Cemex S.A.B. de C.V. is the first cement producer to announce testing of Coolbrook Roto Dynamic Heater (RDH) technology, which uses electric power to attain the 1,500-1,700°C kiln temperatures required to calcine and convert limestone and other raw feeds to clinker. At plant scale, an RDH apparatus running on renewable energy sources could potentially replace fossil fuel combustion for the…
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HeidelbergCement invests in AI-mated maturity sensor technology
Lehigh Hanson Inc. parent HeidelbergCement AG has taken a strategic minority stake in Ottawa-based Giatec, whose proprietary sensors equip producers and their customers to monitor concrete maturity in real time. Combined with artificial intelligence algorithms configured to integrate with a wide range of concrete industry software solutions, the sensor data augments cement optimization, quality control, and formwork operations. “Our investment…
Read MoreIW EPD GWP: Ready mixed producers shrink carbon footprint by one-fifth
National Ready Mixed Concrete Association producer members have lowered their carbon footprint by 21 percent in seven years, according to a new Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) report and Industry Wide Environmental Product Declaration (IW EPD). NRMCA has tracked environmental impacts—carbon dioxide emissions, energy and water use, and waste associated with ready mixed concrete production activities—since releasing an inaugural LCA in…
Read MoreConstruction aggregates shipments near $30 billion watermark
Construction aggregate producers closed 2021 with shipments totaling 1.54 billion metric tons (mt) of crushed stone and 1 billion mt of sand & gravel, valued respectively at $19.6 billion and $10 billion, according to U.S. Geological Survey figures. The estimated 2.54 billion mt of construction aggregate volume represents a 5 percent year over year gain. Annual shipment values in USGS…
Read MoreLanxess moves first in EPD for iron oxide pigments
Lanxess Corp. will feature an extensive concrete pigment portfolio at The Precast Show 2022, March 3-5 in Kansas City, Mo. The Inorganic Pigments business unit will present Bayferrox red, yellow, black and brown iron oxide pigments, plus green shades based on Colortherm chromium oxides, along with recently verified Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs). Lanxess is the first synthetic iron oxide pigment…
Read MoreMANUFACTURERS – December 2021
St. Louis-based manufactured concrete plant equipment specialist Afinitas has announced two promotions: Forming Systems Division Director of Engineering Matt Karnes is transitioning to the corporate engineering team as principal engineer of Product Development, a newly created position reporting to Afinitas Global Vice-President of Engineering Dave Stoller. In his most recent capacity, Karnes served as general manager and engineering manager of…
Read MoreThe Case for DOT ‘E-Info’ Standardization
By Craig Yeack Covid-19 has pushed our industry to catch up with digitization, and we pretty much like it. The service-orientated architecture of today’s information technology (IT) systems empowers concrete producers to choose the best IT landscape for their needs. But how do state transportation departments harvest and leverage the new wealth of unique electronic information we make available? More…
Read MoreA Case for Industry 4.0 in Ready-Mix Production
New technology has sparked a revolution in concrete batch accuracy. The Fourth Industrial Revolution, commonly known as Industry 4.0, is the ongoing automation of manufacturing using Internet of Things (IoT), widespread machine-to-machine (M2M) communication, and artificial intelligence (AI). When we cut through the buzzword bingo, it’s clear that Industry 4.0 matters when it comes to batching ready-mix concrete. Batch accuracy…
Read MoreLow carbon LC3 binder steers Sika’s next admixture chapter
The Swiss parent company of New Jersey-based Sika Corp. will tailor a new family of concrete admixtures and cement additives around the chemistry and behavior of an emerging binder known as LC3, or Limestone Calcined Clay Cement. Through work with Sika AG and peers, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology officials view the material as a means of carbon footprint reduction…
Read MoreSlag cement producers log fifth consecutive year of double-digit shipment gains
Sources: Slag Cement Association, Farmington Hills, Mich., Slag cement shipments in the U.S. climbed 11.7 percent in 2020 versus prior-year volume, sustaining a streak of year-over-year, double-digit percentage growth dating to 2016. The Slag Cement Association attributes the trend in part to the binder’s benefits in plastic and cured concrete, including better workability and finishability; thermal stress reduction; higher compressive…
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