Displaying items by tag: US
CRH acquires Ary Corporation
23 July 2024US: CRH has acquired ready-mix concrete and aggregates producer Ary Corporation. The Commercial Observer newspaper has reported that Ary Corporation operates nine ready-mixed concrete plants and 25 aggregates sites, along with construction and paving services and seven asphalt plants.
CRH’s Americas Materials Solutions president, Scott Parson, said "We are delighted to welcome all Ary Corporation employees to the CRH family. The acquisition expands our existing footprint in Colorado and presents CRH with attractive opportunities for development and growth. As North America's leading integrated supplier of aggregates, asphalt, ready mixed concrete and construction services, we look forward to serving customers in Colorado with our unique combination of building materials, products and solutions."
Vulcan Materials Quarry secures environmental approval for Comal County aggregates quarry
22 July 2024US: Vulcan Materials has secured approval from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality for its upcoming aggregates quarry in Comal County. The approval is based on the company’s water quality protection plan for the 607 hectare site situated in the Edwards Aquifer recharge zone, which supplies water to 2 million people. The plan involves the use of vegetation strips, berms and flood plain areas, while excavating a total 387 hectare (64%) of the site in nine successive stages.
Vulcan Materials said that it plans to operate the site in a ‘safe, socially and environmentally responsible’ manner, and will ‘protect and conserve’ water.
Heidelberg Materials North America to develop web-based environmental product declaration tool for concrete
19 July 2024US: Heidelberg Materials North America has won up to US$5m from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for the development of a web-based tool to generate environmental product declarations (EPDs) for ready-mix concrete and other building materials. The finances are part of a total US$160m in EPA funding for the decarbonisation of building materials.
Heidelberg Materials North America president and CEO of Chris Ward said "With this funding, Heidelberg Materials can accelerate the push for more sustainable construction materials and transparency across the industry, while also helping our customers make more informed decisions when choosing products with a lower carbon footprint."
US: Heidelberg Materials North America has acquired aggregates and asphalt producer Highway Materials. Highway Materials is based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and operates four stone quarries, a concrete recycling facility and other assets, with 350 employees. Heidelberg Materials previously acquired Texas-based aggregates producer Victory Rock and concrete recycling company Aaron Materials earlier in July 2024. The deals advance Germany-based Heidelberg Materials’ strategy of growth through small-to-medium-sized synergistic bolt-on acquisitions. The combined value of the acquisitions is US$380m, with anticipated earnings synergies of US$50m.
Heidelberg Materials North America president and CEO Chris Ward said “We are excited to further expand our footprint in two of the fastest-growing areas in the US. The addition of these operations complements our existing aggregates businesses in Texas and Pennsylvania, while also adding to our rapidly growing portfolio of circular solutions across North America.”
Heidelberg Materials chair Dominik von Achten said “These latest US acquisitions reflect the progress of our ongoing efforts to optimise our portfolio by expanding our presence in this key region. We will continue on our growth trajectory in our key markets around the globe, while pursuing the industry’s most ambitious sustainability goals.”
US: Premier Graphene has despatched test samples of its proprietary graphene suspension to ‘one of the largest essential materials companies.’ Graphene-Info News has reported that Premier Graphene expects the samples to confirm its findings of a 32% increase in compressive strength after 28 days, compared to concrete produced without its graphene.
President Pedro Mendez said "Our internal tests have confirmed multiple advantages that position our green cement product strongly in the market. These include increased strength with reduced cement usage, substantial carbon footprint reduction and enhanced durability. We anticipate strong market adoption driven by our cost-effective graphene production methods and established, remarkable efficacy. Our strategy encompasses both graphene colloids for customised mixing by manufacturers and the development of graphene-based products like epoxies and lubricants. This phased approach minimises capital expenditure while maximising product innovation.”
US: Cemex USA has entered into a joint venture for the production and distribution of aggregates in the Mid-South region with Couch Aggregates and Premier Holdings. Cemex USA has a pre-existing strategic partnership with Couch Aggregates. The group says that the vertical integration of this, along with Premier Holdings’ Gulf Coast marine terminals, will accelerate its regional growth. Cemex aims to raise the total US contribution to its earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) from 29% to 40% in the ‘medium-term’ future.
President Jaime Muguiro said "This joint venture will create significant opportunities for both parties by utilising vertical integration and leveraging each other's capabilities for growth. We remain committed to increasing our capacity to serve the US market with more sustainable and innovative solutions."
Cemex USA’s Mid-South region covers 27 ready-mix concrete plants in Alabama, 24 in Georgia, 11 in Tennessee and one in Virginia, and aggregates sites in Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina.
US: The ready-mix concrete and heavy building materials producer Knife River Corporation has appointed Patricia Chiodo to its board of directors. Chiodo will serve on the board's audit and compensation committees. The company says that she brings a ‘wealth of financial expertise.’ She previously held the position of chief financial officer at Verra Mobility Corporation, from which she stepped down in 2022, prior to which she was chief financial officer at RSC Holdings. Chiodo is also a member of UNS Energy Corporation’s audit committee and has served on the audit committee of Embark Technology.
Knife River Corporation chair Karen Fagg said "Tricia is an accomplished business leader with experience in corporate strategy, mergers and acquisitions, risk management and capital markets. When we chose to expand the board and add another independent director, we were looking for someone with Tricia's combination of financial expertise, experience with public companies and proven skills as a team builder. She is a great addition to the board, and we look forward to working with her as we continue to grow Knife River."
Cemex USA launches Vertua® concrete in Florida
20 June 2024US: Cemex USA has launched its Vertua® range of reduced-CO2 concrete in Florida. The producer marked the launch with the announcement of a major residential construction supply contract with Rockwell Construction in Sarasota County. The project, for developer Mattamy Homes, is called Brightmore.
Cemex’s US regional president said "We are thrilled to bring Vertua® to Florida and collaborate on Mattamy Homes' new residential endeavour in Sarasota County. This product represents a significant leap forward in sustainable construction, helping set a higher standard for environmentally responsible building practices not only in the region, but throughout the country."
US: Sublime Systems has announced the first-ever commercial application of its low-carbon Sublime Cement product at WS Development’s One Boston Wharf building in Massachusetts. The concrete placement is located in the Paseo indoor public space at the office building. The floor will be marked with educational materials explaining the significance of decarbonised cement in combating global climate change.
Leah Ellis, the CEO and Co-Founder of Sublime Systems, said “Buildings are monuments to the values of the people who build them, and the One Boston Wharf project represents WS Development’s leadership in ushering in our post-carbon future.” She continued “They are creating not only the building but the world where people want to be. We are honoured to have Sublime Cement featured so prominently here and are confident this pioneering place will inspire infrastructure owners everywhere to embrace low-embodied-carbon materials as a powerful tool for achieving our global net-zero goals.”
US: St Marys Cement won three national awards at the Slag Cement in Sustainable Concrete Awards 2023. The producer won the awards for supplying its slag cement for the construction of Wixom Assembly Park in Wixom, Michigan; of 333 North Water in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and of Excellerate Manufacturing in Appleton, Wisconsin.