Market Intelligence / Formwork

The €21/sqm Lie: Why You Are Burning Cash on Plywood

By Gianluca Vella Valletta | Founder, Cartel 72

If you are still buying 18mm Marine Plywood for your shuttering in 2026, you aren't just overpaying—you are setting fire to your profit margin. The math has changed, but the Maltese market is still stuck in 1990.

The "Cheap" Material That Costs a Fortune

Contractors look at the sticker price: €14.50 per sheet for Plywood vs. €38.00 per sheet for our Titan Shell PVC. On paper, Plywood looks cheaper. But construction isn't about the purchase price; it's about the Cost Per Use.

The Real Math (Per 100 Uses)

❌ Traditional Plywood:
Lasts: 5 pours (optimistic).
To get 100 uses, you need to buy 20 sheets.
Total Cost: €290.00
✅ Cartel 72 Titan Shell (PVC):
Lasts: 50-100 pours.
To get 100 uses, you need to buy 1 or 2 sheets.
Total Cost: €38.00 - €76.00

The Hidden "Release Oil" Tax

It’s not just the wood. Plywood is thirsty. It drinks water and requires constant application of release agents (oil) to strip clean. That is labor time and material cost you pay every single day.

Titan Shell PVC is self-releasing. Concrete does not stick to plastic. You wipe it, you stack it, you move on.

The Solution

We are currently aggregating orders for the next container of Nano-Modified PVC Formwork. We are bypassing the local stockists who mark this up by 40%.

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