US: 11 Truck drivers at a Heidelberg Materials North America ready-mix concrete batching plant in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, have gone on strike. The drivers’ local Teamsters union alleges unfair labour practice with regards to inward-facing driver cameras, healthcare, first-year pay, pensions and disciplinary procedures. The strike follows a second unsuccessful attempt at contract renegotiations.

Teamsters’ president Kevin Schmitt said “These drivers are responsible for all of Heidelberg Materials North America’s ready-mix operations in Allegheny County. Heidelberg Teamsters will not rest until the company returns with a contract that reflects the value of our members.”

Heidelberg Materials North America sought a court order to remove strikers from the plant entrance on 10 July 2026.

Uzbekistan: The government has announced plans for a new US$50m building materials complex in Qashqadaryo region, to include a dry mixes plant. Report İnformasiya Agentliyi News has reported that the project is a ‘bilateral’ undertaking, involving investment from Azerbaijan. The complex will also produce gypsum wallboard.

Deputy Minister of Investments, Industry and Trade Khurram Teshabaev described Qashqadaryo as ‘industrially developed,’ due to its gas and chemicals sector infrastructure.

UK: PureGRAPH has supplied FP McCann with its graphene for use in a trial production run of 10,000 roof tiles at the latter’s Cadeby plant in Leicestershire. The trial ran for five months and used 40t of graphene-enhanced cement. It reduced cement consumption by 8% and cradle-to-gate CO₂ emissions by 14%, without reducing tile strength.

IOM3 News has reported that discussions are reportedly underway with prospective industry partners over the deployment of the tiles in construction applications.

US: AquiPor Technologies has developed a concrete additive that makes concrete permeable to water, while filtering 97% of suspended solids. Additionally, the additive filters up to 82% of 6PPD-q, a tyre-derived pollutant threating urban waterways. The additive is suitable for production using established precast and ready-mix concrete production processes.

AquiPor Technologies has completed demonstration projects deploying the additive and is now working with partners on its commercial scale-up.