Dextra Group | Reliable Connections

Dextra Partners with NCS Steel, Offering Rolltec Couplers in Europe

 

Dextra is proud to announce its newest partnership with NCS Steel, a dynamic new player in the Portuguese construction industry. As the latest addition to Dextra’s growing network of cut & bend fabricators in Europe, this collaboration reinforces our commitment to delivering high-quality reinforcement solutions for major infrastructure projects across the continent.

A Powerhouse Backed by Industry Leaders

Though newly established, NCS Steel brings a wealth of expertise to the market. It is a joint venture between three of Portugal’s most prominent steel suppliers:

  • Nordesfer – Armazéns de Ferro S.A.
  • J. Justino das Neves S. A.
  • Metalofarense

By combining their extensive industry experience and resources, NCS Steel is poised to elevate reinforcement solutions in Portugal’s growing construction sector.

State-of-the-Art Facility in São Lourenço

Strategically located in São Lourenço, near Lisbon, NCS Steel’s brand-new facility is designed to set new benchmarks in precision, efficiency, and product quality. The plant is equipped with advanced machinery and cutting-edge technology to meet the rising demand for reinforcement-related products and services.

Expanding Access to Dextra’s Rolltec Coupler System

A key aspect of this partnership is the integration of Dextra’s Rolltec coupler system into NCS Steel’s portfolio. Rolltec, known for its superior strength, reliability, and ease of installation, has been a preferred reinforcement solution in major European projects, including:

  • Storstrøm Bridge (Denmark): A critical infrastructure project enhancing connectivity between Zealand and Falster.
  • Oosterweel Ring Road (Antwerp, Belgium): One of Europe’s largest urban mobility projects aimed at transforming the city’s transport network.

By bringing Rolltec to the Portuguese market, NCS Steel will enable local contractors and engineers to benefit from high-performance reinforcement technology, ensuring faster, safer, and more efficient construction.

A Shared Vision for the Future

This partnership represents more than just a business collaboration, it is a shared commitment to innovation,

For more information about our reinforcement solutions, feel free to browse our website or visit the Rolltec page or NCS Steel website for further information.

Dextra Laboratories Achieve ISO 17025 with New Fatigue Testing Capability

 

In the construction and engineering world, precision, reliability, and flexibility are non-negotiable. At Dextra, we take these principles seriously—so seriously that we have invested in our own state-of-the-art laboratories in Thailand, India, and China. These testing facilities, accredited by ISO/IEC 17025 and recognized by IAPMO, set us apart by ensuring unparalleled quality control, innovative testing solutions, and maximum flexibility for our customers worldwide.

This certification now includes fatigue testing, expanding their capabilities to ensure superior performance and reliability of construction materials.

What Makes Our Laboratories a Game-Changer?

  1. Beyond Standard Testing: Unrivaled Capabilities

Unlike conventional laboratories, Dextra’s testing facilities go beyond basic tensile testing. We conduct a comprehensive range of mechanical tests that guarantee the highest levels of performance and durability:

  • Static Testing – Tension, Compression, and Permanent Elongation Measurement.
  • Cyclic & Fatigue Testing – Oligocyclic, Cyclic Tension, Low Cyclic Loading, Cyclic Tension & Compression, Low Cycle and High Cycle Fatigue.
  • Hardness test – Rockwell, Brinell, and Vicker scale.
  • Chemical composition for steel materials.
  • Fibre Reinforced Polymer Test – Tensile Strength, MOE, Strain, Transverse Shear, Torque, Cross-sectional Area, Alkaline Resistance, GFRP Glass Content, Water Absorption, and Plastic Density.

By mastering these advanced methodologies, we ensure that our solutions perform under real-world conditions—making our products stronger, safer, and more durable.

