China: China Building Materials Academy (CBMA) has patented a new 3D printing method which uses short rebars to reinforce printed layers. The developer says that this will enable builders to ensure structural strength without the disruption caused to 3D printing by the long rebars of conventional building skeletons.

CBMA said that "An inverted U-shaped or inverted L-shaped short rebar is vertically inserted into the cement slurry layer, wherein the bending mechanism comprises two bending members, separately disposed on two sides of a clamp."

Denmark: Switzerland-based Holcim has made an investment in 3D concrete printer supplier COBOD International. Holcim hopes that the investment will help it to further expand its TectorPrint 3D printing ink range. Holcim and COBOD International's collaboration dates to 2019, since which time the partners have 3D printed windmill tower bases in Denmark, a school in Malawi and a housing development in Kenya.

Holcim's head of global research and development, Edelio Bermejo, said “At Holcim, we are continuously expanding our range of building solutions to build better with less, working to improve living standards for all in a sustainable way. 3D concrete printing will help us meet these goals."

India: Finland-based Betolar has launched its first concrete products manufactured using Geoprime on the Indian market. Geoprime is an additive designed for use in cement-free concrete production with ash and ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBFS). The new concrete product range consists of precast blocks, paving slabs and tiles, and is currently on display at World of Concrete India in Mumbai, Maharashtra.

Betolar's India managing director Abhishek Bhattacharya said "We are happy to introduce our first products to our customers for the Indian markets. We have now moved from laboratory tests into the production phase, and can show concretely how well this solution works. It is great to hear the feedback from the concrete industry in the region to our sustainable solution. Decarbonisation of the concrete industry is a very current and important topic."

UK: Holcim has acquired recycled concrete and aggregates producer Wiltshire Heavy Building Materials. Wiltshire Heavy Building Materials' material recovery system enables it to process 150,000t/yr of construction and demolition waste for recycling. It operates multiple plants across Wiltshire, Berkshire, Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire, and generated Euro20.6m in sales in 2021.

Switzerland-based Holcim said that the acquisition will expand its UK subsidiary Aggregate Industries' position in the area between London and the West of England, and help the group to achieve its goal of 10Mt/yr-worth of construction and demolition waste recycled globally by 2025.