Global Concrete News

France: Police have detained 17 suspected vandals in connection with the 10 December 2023 invasion of Lafarge France’s Val-de-Reuil concrete plant in Normandy. The attack resulted in €450,000-worth of damage. The L'Echo Républicain newspaper has reported that invaders attacked equipment with expanding foam, poured concrete into water outlets, broke windows and damaged cement bags. Spray-paint graffiti left at the site reads ‘Tomorrow will be without concrete or will not be,’ ‘Lafarge terrorist’ and ‘Concrete kills,’ and also compares concrete suppliers to drug dealers. Further tags include the logo of Soulèvements de la Terre (‘Earth Uprisings’), a nation-wide climate protest organisation. The arrest of suspects on 9 April 2024 led to a 200 people-strong protest for their release.

Soulèvements de la Terre had warned of planned actions affecting Lafarge France sites on 9 - 12 December 2023. It named the Saint-Barthélemy-d'Anjou concrete plant in Pays de la Loire, over 200km away from the Val-de-Reuil concrete plant, as a site for a ‘gathering.’

In response to the warning, Lafarge France said on 8 December 2023 “The people who intend to respond to this call for mobilisation against our sites have the wrong target. Of all industrial sectors, ours is moving the fastest and strongest in favour of the climate. Moreover, we are useful to society. The country's needs for housing, public facilities and infrastructure are immense, and concrete represents the best solution to meet them.”

India: Goa Waste Management Corporation (GWMC) has obtained a 20-year patent for its Laterite-Based Concrete Block. The company produces the block using up to 100% construction and demolition materials. Norway-based research organisation SINTEF was technical partner for the development. GWMC plans to licence the technology to producers.

GWMC said "This invention will lead to a significantly cleaner local environment, as construction and demolition materials are a major waste stream in Goa. The groundwater resources in Goa will also have a higher protection against unwanted leaching."

UK: CRH subsidiary Tarmac has partnered with sensors specialist Converge to launch predictive AI-enhanced sensors for use in concrete mix optimisation. The equipment can reduce reliance on traditional cube testing, helping to shorten construction timelines. The sensors are available to all Tarmac customers.

Tarmac ready-mix concrete head Andrew Campling said "This new partnership with Converge means we can offer even more innovations to customers as part of our lower carbon CEVO concrete brand. Alongside other solutions, including our new online carbon calculator and the easy-to-use CEVO rating system, we're providing our customers with the tools to help them reduce carbon on construction projects."

Converge CEO Raphael Scheps said "The pairing of CEVO with Converge's sensors and AI technology is a perfect match for concrete decarbonisation. By packaging our technology with Tarmac's low embodied carbon mixes, contractors can build sustainably with the confidence that they're getting all the performance they need. We're proud to be partnering with Tarmac to offer leading AI solutions to the construction industry."

Romania: IBB Holding inaugurated a new €1.5m ready-mix concrete batching plant in Mogoșoaia, Bucharest. Money News has reported that the plant is the company’s fourth.

CEO Ion Crăciunescu said "Through this new concrete plant located in the north of Bucharest, we are in a favourable position to participate in tenders for infrastructure projects in this area and establish strategic partnerships with real estate developers. Moreover, we can ensure the quality of the materials used, faster and more efficient services. Our strategy is to offer services integrated with production, with responsibility towards the environment and towards future generations, adapted to each type of project in which we are involved: infrastructure, residential, commercial or industrial construction. The real need that Romania has both in terms of investments in infrastructure and in the housing fund, as well as the projects already started, leads us to look optimistically at the development of our businesses in the medium and long term."

Bulgaria: The government has licensed concrete and aggregates producer Balastrieri to conduct aggregates exploration on land in Yakoviya Chiflik, Plovdiv. SeeNews has reported that the licence will last until April 2025. Balastrieri plans to invest €13,800 in exploration at the site.