  1. ISO/IEC 17025 Accreditation: A Global Seal of Excellence

Achieving ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation is no small feat—it represents global recognition of our laboratory’s competence, precision, and reliability. This accreditation allows us to comply with the highest international and regional standards, including:

  • ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials)
  • ISO (International Organization for Standardization)
  • ICC-ES (International Code Council – Evaluation Service)
  • EN, NF, IS, AS, JGJ, EAD, RMS – Covering Europe, India, Australia, China, and beyond

This certification isn’t just a stamp of approval—it is a testament to our relentless pursuit of quality in construction solutions worldwide.

  1. Expanding Our Capabilities: Continuous Innovation

At Dextra, we believe in pushing boundaries. That’s why we are constantly evolving to offer even more comprehensive, efficient, and precise testing for our customers.

  • New Accreditation: We now hold ISO/IEC 17025 certification for Fatigue Testing, further enhancing our ability to ensure the long-term durability and reliability of our products.
  • Coming Soon: Extensometer calibration accreditation—which will provide greater efficiency, accuracy, and confidence in test results. This step will further optimize our testing processes, reinforcing our commitment to world-class quality assurance.

 

Why This Matters for Our Customers

Having our own accredited testing facilities means greater control over product quality and faster innovation cycles. Our clients benefit from:

  • Speed & Flexibility – In-house testing eliminates delays and allows for quick adjustments based on project needs.
  • Reliability – Adherence to international standards ensures consistent and high-performance solutions.
  • Cost Efficiency – Eliminating third-party testing reduces costs while maintaining superior quality control.
  • Technical Expertise – Our in-house specialists continuously refine our testing methodologies, keeping us at the forefront of construction technology.

 

Dextra: Your Trusted Partner for Quality & Innovation

By owning and operating our accredited laboratories, Dextra reaffirms its commitment to delivering superior, high-performance solutions for the construction industry. We don’t just test products—we ensure that they stand the test of time.

 

Dextra Joins International Institute for FRP in Construction (IIFC) as Patron Member

 

Dextra is pleased to announce its patron membership with the International Institute for FRP in Construction (IIFC), a globally recognized organization dedicated to the advancement of Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (FRP) composites in the construction industry. This partnership underscores Dextra’s commitment to innovation, sustainability, and the development of next-generation structural reinforcement solutions.

What is IIFC and How It Supports the Industry

The International Institute for FRP in Construction (IIFC) is a leading global organization that promotes the use of FRP composites for civil infrastructure. Through a combination of research initiatives, educational programs, and industry collaborations, IIFC plays a pivotal role in driving the adoption of FRP solutions. Its key activities include:

  • Facilitating Knowledge Sharing: IIFC organizes conferences, workshops, and symposiums where researchers, engineers, and industry professionals exchange the latest findings and best practices.
  • Developing Standards and Guidelines: By working closely with standard-setting bodies, IIFC helps ensure that FRP technologies meet rigorous performance and safety requirements, paving the way for broader industry acceptance.
  • Encouraging Collaborative Research: IIFC fosters partnerships between academia and industry to push the boundaries of FRP innovation, focusing on both fundamental research and applied engineering solutions.

By offering a platform where experts can collaborate, IIFC contributes significantly to the advancement and standardization of FRP technologies, ultimately benefiting the construction industry and society at large.

Why FRP Matters in Modern Construction

As the industry moves toward more sustainable and durable infrastructure solutions, FRP composites have emerged as a game-changing material. Offering superior corrosion resistance, high strength-to-weight ratios, and extended service life compared to traditional steel reinforcements, FRP is being increasingly adopted in critical construction applications worldwide.

With growing concerns about the environmental impact and longevity of reinforced concrete structures, FRP presents a solution that significantly reduces maintenance costs and enhances resilience in harsh environments, such as marine, transportation, and industrial infrastructure.

Dextra’s Commitment to FRP Innovation

Dextra has long been at the forefront of developing advanced reinforcement solutions, including our Durabar+ GFRP Rebar, which recently earned ICC-ES certification for compliance with international building standards. By joining IIFC as a Patron Member, Dextra strengthens its role in shaping the future of FRP applications through research collaboration, knowledge sharing, and contribution to industry’s best practices.

