France: Cemex France has won a contract to supply concrete for the construction of the 99m-high, 30-storey mixed-use M99 Tower in Quais d’Arenc, Marseille. The producer will supply contractor Legendre Construction with 11,000m³ of concrete over a 20-month period. The order includes white concrete for 33 columns and other architectural elements. Cemex France plans to supply the concrete from its Marseille Port concrete plant.
New Zealand: Statistics New Zealand recorded ready-mix concrete production of 1.9Mm3 in the first half of 2026, up by 7% year-on-year.
Consultancy Infometrics said that non-residential work volumes are set to fall further, and that cost pressures might still restrict investment levels into infrastructure over 2026.
US: West Alabama Ready Mix has commissioned a new ready-mix concrete batching plant at Jasper in Walker county, Alabama. The Jasper plant is the producer’s second, alongside an existing one at Winfield in Marion county.
Lithuania: Researchers at the Kaunas University of Technology (KTU) in Kaunas have developed circular geopolymer mortars for fire-resistant applications using materials sourced as refuse from various industrial processes in place of cement. These included metakaolin, sourced from discarded raw kaolin from glass production; ceramic materials and corundum, used in abrasive and high-temperature manufacturing. Researchers found that ceramic materials and corundum produced mortars with the highest strength after exposure to 800°C heat, up to 53MPa, and only limited microcracking. This makes the mortars better-suited to use for passive fire protection in boilers, chimneys and reactors than conventional cement-based mortars. KTU now plans to file a patent application, with a view to advancing to real-world adoption.
The team has previously investigated the use of various circular alternative raw materials as feedstocks, including phosphogypsum and reeds.
