How Doka’s sustainable solutions are shaping circular thinking across the construction industry
Priding itself on a genuine understanding of industry needs, Doka is a family-owned leader in the forming and shoring industry. Initially established to support power plant construction with wood-based products, the company has advanced its technologies and expertise to meet the construction sector’s changing demands. Headquartered in Austria, Doka has grown to occupy a global presence, with over 160 locations across more than 50 countries.
From formwork engineering and reconditioning to cutting-edge concrete sensing and monitoring solutions, Doka’s product portfolio combines forward-thinking
engineering, sustainability, and digital innovation. The company’s formwork solutions cover all areas of construction activity, including housing developments, transportation infrastructure, power generation facilities, and building some of the world’s tallest structures. As the business continues to raise standards in terms of safety, efficiency, and environmental responsibility, we catch up with EVP Doka Americas & CEO of Doka USA, Michael Kennedy.
“A privately held company now in its fourth generation, the Umdasch Group, parent company of Doka, has been in business for nearly 160 years. Originally, Doka was established to assist with the damming of the Danube River, marking its entry into the forming and shoring industry with wood products. Slowly but surely, Doka has progressed, embracing advancements in forming and shoring technology, and gradually expanding from Europe to other parts of the world. Today, it is a global company, with its headquarters located in Amstetten, Austria, where the owners still live,” he begins.
Over the years, Doka has strengthened its reputation by enhancing the breadth of its services and expertise. Michael tells us more about the company’s current offerings. “Our main business encompasses everything related to the concrete forming and shoring industry, from engineering and preassembly to the reconditioning of materials. Additionally, we provide specialized services, such as concrete sensing and pressure monitoring. Curing concrete is an exact science, and companies strive to maximize productivity by accurately measuring the pressure and temperature during the curing process. This information is crucial for determining when to strip the concrete forms and shoring, and in reaching a similar concrete color tone.
“As experts in everything pertaining to concrete, we often work on some of the largest and most complicated structures around the world. What sets us apart from other companies is our engineering services and the innovative products we offer, which are designed to enhance the usability of forming and shoring systems, particularly in response to global labor constraints. By creating solutions that are easier to assemble while maintaining high quality and safety, we ensure that projects are constructed safely, on time, and productively,” he adds.
With growing industry pressure to decarbonize, improve productivity, and adopt digital technologies, Doka is committed to staying ahead of the curve by anticipating trends. “Labor is the biggest challenge for everyone in the industry,” reiterates Michael. “Previously, many engineering tasks could be completed by people with basic skills, but advancements in technology have changed that. Diagnostic tools are playing a much larger role in identifying issues and improving productivity.
“This transformation is particularly significant in the concrete forming and shoring industry. The current workforce may lack specialized skills, so we need to make solutions easier to use. As such, the learning curve must be shortened. We focus on creating solutions that are not only safe but also intuitive and easier to assemble – something we’re also pursuing through our upcoming digital platform, Doka 360, which connects planning, ordering, material management and data transparency in one central platform.
“Moreover, as concrete mixes evolve alongside the industry’s focus on decarbonization, we must keep in mind the changing requirements for pressure and temperature measurements. We continually assess whether we need to alter our stabilization methods and the products we use to monitor temperature and pressure, as they may vary with different concrete mixes. As these mixes change, we make sure that our products adapt to meet the new requirements effectively.
“Our tools measure both concrete pressure and concrete temperature to provide scientific evidence of when forms can be released,” he adds. “We even offer mobile apps that alert the relevant users when job sites reach the next stages, which helps in terms of scheduling and crew management. These tools will become even more valuable as labor shortages persist, and safety regulations continue.”
In terms of targets, Doka is the first formwork and scaffolding company to commit to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) and is aiming to achieve net-zero emissions by 2040. With around 37 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the construction and operation of buildings, Doka is focusing on reducing its footprint within its core business while exploring future-proof materials that drive the circular economy. As part of this, Doka has calculated the Product Carbon Footprint (PCF) for over 7000 products to provide customers with independently authenticated data.
Sustainability is an important issue for Doka, as the company has implemented initiatives to reduce the embodied carbon within both its products and processes. “When manufacturing our products, we always look at different ways to use the byproducts to help fuel our facilities. We also explore other areas from utilizing electric and battery powered forklifts to collaborating with others to reduce concrete’s carbon content,” Michael explains. “As a rental business, the industry’s framework is robust and allows us to recycle and reuse products.
“We’re introducing Xlife top, the first Doka formwork sheet that features a core made primarily from recycled plastic,” he explains. “Because it’s more durable, it needs fewer component replacements. Those components can also be recycled, creating a true closed-loop system. In addition to its sustainability benefits, Xlife top also reduces labor costs and offers a uniform concrete finish.
As a forward-thinking business, Michael notes the benefits that clients reap from Doka’s experience. “Part of our value proposition is our legacy of work on so many different and challenging projects,” he explains. “Understanding how something was designed in the past and applying those lessons to new projects is invaluable. Behind each contract is a significant, orchestrated effort – logistics, planning, and sequencing are critical components for us.
“Planning how the staging is built, how the formwork is craned in, and creating the right sequencing – all of this comes with experience. That’s what differentiates us from competitors who simply don’t have the same depth of project history to draw from.”
Looking ahead, Doka’s commitment to innovation and sustainability remains central to the company’s growth strategy. By embracing digital technologies, advancing low-carbon solutions, and designing systems that simplify complex construction processes, Doka is securing its position at the forefront of the global forming and scaffolding industry. In doing so, Doka is shaping the construction landscape, building strong structures that support the sector’s sustainable and resilient future.