France: Saint-Gobain subsidiary Point.P will begin to produce 20,000t/yr of cement-free concrete blocks at its plant in Hauts-de-France in early 2026. The blocks will employ Canada-based CarbiCrete’s CO₂-sequestering supplementary cementitious materials (SCM) technology. Production is set to double to 40,000t/yr from 2027. The development marks CarbiCrete’s first move into the French market.

CarbiCrete CEO Jacob Homiller said "We see Point.P, with their commitment to sustainable housing, as the ideal partner for scaling our technology. This major milestone paves the way for wider adoption of the CarbiCrete process in Europe and beyond."

Point.P Managing Director Nicolas Godet said that cement-free concrete construction is ‘No longer a laboratory concept, but a tangible, reliable and scalable solution for decarbonising construction.’

Denmark: Saint-Gobain has acquired concrete monitoring systems developer Maturix. The companies have been working in collaboration since 2019. Maturix's systems allow for remote real-time monitoring of concrete during curing and hardening, reducing the duration of the concrete construction cycle by up to 50%, according to the company.

The financial terms of the acquisition are undisclosed.

Romania: Voestalpine Railway Systems Romania has concluded a deal to acquire an outstanding 25% stake in precast concrete producer Travertec, to become sole owner. SeeNews has reported that the Romanian Competition Council will assess the terms of the deal to determine whether to grant it clearance.

Travertec specialises in the production of prestressed reinforced concrete railway sleepers.

India: The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research’s Structural Engineering Research Centre (SERC) has developed a new prefabricated concrete panel made of alternative raw materials. The technology incorporates expanded polystyrene (EPS), along with fly ash and calcium carbide residues from industry. ETV Bharat News has reported that the panels have a lifespan of 70 years. A specially-designed wall structure and bonding mechanism called Steel Eps Concrete Re-Organised Building Technology (SECROBuilT) allows for construction up to four storeys with 40% less weight and greater sound and thermal insulation than conventional concrete construction. The method further allows for quicker assembly with a lower labour dependency.