UK: Holcim UK has demonstrated a new low CO₂ cement formulation made from recycled concrete fines (RCF) in a cross-industry trial funded by Innovate UK and led by the Materials Processing Institute (MPI). Beginning in September 2024 and concluding in December 2025, the project brings together industry bodies, engineers and researchers to develop an RCF-based cement as a lower-carbon alternative to ordinary Portland cement. The producer poured a demonstrative batch of ready-mix concrete using the new formulation at its Whetstone plant in Leicestershire. The concrete used CEM II cement, with RCF replacing 20% of clinker without compromising production feasibility. The cement will undergo further testing and certification before it can be written into the revised British Standards for concrete in 2027. Holcim said that plans are already in place to source RCF from its waste management partner, and the waste stream will be put back into production at its new cement plant in Tilbury, expected to be operational from late 2026.

US: Taiheiyo Cement Corporation subsidiary CalPortland has entered into an agreement to acquire Vulcan Materials' ready-mixed concrete business in California for US$712m. The assets are situated in San Diego and the San Francisco Bay Area. This marks CalPortland's first entry into the San Francisco Bay Area. Completion is expected before the end of 2025.

CalPortland says that it anticipates ‘robust’ ready-mix concrete demand in both markets, driven by the data centre and energy sectors in the San Francisco Bay Area and residential and urban renewal projects in San Diego.

Mexico: Holcim México has integrated Grupo Comosa into its ready-mix concrete business in Atlacomulco, Cuautla, Cuernavaca, El Marqués, Polotitlán, Toluca and Xochitepec. The integration adds seven new ready-mix concrete batching plants, with a combined capacity of 300,000m³/yr. Local press has reported that Holcim México previously acquired the Balvanera and San Juan del Rio, Queretaro, plants from Grupo Comosa in May 2024.

Following the latest integration, Holcim México now operates 70 batching plants across Mexico.

UAE: RAK Ports has signed an agreement with China-based Jianhua Holdings Group and injection device technologies supplier PHC Technologies to build a US$32.7m large-diameter prestressed high-strength concrete (PHC) piles plant in Ras Al Khaimah. When operational, the plant will employ 500 people and supply concrete piles for infrastructure projects across the Middle East, with anticipated revenues of US$5.45m/yr.

The parties originally signed a memorandum of understanding for the construction of the facility in September 2024.