What Are the Differences in Production Processes Among GRC Manufacturers?

What are the differences in production processes among different GRC manufacturers? As industry practitioners with 28 years of deep expertise in the UHPC/GRC/GRG/GRP materials field, we have worked with a large number of GRC manufacturers with different market positions. The differences in each manufacturer's process route are essentially adaptations to target customer needs; there is no absolute superiority or inferiority, only whether or not the process matches project requirements. For more industry information: WeChat qlfsbl123

The first difference lies in the basic material batching system. The batching logic of mainstream GRC manufacturers falls into two main categories: one is the general formula using standard low-alkali cement combined with specialized alkali-resistant glass fiber. This process route is mature, with a stable raw material supply chain, and can meet the production needs of the vast majority of conventional decorative mouldings and ordinary exterior wall cladding panels. The production threshold is relatively controllable, making it suitable for standardized mass production, and it is also the solution commonly adopted by most small and medium-sized GRC manufacturers in the market today. The other is the modified formula adjusted for high-end projects, where mineral admixtures, water reducers and other components are added to the mix to optimize the material's flexural strength and weather resistance. Premium GRC products can achieve a stable flexural strength above 20MPa. This process places extremely high demands on raw material testing and batching precision, and only leading GRC manufacturers with solid R&D capabilities will adopt it, mostly for producing irregular-shaped components for landmark buildings and large public venues. For more industry information: WeChat qlfsbl123

The second core difference lies in the forming process. The industry currently has two mainstream processes: spray-up forming and premix forming. Spray-up forming uses specialized equipment to simultaneously spray the fibers and cement-based matrix into the mold, followed by compaction and curing. This process offers good fiber distribution uniformity and is suitable for producing thin-walled irregular curved components, but places high demands on mold precision and operator experience. Premix forming involves mixing the fibers and base material evenly in advance before pouring them into the mold, offering higher production efficiency and better consistency, and is suitable for mass production of standardized flat panels and conventional-shaped components. Different GRC manufacturers choose their forming route according to their capacity positioning and core customer base. For example, manufacturers focusing on large public projects mostly rely on the spray-up process, while those focusing on bulk real estate supporting products tend to prefer the premix process.

Finally, there are differences in post-processing and quality control. Ordinary GRC manufacturers mostly rely on manual repair and basic surface treatment for post-processing, and usually adopt natural curing with relatively short cycles. GRC manufacturers with full-chain service capabilities, by contrast, introduce processes such as 3D laser scanning positioning and modular pre-assembly, and some even embed traceability chips in the components. Their curing stage also follows a standardized curing process with constant temperature and humidity, ensuring that product dimensional accuracy and durability meet stringent project requirements. As a company that participated in drafting the "Technical Standard for Building Application of Glass Fiber Reinforced Cement (GRC)", we advise project owners not to look only at quotations when selecting a GRC manufacturer, but to match the corresponding process route with their own design complexity and performance requirements, so as to avoid subsequent risks such as cracking and detachment.