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Research from the Luleå University of Technology (LTU) in Sweden shows that fibre-reinforced polymer can be used to reinforce concrete structures instead of the typical steel.

Gabriel Sas, assistant lecturer at LTU, says that researchers have so far managed to restore full load-carrying capacity to walls without doors.

The project will continue to optimise the pattern of the polymer, which is expected to further improve the results, according to Sas.

Domestic cement sales by South African companies totalled 2.87 million tonnes in the first quarter of 2015, according to data by cement maker PPC.

This is a 15.6% year-on-year increase but down from the 3.16 million tonnes in the fourth-quarter of 2014.

The figure covers sales by PPC, NPC, Lafarge, AfriSam, Ash Resources, Sephaku Ash, Sephaku Cement and Ulula Ash.

The Algerian Government is aiming to boost national production of construction materials.

This is notably the case for cement, as the country only had a production capacity of 21 million tonnes in 2014, 5million tonnes lower than national demand, leading to US$513.70 million (€ 462.19 million) in imports.

Additionally, imports of iron and steel cost $1.84 billion in 2014, with Housing and Urbanism Minister Abdelmadjid Tebboune saying that the aim is to increase the proportion of construction projects

Spain's Supreme Court has dismissed the appeal presented by cement company, Cemex Espana, against a €502,283 (US$558,264.60) fine imposed by the CNC in 2012 for price fixing concrete supplies.

Torre Reforma, scheduled for its official inauguration in late 2015, is already an architectural icon in Mexico.

Designed by the Mexican architect Benjamín Romano from LBR&A Arquitectos, and at 807feet (246m) and 57 levels, the emblematic corporate building is the tallest in Mexico City.

According to Cemex, it also stands out for its impressive walls of exposed concrete, which, when viewed from a certain angle, resemble a large open book.

Characterised by both its slimness and strength, the walls t

A packaging and processing company, that is finding increasing success in the aggregates industry, has completed a major expansion.
In the rolling hills of Newtown, Mid Wales, RMGroup, founded in 1995, has moved into a new larger premises of over 3,700m² to increase production and accommodate its ever-expanding team.
“One of the challenges with our old premises was that we could only build one or two systems at a time. We can now build five lines simultaneously. Our orders have been going through the roof

FLSmidth has signed a contract with the Russian cement and minerals producer Pikalevo Soda for the supply of equipment for a dry sintering alumina line with a capacity of 3.700tonnes/day.
The signing of the contract took place during a ceremony at the international industry trade fair INNOPROM-2015 in Ekaterinburg, Russia, in the presence of the Prime Minister of Russia Dmitry Medvedev and FLSmidth's group CEO Thomas Schulz.
In April 2011 during a state visit of then Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin

Serbian daily newspaper Vecernje Novosti has reported that the domestic market is flooded with construction materials of suspicious quality.

As a result, experts have recommended to buyers to request proof of production, from either foreign or domestic companies, and to provide proof of laboratory accreditations.

Most of the materials are said to be from Spain and Italy.

Sievert, the Osnabrück, Germany-based construction materials group, has acquired Ulm-based Schwenk Putztechnik from Schwenk Zement for an undisclosed sum.

Schwenk Putztechnik has 360 staff and generates annual sales of around €100 million.

It produces plaster and mortar products and thermal insulation composite systems.

Anhui Xinli Investment Group (Xinli Investment) has increased its shareholding in China-based Anhui Chaodong Cement (Chaodong Cement) to 17.34%, following an acquisition of 5.67 million shares at CNY 14.76 (€2.16/US$2.38) each.

Xinli Investment is now Chaodong Cement's second largest shareholder after Prosperity International Holdings (HK).

However, Prosperity International disposed all of its shares in Chaodong Cement on 23 June, 2015.

Nigeria-based Dangote Cement plans to set up a 1.5 million tonnes/year plant in Yaoundé, Cameroon for US$150 million (€136.33 million), doubling its output in the country.

A contract is already being signed for the new unit, and Dangote has also imported 220 trucks and trailers to facilitate transportation of its products. Cameroon currently uses 3.2 million tonnes/year of cement.

Sandvik Construction has appointed Argico as its new distributor for drill rigs, rock tools and stationary and mobile crushing and screening equipment throughout the Dominican Republic.

Argico will suppy a comprehensive range of Sandvik equipment and provide full after-market care, spare parts and dedicated customer service.

Argico, an established name throughout the Dominican Republic with offices, workshops, service engineers throughout the area, was founded in 1970 by the Gigante family.

Headqu

The Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF) has published the interim results of the public exchange offer initiated by Holcim for the shares of Lafarge.
This is part of the €41 billion merger of Lafarge and Holcim to create the world’s biggest cement group.
As of 7 July, 2015, a total of 252,230,673 shares, representing 87.46% of the share capital and at least 81.47% of the voting rights1 of Lafarge have been tendered to the Offer.
The success of the Offer was subject to the condition that a minimum accep

The Volgograd-based (South) Volma company, Russia, which produces finishing construction materials based on gypsum and cement, has attracted two loans with a total value of RUB 600 million (€9.63 million/US$10.71 million) for up to three years with VTB Bank.

The funds will be used for construction of a new plant in the Republic of Adygea (South) and for replenishment of working assets.

The Stroitelnaya Informazia Company expects the demand for aerated concrete in Russia to fall by 14% in 2015, and by 3-4% in 2016.

The consumption decreased by 1% to 310 million m² in 2014.

Consumption in the market for dry gypsum mixes is expected to grow slightly in 2015-2016 having grown by 8% in all commodity groups, except filler, in 2014.

The demand for tongue and groove blocks may go down by 1-2% in 2015, and a more significant decrease is possible in 2016. The consumption went up by 17% in

Cemex has inaugurated a new concrete production facility at Montauban, France.

The installation, on a plot of 4,500m², benefits from the latest concrete production and environmental protection technologies.

The Education Ministry of Myanmar is joining hands with Thailand-based Siam Cement Group (SCG) to raise awareness of earthquake safety among school children in the country.

Under the tie-up, 5,000 sets of learning materials with an earthquake preparedness theme will be distributed to schools in Mawlamyine and Yangon.

Besides the distribution of the learning sets, which contain DVDs, posters, colour pencils and drawing books, SCG will hold seminars on earthquake-related topics with teachers at particip

The Zimbabwean unit of South Africa-based cement group PPC is investing US$200 million (€180.92 million) to 2020 to expand its production facilities, planning 1.2 million tonnes of total annual capacity.

It is currently opening a new milling plant in Harare for $86 million, to start operating in mid-2016.

The company currently runs milling and clinker assets in Bulawayo and Gwanda, and while current PPC Zimbabwe operations are only running at 70% capacity, Njombo Lekula, managing director is reported

The regional asphalt business of US-based contractor Pace Construction has been purchased by Fred Weber also of the US for an undisclosed sum.

As a result of the deal, Fred Weber is able to “solidify its capacity to deliver the highest quality materials for projects.”

According to Fred Weber, the acquisition will also help boost revenue.

Dutch concrete plant Excluton says it is focussing on sustainable innovation to remain competitive in the market.

The company claims its concrete absorbs water better, breaks down CO2 and reflects light which makes the road more visible in the dark.

Excluton was the first to receive a cradle-to-cradle certificate for sustainable flooring and now considers transporting more over water instead of roads.

Some 60% of the raw materials will be gathered within 10km of the plant and 28% of the raw materia