Explore how the concrete construction industry benefits from Doka’s innovative solutions
Countless structures around the world stand as a testament to what has long defined Doka: being a strong and trustworthy partner in the construction industry. Offering formwork and scaffolding solutions, the company understands the challenges faced by its clientele. Aware of the elements essential to the success of a construction project, Doka works passionately towards their completion. To ensure it can consistently put the right quantity of formwork and scaffolding in place at the right time, the business is continuously improving its solutions and going the extra mile, resulting in successful project outcomes for customers.
“Over 155 years old, Doka originally started with providing wood products to develop a dam system on the Danube River in Austria. Today, Doka is the largest company of the Umdasch Group, which aims to create better spaces by supporting our customers at every stage of a structure’s lifecycle,” begins Michael Kennedy, CEO of Doka USA.
“Doka was specifically established to address the needs of formwork and shoring and has tremendously expanded since, currently doing business in 58 countries. Although there are no members of the founding family currently on the management board, Doka is still family run and owned, with two siblings maintaining an active role in the business. They have cultivated a family-like atmosphere within the company and are very involved, taking a keen interest in Doka’s performance and showing genuine care for our employees. Their vision is to continue growing the organization, particularly in the Americas and, more specifically, North America. As such, we have an important growth strategy in place for this region, with a commitment to investing in properties, people, and processes in North America,” he continues.
Digitzation and innovation
Michael delves a little further into Doka’s range of products and services. “We provide forming and shoring products for the concrete construction market, primarily catering to self-performing general contractors who handle their own concrete work, as well as concrete contractors involved in erecting various concrete structures such as office buildings, hotels, bridges, and wastewater facilities. This range of forming and shoring products is mainly produced at our main manufacturing base in Austria. Additionally, we are active in the scaffolding sector, where we offer support systems for the concrete industry and related businesses involved in constructing large-scale structures throughout the world,” he says.
To support the delivery and creation of its products, Doka places a strong emphasis on embracing digitalization and fostering innovation. “As the largest player in the world in the forming and shoring market, we are consistently viewed as leaders in terms of innovation. Thus, we always look for ways – whether through physical products or digital solutions – to develop different services and products that help enhance productivity, safety, and efficiency. More specifically, our focus is on addressing the labor shortages in the construction industry by introducing innovations that can speed up the construction process in a safe way. Similarly, we deliver high-quality products that are user-friendly for our customers, because the biggest challenge for them is labor. So much of what we do from a digitization and innovation standpoint is intended to lessen their dependency on a tightening construction labor market. I believe this approach is what differentiates us from our competitors, as it empowers us to offer pre-assembly services and engineering solutions that are unique to our industry,” Michael explains.
Extensive US coverage
Beyond its innovative products, Doka also owes much of its success to its streamlined processes and expansion strategy, both of which Michael discusses in
greater detail. “In 2024, the US market was a little apprehensive about how the result of the presidential election could affect interest rates. Regardless, we still had a successful year and anticipate even greater ones ahead, as we believe the market conditions will be favorable and we are well-positioned to capitalize on them. In the forming and shoring business, it is crucial to ensure we have the products in the right place at the right time and are able to deliver them in full to avoid causing delays. This is because construction is one of those industries that has yet to experience the efficiency gains seen in many other sectors. Therefore, we are continuously striving to enhance operational efficiency, facilitating quicker project completion while maintaining a strong emphasis on safety and durability so that they will remain reliable well into the future.
“That said, we have expanded from eight locations to 13 across the US, which is a really important advantage. Indeed, this expansion is crucial as our products and materials are transported via flatbed 18-wheelers to large projects, necessitating strategic placement and sufficient product availability in every vicinity. Over the past few years, we have made substantial investments in properties and staff, especially in areas where the most construction is being done. By doing so, we aim to further differentiate ourselves from competitors who may be in very similar markets to ours, but do not boast the extensive coverage we do across the US. Additionally, many of our customers do not only operate in the metropolitan areas where they are based but also all over the country, underscoring the importance of our broad product range and national reach in satisfying their diverse needs effectively,” he points out.
Growth plans
Looking ahead, Michael shares his vision for the long-term future of Doka. “We have already doubled our business once and we anticipate doubling it again by targeting growth in subsegments within the construction market where we are not yet the leader but aspire to be the top player. Furthermore, the Umdasch Group is very supportive; if we can present a compelling business case for why we require something, they are always receptive as they are heavily invested in expanding in the US market. With the financial backing and stability provided by the group, we are empowered to pursue opportunities as they arise,” he ends.
Doka’s commitment to innovation and operational excellence has cemented its reputation as an essential partner in the global construction industry.