Through this partnership, Dextra will actively engage with leading researchers, engineers, and policymakers to support the widespread adoption of FRP materials in construction projects worldwide.

What This Means for the Future

By joining forces with IIFC, Dextra continues to lead the way in providing high-performance reinforcement solutions that meet the evolving needs of modern construction. Our participation will drive:

✅ Greater industry awareness of FRP’s advantages and applications
✅ Collaborative research initiatives to further validate FRP solutions
✅ Stronger regulatory and standardization efforts for FRP in structural applications
✅ A sustainable future with durable, corrosion-resistant construction materials

Looking Ahead

At Dextra, we are excited to embark on this journey with IIFC and contribute to the ongoing transformation of the construction industry. As FRP adoption continues to grow, we remain committed to delivering high-quality reinforcement solutions that support resilient and environmentally responsible infrastructure.

For more information about IIFC and its mission, visit: www.iifc.org

Stay connected with Dextra for more updates on our innovations in FRP technology!

Collaboration Over Competition: The Power of the Supreme Solution for Precast Hybrid Connection

In today’s rapidly evolving construction industry, collaboration is key to delivering cutting-edge solutions that address the growing demands for efficiency, safety, and sustainability. This philosophy is at the heart of the collaboration between Dextra and Peikko, two global leaders who have come together to create a hybrid precast connection system that combines the best of both worlds: Dextra’s Groutec Couplers and Peikko’s Column Shoes.

This innovative system was successfully implemented in the Triumph Motorcycle Office and Factory project in Thailand, showcasing how collaboration can drive excellence.

The Hybrid Advantage

The hybrid precast system merges the strengths of column shoes and grouted sleeves to maintain the continuity of reinforcement in precast structures. This system has proven especially valuable in seismic zones and heavily reinforced elements.

Column shoes and Groutec couplers are well-known products used to create connections between precast columns. A combination of the two – referred to as ‘hybrid precast connection’ has been utilized in several markets, particularly those with seismic requirements.

From a structural viewpoint, column shoes and Groutec couplers are both designed to maintain the continuity of reinforcement through the joints of precast elements. In the case of heavily reinforced elements, it might be challenging to accommodate all necessary column shoes within the column cross-section. In such cases, combining column shoes with Groutec couplers may prove to be a cost-effective alternative.

With this solution, column shoes are intended to secure the stability of the column during the erection stage, while Groutec couplers complement the column shoes by transferring loads applied to the structure in the final stage. The term ‘erection stage’ refers to the stage when the joint has not been grouted, and ‘final stage’ refers to when the joint is fully grouted and hardened.

Column shoes enable precast columns to be erected without props or braces, which improves the speed of erection and allows for other construction activities to proceed unimpeded, as braces and props do not obstruct corridors, thus ensuring the continuity of the construction process without distraction. Groutec ensures rebar continuity at the “final stage” of erection.

Key Benefits of the System:

  • Faster Installation: Columns were installed without props or braces, reducing the installation time significantly.
  • Enhanced Safety: Eliminating bracing minimized site hazards.
  • Neat Finish: The method ensured a clean, professional result with no need for additional tidying.
  • Cost-Effective: Fewer materials and faster processes saved time and money. Groutec contributes reliable connections while saving costs on material and labor.


Triumph Motorcycles Office and Factory: A Case Study in Success

Completed in December 2024, the Triumph Motorcycle Office and Factory spans an impressive 89,077 sq.m and features 128 precast columns installed in a record-breaking time. Dextra and Peikko’s hybrid solution played a critical role in achieving these results.

This collaboration enabled Thai Obayashi, the project’s contractor, to achieve exceptional speed, safety, and quality.

 

A Future Built on Collaboration

The Triumph Motorcycles Office and Factory project exemplifies what can be achieved when industry leaders combine their strengths. As Dextra and Peikko, we believe that partnerships like ours are the future of construction innovation. Together, we can deliver solutions that exceed expectations and set new standards for the industry.

Let’s continue to lead through collaboration, making the construction industry stronger, safer, and more efficient for all.