Roger Bullivant has agreed in-principle to a volume order for Concretene’s graphene-enhanced concrete admixture.
On completion of a government-funded development project for pre-cast piling and foundation applications, commercial deliveries could start in the fourth quarter of 2024.
Concretene uses graphene to improve compressive, tensile and flexural strength and durability of concrete, allowing cement and reinforcing steel content to be reduced.
Innovate UK has provided £1.2m for the pre-cast research project, bringing Concretene’s total government R&D funding secured this year to more than £2.4m, after three previous awards announced in October. [See our previous report here.]
Concretene has been developed by Nationwide Engineering Research & Development (NERD) in partnership with the University of Manchester’s Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre (GEIC).
Support for the pre-cast piling and foundation applications project from Roger Bullivant includes a proposal for establishment of a pilot manufacturing plant for Concretene at its headquarters in south Derbyshire.
The site, providing batching and pre-cast manufacture, could enable Concretene to prove the viability of its manufacturing proposition.
Roger Bullivant is part of Soletanche Bachy, which is in turn part of the French construction group Vinci.
Roger Bullivant managing director David Clement said: “As part of Soletanche Bachy and Vinci, we have an ambitious target to reduce our concrete and cement-related CO2 emissions by 20% by 2030. We also have an in-house expertise in low-carbon concrete under the Exegy label. This exciting R&D initiative in partnership with Concretene is the next step in our carbon-reduction journey and is a critical element of our sustainability strategy.”
Concretene chief operating officer Mike Harrison said: “This is another significant step on our journey to commercialisation of our product and we are delighted to be working with the team at Roger Bullivant.
“Concretene has an important role to play in helping the construction industry meet challenging net-zero targets and the establishment of pilot manufacturing will be vital as we scale our operation.”
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