWW.SOVBIFOAMCENTER.COM.
   SOVBI offers mobile plants of various capacities and for various applications, with vertical delivery of foam concrete above 70 m and horizontal delivery above 250 m. The plant may be operated by 1-2 workmen, occupies no more than 8 m² of the construction site, it is easily transported in a light-duty vehicle like Ford.