Japan: Lib Work has outlined a new 3D printing method that involves the use of a novel alternative concrete produced using 65% sand and soil. The concrete contains a lime-based binder and natural fibre reinforcement. The resulting materials offers Grade 3 earthquake resistance. It reduces a new house’s embodied CO₂ emissions by 55% compared with ordinary construction methods to 22.4t of CO₂, according to the developer.
US: 25 drivers and mechanics at Island Ready-Mix Concrete’s Kapolei ready-mix concrete batching plant in Hawaii went on strike on 23 July 2025. Hawaii News Now has reported that workers at the 500m3/day plant are demanding two days off per seven-day working week. The parties have held 16 rounds of negotiations, with the next upcoming session scheduled for 18 August 2025, when workers are expected to respond to the company’s offer of a 14% wage rise over a period of three years. Both parties have already ‘tentatively’ accepted 15 provisions of an agreement.
Island Ready-Mix Concrete serves a mix of commercial and residential contracts on O’ahu.
Peru: Union de Concreteras (UNICON) has signed an agreement with Germany-based INFORM to use its logistics software to enhance the efficiency and performance of its truck fleet. INFORM will use its experience with artificial intelligence (AI) and operations research to work with UNICON to improve the performance, responsiveness and sustainability of its fleet operations. The collaboration phase is underway, with operations expected to ramp up later in 2025.
“This partnership represents another important milestone in accelerating the adoption of AI across the ready-mix concrete industry in South America,” said Thomas Bergmans, Senior Vice President of INFORM’s Logistics Division. “By sharing our knowledge and proven methodologies, we’re enabling UNICON to strengthen its operational capabilities and adaptability in a competitive market.” INFORM’s AI methods are designed to evaluate large volumes of planning data in real-time, offering actionable recommendations that help companies optimise fleet deployment, improve service levels and reduce operational costs.
UNICON was established in 1996 and is part of the UNACEM group. With over 2000 employees and a fleet of more than 500 mixer trucks, the company has helped to build major infrastructure projects across Peru, including the expansion of the Jorge Chávez International Airport, and the construction of Lima Metro’s Line 2.
Ireland: Researchers at the Technological University Dublin are leading a project to assess the potential to reduce the amount of cement used in concrete blends in Ireland. Led by Dr Niall Holmes, Discipline Lead (Structural Engineering), the Alternative Irish-based Materials Suitable as Cementitious Binders project is partnering with numerous industrial partners – including cement producers Breedon and Mannok. It will assess the potential to use fly ash, calcined clays, recycled glass powder and imported slags to partially substitute for cement in concrete products.
The project has received funding from Construct Innovate, part of Enterprise Ireland, which is the Irish government’s enterprise development agency. As well as assessing the quantities of available alternative raw materials, the project will also advocate for the adoption of performance-based standards at the national and EU levels so that alternative concrete blends can be brought to market rapidly and be exported from Ireland to elsewhere in the EU.
The project is running from January 2025 until December 2025. Any party wishing to contribute should contact the publisher in the first instance.
