The global precast concrete market is experiencing rapid growth. Data show that the market size reached 141.92billionin2024andisprojectedtoclimbto141.92billionin2024andisprojectedtoclimbto242.59 billion by 2032. Precast wall panels, precast stairs, and precast beams and columns are being used increasingly in commercial buildings, industrial plants, residential developments, and public infrastructure.

However, within the seemingly efficient process of "factory prefabrication + on-site assembly," an easily overlooked detail is quietly holding up the construction schedule and driving up costs: the on-site leveling and positioning of precast components.

Imagine a precast wall panel weighing several tons being lifted into place, requiring millimeter-level precision on a concrete foundation. How can the construction team complete the leveling quickly? What materials should they use for support and adjustment? Different choices can lead to efficiency gaps of tenfold or more.

This crucial element is the plastic shim pad.

Efficiency Bottlenecks in Prefabricated Construction: Half the Time Spent on "Alignment"
The core value of prefabricated construction lies in "factory production and rapid on-site assembly," but the efficiency bottleneck in the on-site installation process often comes as a surprise.

A comparative study by the University of New South Wales found that on-site installation of prefabricated light steel wall panels reduced the installation cycle from 13 working days to 4 working days—saving approximately 69% of the time and achieving roughly 39% cost savings. Other studies have shown that prefabricated modular buildings can cut construction time by up to 50% and material waste by up to 83%.

However, there is an implicit prerequisite behind these figures: the leveling, positioning, and fixing during on-site installation must go smoothly enough. If the "alignment" stage gets stuck, the entire construction schedule will be delayed.

In traditional practice, workers first need to roughly level the foundation surface using sand or wood chips before hoisting the prefabricated wall panels. A single panel often requires multiple trial lifts—lowering, lifting, adding sand, and lowering again—repeating this process two or three times, which can take over half an hour to hoist just one panel. An even bigger problem is that wood chips expand and warp when exposed to moisture, while the mortar bedding layer shrinks and changes thickness as it dries. As a result, wall panels that were leveled properly may become misaligned again after a few days, requiring rework.

This is precisely where the core value of plastic shims lies.

How Plastic Shims Improve Efficiency: A Set of Data Tells You the Answer

The data is estimated based on each standard precast wall panel (approximately 2.5m × 3m) and is applicable to medium-sized projects (200-300 wall panels).

> Notes:

> - Crane shift is estimated at 500-800 RMB per hour;

> - Labor costs are estimated at 40-60 RMB per man-hour;

> - Rework costs include secondary hoisting, manual adjustments, and material losses.