Australia: Permacast Future Industries, a joint venture of nickel slag-based cement developer Suvo Strategic Minerals and precast concrete producer Permacast, has signed a binding two-year memorandum of understanding (MOU) to supply its reduced-CO2 concrete to wind farm developer Wind With Purpose (WWP). WWP will explore the use of the concrete in wind turbine foundations and towers. The Sydney Morning Herald newspaper has reported that WWP’s upcoming wind farms in Western Australia require 500 turbines, each using 1000m³ of concrete.
Knight’s Companies appoints George Kuhn as Vice President Technical Services, Ready-Mix Concrete
US: South Carolina-based concrete producer Knight’s Companies has appointed George Kuhn as Vice President of Technical Services of its Ready-Mix Concrete division. Kuhn will be responsible for building and sustaining relationships with the division’s existing customers and partners and supporting further growth through strategic development initiatives.
Kuhn was previously Technical Services Manager at Virginia-based Chandler Concrete, where he worked since 1988. He holds an Industrial Engineering degree from Virginia Tech in Blacksburg.
PT Wijaya Karya Beton supports mangrove restoration
Indonesia: Precast concrete producer PT Wijaya Karya Beton has planted 1800 mangrove seedlings around Pari Island in the Special Capital Region of Jakarta. The reafforestation initiative forms part of a collaboration between local authorities, non-governmental organisations and communities.
Newcastle University team develops plastic-based mortar
UK: Researchers at Newcastle University have developed a new mortar using recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) from plastic bottles and silica aerogel. The team says that the mortar conforms to construction standards 413-1:2011, ASTM C270-10, and AS 1012/AS 3700. They added that it additionally reduces heat loss in the spaces between blocks or bricks by 55%.
Team leader Lidija Šiller said “For the next step, we wish to find collaborators such as a construction company to apply for funding and build the house with our ‘recipe’ for mortar. This will allow us to provide the direct evidence of potential energy savings and assess the economics for masonry buildings applications.”
