The global shortage of skilled labor is affecting all construction companies. Most are devoting a lot of time, energy and resources to finding solutions, but how many developers have made simple installation a driving factor in their purchasing policy? Choosing products that a less-skilled workforce can install can be a game-changer. For key products like sewer systems, quick and easy-to-fit solutions are a straightforward way to minimize the impact of the skills shortage—freeing up skilled workers to tackle more technical challenges on a project.
Construction’s skills shortage can’t be ignored
Around the world, developers have to manage their labor requirements carefully. Often, this means making hard decisions like paying higher rates to attract the scarce workers who are so essential to their projects. A 2024 international construction market survey revealed that a staggering 79% of markets, representing 72 individual markets, reported skill shortages. Only 10% reported a labor surplus, and just 11% enjoyed a balanced labor market.
Although the construction industry is working hard to increase the labor supply, there’s no instant fix for any region globally. It’s a situation that developers will continue to grapple with for the foreseeable future—making any solution that can help ease the issue worth investigating.
The value of simplifying sewer system installation
A sewer system is a prime example of an area of construction that relies on skilled installation for a successful end product. Skilled workers are vital when installing traditional sewer systems as they have the expertise to ensure the system's functionality, safety and long-term reliability.
In contrast, there are a lot of things that lower-skilled workers could get wrong. These workers may struggle to interpret technical plans correctly, leading to incorrect pipe gradients, misalignments or improper connections, which can result in blockages, backflow or leaks. If soil conditions and trench preparation aren’t carried out correctly, pipes may shift or collapse, leading to costly repairs and potential environmental contamination.
Lower-skilled workers are also unlikely to have the expertise to securely assemble joints, apply appropriate sealing techniques or conduct necessary pressure and leak tests, increasing the likelihood of system failures.
But developers can turn this picture around and avoid these negative outcomes while at the same time maximising their use of lower-skilled workers to ease the skills gap on-site. A comprehensive sewer system solution designed with installation simplicity at its heart is a simple way to achieve this, and our Wavin Tegra range is designed to achieve just that.
Introducing Wavin Tegra 600 LC, designed to reduce installation errors
Wavin is a well-established manufacturer of sewer system solutions, so we understand the importance of working closely with our customers to ensure our products meet their evolving needs. Keeping in touch with customers on various projects helped us understand how valuable simplified installation would be for developers facing skills shortages. So, in response, we refined our Wavin Tegra designs.
Therefore, we developed the new Wavin Tegra 600 LC with two advanced elements to make correct installation much easier:
An adapter with market-leading flexibility
Like any flex adapter, the Wavin Tegra 600 LC flex adapter creates a secure and flexible connection between pipes of varying sizes, materials and angles. This means it ensures that pipes align correctly with the inlet and outlet connections of the inspection chamber, even when there are slight misalignments or differences in pipe diameter. It's also designed to maintain a watertight seal, even if ground settlement, vibrations or temperature fluctuations cause the pipes to shift a little.
What’s different about the Wavin Tegra 600 LC flex adapter is that it increases the flexibility available by 30% above that of any comparable product. This significantly cuts the complexity of installation and the precision required, especially in challenging site conditions, giving greater leeway that can accommodate a less expert fitter.
An easy-fit sculpted socket and new seal
This innovative socket reduces push-in force by 20%, so there’s less chance of accidental damage through excessive force. Plus, the advanced, symmetrical seal design makes it impossible to install upside down. Together, these clever features minimize the likelihood of error during installation that can affect the sewer system’s performance, structural integrity, environmental compliance and safety. It also avoids the repair costs of up to €1,500 per chamber.
Thanks to these design advances, Wavin Tegra 600 LC is much easier to fit correctly, widening the pool of people capable of installing it and reducing the pressure of skills shortages on construction projects of all sizes.
Designed to make builders' work easier
Wavin Tegra 600 LC is a market-leading product ideal for installation by a less-skilled workforce. Developers get excellent performance results without the pressure of requiring specialist trades.
“Our mission is to develop products that anticipate our customers’ needs. We designed Wavin Tegra 600 LC to deliver on many levels, including simplifying installation while protecting performance so more people have the skills to fit it smoothly, rapidly and effectively.”
[Insert Wavin expert name and job title]
Visit our dedicated webpage to find out more about Wavin Tegra 600 LC here.
