US: A team at Michigan State University has commenced a pilot study of four concrete slabs formulated to melt ice and snow, installed in a pedestrian area at its Lansing campus in Michigan. The slabs store heat from solar radiation and release it when temperatures drop to 0°C. Sub-hairline cracks in the concrete proved self-healing in earlier testing. Local press has reported that the team will monitor the slabs through Winter 2024 – 2025, as they are exposed to weather and footfall.

Researcher Quingxu Jin said "This concrete could revolutionise infrastructure for urban communities by reducing maintenance costs and for rural communities that need safer, sustainable solutions."

India: Autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) blocks producer Bigbloc Construction recorded sales of US$13.9m in the first half of 2025, up by 20% year-on-year. Its sales volumes of AAC blocks grew by 35%, the Business Standard newspaper has reported. Capacity utilisation was 57%. During the period, the producer launched a 0.7MW rooftop solar plant at Starbigbloc Building Material’s block plant in Gujarat’s Kheda District.

Finland: Lipa-Betoni will integrate Carbonaide's CO₂-storing concrete curing system at its precast concrete plant in South Savo, Carbon Herald News has reported. Carbonaide's system accelerates curing times while reducing cement use by up to 20%, reducing the CO₂ emissions of concrete production by 60% in Phase 1 alone. Precast concrete plant supplier Elematic has developed a dedicated system to seal CO₂ in the plant’s curing chambers. Pilot operations are scheduled to commence in early 2026, expanding up to full scale later in the year.

Carbonaide CEO Tapio Vehmas said "This first full plant integration also represents a major step in our collaboration with Elematic, started in 2025, which allows us to bring our solution rapidly to Europe's construction markets."

UK: Holcim UK has acquired PJ Thory Holdings. The company is comprised of three business based in the English Midlands: ready-mix concrete and screeds producers Gemmix and Pro Minimix and aggregates and haulage company PJ Thory. The group employs 130 people across nine sites, including a recycling centre.

Holcim UK CEO Lee Sleight said "This is a major acquisition which gives us much greater coverage in the East of England. Not only does it align with our ongoing wider growth strategy, it increases our ready-mix concrete footprint, provides vital sand and gravel mineral reserves and bolsters our recycling offering as part of an ongoing drive to increase our circular construction materials."