Basanite Industries has announced United States Patent and Trademark Office protection for BasaFlex basalt fiber composite rebar and its manufacturing method. It landed U.S. Patent No. 12,024,885 B2 nearly three years after filing an application to establish and cover the intellectual property attending the concrete reinforcement product. BasaFlex is manufactured with fibers derived from thermally treated basalt rock extrusions, epoxy…
Read MoreDay: November 15, 2024
Funding round underscores investor confidence in AICrete
AICrete Corp., Richmond, Calif. artificial intelligence solutions developer for concrete and aggregate producers, has closed a $5 million funding round, bringing Series Seed commitments to $9 million since May 2022. The investment positions the company to broaden the AI-powered AICreteOS operating system user base; extend customer support to more North American accounts; configure AICreteOS to provide more advanced data-driven business…
Read MoreOutdoor Living Supply closes on Carolina, Georgia, California dealers
Minnesota-based Outdoor Living Supply has expanded its Southeast footprint, acquiring Majestic Stone Landscape Supply LLC, with Macon, Ga. headquarters yard and an Atlanta satellite. The full-service distributor of manufactured or natural stone, plus hardscape and landscape products was founded in 2002. Concurrently, OLS added old-line California retailer Garden Supply Hardscapes, a major source of Basalite and Belgard brands in San…
Read MoreCRH Ventures’ Sustainable Building Materials accelerator courts startups
CRH Ventures is accepting applications from Seed- and Series A or B-stage construction or climate technology companies through mid-December for its latest accelerator, Sustainable Building Materials. The accelerator program enables the investment arm of Dublin-based CRH Plc to identify innovative materials and practices to lower greenhouse gas emissions, reduce waste and improve energy use in the built environment. Top Sustainable…
Read MoreAmerimix 3D Printing Mortar speeds three-home demonstration
Oldcastle APG’s trades-geared packaged material division recently teamed with Peri 3D Construction to demonstrate the efficiency of using 3,000-lb. 3D Printing Mortar Mix supersacks to feed a Cobod printer placing exterior and interior walls for three New Standard Homes residences. Results from the Shriner, Texas project help position Amerimix as a premiere provider of 3D printing mix or ink materials—well…
Read MoreNRMCA library underpins AI-powered AskConcrete.com
Kansas City-based heavy/civil construction operations management software developer XBE and the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association bill their new AskConcrete.com platform as an artificial intelligence-powered answer engine for intricate questions related to ready mixed concrete material science, production, and logistics matters. Example queries for which the site is programmed to deliver near-instant answers might include: AskConcrete.com embodies hundreds of NRMCA…
Read MoreCemex pro leads record National Mixer Driver Championship field
Cemex USA’s Allard Tigchelaar took the 18th annual National Mixer Driver Championship, staged last month during the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association ConcreteWorks Conference & Expo. Based at the producer’s Prescott, Ariz. plant, the 36-year industry veteran prevailed among a record field of 111 drivers. His cumulative score reflected stationary and driving challenge, visual vehicle inspection, delivery ticket station and…
Read MoreCommerce taps ASTM International to lead Standardization Center of Excellence
The Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology has awarded $15 million to support U.S. engagement in international standardization for critical and emerging technologies essential to domestic competitiveness and national security. The Standardization Center of Excellence will be led by global standards organization ASTM International, with multiple partners from across the standards development ecosystem. “Broad U.S. participation in…
Read MoreUSGS revises rankings of top aggregate producers
The U.S. Geological Survey has updated its “Top 100 Producers of Construction Sand & Gravel” and companion “Crushed Stone” lists, both reflecting data available through October 2023. Final 2022 production figures indicate the categories’ leading producers: CONSTRUCTION SAND & GRAVEL1. CRH Americas Materials2. Vulcan Materials3. Martin Marietta Materials4. Knife River Corp.5. Summit Materials6. Cemex USA7. Holcim US8. Heidelberg Materials9. Teichert…
Read MoreEnergy Department quantifies materials’ emissions intensity
A U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) pilot project is in the works to measure the greenhouse gas (GHG) intensity of certain industrial products or materials, likely led by cement, steel, aluminum and glass. The move coincides with a greater emphasis on “clean” manufacturing and the need among companies, government officials, trading partners and consumers for a fair, coherent system to…
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